Human trafficking is a very real problem in Iowa and Illinois, but are we getting any better at spotting it.

And, counting eagles as the birds start leaving us in The Cities?

[Lively Music] Human trafficking is basically present day slavery, whether it be sex trafficking or labor exploitation.

And for those who think it only happens in the dark here's a couple sobering facts.

Iowa is third in the nation per capita for human trafficking.

And in Illinois for major pieces of legislation went into effect this year alone aimed at early intervention recovery programs, the streamlining of support and the addition of enhanced victims rights protections, the Braking Traffi Program, coordinated by Family Resources, has been at the forefront of stoppin human trafficking in the cities.

And we sat down with an advocate known to most as Sara K., who just received an outstandin anti-trafficking service award.

So tell me a little bit about human trafficking, because a lot of people think or don't think about it at all.

Or they think it's just kind o in the dark recesses of society.

Uh huh.

Yeah, so a lot of, a lot of times human trafficking is happening right here in our community.

You can come or go to schoo or work and still be trafficked.

I was trafficked at the age of 21.

My, because of trauma, it le to drug and alcohol addiction.

And that because of the lifestyle choices, I, it led to homelessness.

So thinking how, what am I going to do to survive?

I reached out to a local escorting agency.

It was a woman that happened t have an apartment ready for me.

She set up all the client appointments.

She schooled me on what to say.

She told me to get another job to hide the amount of cash coming in.

And then I believe that I was free to come and go whenever I wanted.

However, I was controlled by a cell phone, so I had to answer anytime she called.

Yeah, because a lot of people think that human trafficking.

You're just held captive, literally chained to a room.

But you were walking about, but still you had that connection that that kept you under wraps, so to speak.

For sure.

I even got another job and everything.

And, but yeah, that was my connection was the phone.

I think what's interesting that you were telling me, before we started the recording, was that you didn't even realize that you were being human trafficked at the time.

Tell me a little bit about that.

I mean, when did that discovery occur?

Sure.

So it wasn't until I shared my story, maybe six years later, for for the first time, I shared my story with someone that kne the signs of human trafficking.

And because she knew the signs I was, she told me that I was trafficked.

And so that was and it still took, it was a hard I, it took me a while to process because I thought, you know, this is my choice.

And that was my choice at the time.

But then she said, but when was your choice taken from you?

And it took me a lot of years, like years of healing and wor -ing in this field to see that, I was actually managed by another person.

And, there was a lot of coercion involved.

Because the person who's managing you, they're very good at what they do.

For sure.

Yeah, exactly.

So, so I mean, everyone always kind of wants to know, what are the warning signs?

How can I help somebody if I see somebody, you know, in public?

And and you teach, at, as you said, schools, social clubs, hotels, particularly spotting it, it's very difficult when you yourself couldn't spot it.

Yeah.

For sure.

So, would you like me to share some of the signs?

Some of the signs, yeah.

Sure.

So, maybe a youth that maybe unusually fearful or gets violent when they're not able to answer their cell phone right away?

Um, someone that may possess gifts or cash without an explanation of where they got those from.

So maybe it's a youth that doesn't have a job or someone speaking for them, having rehearsed lines, or someone refusing to separate from the person.

Also, someone that may not be in control of their own bank account or legal document such as their birth certificate, or passport.

Or, sudden mood, sudden changes in mood or behavior, or having lik an older boyfriend/girlfriend.

It was interesting also is that you said that you believe you were human trafficked from the age of 21.

The age, average age is so much younger.

Childre.

Well, younger.

But I'm going to say 11 on.

Sure.

11 I think to 1 is one of the big target ages.

I mean, for you to be manipulated as an adult, it's obviously very easy for these people to manipulate a child.

For sure.

So a lot of times traffickers prey on vulnerabilities.

And a youth, their brain is still developing and so it makes it harde for them to make sound judgment or think of consequences, or even know that someone's manipulating them.

What groups have you spoken to so far?

What type of audiences have you had?

So I do speak to youth in the schools.

