Nita Belles to Address Human Trafficking 101 at Fourth Annual Trafficking in America Conference

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - April 2, 2014 - PRLog -- The Human Trafficking In America Conferences are designed for the general public to become informed and educated by experts and authorities; to protect their at-risk youth; and to mobilize and engage people across America to help turn this horrendous crime of human trafficking around. Theme for the 2014 event is “Restoring Humanity From Modern Day Slavery”, the next step to working to eradicate human trafficking of women and children in the United States.

Yvonne Williams, Co-founder and President of Trafficking In America Task Force said, “While the first few years working to educate this country were discouraging, hope is now alive. I’ve never seen a time when so many people are gravitating to a social issue on such a wide scale. It’s as if a wand has been waved over America and people are waking up. I am more encouraged than ever that we can end this.”

Nita Belles, author of In Our Backyard: A Christian Perspective on Human Trafficking in the United States, will present on Human Trafficking 101 for the attendees that are not versed on the basics of what this crime is all about. Some endorsements for In Our Backyard include Marc Klaas, founder of KlaasKids, Mark Lagon, former U.S. Ambassador and Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP), Attorney General Rob McKenna, Former President of National Association of Attorneys General, and Lynne Hybels, co-founder of Willow Creek Community Church, and author ofNice Girls Don’t Change the World. Lauran Bethel, International Christian Alliance on Prostitution, has called In Our Backyard the “primer” on Human Trafficking in the United States.  It is the only book of its kind which by true stories brings a comprehensive understanding of both sex and labor trafficking in the United States, while being an easy read. In addition to the publishing of In Our Backyard, Nita has been published in the Huffington Post, Washington Post, Journal of Christian Nursing and Billy Graham Association’s Decision Magazine among others.

An anti-human trafficking crusader who has worked in a broad scope of venues including victim rescue to restoration and with top law enforcement, government officials, social services and the medical and faith communities to combat human trafficking, Nita brings a passion for survivor rescue and restoration. She has hands on experience working with victims/survivors of human trafficking and also networks with other national and international anti-trafficking organizations.

The Nation’s leading sports event, the Super Bowl attracts human traffickers from across the world. Nita is the director of a team called Blitz the Trafficker, that works with law overseeing the entire operation beginning a year or more previous to the Super Bowl, through Super Bowl Day. Her level-headed approach brings to the table years of Super Bowl experience and also many networking resources.

After a career in business, Nita earned her Master’s Degree in Theology with a Concentration in Women’s Concerns. She is a Regional Director of Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans and oversees the Central Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force. Visit www.nitabelles.com for more information about her work.

Immediately following the presentation of Human Trafficking 101 on Wednesday morning July 16, Nita will moderate a panel of survivors of human trafficking and leaders of shelters and victim restorative services. The goal of the panel will be to present a conversation between survivors and healers in order to give a clearer understanding of what is required to bring total restoration of victims of human trafficking. Panel members include: Emily Fitchpatrick, founder of On Eagles Wings Ministries and Hope House; Erin Knowles Wirsing, treatment coordinator for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) at Devereux Florida; Bonnie Jo Daniels, Project Director of Hope for Freedom; and Dr. J. DeGaglia, Founder of International Professional Association for the Treatment of Trafficked Humans (I.P.A.T.T.H.) Survivors who are also activists in the anti-human trafficking movement are Kelley Alsobrook, Founder and Managing Director of Ashes2Beauty; Katariina Rosenblatt, Founder & President, There Is Hope For Me, Inc.; and Jerome Elam, Child Advocate / Staff Writer and columnist Communities Digital News. “This will be one of the most important panels we have ever had,” stated Williams.

For registration and lodging details please visit www.traffickinginamericaconference.info.

About Trafficking in America Task Force:
Trafficking in America Task Force is a 501c3 non-profit charitable organization and has been working since 2004 to educate the American population about the reality of the sale of American women, men, and children into sexual slavery for the profit and pleasure of their perpetrators, and that the forced labor trafficking of both adults and children is real in this country. Our vision is to help eliminate the human trafficking of women, men and minor children in America, and to provide a culture for our children free of sexual exploitation and slavery, where people know and own their own intrinsic value.