Kansas

Known as the “Sunflower State,” Kansas became the 34th state in 1861. The state’s name comes from the Kansa or Kaw Indians and is a Sioux Indian term meaning “south wind people.” Within Kansas’s borders is the magnetic center mark for all of North America. All land surveys in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico use this as a reference point. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous (connected) states is located in a Kansas pasture. The native sunflower is the state flower and the capital is Topeka.

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

In Kansas, 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.

 

 

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

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….

Arkansas bill to remove work permit requirement for children under 16 goes to Sanders' desk
|

Arkansas bill to remove work permit requirement for children under 16 goes to Sanders' desk

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – A proposed Arkansas law that would remove the requirement for children under 16 to prove their age to get a job will head to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk for approval. House Bill 1410, or the Youth Hiring Act, would delete the portion of existing law that requires an employment certificate…

Jackson County Invites Community To Human Trafficking training Workshop – Lee's Summit Tribune
|

Jackson County Invites Community To Human Trafficking training Workshop – Lee's Summit Tribune

In an effort to combat human trafficking in our community and beyond, the Jackson County Administration and Jackson County Legislator Jeanie Lauer are hosting a Human Trafficking Community Academy. The event on Saturday, March 4 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided…

Despite high hopes, success of Kansas marijuana legislation remains unclear
|

Despite high hopes, success of Kansas marijuana legislation remains unclear

TOPEKA — The future of marijuana in Kansas is still dubious. Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican and chair of the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee, said he wasn’t willing to rush forward with any form of marijuana legislation, such as Senate Bill 171. The bill, which has been placed in his committee, would…

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

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…

Wichita Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking
|

Wichita Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking

WICHITA, KAN.– A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with sex trafficking. According to court documents, Markeece Anderson, 30, of Wichita is charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Anderson allegedly coerced a woman to engage in commercial sexual acts. The Wichita Police Department…

Rotarians learn about combating human traficking – Camden News
|

Rotarians learn about combating human traficking – Camden News

Shawnee Cooper, of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS), spoke to the Camden Rotary club on Tuesday, Feb. 21, about the group’s efforts to bring awareness to sex trafficking. “We have a problem. It’s a $150 billion industry, second only to drug trafficking. Drugs you sell once; a human you can sell over and…

Oakland church helps sex workers get off streets and back home – ABC7 News
|

Oakland church helps sex workers get off streets and back home – ABC7 News

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — An East Oakland church is collecting funds to send women believed to be trafficked sex workers back home, following an I-Team investigation exposing the problem nearby a local grade school. “We’ve sent three women home,” said Michael Vigil, the pastor at Victory Outreach church, an evangelical church along International Boulevard that’s…

Meat plant cleaning service fined $1.5M for hiring minors to work in Colorado, other states
|

Meat plant cleaning service fined $1.5M for hiring minors to work in Colorado, other states

By Steve Karnowski, The Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — One of the country’s largest cleaning services for food processing companies employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country, the U.S. Department of Labor said Friday as it announced over $1.5 million in civil penalties. The investigation into Packers Sanitation Services…

Meat plant cleaning service fined $1.5 million for hiring minors across US
|

Meat plant cleaning service fined $1.5 million for hiring minors across US

The Department of Labor says the company employed more than 100 children in jobs at 13 U.S. meatpacking plants, including George’s and Tyson in Arkansas. SPRINGDALE, Ark. — One of the country’s largest cleaning services for food processing companies employed more than 100 children in dangerous jobs at 13 meatpacking plants across the country, the…