I also work with incarcerated women.

I also work with, people struggling with drug and alcohol dependency.

And human trafficking, a lot of people always think it's sex workers, and it's not.

It's a whole range of manipulations of people.

For sure.

So it's not just limited to sexual exploitation.

Labor trafficking is also included in this includes like domestic servitude.

So working in the home as like nannying or hous cleaning, also massage parlors, restaurants, factories and debt bondage.

Because as you said, people may not even know that they're being trafficked at the time.

And, and a lot of time it does, I would think, impact, migrant workers or people who are not familiar with America who may think that this is normal because they had a tough enough time in their home country.

Sure.

So a lot of people may think of, undocumented immigrants as, being labor trafficked, but however women and childre are also being labor trafficked.

Tell me what Braking Traffik, which has been around for a number of years, what are the resources that they provide to, let's start with with the person who's being trafficked, what is provided?

So we offer free and confidential services.

We offer counseling and therapy, immediate shelter.

We also provide medical, legal and housing advocacy, whatever the individual is, and needing both short term or long term.

And a person who believes that they might be human trafficked.

We've got numbers on the screen right now pointing out some of the help lines, from Family Resources and breaking traffic, as well as the state hotline or the national hotline, I should say, tell me exactly what happen if a person calls that number.

So if they call, we have a 24 hour crisis response team.

And then somebody can if they're like, sometimes we'll go meet them at the hospital if they're like, if they are coming out of a situation.

Otherwise if they call us, we, we do have advocates on call.

And we do like a referral process.

So, so, they can call us and then somebody will be dispatched to them.

And it usually takes like 24 to 48 hours.

But if it's a crisis, then it's shorter.

Now you're extricating somebody from this manipulative person.

They have no place to go as you said, oftentimes they may be holding on to your ID or all of the information tha you need to survive in society.

How does that process work then?

I mean, how do you get that back?

How do they get their lives back?

Sure.

So we, we work with them individually, and then we also have other resources and, where we can reach out to see about getting their driver's license and, helping them get back on their feet.

What do you say to to a person who thinks that they're being human trafficked?

How do you, I dont want to say, get them to trust you?

But that is obviously it.

I mean, how do you get them to open up and explain what happened?

Yeah.

So a lot of times it's building a relationship, which can be tricky because also they're, with grooming, they're you know they also build a relationship.

But one of the things... I assume they're in denial as well oftentimes.

For sure.

So educating you know, educating on the signs of trafficking and then also, helping them to know who is a safe person right, who's not a safe person.

Right.

And who is not a safe person.

What do you tell peopl when you speak to those groups?

I mean, do you tell them that this is a problem that is far bigger than you think it is?

Um, not really.

A lot of times I think people think of human trafficking as this big, big thing, and they are scared to even get involved or, it just it may seem too big but I actually, really, like it, for me, it just took someon listening and knowing the signs.

I think that it's more simple than we think.

And there is help, there are resources, and there are people that care that can help.

Well, you just got awarded, for volunteering, at the state capitol in, in Des Moines.

You received, your certificate and and were, with Maggie Tinsman, who's the founder of, Braking Traffik.

How many people do you think that you have helped so far, by your advocacy?

How many people do you think you have brought out from the shadows?

It's hard to tell.

I, I'm not for sure.

Maybe, like 300 to 400.

I could be off, but... But that's pretty amazing.

I mean, that's got to make you feel good.

Yeah, yeah it does.

It's not, it's definitely a team effort.

It's not just me, but, I'm just very gratefu to have the support that I had.

And, you know, we've all, Maggie Tinsman and then NAHT which is Network Against Human Trafficking and Teresa Davidson, and, like we're, um, she's with Chains Interrupted.

And we just, you know, and Family Resources, we've all come together and, join the fight together.

It's definitely a, just, a, teamwork.

And assume that some of the people that you that you've helped, you've kept in touch with, I mean, do you have a person who, a success story?

I mean, tell me about somebody who, who really, you were able to change their life around.

