Commonwealth of Virginia 2013 Governor’s Summit on Human Trafficking

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, in partnership with other state agencies, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Commonwealth of Virginia 2013 Governor's Summit on Human Trafficking.

In recent years, there have been increased efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking at both the national and state level. In 2011 and 2012, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation directing the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Social Services, and the Department of Education to take specific steps to address and raise awareness of human trafficking. The state agencies working on this topic are striving to coordinate efforts, enhance training opportunities, and provide accurate and current information.

In order to share a unified message about human trafficking, including ways to combat it and to assist victims, this one and a half-day Summit will bring together federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholders. The ultimate goal of the Summit is to promote a coordinated response to human trafficking in Virginia.

Objectives of the Summit include:

•To provide a clear understanding of what human trafficking is, and how to identify victims of human trafficking;
•To provide an understanding of the complexity of needs that victims of human trafficking may have;
•To enhance the response to trafficking victims in Virginia;
•To promote the identification and investigation of human trafficking cases (State vs. Federal jurisdiction);
•To provide knowledge of where to find resources for services, training, and information on human trafficking; and
•To highlight the various efforts underway in Virginia (by state and federal agencies, as well as other groups) to address human trafficking.