‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ event to highlight human trafficking

An event titled ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ that aims to raise awareness and provide education on the crime of human trafficking takes place the Annebrook House Hotel on Tuesday October 14 at 7pm. The event is being hosted by Soroptimists Mullingar as part of the National Soroptimists two-year campaign on human trafficking.

Free and open to all, the event will explore the reality of trafficking in Ireland, how victims are identified and supported, and how people can recognise the signs. From coercion to forced labour and sexual exploitation, human trafficking affects tens of millions of people globally – yet many victims remain hidden in plain sight.

Speakers are Robert Troy, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Detective Garda Niall Stack, Vincent Reynolds and Karen Coghlan, who led Ireland’s first criminal conviction for human trafficking, which featured on RTÉ’s ‘The Case I Can’t Forget’, which took place in Mullingar.

They will be joined by Sara Wallace, Ruhama, the Irish NGO and registered charity that offers nationwide support to women affected by prostitution, sex trafficking and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), human trafficking is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Victims are often lured with false promises and subjected to abuse, violence, and inhumane conditions. The UN stresses that awareness and education are vital tools in preventing trafficking and supporting survivors.

It is the responsibility of employers and the public to support the ending of human trafficking. The first step is to become informed to raise awareness to end this increasing crime.

Soroptimist International’s mission is to educate, empower and enable women and girls worldwide, and its ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ project is a direct response to that, aiming to give voice to the voiceless and bring this hidden issue to light in communities across Ireland.