Child Trafficking Victim Could Be Sentenced to 20 Years

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Court Hearing for Child Sex Trafficking Victim Pieper Lewis Rescheduled for March 23rd. Could be Sentenced to Serve up to 20 Years in Iowa Prison

Des Moines sex trafficking victim Pieper Lewis, who got a deferred judgment for killing a man she said repeatedly raped her, at age 15, will have to wait longer to learn if she will be sent to prison.

Lewis had been scheduled to appear in court on January 18th, but Polk County Judge David M. Porter has granted a delay at the request of her attorneys. The hearing now will be held on March 23.

To read more about Pieper, tap here for a Des Moines Register article written by Phillip Joens.

Senate Passes Grassley, Feinstein Bill to Support Victims of Human Trafficking

A bipartisan bill led by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that supports victims of human trafficking passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support on December 21, 2022. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPA) will establish and reauthorize critical programs to prevent human trafficking, promote justice for survivors, provide services to victims and increase federal coordination to enhance the federal government's response to the crisis of exploitation.

“I'm glad that our bipartisan legislation tackling the heinous crime of human trafficking passed the Senate. Human trafficking often occurs right under our noses. Our bill opens more doors to educate law enforcement and high-risk youth on how to detect trafficking, and it aids victims in their pursuit of justice.”
– Senator Grassley

For more details about the act tap here: Grassley and Feinstein Bill

The Outcome of Proclamation Signing for Iowa Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

IA Secretary of State Paul Pate stood in for Governor Kim Reynolds in declaring January 2023 as Iowa Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This event was held at the Rotunda of the Iowa State Capitol Building on January 12th and was organized and sponsored by the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery. Governor Reynolds was unable to attend since she needed to prepare for her inauguration the next morning. The two photos below show the Secretary of State signing the 2023 proclamation and also holding the proclamation surrounded by the Network board members.

Following the proclamation signing, Outstanding Anti-Trafficking Service Awards were presented to six Iowans. This award honors individuals and organizations that have made remarkable contributions to ending trafficking in Iowa. Next month's blog/newsletter will name and pay tribute to these six Iowans.

Both prior to and after the January 12th Proclamation event, Maggie Tinsman, chair of the NAHT Legislative Advocacy Committee, hand-delivered to all 150 legislators the 2023 NAHT legislative priorities. She and committee members also visited with the leadership of both the Iowa House and Senate. These meetings were organized with the help of Advocacy Strategies. The 2023 legislative priorities are rank ordered and can be accessed here: 2023 NAHT Legislative Agenda

The Network asks all anti-trafficking advocates to help to educate legislators about the need for priority #1 (Safe Harbor Bill) to be adopted. For talking points on this important child human trafficking survivor legislation, please tap here: Safe Harbor Talking Points

21,000 Iowa Hotel/Motel Employees Complete Awareness Training in 2022

For the past several years, the NAHT and local anti-trafficking coalitions have trained volunteers to approach hotel management to get permission to provide in-person training to employees on how to identify and report suspected trafficking. Over that two-year period, we trained over 200 hotels. However, there are well over 1,000 hotels/motels across Iowa, and many more managers turned down the free training rather than accepting it.

Subsequently, the Iowa NAHT Legislative Advocacy Committee approached the 2021 legislature with the idea of motivating hotels/motels to become trained on how to identify and report suspected trafficking. That's when HF455 emerged, which required all hotels/motels who want to do business with the state of Iowa to be trained in both labor and sex trafficking. The bill passed and was signed by Governor Reynolds to take effect on January 1st, 2022. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) was given the responsibility of implementing the bill. The Network partnered with DPS to come up with a training program.

The NAHT next formed a Hotel/Motel Employee Training Video Production Team to produce a 30-minute video which turned out to be a major undertaking. First of all, the video had to be paid for with donations. Much of the donated money came from the team members themselves. These are the same people who volunteered to produce the video and the accompanying educational materials.

The video is comprised of short vignettes by Iowa human trafficking experts in various fields. They speak to the cause of trafficking, the need to create awareness, and the trauma that the victims go through while under the control of their traffickers. An Iowa survivor who was trafficked out of an Iowa hotel was a featured speaker and expert. Hotel employees learn how to identify trafficking and how and where to report it. The NAHT video was one of several training options accessible on the DPS Hotel/Motel employee website, which you can access here: https://stophtiowa.org/. The site was launched by the DPS in January 2022.

One year later, during the January 12th Proclamation signing event, DPS reported that 21,000 Iowa hotel/motel employees completed awareness training, and in addition, the DPS has now certified 625 hotels and motels. Following the announcement of this great anti-trafficking accomplishment, the NAHT recognized Ray Fiedler and Pat Waymore with the DPS office to combat human trafficking. They reported that earlier that same week, a Des Moines hotel employee reported suspicious behavior, and an arrest was made of a 23-year-old alleged male trafficker.

In Just One Year, 620 Iowa Businesses Have Registered to Become Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking (IBAT)

If you are an employee, a business owner, and/or know a business leader, please consider increasing your impact in combatting human trafficking in Iowa by becoming a registered member of the Iowa Secretary of State's Iowa Businesses Against Human Trafficking (IBAT) program. The IBAT initiative provides recognition and resources for Iowa business members who are willing to make a commitment to “Learn Something” and “Do Something” in order to help fight human trafficking in Iowa.

For the past 12 months, the NAHT has collaborated with the Iowa Secretary of State Office to promote this new statewide awareness program. The IBAT program was launched by Paul Pate, Iowa Secretary of State, one year ago at the 2022 proclamation signing and awards. Twelve months later during the 2023 proclamation signing event, Secretary of State, Paul Pate, announced that 620 businesses, covering 89 of Iowa's 99 counties, had became IBAT businesses. For more information about IBAT, go to the SOS IBAT website here: https://ibat.iowa.gov/

30 Iowa Cities and Counties Sign Anti-Trafficking Proclamation

At last count, 30 Iowa cities and counties had adopted anti-trafficking proclamations for January 2023. Many of these proclamations were requested by local Rotary Clubs that have joined a Rotary District 6000 Prevention of human trafficking Action Team. This Action Team is partnering with the NAHT for support and guidance.

On Tuesday, January 19th, Dr. Henry, president of Metrey Health Sciences Colleges, signed a 2023 Proclamation proclaiming January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Hats off to Dr. Joe Moravec for organizing the proclamation signing and for his efforts in bringing the college and our community together to fight this growing crime. The NAHT hopes that other colleges will follow in the footsteps of Mercy College and sign proclamations next year.

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