(Green Bay, Wis.) – Today, Brown County District 23 Supervisor Dixon Wolfe is calling on the Green Bay Packers to help fund mitigation efforts aimed at educating the public and provide victim resources for human trafficking prevention during the April 24-26, 2025, NFL Draft event.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and with record crowds expected to attend the NFL’s second-largest annual event, there will be increased opportunities for crime, especially human trafficking.
“It’s important that we start mitigation efforts quickly to help educate the public and protect our most vulnerable populations by ensuring proper funding is available to prevent human trafficking locally,” says Wolfe. “Trafficking doesn’t discriminate, so by being informed and aware of the signs of human trafficking, we can all play a major role in protecting potential victims.”
Wolfe, who requested $20,000 in contingency funds from Brown County, asks the Packers to match this amount for an allocation of $40,000. These funds will be utilized by “Awaken”, a local non-profit organization, to provide emergency housing/shelter, marketing, and advocacy services.
Statistics show that human trafficking is a $150 billion industry with millions of cases reported worldwide. It’s vitally important with all the energy and excitement around the NFL Draft being in Brown County, that the Packers do all they can to help local law enforcement be at the ready to educate, inform, recognize, and respond to incidents of human trafficking.
According to the 2023 Shared Hope International Report Card, which grades all U.S. states on their legislative efforts related to child and youth sex trafficking, Wisconsin received an “F”. The report card uses a legislative framework that analyzes six issue areas, including criminal provisions and the identification of and response to victims, to create a final letter grade that reflects the overall effectiveness and comprehensiveness of a state’s legal framework in addressing child and youth sex trafficking.
Human Trafficking Awareness Month is a key time for all of us to educate ourselves about human trafficking and learn to spot the crucial signs of trafficking. It’s also a great time to take these messages to our workplaces, schools, representatives, and everywhere else. For more information about Awaken, please visit their website at www.awakenjustice.org/awaken-wisconsin .
