The City of Fort Myers' Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee hosted a community gathering Tuesday night focused on tackling the issue of human trafficking in the area.
The 18-member advisory committee was assembled by Mayor Randy Henderson in July to help the mayor evaluate the city’s diversity and inclusion policies.
Dr. Peter Ndiang’ui, who chairs the committee, said human trafficking is the first problem members chose to tackle because it is a widespread problem.
"We said we need to get some issues that are real important," Ndiang'ui said. "This was at the forefront because no matter what we are doing, if there are people out there that are enslaved, we need to free them."
More than two dozen survivor advocacy group representatives, law enforcement officers and community leaders were invited to the Collaboratory in Fort Myers to participate in a conversation on how to pool resources to combat human trafficking.
"The thing is, we need to be able to bring other groups together because some of these people are doing the work alone and that is very good, but there is synergy when we are together, and there’s power when we are all working together and we are going to achieve a lot more," said Ndiang'ui.
Attendees were put in to groups and tasked with strategizing ways to put a dent in the estimated $9 billion business of human trafficking.
Mayor Henderson said hearing directly from stakeholders provides invaluable insight.
"The workshop that was put on this evening will help us move forward and understand what we’re dealing with, I think, more thoroughly," Henderson said.
The participant’s insights will be compiled to create a document that will serve as a guide for crafting anti-trafficking legislation.
