Iowa

Although it is sometimes called the “Corn State,” Iowa really is a breadbasket for the U.S., with 90 percent of its land devoted to farming. The main products are corn and hogs. Named for the Iowa River, which was named for the Iowa, or Ioway, Indians, Iowa joined the Union in 1846 as the 29th state. The wild rose is the state flower and the capital is Des Moines.

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

In Iowa, 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.

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.

 

 

Child Labor Is on the Rise as Republicans See an Answer to Labor Shortages
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Child Labor Is on the Rise as Republicans See an Answer to Labor Shortages

A grim truth underlies U.S. industry: the appalling practice of child labor, widely perceived as an anachronism, is far from a thing of the sooty industrial past. U.S. consumers may have a hazy sense that children labor somewhere in foreign sweatshops to manufacture their goods — but such faraway tragedies are too easily forgotten at…

Micronesian Couple Sentenced for Withholding Passports to Coerce Labor of Two Men in Meat Processing Plant
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Micronesian Couple Sentenced for Withholding Passports to Coerce Labor of Two Men in Meat Processing Plant

U.S. District Chief Judge Stephanie M. Rose sentenced defendants Nesly Mwarecheong, 46, and Bertino Weires, 51, U.S. residents and Federated States of Micronesia citizens, to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and nearly $70,000 in restitution to the victims for withholding passports to coerce labor of two men in a…

Red tape in child labor laws is being removed in several 'Red' states | Food Safety News
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Red tape in child labor laws is being removed in several 'Red' states | Food Safety News

In Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Sanders has signed the Youth Hiring Act of 2023, removing the requirement that a parent or guardian consent to a child starting a job or getting an employment certificate. In Iowa, there’s a bill that would allow 14 and 15 year olds to work specific jobs in the meat packing industry….

Feds Crack Down on Illegal Child Labor: What You Need to Know – JD Supra
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Feds Crack Down on Illegal Child Labor: What You Need to Know – JD Supra

The Biden Administration recently announced a new initiative to investigate and enforce violations of child labor laws. Significantly, the crackdown will include more aggressive investigations of and accountability for companies benefiting from illegal child labor, even if those companies do not employ the children directly. The federal child labor laws, which were authorized by the…

Child labor law reductions might become Iowa's solution to labor shortages
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Child labor law reductions might become Iowa's solution to labor shortages

Child labor bills in Iowa might grease the skids for human trafficking but that’s not apparently a concern for sponsors. The approach for changes in child labor in Iowa is to allow employment by those who are underage in prohibited jobs so long as the employment is part of a training program. Children under the…

TN AG Skrmetti Joins Bipartisan Effort Calling on Congress to Improve Federal-State Coordination
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TN AG Skrmetti Joins Bipartisan Effort Calling on Congress to Improve Federal-State Coordination

Nashville – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, in partnership with 35 other state attorneys general, sent a letter to Congressional leaders informing them of an issue of grave concern with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The letter requests assistance from Congress to preserve the critical joint federal-state effort to end trafficking. Since 2007, Polaris has…

NY Times Exposé: Migrant Child Laborers Taking US Children's Dangerous ​Jobs – Wonkette
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NY Times Exposé: Migrant Child Laborers Taking US Children's Dangerous ​Jobs – Wonkette

Remember how we all laughed at Newt Gingrich and mocked him back in 2011 when he suggested maybe schools could save money by hiring children to do the janitorial work and haha, did that idiot think it was 1890 or something? But of course, since the Reagan years, Republicans and business have been doing everything…

Commentary: Labor trafficking happens here, too | Business | thebrunswicknews.com
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Commentary: Labor trafficking happens here, too | Business | thebrunswicknews.com

Many organizations have tried to capitalize on promoting “awareness” of human trafficking. But awareness-raising without a call to action is ineffective and often misleading. Awareness campaigns, especially those tied to fundraising, typically focus on girls in the sex trades, but recently reported instances involving youth and undocumented people have been associated with industries like food…

Police Department offers program on human trafficking – Le Mars Daily Sentinel
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Police Department offers program on human trafficking – Le Mars Daily Sentinel

LE MARS — “Trafficking – Perception vs. Reality” is the topic of an informational program to be held Monday, Feb. 27, and sponsored by the Le Mars Police Department. The Le Mars Police Department invites the public to attend this public awareness presentation describing what human Trafficking is, some possible warning signs, what you can…