The Texas Hotel & Lodging Association (THLA), in a joint effort with The Brazos Valley Lodging Association (BVLA), hosted sex trafficking prevention training designed exclusively for industry employees at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in College Station last week.
THLA created a certification course in collaboration with Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST) and local law enforcement to thoroughly educate residents how to spot and report possible sex trafficking crimes. Participants learned key elements including previously unknown trafficking facts, official trafficking laws, how to properly identify and report trafficking, and protecting hotels from legal, security and reputational risks.
THLA director of membership Carolyn McCall-Squires was the official certified trainer for the instructional course Oct. 17. The training was not available to the general public.
Kingwood police arrested a ring of 79 sex traffickers earlier this month, finding six female victims involved, including a 16-year-old girl. Hotel employees are noted for frequently detecting sex trafficking incidents.
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