Local NFL stars pledge to discourage Super Bowl sex trade
Colts center Jeff Saturday talks about how to stop human trafficking. He and others hope to pass a law which would strengthen Indiana's current human trafficking law before the Super Bowl. Photo by Abigail Godwin, The Statehouse File.
By Zach Osowski
The Statehouse File
INDIANAPOLIS – Jeff Saturday and Tarrick Glenn have teamed up with Indiana Attorney General Gregg Zoeller to make a stand against human trafficking in Indiana.
The Super Bowl is the single biggest human trafficking event in the United States and Zoeller has made it his goal to raise awareness and discourage the sexual exploitation of young women.
This pledge encourages men to take a stand against the sex trade.
Saturday and Glenn joined Zoeller on Thursday to announce the “Take the Pledge” initiative. The goal of the project is to encourage men to make a stand and stop the sex trade.
“This public pledge is just one step men can take to draw attention to the issue and promote a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to crimes that victimize women and children.” Zoeller said. “Sometimes it’s the saying nothing that makes human trafficking seem socially acceptable. I think it’s time that better men stand up and speak out.”
Saturday and Glenn have been working for a long time to empower youth and preventing young people, especially young women from getting sucked into the sex trade.
Indianapolis Colts former offensive tackle Tarik Glen speaks out against human trafficking at an availability Thursday morning. Photo by Abigail Godwin, The Statehouse File.
“What we are trying to do is get girls who are at risk and get them before they ever get involved in the sex trade,” said Saturday, who will host an event called Remembering Nhu in March. The event will be a fundraiser to protect at risk girls. “Once they get involved it is very difficult to get them out.”
“We have a moral obligation to stand up to human trafficking,” Glenn said.
He said mentoring is the key and that he tries to help young kids find their potential.
Zoeller said he remains optimistic the General Assembly will pass Senate Bill 4 – which would enact more stringent penalties on human trafficking in time to be effective before the Super Bowl.
The Senate has passed the bill but its journey through the House has been slowed by the right-to-work drama in the House.
Even if the bill is signed into law later than expected, Zoeller said state officials have trained police and others about how to deal with the crime.
“Law enforcement has been trained for years to look at prostitutes as criminals,” Zoeller said. “A lot of times they’re victims.”
Zach Osowski is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Pingback: Local NFL stars pledge to discourage Super Bowl sex trade | football-feed.com
Pingback: Indianapolis Adult Entertainment: Local NFL stars pledge to discourage Super Bowl sex trade | Just News About Indianapolis Escorts.