Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards opened the “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Trafficking” symposium at LSU Law on Friday, Oct. 28, with an update on the work Louisiana is doing to fight trafficking through the Human Trafficking Prevention Resource Center and advocacy campaign, which she and Gov. John Bel Edwards—a 1999 graduate of LSU Law—officially launched in January.
Presented by the George W. and Jean H. Pugh Institute for Justice, the symposium took place from 1 to 5 p.m. in the McKernan Auditorium, and included engaging and impassioned panel discussions with legal scholars, government officials, trafficking survivors, and survivor service providers.
“It is alarming to know that the egregious crime of human trafficking happens every day in our communities in plain sight. I’m proud that my husband, Gov. John Bel Edwards, and a bipartisan group of state lawmakers recognize the seriousness of this and together, have created some of the most rigid laws in the country to combat trafficking, prosecute its perpetrators and assist survivors by connecting them to resources they need to heal and recover,” said First Lady Edwards. “Through the hard work and cooperation of our government agencies and nonprofit partners, our state has emerged as a leader in human trafficking prevention and awareness.”
“Stop Trafficking LA: Human Trafficking is R.E.A.L.” is the first advocacy campaign of its kind in Louisiana. The acronym stands for “Recognizing the signs, Educating others, Acting immediately, and Listening to victims and survivors.”
Along with First Lady Edwards, the lineup of distinguished speakers at the “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Trafficking” symposium included:
- Gretta Goodwin / Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office
- Professor Blanche Cook / Loyola University School of Law, Chicago
- Ana I. Vallejo / Co-director of VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc.
- Beatriz Susana Uitts / Founder and director, Human Trafficking Front
- Katherine Green / Co-founder and Vice President of Eden House
- Amber Cheney / Trafficking survivor
- Christina Young / Trafficking survivor
LSU Law Professors Lisa Avalos and Ray Diamond organized the “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Trafficking” symposium.
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- Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards opened the symposium.
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- Human Trafficking Front Founder and Director Beatriz Susana Uitts, left, and Ana I. Vallejo, co-director of VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc., were a part of the first panel discussion at the symposium.
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- Gretta Goodwin, director of Homeland Security and Justice at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, was a part of the second panel discussion.
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- Professor Blanche Cook of Loyola University School of Law, Chicago, joined Gretta Goodwin for the second panel discussion.
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- The symposium concluded with a panel discussion featuring trafficking survivors Christina Young, left, and Amber Cheney, right, who were both able to change their lives with assistance from Eden House in New Orleans. Eden House Co-founder and Vice President Katherine Green, center, also participated in the discussion.
