Advocates applaud release of guidelines to prevent trafficking of schoolchildren
Advocates applaud release of guidelines to prevent trafficking of schoolchildren
TRENTON: A critical document that will help teachers and school staff spot signs that students might be groomed or trafficked has been released by the NJ Department of Education. the Guidelines for Schools on Preventing Human Trafficking of Students is the result of legislation passed in 2019 and required dozens of stakeholders and experts to come together to create the document.
Congresswoman Angela V. McKnight (D-Hudson) was the first sponsor of Bill A1428 which called for the creation of the guidelines and which had bipartisan support passed unanimously by the House and Senate. She praised the post:
“These guidelines will be instrumental in our efforts to identify and intervene in cases of child trafficking, and I am proud to have been one of the sponsors of the legislation that created them,” said MP . “If we want to protect New Jersey’s children, we have to start by raising awareness in the community about human trafficking. Now teachers and school staff who see students every day will know what to look for and how to help students in potential trafficking situations.
Other major sponsors of the bill were Sen. Teresa M. Ruiz (D-Hudson), Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham (D-Hudson), Congressman Annette Chaparro (D-Hudson), as well as former Congressman Nicholas Chiaravalloti and former MP Valerie Vainiérii. Hut.
Members of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking (NJCAHT) testified to help push the legislation forward and several sat on the task force the Department of Education convened to create the guidelines, including consultant Gina Cavallo. as NJCAHT Survivors: “As a survivor of sex trafficking and being part of the NJ Department of Education Task Force, it has been an incredible experience and honor,” she said. “I am filled with emotions of gratitude and hope that the Guidelines will be officially finalized. They are comprehensive, thorough and provide the information needed to potentially save lives in the fight against and prevention of human trafficking. Thank you to everyone I had the honor of working with to make this happen. Ms. Cavallo added.
“The New Jersey Department of Education cares deeply about the well-being and safety of our 1.4 million students. With everything our children and young people are currently navigating, we are pleased to be able to release a set of guidelines for schools to raise awareness of human trafficking, helping to prevent it,” said Dr Angelica Allen-McMillan, Commissioner acting education. “These guidelines embody a student-centered, trauma-informed approach and are another tool that can help address negative childhood experiences in New Jersey.”
NJCAHT President Danny Papa is an elementary school principal and also served on the task force:
“As an educator, I believe that education is prevention. Therefore, the Department of Education’s guidelines for schools are an essential first step in educating students and school staff about human trafficking and the most effective strategies to prevent it.
The Ministry of Children and Families and the Attorney General’s Office co-authored the guidelines which are the product of the task force which included dozens of organizations and state entities working collaboratively over many months . These included: NJ School Nurses Association, NJ School Counselor Association, NJ Association of School Psychologists, NJ Education Association, NJ Parent Teacher Association, NJ Association of School Administrators, NJ Principals and Supervisors Association, NJ School Boards Association, NJ Commission on Human Trafficking, NJ State Police, NJ Juvenile Justice Commission, Prevent Child Abuse NJ, NJ Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Sanar Institute, Avanzar, The Audrey Hepburn Children’s House, and the county attorney’s offices of Cumberland and Mercer.
Aldina Hovde, member of the NJ Commission on Human Trafficking, attended on behalf of the NJ Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “I am so grateful to the New Jersey Department of Education for their time and dedication in developing the state’s first-ever human trafficking prevention education guidelines for schools.” Said Mrs. Hovde. “As a member of the NJ Commission on Human Trafficking and the NJCAHT Board of Directors, I believe these guidelines are an essential first step in ensuring schools have the tools they need to educate the staff and students and ultimately prevent human trafficking.”
the Guidelines for Schools on Preventing Human Trafficking of Students can be found on this page of the NJ Department of Education website: https://www.nj.gov/education/students/safety/health/ht/
About the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking
The New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking (NJCAHT) is an all-volunteer run 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that coordinates statewide community efforts to end sex trafficking and at work in New Jersey. Made up of more than 150 volunteers and more than 200 affiliates, including nonprofits, faith-based organizations, academics, law enforcement and direct service providers, it strives to give communities knowledge about what human trafficking is, how to prevent it and how to support it. affected by it. During Human Trafficking Prevention Month of January and throughout the year, NJCAHT offers free awareness through online events and by offering training to schools, local groups, care teams health and faith communities through its Speakers Bureau. Their events in January include a student-created event for January 11 – Human Trafficking Awareness Day – a presentation by Homeland Security on January 18 and a webinar on the intersection of child abuse and of human trafficking on January 25. For more information, visit www. safernj.org.
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