Staff Reports | Community Updates
During January’s National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the city of Phoenix received a Cities Empowered Against Sexual Exploitation designation for having more than 90% of its employees complete human trafficking awareness training.
As of Feb. 4, 2025, 13,617 Phoenix employees completed the training.
“Human trafficking can impact any community, and Phoenix has demonstrated its continued commitment to eradicating this crime,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “By training our City employees to recognize the signs of human trafficking, we are sending a clear message that commercial sexual exploitation has no place in our city.”
In 2013, the mayor and City Council approved the creation of the Mayor’s Human Trafficking Task Force. Out of the task force came the Compass Plan, which focuses on four key areas of law enforcement, victim services, awareness and outreach, and training, according to a press release.
“Human trafficking is not just a law enforcement problem,” said Councilman Jim Waring, chair of the Mayor’s Human Trafficking Task Force. “Empowering ourselves with the knowledge to identify and prevent human trafficking is one step in keeping our communities safe from this horrible crime.”
The training, a self-paced course offered on the city’s learning management system, teaches municipal employees how to identify the signs of human trafficking and how to report it. The training is developed specifically for municipal employees and government workers.
CEASE is a program of the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network (AATN), a non-profit organization that aims to eliminate human trafficking in Arizona through awareness, education reducing demand and fostering prevention efforts with youth.
“Sexual exploitation is a multifaceted crime that requires a proactive and informed response. As the fifth-largest city in the United States and a CEASE-designated city, Phoenix is committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation through education, prevention, and active intervention,” said Fidencio Rivera, president, and board chair of AATN, commending Phoenix’s strategic approach. “By equipping municipal employees with the knowledge to recognize and report this crime, the city is taking meaningful steps toward combating sex trafficking and protecting vulnerable individuals.”
