By Dennis Kellogg
Director of Communications
An organization focused on ending sex trafficking in Nebraska and worldwide will host
a one-day conference in August to raise awareness of the issue.
I’ve Got A Name, a nonprofit group, will present the “Connect to Protect Conference” Aug. 5 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln. Parents, school personnel, businesses, organizations, healthcare providers and anyone wanting to learn more about sex trafficking are encouraged to attend.
Paul Yates, executive director of I’ve Got A Name and a former parishioner of St. Peter Church in Lincoln who now lives in Gretna, said there is a misperception about the problem of sex trafficking in the Midwest.
“It’s real here in Nebraska. Let’s just say that for sure. And I’ve been fighting this injustice since 2008,” Yates said. “Creighton University’s research back in 2016, they did a study on Nebraska. They determined… at least 900 individuals are for sale, multiple times, every 30-day period.”
The Nebraska Governor’s Task Force on Human Trafficking concluded, “There is a flourishing sex trade in Nebraska.” Yates said researcher Dr. Ron Hampton of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found one out of every 250 high school and middle school students in Nebraska enters the commercial sex trade each year.
Yates added he’s been told the research is always underestimated. He said I’ve Got A Name doesn’t focus as much on the numbers, though, because they don’t deal with numbers.
“These are human beings, these are God’s creation,” Yates said.
Sex trafficking is often talked about with regard to major events in the state, such as the College World Series or Husker football games, but Yates said it is a year-round problem.
“Our biggest challenge is to let people understand that it’s real and it can impact anyone… This is a day-to-day problem… It has nothing to do with your ethnic group, has nothing to do with your faith background, has nothing to do with your income background, either.”
Yates also said it is not just a problem in bigger cities like Omaha and Lincoln. It’s an issue in rural parts of our diocese and the state as well.
“A lot of people think that this is a physical abduction, like you’re thrown in a van and you’re taken off, and that can happen. But that’s the minority of those cases,” Yates said. “Most of the victims know their perpetrator. We call it the grooming process. They’ll groom them.”
Yates said he knows of too many stories of sex traffickers who exploit vulnerable youth.
“There was a woman who was a mother whose daughter had bruises on her body. (The mother) thought it was from athletics because she was very athletic and gifted in that until her mother saw her image on her computer. She was being sold by her boyfriend. This was in high school,” he said.
Since sex trafficking is prevalent and is everywhere, Yates said increasing awareness is an important part of the mission of I’ve Got A Name.
“Our three pillars are awareness – understanding what this is. Take action, which is our street outreach, which is the core and the foundation of what we do. And then the third pillar is inspiration… educate people about what’s going on around them, what to look for, how to respond, and then help us take action.”
The Connect to Protect Conference will feature eight speakers and a panel discussion throughout the day. Those presenting will include Dr. George Williams, a counselor and child therapist, Candias Jones, a survivor and a certified trauma and resilience professional from Omaha, and law enforcement and child advocacy experts. Radio host Doug Fitzgerald will provide a keynote address.
Father Sean Kilcawley of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, Freedom from Pornography Apostolate director and a national speaker on the issue of pornography, will also present at the conference. He said he’s learned human trafficking affects more people than we know.
“It’s something that carries a lot of shame and it often goes unreported or un-talked about within the community, so I really do appreciate what Paul is doing and his organization. They’re raising awareness and really helping women to want to get out of that lifestyle,” Father Kilcawley said.
Father Kilcawley said one thing he will address in his talk would be the effort to eliminate the demand for trafficking.
“Oftentimes pornography use or early pornography exposure leads to escalation, which leads to the demand for prostitution, or other forms of exploitation.”
The conference will also include advice for parents. Paul Yates said one important step is to monitor your child’s internet use, including on a cell phone.
“When you give your child a phone, talk with them about it. I don’t believe that’s a right, it’s a privilege. Be engaged with them. And no matter what age they are, start talking about people out there that may want their information. Be very careful with that,” Yates said. “You should be able to get on your kid’s phone at any time and look at something. And if they’re upset about that, too bad… This is serious stuff. It’s really, really serious.”
Yates said he believes the evil one is attacking the foundation of the home and relationships, and that is where problems start. He said as Catholics, we need to be aware of that and take action.
“I am such a believer in prayer. This is a spiritual battle we’re in. This is not about the beauty that God intended between two married people who love each other and celebrate their love. This is about money and power, purely, and selfishness. And so we need to be praying about this big time.”
To register for the Connect to Protect Conference, visit ivegotaname.org. The cost for the daylong conference is $30 for individuals and $40 for couples. Lunch and refreshments are included. The conference is made possible in part thanks to funds provided by Union Bank & Trust’s The Big Give project.
To hear more from Paul Yates of I’ve Got A Name about sex trafficking in Nebraska, including stories of those affected and techniques used by sex traffickers, watch our interview with him on our Catholic Diocese of Lincoln YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to the channel for more Catholic videos.
