Meg's update: Anti-Trafficking Coalition, N.Y. 3-14-11

Mr. Eric Schneiderman, N.Y. State Attorney General, together with lawyers, and program directors from New York District County offices addressed some successes, and on-going challenges as related to the implementation of the State's Anti-Trafficking Laws. A problem that ran through all the presentations is the need for educating our communities that trafficking is home grown here in our communities, cities, and in all states. Workshops and training programs are on-going for enforcement officers on all levels, but it continues to be difficult to change the mind-set and the way senior police officers have dealt with sex offenders in the past, thus many offenders continue their trade in the modern slavery of women and children. Elizabeth Fildes, Sheriff's Deputy for N.Y. Human Trafficking Alliance, spoke with great passion of victims as young as 12yrs, and others in their 60s She continued, "What is crucial for helping each person to regain their self-respect is they must trust you; they have to know you are there to help them". However, the hurdles that stand between the victims and the people trying to help them are immense.