Indiana

Indiana means “land of the Indians.” It joined the Union in 1816 as the 19th state. Today, Indiana is a state of mostly small towns and midsize cities. Its largest city and capital is Indianapolis, where the nation’s most famous auto race, the Indianapolis 500, is held each year. The state’s residents are commonly referred to as “Hoosiers” although no one seems certain just how the name originated. The peony is the state flower.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all around the world, including in Indiana. It is a form of modern slavery in which individuals are exploited for labor, sexual exploitation, or other purposes.

In Indiana, human trafficking can take many forms, including forced labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation. It often affects vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, children, and people who are homeless or in poverty.

Indiana has taken steps to address the issue of human trafficking, including passing legislation to strengthen penalties for traffickers and to provide support and services to victims. The state also has a task force dedicated to addressing human trafficking, which works to raise awareness and coordinate efforts to prevent and combat the issue.

If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, there are steps you can take to help. You can report the situation to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by text at 233733. You can also contact local law enforcement or a trusted organization that provides services to victims of human trafficking. It is important to remember that the safety of the victim should be the top priority and to handle the situation with care and sensitivity.

 

 

Missouri prisoners say food went from bad to worse when contractor took over • Missouri Independent
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Missouri prisoners say food went from bad to worse when contractor took over • Missouri Independent

Missouri volunteer prison labor tends gardens that yield about 100 tons of fresh produce a year. For the most part, that food goes to local charities. The prisoners who grow it complain they get little fresh food. Instead, they get a lot of bologna. They say they’re served portions they consider too small and unappetizing….

For Virginia survivors, the scars of human trafficking may include a criminal record they can’t erase
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For Virginia survivors, the scars of human trafficking may include a criminal record they can’t erase

After that, rape became a regular part of her life. But landlords and employers don’t see the years Holmes spent as a human trafficking victim. They just see the litany of charges — including identity theft and drug possession — that came about as a …

Merrillville forum discusses strategies to tackle human trafficking
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Merrillville forum discusses strategies to tackle human trafficking

When undocumented clients come into Mayra Rodriguez-Alvarez’s office, they discover quickly why she calls herself “the nosy lawyer.” After becoming interested in human trafficking in 2022, the Hammond immigration attorney made it a mission of hers to determine whether her clients are also being trafficked, she told a room of more than 200 during the…

Timothy Plan’s proactive approach to combat human trafficking
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Timothy Plan’s proactive approach to combat human trafficking

Facebook is the No. 1 platform used by sex traffickers to recruit victims By Art Ally, Op-ed Contributor | Sunday, July 16, 2023 It is unfortunate that not enough attention has been paid to a worldwide scourge: kidnapping people and using them as slave labor or pressing them into sexual bondage. In an ongoing effort…

Anti-human-trafficking film ‘Sound of Freedom’ just topped ‘Indiana Jones’ at box office
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Anti-human-trafficking film ‘Sound of Freedom’ just topped ‘Indiana Jones’ at box office

Verastegui felt called to build a movement to end child sex trafficking. “That’s when I realized I was called to make a movie, but not only a movie, I wanted to dedicate my life, along with Tim and many other soldiers around the world, warriors who are not afraid to fight, to eradicate child trafficking,”…

Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
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Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement

Editor’s note: We are non-partisan. Children are being hurt. Please, watch, read, learn, and act accordingly. Hearing Date: Wednesday 04/26/2023 – 3:00 PM Hearing Location: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building The hearing, “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,” will examine the unprecedented surge of unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border and…

NHTSA investigating ‘false positive’ automatic emergency braking activiations
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NHTSA investigating ‘false positive’ automatic emergency braking activiations

Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, June 1, 2023: NHTSA investigating ‘false positive’ automatic emergency braking in Cascadias The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation after a series of complaints involving the automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems on Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 trucks. According to NHTSA documents, the AEB system on…

Bill continues to advance adding human trafficking prevention training for Hoosier truckers
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Bill continues to advance adding human trafficking prevention training for Hoosier truckers

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHI) – A bill continues to advance that adds a human trafficking training requirement for Hoosiers pursuing their commercial driver’s licenses. Tuesday morning, the Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee unanimously passed House Bill 1196. The legislation aims to inform truck drivers of the signs of human trafficking. Under it, drivers would watch a…

Inside the Government’s Failing Program to Protect Farmworkers
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Inside the Government’s Failing Program to Protect Farmworkers

Editor’s Note: This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and was originally published by Investigate Midwest.   In early 2019 in Illinois, a farmworker, his wife and his son lived in a moldy house. Attempting to keep the winter cold at bay, he’d spray-foamed the windows shut. The toilet often malfunctioned. Unlike most farmworker housing,…

Indiana lawmakers want truck drivers to spot signs of human trafficking | Fox 59
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Indiana lawmakers want truck drivers to spot signs of human trafficking | Fox 59

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers want to train new truck and bus drivers to spot signs of human trafficking. House Bill 1196 would require anyone applying for a commercial driver’s permit or license to learn the signs of potential human trafficking and how to report them. They would have to watch a nearly 30-minute video from…