Human Trafficking
20th Century Historical Roots & The Importance of Credible Research
In the very first episode of the podcast, we're diving into the nonprofit field to discover intriguing misconceptions surrounding human trafficking. Why are the credibility of certain statistics and data important when educating about human trafficking? From advocating for victims and survivors of human trafficking, to bringing awareness to the public through education and outreach, both women have been recognized for their work. In this episode, Mary Kate Waggoner and Kathie Gray discuss their efforts in the local Summit and Stark Counties in setting an example for other individuals, nonprofits, and coalitions throughout Ohio.
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References Sources & Organizations
Not for Sale: One Step at a Time
News Article - Interview with Kathie Gray from the Canton Repository
Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking
Learn more about Mary Kate Waggoner, MSW, LISW
Ohio Attorney General's Human Trafficking Commission
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Resources
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text "HELP" to 233733
Summit Regional Human Trafficking Task Force: 330-252-2614
"We're still learning how to identify and have conversations about it. Trafficking is often identified as other crimes like sexual assault or intimate partner violence and they're missing the bigger picture. Those [human trafficking statistics] can be skewed because it's only based on what we know [and] what's being tracked."
- Mary Kate Waggoner
Kathie Gray
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Kathie Gray is Co-Founder and President of the non-profit organization, Not For Sale: One Step At A Time. This organization focuses on education, awareness, and prevention of human trafficking, and hosts an annual event called Community Freedom Summit in partnership with the Walsh University. As an active member of her community, the Stark County native is a member of Faith Family Church, where she serves in the worship ministry and other areas of the church. She also serves on the Stark County Juvenile Human Trafficking Task Force. Gray also works for Walsh University as the Executive Assistant to the VP of Academic Affairs. Gray and her husband, Andrew, reside in North Canton. Together, they have four beautiful young-adult children and one grandbaby!
Mary Kate Waggoner
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Mary Kate Waggoner is a licensed independent social worker, and two-time graduate of the University of Akron. She is passionate about serving marginalized and victimized populations through advocacy work, and the development of effective programs and systems! Her expertise is in providing trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual violence, with a special focus on victims of human trafficking. She is also experienced in program development, policy writing, federal grant management, consulting, and training.
Mary Kate has served professionally in the anti-trafficking field as a Crisis Intervention Specialist, and as the Coordinator of the Summit Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. She currently serves as the Anti-Human Trafficking Victim Advocate for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, where her focus areas are strengthening victim services for human trafficking survivors, and providing training and technical assistance for anti-trafficking organizations and groups across the state of Ohio.