Human rights group gets human trafficking update, discusses essay contest

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Oct. 6, 2015, 10 p.m. — The members of the Bardstown-Nelson County Commission on Human Rights learned at its meeting Tuesday of area groups who are focusing to raise awareness about human trafficking.

Amy Nace-DeGonda, a case manager and human trafficking outreach coordinator for Catholic Charities, talks with the human rights commission about human trafficking in Kentucky as members Michael Greenwell and Michael Johnson look on.

Amy Nace-DeGonda, a case manager and human trafficking outreach coordinator for Catholic Charities, told the commission that human trafficking is an ever-increasing problem, even in Kentucky.

There were four human trafficking cases reported in 2012, six in 2013, and 55 in 2014.

The two most common types of human trafficking are trafficking for labor and trafficking for the sex industry. When asked if human trafficking is seasonal, Nace-DeGonda said it increases some around the Kentucky Derby week and when NCAA basketball championship games are played in Louisville.

“It does go up at these times, but human trafficking happens every day in Kentucky,” she said.

She said she’s aware of instances when parents are trafficking their own children to pay their debts.

To be considered human trafficking it has to have one of three components — force, fraud or coercion. Force can include physical threats and even rape.

Fraud can include false promises of employment or a relationship, or changing the conditions of the employment or opportunity when someone arrives to accept a job.

“Any type of lie constitutes fraud,” she said.

Coercion is primarily psychological and involves implied threats of exportation or violence in order to get compliance. Individuals who are vulnerable to human trafficking can include teenagers, the homeless, those dealing with drug or sexual abuse, foreign nationals.

“Traffickers are going to scope out who is vulnerable,” she said. “And everyone has had a time in their lives when they’ve been vulnerable.”

Anyone who believes human trafficking is occurring should report it to local law enforcement and ask them to investigate.

Nace-DeGonda told the commission of an upcoming all-day event, “Human Trafficking Summit: A Look at Modern-Day Slavery in Kentucky” from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Oct. 20, 2015 at the Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St. in Louisville.

The goal is to educate local leaders, law enforcement officers and policy-makers on steps they can take to help eliminate human trafficking in Kentucky. Ernie Allen, the founder and first chairman of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, is the event’s keynote speaker.

The summit will also include a variety of panel discussions. For more information, visit endhumanslaveryky.com.

ACCESSIBLE DOOR OPENER ISSUES. An area resident told the commission that when she visited the Visitor’s Center on Court Square prior to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the handicap door opener did not work. When she told someone inside, the response was indifference. She also reported that the handicap door opener at Bardstown City Hall operates, but very, very slowly.

The commission members discussed checking the function of the City Hall and Visitor’s Center handiap door openers, and then follow-up with the city and county if action is necessary.

FAIRNESS COMMITTEE. Mike Yadon reported that from his perspective, until a fairness issue occurs locally involving a member of the LGBT community, there’s little use pushing city or county government to expand the human rights ordinance or push for a Fairness Ordinance.

“Unless we have a complaint, its not listed as a priority and it unfortunately falls into File 13,” he told the commission. “I’d like to stop that right now and revisit it later.”

ESSAY COMPETITION, AWARD CEREMONY. On Tuesday, the commission selected Bethany Haven as this year’s recipient of the human rights achievement award. Three organizations were nominated for the work they do contributing to human rights in our county.

The deadline for the commission’s human rights essay contest has passed, and the commission has received several essay entries. Commission members will read and judge the essays, with cash prizes going to the top three entries.

The winner will be announced at the commission’s annual awards ceremony, on Nov. 16, 2015 at the Nelson County Civic Center.

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