Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Human Trafficking Prevention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Davenport proclaims January 2025 Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; advocates seek $1 million for survivor services
Summary
The Davenport City Council on Jan. 15 proclaimed January 2025 as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Maggie Tinsman of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Breaking Trafficking urged support for a proposed $1 million state fund for survivor services and asked residents to contact state lawmakers.
The Davenport City Council proclaimed January 2025 as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month at its Jan. 15 meeting.
Alderman McGinnis read the proclamation outlining the harms of forced labor and trafficking and noting local involvement in anti-trafficking work. "We, Mike Matson, mayor, and the city council of Davenport, Iowa, do hereby proclaim January 2025 as slavery and human trafficking prevention month in Davenport," the proclamation text stated.
Maggie Tinsman, introduced at the podium as chair of the Breaking Trafficking Advisory Council and a leader with the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking, thanked the council and urged support for additional state funding for survivor services. Tinsman said Iowa advocates are seeking an initial $1,000,000 allocation for a human trafficking survivor services fund to be placed in the attorney general's budget. "This funding would establish a robust safety net offering the stability necessary for those most in need," Tinsman said. She said the statewide network includes nine social-service agencies and that local Breaking Trafficking work is now housed with Family Resources.
Tinsman also described outreach to state lawmakers and said the governor and some legislators had expressed support; she asked Davenport residents to contact their Iowa representative and senator. "I talked to my representative today in Des Moines... he says he is for it, but he needs to hear more people too," she said.
Tinsman introduced staff and a survivor who is now an employee of the program: Deanna Jensen, Valeri, Sarah Kaye (identified in the transcript as a survivor and employee), and Mariel Sweeborg (administrative assistant). The proclamation was moved, seconded and accepted by voice vote. The clerk recorded "Aye" and the council accepted the proclamation; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
Public and council remarks at the meeting emphasized prevention, survivor services and continued advocacy at the state level. No fiscal appropriation by the city was authorized at the meeting; the funding request described by Tinsman refers to a proposed state-level allocation to the attorney general's budget.
