In recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Jan. 11, Dunwoody’s Mayor and City Council will emphasize the importance of education and training for all.
Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch will issue a proclamation recognizing training and education as important tools to fight sex trafficking, and she’ll call on city employees and residents to do their part. The proclamation will be presented during the Dunwoody City Council meeting on Jan. 10.
Dunwoody City Council Member Tom Lambert is spearheading the effort. “Dunwoody is already leading the way in fighting sex trafficking through enforcement and prosecution,” he said. “This proclamation goes a step further by encouraging all of us to learn how we can play a role protecting victims.”
The online training, provided for free by the Safe House Project, helps individuals understand what trafficking looks like in their community and provides actionable steps to report suspected trafficking. This aligns with similar training already required of officers with the Dunwoody Police Department.
“With this commitment and proclamation, Dunwoody will become only the second city in the country to earn our ‘City of Freedom’ seal,” said Kristi Wells, CEO of Safe House Project, a national anti-trafficking organization. “This shows the city’s commitment to education and awareness as critical steps to end sex trafficking.”
January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. If you see something that doesn’t look right, take action and call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733.
In October, Dunwoody City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to make sex sting operations at hotels more effective by removing vague language that made it difficult to prosecute pimps. The ordinance also makes it illegal to transport people for the purpose of prostitution or sex solicitation. Dunwoody Police have made at least 10 prostitution, soliciting or pimping arrests each year since 2016.
