Community Leaders to Tackle Human Trafficking in Oxford County

Thursday, 2 March 2023 06:55

A two-day human trafficking conference will be taking place at the Elm Hurst Inn & Spa next Wednesday and Thursday.

OXFORD COUNTY - Tickets are now on sale for a two-day conference at the Elm Hurst Inn & Spa all about human trafficking in Oxford County.

Joanna Piatkowski is the Manager of Programs and Outreach for Ingamo Homes and she's also the lead for the Domestic Abuse Resource Team for Oxford County, also known as DART Oxford. She says several organizations are joining forces to host this two-day conference next week.

"It's United Way Oxford, the Woodstock Police Service, Victim Assistance Services of Oxford County, DASO (Domestic Abuse Services Oxford), and the Domestic Abuse Resource Team. We all came together and really wanted to work on this as a collective community response because we understand all of the intersections of what that looks like and how it impacts all of us differently."

It's happening on Wednesday March 8th and Thursday March 9th. Both days will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. with snacks, a light breakfast, and lunch included.

Piatkowski says the two-day event will be a continuation of the human trafficking conference that was held in November.

"Day one of the conference is mainly focused around more education. What this looks like in light of it being in Ontario close to Highway 403 and Highway 401 and who is experiencing this. Day two is actually creating a tangible community-wide plan on how we're going to address this collectively, understanding that we don't actually have specific services right now that are supporting those who are experiencing this."

Krystal Snider will be the keynote speaker for both days. She currently lives in Niagara Falls and she has been shining a light on human trafficking for quite some time now. She will also talk about her own experiences with sexual exploitation.

This conference is geared toward a professional leadership audience, so people who have the power to make decisions within their organizations. Tickets cost $25 each and those interested in attending can send an e-mail to amaddess@ingamohomes.com. Monday March 6th is the registration deadline.