Waynesburg University will host a Human Trafficking Symposium in partnership with A Child’s Place Child Advocacy Center Friday, Oct. 25, from noon to 3 p.m. in the University’s Goodwin Performing Arts Center.
Free and open to the public, the symposium will provide a detailed description of human trafficking cases in Western Pennsylvania to local law enforcement, criminal justice administration students and community members.
“Human Trafficking in all its forms is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the U.S. and around the world, and it continues to be an emerging threat to our public safety and the well-being of our communities, large and small,” said James Tanda, instructor of criminal justice and director of security operations and emergency management at Waynesburg University. “Waynesburg University is proud to partner on this symposium and to host such an important event, for not only our students, but for law enforcement and members of our community.”
Topics will include the trafficking of individuals for employment, real life situations from an FBI perspective, the changes to state law as they pertain to municipal officers’ investigations, the help provided to survivors through victim advocacy and the real story of a survivor who was trafficked as a teen.
“This symposium features an important topic for our community,” said Stacey Brodak, vice president for institutional advancement and university relations. “We are fortunate to have such expertise available to deliver this training and information session to law enforcement, as well as interested community members. We hope anyone interested in learning more about this topic will consider attending.”
Speakers include:
- Denise Holtz, retired FBI Special Agent and Law Enforcement/Community Liaison at A Child’s Place Child Advocacy Center
- Frank Mulkearns, Brandon Wargo and Fina Abramovitz, Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, Employment Trafficking
- Katherine Wymard & Summer Carroll, Deputy Attorney Generals from the PA Office of Attorney General
To reserve a seat, contact Joan Mills, consultant at A Child's Place Child Advocacy Center, at jmills@achildsplacepa.org or 412-445-6839 by Monday, Oct. 21.
A Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a child-friendly facility in which law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, mental health, medical, and victim advocacy professionals work together to investigate abuse, help children heal from abuse, and hold offenders accountable.
Founded in 1849 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Waynesburg University is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with an additional site for graduate and professional studies in Southpointe. The University is one of only 22 Bonner Scholar schools in the country, offering local, regional and international opportunities to touch the lives of others through service.
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