(KCPW News) Friday wraps up a week long human trafficking awareness training at the University of Utah. But, this program wasn’t designed for college students, it’s the first program of its kind designed for high schoolers. Tyler Brklacich, Director of Community Outreach for Child Rescue says 25 teens from across the country have been here since Monday learning about human trafficking and how they can help stop it in their communities.
“They’ve been learning from members of the LAPD,” he said. ” They’ve heard from three survivors and heard their stories. They’re very emotional and they’ve learned what it is to be a victim; the loss and the lack of love that they have in their lives.”
Yesterday, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff also stopped by to talk to the students about the importance of combating sexual exploitation. Madi Palmer,a junior at Cottonwood High School in Murray is one of the teens participating. She says her eyes were opened to the issue this week and plans on using the information she learned to raise more awareness during the upcoming school year.
“Hopefully we can all start clubs at our schools and get our schools involved and when I get home I am hoping talk to all the City Councils in the Salt Lake Valley,” she said.
Child Rescue hopes to make this high-school training an annual event.
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