RANDOLPH — In this month of January dedicated to National Human Trafficking Prevention, MPTC announced a series of three specialized trainings to equip officers across the Commonwealth. Offered in collaboration with subject matter experts from the Attorney General’s Office, State Police, and My Life My Choice, each session will enhance officers’ ability to recognize key indicators of human trafficking, deliver victim-centered and trauma-informed responses, and encourage interagency collaboration.
“Collaboration is essential to successful anti-trafficking work. Our strategic combination of public safety and public health resources is vital to the ongoing implementation of a statewide multi-disciplinary plan focused on prevention, intervention, and enforcement,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy.
“The MPTC understands the importance of delivering advanced trainings instructed by providers, advocates and community partners who have developed the best practices to identify and respond to trafficking.” said MPTC Executive Director Robert Ferullo (Ret. Police Chief). “Working closely and collaboratively with state agencies and community partners to provide essential trainings, we are able to build a unified and informed approach when addressing human trafficking.”
The three January courses offered by MPTC will include:
- Identifying and Responding to Human Trafficking presented by the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit, the Attorney General’s Office, and a qualified nurse practitioner.
- Training on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in partnership with My Life My Choice with special attention to responding and engaging with exploited youth
- Online 2-hour training module on the legal process to certify victims and survivors of violent crimes and human trafficking (M.G.L. c. 258F) which can provide victims and survivors with equitable access to justice and, in certain cases, access to a U or T visa.
Every session will teach current best practices guided by a victim-centric, trauma-informed approach.
“To protect our residents and ensure their safety, the Attorney General’s office will continue to prioritize prosecuting human trafficking and advocating for victims. Our office is proud to collaborate with law enforcement, advocates and community organizations to provide effective training that better prepares officers to identify and respond to human trafficking.” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.
“My Life My Choice is thrilled to offer trafficking trainings in collaboration with MPTC that reaches law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth. As the young people we work with have told us again and again, trained law enforcement — and their compassion, knowledge, and investment — make a huge difference in the lives of victims.” said My Life My Choice Co-Executive Director and Founder, Lisa Goldblatt Grace.
The Municipal Police Training Committee has developed a recruit and in-service training program for local law enforcement.
The MPTC’s training curriculum was developed to align with the state’s newly created human trafficking guidelines. The guidelines were co-developed in 2021 with input from a wide array of experts including law enforcement, community members as well as survivors.
About My Life My Choice:
The mission of My Life My Choice is to provide survivor-led solutions aimed at ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Throughout Eastern Massachusetts, My Life My Choice provides survivor mentoring, intensive case management, mental health services, and group work to young people of all genders who have experienced exploitation. In addition, My Life My Choice provides prevention education, professional training, consultation, and advocacy nationwide. Since 2002, My Life My Choice has mentored over 900 youth, trained over 21,900 providers across the country, and provided prevention education groups to 3,800 girls. My Life My Choice is a model for communities across the country set on changing not only lives, but the structural inequities that give rise to trafficking and sexual exploitation.
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