Carlisle area community members attended a program to raise awareness about human trafficking on Monday, February 13th at the Carlisle Community Building. Pictured left to right are Cathy Smith, St. Elizabeth Seton Social Concerns Committee, Becky Andersen, Board Member from Dorothy’s House, and April Abbas, an officer with the Carlisle Police Department.
Iowa is one of the top five states in the nation for human trafficking, and victims as young as 10 are from our own neighborhoods. Becky Andersen and Office Abbas explained there is a spike in activity during special events such as the state fair, but the threat is ongoing. There were questions from the group after the presentation and discussion about what we can do as individuals and as a community to help stop this growing crime.
Becky Andersen also provided information about Dorothy’s House, a safe home where girls who are victims of this crime can receive the support they need during the recovery process.
The following websites provide additional information about human trafficking and what you can do to become part of the solution. You can visit Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking at iowanaht.org and the website for Dorothy’s House is dorothyshouse.org