The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana, in conjunction with local law enforcement and community organizers, will host a one-day workshop on June 5  titled “Freedom in Montana: Fighting Human Trafficking at Home.” 

The event is a follow-up to the 2014 Mansfield Conference, “Fight for Hope & Freedom: Human Trafficking,Montana and the World,” which was held at UM in April.

YWCA Pathways Program Manager Kat Werner is one of the featured speakers at the workshop.

"The Mansfield Center had a big training conference about human trafficking several months ago," Werner said. "In that meeting, the focus was global human trafficking. This workshop will be scaled down to address issues that can be found in our area."

One of the aspects of Werner's talk will help those attending to identify the signs of a young woman who may be a victim of human trafficking.

"It's about one person who may be using violence, or the threat of violence and paying them absolutely nothing, "Werner said. "Keeping them around by using force, fraud or coercion and exploiting them economically by making money off of them. But, really, what pimps or traffickers are really looking for is vulnerability, They are specifically targeting a vulnerable population."

The workshop will be held in University Center Rooms 330-331. The workshop is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. For more information or to register, visit the Mansfield Center website.

YWCA Pathways Program Manager Kat Werner

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