The National Human Trafficking Hotline reports at least 200 cases of human trafficking in the state alone, and there are suspected to be hundreds more than go undetected.
Some of the victims of human trafficking are sent to casinos, which is precisely why the Lincoln Warhorse Casino and its parent company, Ho-Chunk, are going through training to help members of staff spot the signs of human trafficking and act preemptively.
Fighting Human Trafficking Before It Has a Chance to Take Off
Human trafficking cases have been on the up between 2017 and 2021. Now, casinos are taking the matter even more seriously and offering extensive training to their employees so that they can identify and stop the crime.
Commenting on this new initiative, Ho-Chunk director of government affairs Rachael Johnson said that casinos and businesses in general need to be aware of the issue and sober up to the fact that unpleasant as the reality is – this kind of crime may be permeating into local communities.
The initiative has brought together a number of individuals and experts, including Lynnette Grey Bull, founder of Not Our Native Daughter, which is an organization that raises awareness for raising awards about exploited and murdered indigenous women. Bull explained that indigenous women are most susceptible to violent crime and becoming the target of ethnic or violent crime:
I am both Lakota and Northern Arapaho. The statistics that hang over my head is I am the most stalked, raped, murdered, and sexually assaulted out of every woman in this country.
Not Our Native Daughter’s Lynnette Grey Bull
Focus on Protecting the Victims and Stop the Traffickers
Meanwhile, Women’s Center for Advancement president and CEO Jannette Taylor emphasized how important it is to work towards tackling the issue. Human trafficking has a serious impact on people’s lives. It may take up to five years in order to save victims. Yet, proper training could happen.
Taylor is confident that businesses can do their role, and notes that there are certain periods of time when trafficking “spikes:”
In Omaha, we have the College World Series, we have Berkshire Hathaway, we have all these big events where people from all over come to the city. And trafficking during that time, it just sort of sparks.
Women’s Center for Advancement’s Jannette Taylor
Hotels, casinos, gaming venues, and other businesses need to be aware of the problem and seek to resolve it by offering continuous training to their staff and monitoring for the early symptoms of the issue as well.