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A new initiative to combat human trafficking was launched Wednesday by Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson and business leaders.
The Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking, or MBAT, program will provide training to businesses and employees on how to spot the signs of human trafficking, and where to report to when they see them.
Watson announced the program flanked by leaders from the Mississippi Board of Massage Therapy, Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association, the Mississippi Braves and the Dutch Group, who operate Sprint Mart convenience stores. Watson said those business sectors were selected to be the first to participate in the program due to them working with a high volume of people. The businesses they represent, and their employees, will receive training videos and other materials from the Secretary of State’s office.
“They come into contact with so many people in different avenues, and it takes us everywhere. It takes us at a hotel, it takes us at a gas station, it takes us at a massage parlor, it takes us at a Braves game,” Watson said. “No matter where you are, if you see a small sign that says, ‘wait a minute, something doesn’t look right there,’ I can, I can recognize it. I can call the national hotline, I can call my local DA, I can call the sheriff, I can make a difference.”
Watson said educating employees and business owners on how to recognize human trafficking and report it can have a significant impact for people being trafficked. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, on average a case of human trafficking is reported in Mississippi every other day.
“Every single person that gets educated, every employee and one of these individuals that gets educated, that sees something and then reports it, you may save a life. You’re going to save a life. This program will save lives in Mississippi,” Watson said.
Watson said the MBAT program is based on existing programs in Texas and Iowa, and that he has had conversations with his counterparts in nearby states about them creating their own versions of it.
“We’ve now reached out to all the Southeastern Conference states, to the secretaries in those states,” Watson said. “I reached out to Florida, to Alabama, to Georgia, I can list all of them. And I think you’re going to see that start to happen in other states as well, so we’re going to work with the SEC footprint for lack of a better term to get them launching theirs as well.”
In addition to growing across the South, Watson hopes to see the program grow in Mississippi as well, expanding from the initial partners that stood with him at the announcement.
“When other businesses see, ‘Hey, you know what I see this business doing it, I see that I want to do it too. I don’t want to be left behind.’ So, we hope every business in Mississippi participates, and that’s going to be our goal, but it starts here with these four individuals, and their groups that they represent, so we’re excited about moving forward with them.”
Businesses can apply to participate in the program through the new MBAT website.
Linda Hornsby, executive director of the hotel and lodging association, said many businesses in the hospitality industry have had speakers come to them to talk about human trafficking for many years.
“The stories that they tell are so sobering, it, it’s not what you think it is. It’s not just run aways, or abductions. It’s, it’s more real than that. It can happen right next to you,” Hornsby said. “And so, I’m excited about having training materials available to us, to all of our hotels, so that they can spot something that you said, and what to do when you do suspect something, you know, there’s things to do (and) things not to do.”
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