So I'm, I'm not really.

You don't have to be specific.

I mean, I mean, somebody is obviously that they're doing much better now.

Yeah.

I mean, there there are some people that, that we've worked with that we still stay in contact.

One went through a program, a year long program and graduated and is doing well.

And then we have another one that just had a baby.

And, she has, other little ones.

And she came from a trafficking situation.

And with our funding, we were able to, get housing for her.

And now she was able to deliver the baby safely and have somewhere for them to stay.

That's got to be, you know I know you got the certificate.

I know that you got awarded, but that's got to be much more of a reward for yo as well as for the organization.

For sure.

Knowing that they're safe and they're able to move forward is, I'm, Yeah I mean I'm, that makes me happy.

You're advocacy of course has been going o for a number of months already.

What do you see the future?

I mean, do you think that there's obviously you're getting the word out.

You're trying to reach more people.

You're trying to help more people.

How do you think that's going to go in the months and years ahead?

Well, it's definitely, I feel like we're finally breaking ground and it's it's great.

Good.

Because I want as many people to know about the signs and about human trafficking so that, and especially to give them the tools so that they can stay safe.

What would you... Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, no It's, it is preventable.

It is preventable.

And the first part I think, would be the recognition by the person themselves.

So if somebody is seeing the phone numbers, that's on the bottom of the screen, and they're thinking of calling what, what would you say directly to them?

That it can be scary and sometimes, you don't know how you're going to survive if you leave the situation.

But there is help out there.

There are resources.

And it's it's totally worth it to leave everything behind and, start a new life.

A much better life.

Yes.

And you've proven it, haven't you?

For sure.

Our thanks to Sara K. with Braking Traffik in the Quad Cities.

In a moment, the big eagle count is over.

But another is just beginning.

That's just ahead.

First, let's see what's on our events calendar as we head into this Valentine's Day weekend thanks to Visit Quad Cities.

Check out the things t do this week in the Quad Cities.

Star your week off at the Rock Island Public Librar to watch the Deacons for Defense film which is based on true events.

Then head to Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse to enjoy a hilarious murder mystery that everyone will love.

Then get ready for the Frost Fire Festival.

Shop local craf vendors, eat delicious s'mores, and get creative with fun crafts.

Then enjoy a beautiful love story performed by Ballet Quad Cities at the Galvin Fine Arts Center.

Finally, you can still enjoy the by checking out their Winter Market on Sundays.

For more events like these, check out our events calendar at VisitQuadCities.com Each year, the Army Corps of Engineers joins forces with volunteers and others to help count the eagle population that lands in the cities each winter.

Much of that count has just finished.

But another surve of the raptors continues today in Rock Island.

We're joined by Wildlife Biologist Kelly McKay, who's been counting these birds for years.

So there's two major counts of bald eagles going on.

One kind of ending, with the Army Corps of Engineers.

It's the annual one, along the lock and dam system.

Yeah, of the Mississippi River.

It seemed to me when I, because they list the numbers, the watches, Wednesdays, right?

Well, the Corps at the locks, the lock masters do a weekly count at the lock and dams.

So that's not part o the national mid-winter count... All right.

...which is ending about now.

Yeah, exactly.

The national midwinter count that consists of survey routes along major river ways all across the lower 48.

So there are thousands of thes routes all across the lower 48.

That takes place in a two week period in January.

So those are two completely different things.

The the lock master counts, very suspect because... Okay.

...you know they're not trained biologists.

And, you know, some lock masters are really into it.

And they're really... Sure.

...they really put in the effort to get an accurate count.

Other lock masters, the look out the window up and down.

They're like, oh, there's about 20.

So it... Job done.

...job done.

Check that off the box.

Yeah.

So it varies tremendously from one lock to the next.

But that's very true.

And that' certainly something I noticed.

And it looks at adults as well as young eagles as separate counts.

But what I noticed or it appeared that the numbers are lower in this year, is that is that an area of concern or is it weather related?

Yeah.

