Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and the Iowa departments of public safety and transportation are working together to raise awareness about human trafficking, ahead of World Day Against Human Trafficking on July 30. Tools and initiatives used by the various agencies include the Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking initiative, hosting an online tipline to collect information on suspected trafficking operations and conducting outreach programs to educate the public on signs of human trafficking. The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Office to Combat Human Trafficking provides free online training that can be accessed by anyone, and is required for any lodging provider that hosts public employees or publicly-funded events. Chris Callaway, the special agent in charge of the Office to Combat Human Trafficking, said in a statement that the department has certified nearly 600 lodging properties and more than 17,500 staff members to identify human trafficking in the last two years. “Eliminating human trafficking in Iowa will require a team effort and I am grateful for all the work the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation do to combat this horrific crime,” Pate said in a news release. “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and there is no place for it anywhere. My challenge to Iowans is to learn more, keep your eyes open and report it to law enforcement when you see something suspicious.”