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Speaker to address human trafficking at BPW meeting

The Ohio Valley Business and Professional Women’s Club will welcome Eileen Spencer, prevention educator for A Caring Place, Child Advocacy Center in Wintersville, as the guest speaker at its Tuesday meeting.

Human trafficking in the United States today will be her topic at the dinner meeting that gets under way at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Plus University Inn in Steubenville

The meeting also will include an update on the second-annual wine and shoe extravaganza held Oct. 24 at the Steubenville Country Club, a fundraiser for the three scholarships the groups awards annually: one to a high school student going on to college; one specifically to a Nike Club member at Steubenville High School since the Nike Club is the BPW’s sister organization; and one to a nontraditional student.

A resident of Steubenville, Spencer as the prevention educator focuses on providing education and information on comestic minor human trafficking. Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s task force report recommended identifying a provider network which would be an appropriate first response for serving minor victims of human trafficking, according to a news release. Ohio Child Advocacy Centers were chosen to provide education and to help coordinate local efforts to combat minor human trafficking. That was made possible through a grant from the Ohio Network of Child Advocacy Centers funded by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Spencer has attended trainings in human trafficking given by the National District Attorneys Association, the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Programs, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers.

The Ohio Valley BPW meets the third Tuesday of every month from September through May at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Plus University Inn Steubenville. Officers are Julie Daley, president; Shannon Minch-Hughes, vice president; Sara Provenzano, treasurer; and Mary Lou Jones, secretary.

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