ATLANTA, Ga., Aug. 9 – AAHOA and Georgia’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) made human trafficking prevention the central topic of discussion at the association’s Georgia Regional Conference and Trade Show on Tuesday, August 6. AAHOA joined the CJCC’s Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force Work Group One earlier this year to assist the state’s criminal justice system as it tackles this difficult and underreported crime. Nearly 90 hoteliers and hospitality workers attended a human trafficking awareness training conducted by Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) during an education session before the conference commenced. Jay Neal, the Executive Director of the CJCC, addressed the education session attendees and applauded their efforts to combat trafficking in the state.
“America’s hoteliers play a pivotal role in assisting trafficking victims and preventing their criminal exploiters from operating in their hotels. Education and awareness are key to identifying and preventing this crime, and it was great to see such interest from Atlanta-area hoteliers and their employees in our training session. We thank Jay Neal for speaking with our members and giving them a better understanding of how the State of Georgia works with numerous industry partners to combat labor and sex trafficking. These initiatives save lives and protect customers and businesses from the unsavory actors who traffic in human misery. We also value the support of our partners at the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association and their work to end trafficking in the state,” said AAHOA Interim President and CEO Rachel Humphrey.
AAHOA’s online Human Trafficking Awareness Training is available to AAHOA members and their employees at no cost. The training can be accessed at any time and takes less than an hour to complete. Hoteliers and hospitality workers who complete the training receive a certificate that may satisfy state or local requirements for anti-trafficking education. More information about AAHOA’s trafficking prevention efforts is available at www.aahoa.com/htat.
