Local organizations partner on anti-human trafficking resource guide for Toledo area youth

State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) joined with community leaders this afternoon to announce the launch of a new resource guide, Youth Pages Toledo. Youth Pages Toledo is a prevention tool for at-risk youth that provides information and assistance on issues that make youth vulnerable to human trafficking. 

The University of Toledo’s Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute worked in partnership with United Way of Greater Toledo and the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition on the project, which was made possible through a grant from the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund and the Zonta Club of Toledo. 

“The importance of actively reaching out to and educating at-risk youth cannot be overstated,” said Fedor. “Youth Pages Toledo extends life-saving information directly into the hands of those who need it most.” 

The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) intends to promote Youth Pages Toledo by printing posters and signs for inclusion on each of their buses. The posters advertise Youth Pages Toledo and encourage riders to download the free app, available for both Android and Apple devices. In addition to the app, Youth Pages Toledo is available online and in print as a handbook in both English and Spanish. 

For the past nine years, Rep. Fedor has been a leading advocate in the fight to end human trafficking. While serving in the State Senate, Fedor passed Senate Bill 235, Ohio’s first bill to define human trafficking and make it illegal. In 2012, the General Assembly passed Rep. Fedor’s Safe Harbor Act – a victim-centered bill aimed at providing protection, prosecution and prevention. Most recently, the Toledo lawmaker passed House Bill 130 – also known as the End Demand Act – which aims to reduce the demand for purchasing commercial sex with a minor.