North Shore Legislators Target Human Trafficking In Hotels

PEABODY, MA — A bill that would target human trafficking in hotels and motels by requiring recognition training for some hospitality workers is getting a push from North Shore legislators State Rep. Thomas Walsh (D-Peabody) and State Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem).

Walsh is sponsoring the bill that would mandate that visual warning signs depicting the dangers of human trafficking be displayed in every hotel and motel in the state and mandate an approved training program designed to identify and report human trafficking.

Walsh and Lovely presented on the bill The Labor Guild's Human Trafficking Symposium.

"My introduction to human trafficking took place several years ago during a joint federal/state/local law enforcement sting operation where I joined the Peabody Police Department and observed the rescuing of the trafficking victims and the arrests of the perpetrators at a local hotel," Walsh said. "I am grateful to The Labor Guild and my fellow panelists for the opportunity to share the legislative efforts we've been making on Beacon Hill to combat this serious, dehumanizing crime."

Peabody Police Detective Lieutenant Dave Bonfanti, UNITE HERE Local 26 member William Brown, and General Agent for UNITE HERE Local 26 Jamie McNeil joined Walsh and Lovely in participating on the panel.

Providing her personal story and an overview of human trafficking, the symposium's keynote speaker was Stacy Reed, doctoral student, CEO, and Founder of Stacy's Joy Consulting LLC.

The training would help hospitality employees spot the signs of possible human trafficking in which people are forced through violence, fraud or coercion to perform commercial sex acts.

The bill is currently before the House Committee on Ways and Means for consideration.

Those interested in learning more about this legislation can contact Rep. Walsh at 617-722-2410 or by email at Thomas.Walsh@mahouse.gov.

Representative Walsh is the State Representative from Peabody.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)