January is Sex Trafficking Awareness Month.

A special presentation on strategies to prevent sex trafficking will be happening on Wednesday, January 31 at 6 p.m. at Fort Scott Community College Ellis Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton.

Children under 18 years of age are not allowed to this presentation  “due to some of the explicit videos and information that will be shared that evening,” said Shanda Stewart.

“I just retired in November after 29 years with the State of Kansas, 6th Judicial District as a Probation Office,” Stewart said. “I got to hear Russ Tuttle’s presentation at a conference I attended in October and was so blown away with the information; I thought we have got to get him to Bourbon County. I was able to network with the right people to make it happen!”

“Your perception of sex trafficking and what it is, will be completely changed,” she said.

Youth will get a version for themselves the next day and faculty and staff will have a presentation at an in-service day in USD 234.

“On Thursday, February 1^st the presenter, Russ Tuttle will be doing age-appropriate assemblies at all four of the USD 234 schools,” Stewart said.  “On Friday, February 2^nd he will do a presentation for all faculty and staff during their teacher in-service day.”

BeAlert® is the awareness and prevention strategy of The Stop Trafficking Project® to end domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST)before it starts by disrupting the exploitation of vulnerability.

This adults-only community presentation focuses on the role of life online (the internet) for students, to educate and empower caring adults in our community to prevent sex trafficking, according to a press release.

Caring adults in the community who are  invited to attend:

• Law enforcement
• Firefighters and EMT’s
• Medical professionals
• Counselors
• Faith community leaders
• School personnel
• Parents, guardians, and all other adult family members

Students are enamored with social media and “life online,” according to the press release from Stewart.

The event will provide practical advice to caring adults to guide and make them aware of vulnerabilities that can be exploited such loneliness, isolation, depression, suicide, sexting, sextortion, pornography, cyberbullying, exploitation, sexual exploitation, and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST)

The presentation will be a fast-moving PowerPoint.

The presenter, Russ Tuttle, is an active abolitionist who has command of the topic and speaks with energy that grabs and keeps the attention of attendees, according to the press release.

The presentation will have images and videos to provide insight into the role of technology in exploiting vulnerabilities, identify the demand in this high-demand business of sexual exploitation, provide the option to engage with the BeAlert® Strategy, the Stop Trafficking App, and the ‘top ten practical steps’ for adults to keep students safer.

No children, please at the January 31 presentation.

For more information, contact Stewart at 620.215.2681.