Vail Symposium to host ‘Perils of Human Trafficking’ event Thursday

EDWARDS — Here are couple things you probably didn’t know about human trafficking, but should:

• There are approximately between 20 million and 30 million slaves in the world today and, according to the U.S. State Department.

• 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year.

• Of these people, 80 percent are female and half are children.

• This is not just a problem for other countries; the U.S. State Department estimates between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States every year. 50 percent are children.

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• There have been more than 150 human trafficking investigations in Colorado and it is believed that the I-70 corridor is an artery for transporting victims of human trafficking.

The Vail Symposium will present a free program Thursday to discuss human trafficking with a walkthrough exhibit and lecture from three panelists who will help put a human face on the data.

Thursday’s program will feature a walkthrough of an exhibit provided by the “Freedom Drivers Project” that will provide substantial education on domestic sex trafficking. The exhibit will be available to walk through from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Colorado Mountain College parking lot in Edwards.

“The fact that so much of this industry passes right through our community is alarming,” said said Dale Mosier, chairman of the Vail Symposium’s Board of Directors.

The exhibit will be followed by a free panel discussion from three leaders in law, law enforcement and community education.

Janet Drake is a Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Special Prosecutions Unit at the Colorado Attorney General’s office where she investigates and prosecutes organized and complex, multi-jurisdictional crimes, including human trafficking.

Katie Kurtz heads the Human Trafficking Unit in the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The Human Trafficking Unit works to create programs to prevent and protect victims of trafficking and prosecute offenders who exploit vulnerable individuals in the community.

Candace M. Joice is the Education Manager at iEmpathize. She provides trainings and workshops regarding human trafficking and exploitation prevention for groups such as educators, parents, youth, faith communities and social workers.