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City of Tallahassee poised to fund training for businesses to fight human trafficking

 Robin Hassler Thompson, right, leads members of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors in STACpro's human trafficking training for businesses
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center
Robin Hassler Thompson, right, leads members of the Tallahassee Board of Realtors in STACpro's human trafficking training for businesses

The city of Tallahassee is poised to fund an initiative offering businesses the training to help workers spot the signs of human trafficking.

Tallahassee’s Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, known as STAC, helps survivors of sex and labor trafficking and provides training -- including a free training for businesses that launched this spring.

The Leon County Commission is already supporting the training. And money for the program is in the new budget the city is expected to approve in August.

STAC Executive Director Robin Hassler Thompson says it’s vital for workers to know the signs of trafficking because they’re the eyes and ears of the community.

When a business, say, employee -- whether they are at a bank or at a convenience store or even in an office park -- has the opportunity to see what’s going on, they can recognize that someone might be trafficked currently and they can do things to help prevent trafficking from taking place.

Hassler Thompson also says businesses can protect their reputations and manage their risk of liability by taking the training. It’s called STACpro.

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Margie Menzel