BOSTON, Massachusetts—Massachusetts lawmakers, hospitality business leaders, and survivor advocates gathered on the Massachusetts State Capitol to spotlight the necessity to implement human trafficking recognition coaching throughout the lodge business. Because the AHLA Basis launched the No Room for Trafficking initiative in 2019, over 2.2 million trainings have been accomplished to acknowledge and reply to trafficking conditions. These efforts be certain that each lodge employee—from the entrance desk to housekeeping and meals service—is supplied to determine and report suspicious exercise.
The occasion underscored help for S.1729/HD.1764, which might mandate human trafficking coaching for all lodge staff in Massachusetts, guaranteeing that each employee is supplied to acknowledge and reply to trafficking conditions. The occasion included remarks from Senator Mark C. Montigny (Second Bristol and Plymouth); Consultant Thomas P. Walsh (twelfth Essex); Kevin Carey, president and CEO of the American Lodge & Lodging Affiliation (AHLA) Basis; Chris Pappas, president and CEO of Massachusetts Lodging Affiliation (MLA); and Delia Vega, senior survivor mentor and coverage specialist of My Life My Alternative.
Carey stated, “The lodge and hospitality business thanks Senator Montigny and Rep. Walsh for his or her management on this challenge. We stand with them as our companions on this combat in opposition to human trafficking. Prevention coaching is already a regular follow at many accommodations in Massachusetts, and we stay dedicated to partnering with regulation enforcement and survivor advocacy organizations to strengthen these efforts.”
“Human trafficking stays a vicious crime and modern-day model of slavery that exists in nearly each group throughout the Commonwealth and the US,” stated Montigny. “This isn’t merely some terrible downside occurring in some distant land. Many victims are susceptible girls or kids from our personal communities, and accommodations and motels are sometimes exploited by traffickers to perpetuate this heinous crime. We should break by means of the inertia on Beacon Hill and mandate coaching for hospitality employees who can play a lifesaving function in combatting trafficking.”
Walsh stated, “Human trafficking is a critical challenge in Massachusetts, and accommodations play an important function in stopping it. I’ve seen firsthand how traffickers exploit the I-95 hall, utilizing accommodations to move and hurt victims. This laws will guarantee front-line hospitality employees are skilled to acknowledge and report trafficking, serving to to guard essentially the most susceptible. I admire the collaboration of the lodging business, regulation enforcement, and survivor advocates on this combat.”
Pappas stated, “The lodge business has lengthy led the combat in human trafficking prevention. This invoice will be certain that each frontline lodge worker shall be skilled to identify the indicators and appropriately reply to suspected acts of human trafficking. The Massachusetts Lodging Affiliation is proud to help this invoice.”
Vega added, “Recognizing the warning indicators and figuring out tips on how to reply appropriately can save lives. It could imply the distinction between enduring a lifetime of ache and discovering security and justice.”
