PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Every year, millions of men, women and children are trafficked worldwide, according to experts, and Florida ranks third among the 50 states for reported cases of human trafficking.

But the public can learn to recognize cases of human trafficking and make a difference in combating this issue, according to Laurie Lawrence, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor at Florida State University Panama City.

“Many individuals are unaware that both sex and labor trafficking exist in the Panhandle,” Lawrence said. “This training event aims to increase public awareness regarding the indicators and dangers of human trafficking, and the role individuals can play in detecting trafficking in our area.”

FSU PC will host a Human Trafficking Awareness training session at FSU Panama City from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on March 21, in the Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City. Admission is free and open to the public.

Attendees will receive a certificate from the State Attorney General's Office for completion of the program, which also meets Department of Business and Professional Regulation requirements for those who need annual training (such as those working in the hospitality industry).

“Most employees in the hospitality industry are required to have the Attorney General's training to meet DBPR requirements,” Lawrence noted.

The following speakers will be featured: FSU PC Dean Randall Hanna; Lawrence, who is a member of the 14th Circuit Human Trafficking Task Force; State Attorney Larry Basford; Terry Coonan, director of the FSU Center for Human Rights; Marina Anderson, Statewide Human Trafficking coordinator for the Department of Children and Families; and Bay County Sheriff’s Office Corp. Amy Burnette.

The training course focuses on detecting human trafficking, best practices for reporting human trafficking, and the interventions and treatment for survivors of human trafficking. It was developed through a collaboration with the Florida Forensic Institute for Research, Security and Tactics, and the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking.

For more information, email llawrence@fsu.edu.

PHOTO: Laurie Lawrence, Ph.D.