Tri-C Westshore hosts discussion on human trafficking

The Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College will examine human trafficking in Northeast Ohio at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 25, as part of its Learning for Life lecture series.

The free program will identify the myths, realities and red flags of human trafficking and highlight efforts to combat the criminal industry often linked to the sex trade. Ohio reported a surge in human trafficking investigations last year.

The session will include a panel discussion featuring Karen Walsh of the Cleveland-based Collaborative to End Human Trafficking; Teresa Stafford of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center; and Detective John Morgan of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department.

The discussion will be followed by a Q&A session with additional local leaders involved in the fight against human trafficking, including:

  • Kathy Hackett, a sexual assault nurse examiner with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
  • Cathy Knorzer, chief nursing officer at UH St. John Medical Center
  • Captain Jerry Vogel of the Westlake Police Department
  • Bill Wagner, superintendent of Fairview Park City Schools

"The suburbs are not immune to human trafficking incidents and the community plays a vital role in combating the problem," said Capt. Vogel. "The first step is the awareness that it happens in your back yard and this forum is a great place to learn about the indicators. The most important step is following the motto, 'See something, say something.' Report suspicious activity to law enforcement."

The program will be held in room 112 of Westshore Campus, located at 31001 Clemens Road in Westlake. Registration is requested but not required and can be done by contacting Kara Copeland at kara.copeland@tri-c.edu or 216-987-5968.

Tri-C is partnering on the event with the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking.

The discussion is part of the Learning for Life lecture series at Westshore, which investigates key issues facing the community. Visit www.tri-c.edu/LearningForLife for a schedule of upcoming events.

John Horton

Media Relations Manager at Cuyahoga Community College

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Volume 10, Issue 8, Posted 9:49 AM, 04.17.2018