Speaker on Human Trafficking to Present at the University of Dubuque
Mar 24, 2014 | Kristi Lynch
On Thursday, April 3, Teresa Downing-Matibag, executive director of The Network Against Human Trafficking (NAHT), will speak on the topic of human rights violations, and now this modern-day slavery can be stopped. Her lecture will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Blades Chapel on the University of Dubuque campus. The event is free and open to the public.
On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery in the United States. While many people think that this ended all forms of slavery in the U.S., this is not the case. Today, between 100,000 and 300,000 children become slaves through human trafficking in the United States. Though many individuals in the Tri-State area may think that this only happens in big cities or in far-off countries, human trafficking can and does happen everywhere. Unfortunately, most people do not know enough about human trafficking to spot it when it happens right before their eyes. Teresa Downing-Matibag, executive director of The Network Against Human Trafficking (NAHT), will present facts and figures that will open your eyes to these heinous crimes.
The Network Against Human Trafficking (NAHT) is an Iowa-based organization, which recognizes that the problem of human trafficking is a manifestation of modern day slavery where vulnerable people are forced or coerced into involuntary servitude for the purpose of financial profit for traffickers. The mission of the NAHT is to coordinate Iowa’s solution to end human trafficking through coalition building, raising awareness, providing education, and promoting advocacy. In addition to her role with NAHT, Downing-Matibag also serves as a professor of sociology at Iowa State University and the Des Moines Area Community College. She has presented in the Philippines, Ecuador, Jamaica, and the United States, informing others of Human Trafficking.
