Minnesota hotel workers will soon be able to recognize sex trafficking crimes thanks to a statewide effort to end sex trafficking in the hospitality industry.
A state mandate went into effect November 1, 2018, that requires all hotel and motel employees to undergo training in recognizing sex trafficking by November 28. Following this training period, new employees will have to be trained within 90 days of starting their job.
"This is a crime that goes on on a daily basis," said Jason Subbert, General Manager of TPI Hospitality hotels in Fairmont told Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul News. "But when you don't know what to look for, you don't necessarily even know that it's going on."
The training will only be 40 minutes and will include training guides and a video, as well as a toolkit for managers. Following the training, the program hopes that hotel employees will be able to identify the signs of sex trafficking like guests checking in without luggage.
"There might be signs in the room for example, that they have requested no hotel keeping and housekeeping for a while, but they still request extra sheets and extra towels, but don't really want anybody coming into the room," said Minnesota Department of Health Violence Prevention Programs Unit Supervisor Beatriz Menanteau.
"I think the whole industry is going to get a little bit of a wakeup call just on 'wow, we weren't aware of how big of a problem this was,'" Subbert said. "When you force it in that tighter timeline, it has to get the attention that it needs."
"Having somebody in the hotel, looking and responding and reaching out makes the connection for police as well," Menanteau said.
The state will review the training each year and make updates when necessary. Hotels and motels must comply to maintain their licenses.
This move by Minnesota and its hotel industry is just one of many efforts such as by airlines like Delta and AirAsia who have introduced training to battle sex trafficking.
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