On Capitol Review, Patrick McKenna, the Co-Founder of the Human Trafficking Justice and Freedom International and Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking, talks about the 2nd Annual Regional Human Trafficking Summit, hosted by the Regional Interdisciplinary Collaborative Working to Disrupt Human Trafficking (the RIC).
McKenna explains how the two-day summit addressed human trafficking, a widespread crime, and growing public health concern, with representatives of Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to share best practices, learn from survivor experts and explore multidisciplinary approaches to regional partnerships.
The Coalition is a lobbying organization focusing on changing laws and policies that remove barriers that prevent survivors from moving forward to a full and healthy life; providing resources for survivors and promoting systems that help prevent an individual’s victimization in the first place. The organizations and individuals that make up the Coalition are those that are providing direct victim support and/or provide training and prevention education to first responders and the communities in which they are operating.
The RIC is an interdisciplinary collaboration of individuals and organizations that work in the human trafficking field (law enforcement, legal, medical, and faith-based communities, social workers, statewide and local organizations, etc. The RIC brings these professionals and advocates together to break down silos within the HHS Region 3 (DE, MD, PA, VA, WV & DC), share resources, plan workshops and summits, etc. as opposed to working with victims directly.
Human Trafficking Justice and Freedom International provide pro bono legal services to survivors of human and labor trafficking. We are a not for profit 501 C3
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