Share: 

Human Trafficking in Delaware presentation filmed for documentary series

February 17, 2018

The GFWC Zwaanendael Women's Club partnered with the Lewes Public Library to sponsor the program Human Trafficking in Delaware. The program was presented Jan. 25 by Yolanda Schlabach, RN, MA, director of Zoë Ministries Inc. which facilitates safety, wholeness and healing of survivors of domestic sex trafficking in Delaware.

Schlabach explained common myths and misconceptions about human trafficking and described potential trafficking indicators. She explained how, by force, fraud and coercion, people become victims of this modern-day slavery.

She said that with human trafficking, the nation is where it was 35-40 years ago with domestic violence. There was no Delaware state legislation against trafficking before 2014. Delaware was covered by federal legislation (TVPA of 2000), but there had been no arrests under the HT statute.

There has been recent progress in human trafficking prevention. Delaware State Police is implementing plans for pockets of training for law enforcement, including cadets enrolled at the Delaware State Police Training Academy, and in the last 18 months, there have been several arrests.

The program was attended by 70 people, including Camryn Thompson, a senior at Delmarva Christian School in Georgetown, who is writing her senior thesis on the growing problem of human trafficking.

The presentation was filmed for use in an independent documentary series on human trafficking created by produced by Sansskruty (Sunny) Rayavarapu, a political science major at the University of Delaware. Rayavarapu, whose documentary series will have a slight focus on Delaware, is actively involved in the anti-trafficking effort.

The GFWC Zwaanendael Women's Club is a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs whose members are public-spirited women serving and improving the community.

Yolanda Schlabach has spent years engaged in public awareness and professional education to bring the reality of human trafficking to the forefront in Delaware. She has served as a member of the Human Trafficking Coordinating Council for Delaware, and as co-chair of the victim services subcommittee.

Zoë Ministries Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide after-care that offers physical, emotional and spiritual healing to victims of domestic sex trafficking. Zoë Ministries is working together with its many community partners, including the Salvation Army, to build infrastructure for survivors to include emergency short-term crisis beds and a long-term residential facility with wrap-around services, trauma-informed care, and case management for victims in and from Delaware.

For more information, go to www.gfwcZwaanendael.com and www.zoe-delaware.org.

 

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter