![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Report-HT-library-sign-summer-2022.jpg\")
The Chester County Sheriff\u2019s Office (CCSO) announces a collaboration with the Chester County Library System, to post details of the National Human Trafficking Hotline number in bathroom stalls of libraries across the County. The information has been posted from the beginning of July \u2013 the month that includes World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30.<\/p>\n
During an online program hosted by Chester County\u2019s Henrietta Hankin Library, in which human trafficking-survivor Ann Marie Jones, Chester County Sheriff Fredda Maddox and Carol Metzker, community outreach for the CCSO and survivor-ally, discussed local human trafficking, Jones described her ordeal. She had experienced homelessness as her trafficker held her through psychological and trauma bonding. She frequented public restrooms\u2014at fast food restaurants, parks and even a hospital lobby\u2014to bathe in the sink.<\/p>\n
At the end of the program Laura Presby, a reference librarian at Hankin Library, asked Jones a question. \u201cIf you were in a library during the period of time you were trafficked and you saw a sign with the human trafficking hotline in the bathroom, would you have called it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I had a cell phone, then I think I would have,\u201d replied Jones.<\/p>\n
The conversation led to the joint efforts of the Chester County Sheriff\u2019s Office and local libraries to post the National Human Trafficking Hotline in library bathroom stalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best protection is prevention. But as a community, the more informed we are about indicators for human trafficking and where to report tips, the better we can help individuals who need a way out,\u201d said Chester County Sheriff Fredda Maddox.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe library is more than books and computers \u2013 it\u2019s a place for vital information on many subjects presented in many formats.\u00a0 Offering resources about human trafficking to inform the public and help prevent it from happening is important,\u201d said Joe Sherwood, Executive Director of the Chester County Library System.<\/p>\n
Although PA Act 197 (2012)\u2014the hotline posting law\u2014requires that the National Human Trafficking Hotline be posted in transportation stations, rest areas, truck stops, and certain bars and hotels, publicizing the information is voluntary for other establishments.<\/p>\n
The hotline is run by Polaris and connects with law enforcement agencies in all areas of the United States. Call the hotline to report tips for suspected cases, ask questions and request resources: 1-888-3737-888<\/strong> or text 233733 (BeFree)<\/strong>. Calls can be anonymous or confidential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Chester County Sheriff\u2019s Office (CCSO) announces a collaboration with the Chester County Library System, to post details of the National Human Trafficking Hotline number in bathroom stalls of libraries across the County. The information has been posted from the beginning of July \u2013 the month that includes World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[15,13703,13704,623],"class_list":["post-39519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-chester-county","tag-libraries","tag-national-human-trafficking-hotline-information","tag-sheriff"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39519"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39520,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39519\/revisions\/39520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/39518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}