Parent/Caregiver Training- Understanding Human Trafficking and Addressing it Within Your Homes

Kate LePage has been working within the anti-trafficking field since 2017, providing youth and adults with direct services as well as working across agency disciplines to provide technical assistance and to initiate collaborative responses to victims/survivors of sex trafficking. She began her work in the field of advocacy as a sexual assault advocate with a local agency in which she eventually sat on their board of directors. Within the anti-trafficking field, Ms. LePage initially began her work as a case manager in a foster care modelled housing program for youth of all demographics that had experienced commercial sexual exploitation or trafficking, and she has held the East Central Minnesota Safe Harbor Regional Navigator position for over six years. Within Ms. LePage's role with Minnesota Safe Harbor she has facilitated in person and virtual trainings to a wide range of audiences on topics such as but not limited to, introductions to commercial sexual exploitation, internet safety, best practices when working with victims/survivors, how to begin developing protocol, and agency specific information regarding investigations of trafficking cases. Ms. LePage has found a particular focus around online avenues being used to groom and exploit youth and adults, speaking on best practices within investigations to professionals across multiple disciplines both locally and nationally, and has developed specific internet safety education for youth offered in collaboration with law enforcement. Ms. LePage is an active member on a number of task forces and multidisciplinary teams throughout Minnesota and has experience working with both urban and rural demographics.