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Woodbury County proclaims January 2025 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month; local safe house highlighted
Summary
Supervisors signed a proclamation for National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and heard from Sister Shirley Finneran of Lila Mays House; a community member described a new documentary and a push for state task-force funding.
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 13 proclaimed January 2025 as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and received a presentation from Sister Shirley Finneran, founder of Lila Mays House.
The proclamation, read by Finneran and signed by the board and the county auditor, says slavery in the United States today commonly appears as forced labor and sex trafficking and urges citizens to learn more and work toward solutions. The board approved the proclamation by unanimous voice vote.
Finneran told the board Lila Mays House opened in 2021 and serves women 18 and older; the facility’s stated capacity is five residents and it offers 24-hour coverage. She said most of the women the program serves were trafficked at some point in Iowa and that trauma is long-lasting. “It’s hard work. They have trauma that stays with them a lifetime,” she said.
At the public comment period, Salix resident Steve Corey described a documentary the group has purchased screening rights to, titled Grid Shock, which he said documents trafficking that occurred in Iowa. Corey urged broader community showings and said Iowa ranks sixth per capita in human trafficking, calling for state funding to create a multi-jurisdictional law-enforcement task force. He said the film is recommended for high-school–age audiences and noted local churches have used screenings for fundraising for Lila Mays House.
Why it matters: The proclamation formalizes the county’s recognition of trafficking as a local problem and connects a small, local shelter with community and legislative advocacy. Supervisors and speakers framed the issue as both a local service need and a statewide enforcement and prevention challenge.
Board action: The board adopted the proclamation unanimously. No budget appropriation or new county program was enacted during the meeting; Finneran said Lila Mays House continues to operate with existing resources.
