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DVAC urges Ottawa County to recognize January as trafficking and stalking awareness months
Summary
Tanya Paul of the Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas asked the Ottawa County commissioners to proclaim January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and Stalking Awareness Month; commissioners approved the proclamations and signed them.
Tanya Paul, an outreach specialist with the Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas, asked the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners to proclaim January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and Stalking Awareness Month, emphasizing that these crimes occur in rural communities as well as cities. Paul said she and her organization provide crisis intervention, safety planning and housing support to survivors and asked the board to use proclamations as a tool to encourage awareness and community response.
Paul read elements of the proposed proclamations and noted local service numbers: "The Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas provided direct services to 6 human trafficking survivors in 2024," she said, and she described the prevalence of stalking and its connection to domestic violence. Commissioners moved and seconded the proclamations and voted in favor with no recorded opposition.
Why it matters: the proclamations are ceremonial but provide public recognition that the county will encourage awareness and support for survivors, and they can help focus outreach efforts and partner coordination.
"Human trafficking is a very silent, issue," Paul said during her presentation, urging residents and officials to remain vigilant and to support local services.
