Fierce Freedom will host West Central WI Anti-Human Trafficking Conference in October

ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU) - An Altoona non-profit is set to hose an anti-human trafficking conference in Eau Claire.

Fierce Freedom is committed to the education and prevention of human trafficking.

“We wanted to really bring people together to have these conversations that are so important,” Cat Morgan said.

On October 13th, the organization will host its first-ever West Central Wisconsin Anti-Human Trafficking Conference at Wild Ridge Golf Course in Eau Claire.

“I say the statistic a lot, but trafficking has been reported in every county of Wisconsin,” Morgan said.

Morgan, who works for the non-profit, says a number of experts are lined up to speak who have inspired the work done by organizations like Fierce Freedom.

“Someone who was a police lieutenant in the first-ever nationally prosecuted trafficking case in the country back in 2006,” Morgan said. “Also, we’re going to have some really incredible western Wisconsin people, you know, professionals that are coming and sharing their stories and their expertise as well.”

With several topics up for discussion, Morgan says regardless if you attend as law enforcement or as an activist or just a community member, there’s knowledge to be gained.

“Ranging from, you know, creating a culture of worth and value in your child’s life or if you’re an educator within your student’s life,” Morgan said. “And then we’re also going to be talking about the trauma that first responders experience from cases like sex trafficking, cases that end up really taking a toll.”

Morgan stresses even if you can’t see human trafficking, that doesn’t mean it isn’t around.

“Because of the programming that we do in this community, we’ve identified 15 local victims this year alone,” Morgan said. “That means people have called us and they said either this happened when I was a child or this is currently happening to me right now.”

She hopes those who attend the conference will learn to spot the signs, better equipping the community to help the vulnerable.

“Who is that person that maybe I would have overlooked before, but maybe that’s the person that could you could really help and that this would be affecting,” Morgan said.

Fierce Freedom’s West Central WI Anti-Human Trafficking Conference is between 9 am and 3 pm on October 13th.

For more information on speakers, discussion topics, and tickets, click here.

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