Have you heard what’s happening locally to children who are being trafficked?
It’s horrifying, sad, and real…
Local children need help.
Local families need to stay safe.
This event will show you firsthand what is happening to local children and young people, and how YOU can make a difference in their lives.
On Saturday, January 14th 2023 join local survivors of human trafficking as well as subject matter experts on the front lines of this fight.
Want to know what can be done to help local girls who are trapped in human trafficking? Come to this event.
Want to know what’s really happening with human trafficking and the border? Come to this event.
Want to know how to fight for and help recover local kids? Come to this event.
Here's what you'll get out of this event
- The Most Recent Local Data From Police And FBI About Local Trafficking of Children
- Hear Human Trafficking Insider Facts From Girls Who've Been Rescued
- We'll Expose How Traffickers Recruit And Get Kids Into Trafficking
- Show You Warning Signs Every Parent Should Watch For Around Home
- Give You Key Safety Tips That Children and Parents Should Both Know
- Discuss Proven Strategies For Parents To Start A Conversation With Their Kids
- Give You Ways To Get Involved And Help Girls Who Are Recovering From Human Trafficking
- Get Action Plans For Your Church Or Business To Make A Difference In The Local Fight
- Introductions To Local Nonprofits Who Are In The Fight Every Day
- Breakfast Snacks And Refreshments
- You'll Also Take Home Resources Like: Trafficking Safety Guide, Volunteer Guide, Church Resource Guide, Business Resource Guide, Local Reports and Stories
Event Speakers
Jaco Booyens, Film Director, Actor, Trafficking Activist
Topics Covered: Awareness, Influencing Policy, and Fighting Human Trafficking
Jaco Booyens is a native of South Africa and an American citizen. Fighting sex trafficking is personal to Jaco. After witnessing the horrors of trafficking through his younger sister, who is now a survivor. He is actively involved in legislation reform frequently supporting and consulting Senate and Congress. He weekly appears on local, national, and international Television and Radio shows including TEDX, FOX Mark Levin (Life liberty & Levin), Fox Business Lou Dobbs, Fox National and regional, CNN, MSNBC, OAN, CBS, The “Steve Harvey” Show, NEWSMAX, Real America’s Voice and many more, news articles, hundreds of Podcasts, and live streams, etc. Jaco Booyens is the director of 8 Days film written to raise awareness about the Sex Trafficking industry. He is also known for: We Are Brothers Producer · 8 Days Producer (2014) · Pieces Producer · Known For. ONE by Brandon Chase Producer (2014) · Director. 8 Days (2014) · Director.
Actor: Perry’s Wait Perry (2007)
James M. Gallagher, Phoenix Police Commander
Topics Covered: What Law Enforcement Is Doing, How To Report Trafficking, Keeping Your Family Safe
Commander Gallagher is a scholar-practitioner deeply invested in contributing to the ongoing advancement of the profession of policing. He is a command-level officer with a diverse professional background and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership with distinct policing research interests in police storytelling, sensemaking, leadership, culture, communication, crisis management, and strategic planning. His commitment to stopping human trafficking is unparalleled in the law enforcement profession.
Skye and Brian Steele, Phoenix Dream Center and StreetLightUSA
Topics Covered: How To Support Local Children And Youth Being Trafficked, Volunteering, Mentoring and Reaching Trafficked Youth
With over 20 years together on both the domestic and global human trafficking scene, Brian and Skye Steele have built programs that have served over 3,000 young adult and over 2,000 child survivors of human trafficking. They bring a world-class approach to serving victims of human trafficking and helping them recover. Brian sits on the Arizona Governors Human Trafficking Council and on the Phoenix Mayor’s Human Trafficking Task Force.
Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, Arizona State University
Topics Covered: How Local Children Are Recruited, Scope of the Issue Locally, What Can Be Done To Prevent Trafficking
Dominique Roe-Sepowitz is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University and she is the director of the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research. Roe-Sepowitz has her master’s degree and doctorate in social work and is a researcher, professor and a forensic social work practitioner.
Shauna Sexton, Phoenix Dream Center
Topics Covered: What Is Being Done To Support Women After They Are Recovered
Shauna Sexton is the Program Director for the Human trafficking rescue and recovery program at The Phoenix Dream Center, a student at Grand Canyon University and a mother to 1 daughter. As the Director at the PDC she manages and leads a team of individuals who serve survivors of sexual exploitation through human trafficking. She is a certified expert in trauma-informed care and a member of high-level governmental human trafficking relief teams such as, The city of Phoenix Human Trafficking Task Force, and The Maricopa County Child Sex Trafficking Collaborative.
Claire Sechler Merkel, Senior Director of Arizona Programs for the McCain Institute at ASU
Topics Covered: What Government Is Doing, Getting Engaged In Legislation, Resources Available To Victims
Claire is Senior Director of Arizona Programs for the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University, responsible for McCain Institute programming in Arizona including combatting human trafficking projects. She serves as the co-chair of the Arizona Human Trafficking Council by Governor Ducey.
Lisa Lucchesi, National Human Trafficking Lead
Topics Covered: What Private Insurance And Corporations Are Doing To Fight Trafficking
Lisa serves as the National Human Trafficking Lead for Care Source. She has assisted Federal & State level Law Enforcement as well as Judges in various Courts throughout the United States on how to effectively deal with the Human and Sex Trafficking offenses exploiting our at-risk populations. Lisa places a strong emphasis on the trafficking crimes involving children, the most vulnerable in society. She teaches a cooperative method by being trauma informed and victim-centered when working with recovered youths who have been victimized by traffickers.
Map To Event
Event Details
Date: Saturday, January 14th, 2023
Breakfast and Coffee Bar: 9:00am
Event Starts: 10:00am to 11:30am
Location: GCU Arena, 3300 W Camelback Rd Building 38, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Register Here
After you register, please be sure to check your email for a copy of your ticket and to get updates about the event.
Thank You To Last Year's Sponsors!
Sponsorships are going FAST! Click here to see if there are any sponsorships left! Become a Partner, Gold or Platinum Sponsor to the 2023 Phoenix Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Event at Grand Canyon University Arena. Sponsors are helping to raise awareness to stop human trafficking in our local community.
For 15 years the human trafficking recovery programs of the Phoenix Dream Center and StreetLightUSA have been recovering children and young adult survivors of human trafficking.
They have helped to restore the lives of over 2,000 children and over 3,000 young adults who were victims of human trafficking.
