As part of Human Trafficking Awareness Week, the Multicultural Association for Pre-Health Students (MAPS) will host events to raise awareness about human trafficking from Jan. 11-15.
According to the Department of Justice, South Florida is the third-busiest area for human trafficking in the United States. The Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking’s website states that human trafficking is the second-most common illegal activity in the United States.
“Human trafficking could happen to anyone,” said Jenna Knafo, President of MAPS. “It’s such a huge problem in South Florida.”
Kaisha Butz, vice president of MAPS and a senior biology major, explained that Human Trafficking Awareness Week is especially relevant to NSU students planning on a career in healthcare.
“It’s mainly healthcare providers that see the people that are victims and they don’t really recognize them as victims,” she said. “This school has a lot of people going into medicine, so if more people going into medicine get some sort of training, they can spot human trafficking.”
Students can stop by an informational table in the Don Taft University Center each day during Human Trafficking Awareness Week from noon to 1 p.m. They can hear about human trafficking issues from prominent community members at an event on Jan. 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carl DeSantis Building Knight Auditorium.
At the table, students will be able to learn about human trafficking and fill boxes with clothing and toiletries for human trafficking victims. The boxes will be donated to a local victim advocate association.
The event on Jan. 13 will feature speakers from NSU’s College of Health Care Sciences, NSU’s Department of Health Science, the Plantation Police Department, the Office of Child Welfare and the U.S. Attorney’s office.
This is the second year that MAPS has organized Human Trafficking Awareness Week at NSU. The association wants to do more to aid human trafficking victims in the coming years and hopes to raise more awareness at NSU.
“I think awareness helps students not get into those situations, and if they see someone who’s going through something they’ve heard about, they can ask the right questions and get them help,” said Butz.
All are invited to attend the events.
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline is 888-373-7888. For more information on NSU’s Human Trafficking Awareness Week, contact Jenna Knafo at jkr1124@nova.edu.
