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Iowa City proclaims January Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month; local nonprofit speaks
Summary
The Iowa City Council read a proclamation naming January as Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month and heard remarks from Chains Interrupted about local response and training that helped a 16-year-old survivor.
The Iowa City Council proclaimed January 2025 as Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month and heard from a local anti-trafficking nonprofit about a recent rescue of a teen reportedly brought to the area by a trafficker.
The proclamation, read on behalf of Mayor Bruce Teague by Council Member Shawn Harmsen, defined human trafficking as the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel sexual or labor exploitation and cited regional conviction statistics and national reporting trends. It urged residents, businesses and faith communities to report suspicious activity and support survivor services.
Teresa Davidson, identified in the meeting as CEO and co-founder of Chains Interrupted, described a recent case of a 16-year-old, given the pseudonym Layla, who was located hiding inside a Cedar Rapids business. Davidson said staff trained that business to recognize trafficking signs, and the business contacted Chains Interrupted, which coordinated next steps; Davidson said the teen is now “safe and back with the family in the state that she came from.” She invited the public to request the organization’s 18 specialized training programs by emailing info@chainsinterrupted.com.
The proclamation text read by Harmsen cited national and Midwest statistics for 2023, statements about underreporting and online risks to youth, and encouraged increased community vigilance and support for survivors. The council did not take legislative action on the proclamation; proclamations were presented as ceremonial items on the agenda.
Chains Interrupted’s account highlighted the role of private businesses trained to spot trafficking indicators and to contact service providers. No criminal-case details, police reports or names of involved minors were presented at the meeting. The proclamation and Davidson’s remarks focused on awareness, training availability and community collaboration.
The council’s ceremonial proclamation will remain part of the public record; the nonprofit provided contact information for organizations and groups seeking training.
