On March 22 and23 a host of experts, advocates, and law enforcement will speak and offer training to participants at the Human Trafficking Disruptors Summit at Ashland Hills Hotel. The Summit will focus on helping people to identify people who are being trafficked, and effective strategies to help curb the shockingly common problem in Southern Oregon.

The keynote speaker at the Summit, Rebecca Bender, herself a survivor of sex trafficking, founded the Rebecca Bender Initiative, an organization which has provided training to more than 100,000 police and law enforcement professionals. The group also provides free education to survivors of trafficking through their Elevate Academy and provides online resources – that have been downloaded more than 40 million times.

Another featured speaker includes the grand daughter of the late Takelma elder, Agnes Baker Pilgrim. Tina Taylor-Sims runs a hotline and walk-in center for victims of trafficking in Northern California. As a survivor of trafficking herself, she has dedicated her life to “eradicating human trafficking through education, awareness, and empowering survivors.”

The remaining Summit presenters include national experts and innovative advocates, a veteran Special Crimes Unit detective and analyst from Jackson County Sheriff Department. In addition, more than 17 organizations will display educational exhibits.

Event organizers point to the fact that there are more than 20 million people being trafficked and that Southern Oregon is a “hot spot” in the nation for labor and sex trafficking. Tickets to the Summit are $75 before March 18 and $125 at the door.

The Human Trafficking Disruptors Summit is being presented by the Architects of the New Paradigm Conference Series, Ride My Road and Rogue Valley Metaphysical Library’s Community Resource Center.

Learn more and register at the ANP Conference Series website.