Federal grants to help fight human trafficking in Southern Nevada
Local law enforcement and advocacy groups on Wednesday announced new human trafficking prevention initiatives in Southern Nevada.
Representatives from the Nevada attorney general’s office, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Rape Crisis Center and the Southern Nevada Human Trafficking Task Force were all present at the Southern Nevada Family Justice Center to support the new initiatives, which are funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The initiative is called the Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment, or RISE.
Daniele Staple, executive director of the Rape Crisis Center, said the new program provides comprehensive services to victims of human trafficking by expanding the law enforcement response hotline and training law enforcement and volunteers.
She said that while human trafficking has been a “hot topic” for a while, it isn’t a new issue.
“It’s part of the continuum of violence that the Rape Crisis Center has been fighting for decades,” Staple said. “It’s why we thought to bring this program and those coming on board as a part of our organization, because it fits seamlessly with a continuum of services that we seek to provide.”
Nevada Senior Deputy Attorney General Alissa Engler called human trafficking a crime against humanity that “threatens the heart of the American promise of freedom.” She said the agencies at Wednesday’s event work together daily in an “enhanced collaborative task force” to attack human trafficking in the Las Vegas valley.
“We are incredibly honored and grateful to receive federal funding and support through 2022 for our task force,” said Elynne Greene, manager of victim services and human trafficking for Metro. “This funding supports our ongoing proactive efforts as we strive to make our community better.”
Contact Alexis Egeland at aegeland@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexis_egeland on Twitter.
