The new initiative will equip São Paulo law enforcement with advanced skills in identifying and addressing human trafficking.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, August 5, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Exodus Road, in partnership with the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP), is proud to launch a comprehensive training program to enhance the capabilities of São Paulo's law enforcement officers in combating human trafficking. This initiative, launched on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, signifies a major advance in the fight against this pervasive crime in Brazil.

This new targeted training course will build on the success of The Exodus Road's "TraffickWatch Academy: Brazil," which has trained over 34,000 law enforcement officers and directly contributed to the freedom of 396 survivors and the arrest of 40 perpetrators. The curriculum will specifically equip civil and military police in high-risk areas of São Paulo.

The comprehensive video-based course includes three detailed modules developed by Brazilian experts, tailored to the specific needs of São Paulo’s law enforcement officers. These modules cover investigative procedures, victim support, and human trafficking identification during routine police work.
Human trafficking is often referred to as a nexus crime as it frequently intersects with other criminal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime.

“Human trafficking is hidden among other crimes and ends up being obscured. The crime itself may be related to drug trafficking and other illicit products, and it may be hidden behind those more obvious crimes,” explained Captain Arley Topalian from the SSP’s Integrated Command and Control Center. “We need to shed light on the issue so we know how to serve victims of this crime, who need support from the state.”

The initial phase of the training will concentrate on officers in the northern zone of São Paulo, home to the largest bus terminal in Latin America, and the international airport in Guarulhos. Both locations are hotspots for trafficking activity. Officers will register on the SSP platform starting August 12, and they will have 30 days to complete the course.

The Exodus Road plays a crucial role in this initiative. The nonprofit’s mission is to disrupt modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime, equipping communities to protect the vulnerable, and empowering survivors to walk into freedom.

“We at The Exodus Road continue to be impressed by the tenacity of our Brazilian Law Enforcement partners in their pursuit of freedom for trafficked people and justice for perpetrators. This launch of new training specific to São Paulo is significant, as it will engage and educate officers in Brazil’s and South America’s largest metropolitan city, helping them understand and tackle this growing global crime,” said Andrew Hoskins, the Chief Operating Officer at The Exodus Road.

"The objective of this work is to ensure that all agencies involved in the protection of people in situations of forced labor or human trafficking can provide the most appropriate care by coordinating together to overcome violations involving both forced labor and human trafficking," commented Juliana Oliveira, a Social Development Agent with the Social Development Secretariat.

About The Exodus Road

The Exodus Road is a global nonprofit disrupting the darkness of modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime, equipping communities to protect the vulnerable, and empowering survivors as they walk into freedom. Working side-by-side with local staff, NGO partners, and law enforcement around the world, The Exodus Road fights to liberate trafficked individuals, arrest traffickers, and provide restorative care for survivors. Since its founding in 2012, the organization has assisted police in the rescue of 2,600 survivors and the arrests of more than 1,300 offenders, numbers that grow almost daily. The Exodus Road’s approach to freedom incorporates intervention, training and education, and aftercare efforts.

In training and education, The Exodus Road offers a suite of online and in-person curriculums, including: INFLUENCED, a curriculum equipping United States parents and teens to participate in the online world while avoiding the dangers of exploitation; TraffickWatch Academy: Brazil, an online training curriculum specifically designed for law enforcement partners; and Equip and Empower, a human trafficking prevention education curriculum for at-risk youth in Thailand. Cumulatively, the organization has trained more than 38,000 officers and citizens through its educational curriculums.

The Exodus Road combats human trafficking in the U.S., Thailand, the Philippines, India, Brazil, and another undisclosed Latin American country. The nonprofit was founded in 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and still calls the city home for its U.S. office.

For additional information or to make a donation to help stop human trafficking, please visit The Exodus Road’s website.

Preston Goff
The Exodus Road
+1 719-941-9755
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