Well, all I can speak to because the count is still going on, so all I can speak to are the seven routes that I run as par of the national mid-winter bald Eagle count which is compiled by the Corps.

I run routes, seven routes that span 80 miles of the river between Lock and Dam, 13 at Clinton, down to Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston.

So when I ran the route this year, about two weeks ago, I had 1142 eagles and that 80 miles.

To put that in perspective, typically most years and I've been doing this coun for about 40 years, most years on an average year, usually around 2500... Wow.

...or so Eagles.

That's a big difference.

Yeah, it's considerably less this year.

It's just an 80 mile stretch.

Right?

Right.

And I would caution that you can't rea too much into one year of data.

Because when I did the survey this year, it was extremely mild.

There was no ice cover.

Right.

The river was completely open.

Eagles are widely dispersed.

I think a lot of eagles were up north.

They weren't even here.

So, you know, I think that is largely to explain why the numbers were so low in my 80 miles.

I suspect if I ran that same seven routes today, there'd be a lot more eagles because the weather has changed, as everyone knows, significantly.

Well, so that is that is the count for, basically the Mississippi Rive when I say the watershed or... Well, it's not just the Mississippi River, it's these are routes that are done all across the lower 48.

So, and the and, you know, this has been going on for about 50 years.

Started out it was the National Wildlife Federation that compiled it.

And then they turned it over to Audubon for a few years, and then Fish and Wildlife Service took it over.

And then when the Fish and Wildlife Service split and the research component went to the USGS, they did it for a number of years.

And then in the early 2000s, the Corps took it over.

So the Corps compiles it.

But it's largely these routes, these thousands of routes that are done all across the the lower 48 are completely don almost entirely by volunteers.

So I mean, can you, can yo compare year to year to year if, if the compilers have changed and the volunteers.

Oh, yeah.

You can compare because, the same routes are run, so the same areas are surveyed year after year after year after year.

And for, for the most part, the, the volunteers who are conductin the surveys are people like me.

They've been doing it for decades.

Yeah.

You know, I started doing this with Out and Fox.

That's a name from the past here in the Quad Cities when I was a teenager.

And, so it's largely the same people that collect the data The people compiling the data, yeah, the compilers have changed.

There's been a lot of different organizations that have compiled it, but the routes are the same.

The data collection is the same.

So I think it i a pretty valuable information.

The other area that you're focusing on is Milan Bottoms.

One of the things and we've talked to you befor in regards to the development, the commercial development that they have there, your concerns about, the nesting, of, of eagles in that area of, Rock Island and Rock Island County.

You know, of the study that was done, that kind of helped the city determine that, that this construction should move forward.

You say that suspect and you're continuing your research?

Yeah, I think suspect is a nice way of putting it.

It's a joke.

Is was what it is.

The city has proven themselve to be utterly corrupt in this.

The developers are corrupt in this.

They keep saying there's no impact to Eagles.

And so the developers, Matt Stern and Jeff Eubanks, hired a company called Terraco to do an eagle project to assess nesting and night roosting eagles in Milan Bottoms, because those are two completely different things.

Nesting is a breeding season activity.

Nigh roosting is a winter activity.

So Terracon went down, they did a one day study, which any biologist knows, you can't do a research project, certainly you can't do a bald eagle research project in one day.

So right off the bat, that makes their study very suspect.

Second of all, the day they did their research project was May 6th, in May, and they found no night roosting eagles.

Not surprisingly, bald eagle do not use night roosts in May, and it's like I tell peopl all the time that would be like me going to your hous when I know you're out of town and saying, well, Jim's not in this house.

He obviously doesn't live here because he's not there the one day I was there, and I went there when I knew you wouldn't be there.

That's exactly what Terracon did in this night roosting study.

And they determined there were no night roosting eagles.

We figured that was probably incorrect.

They didn't bother to, look at any of our data.

We conducte one of the most intensive night roost studies that's ever been done in North America.

On night roosting eagles.

It was it was an intensive six year study that we did under contract with the Corps of Engineers.

Took place from 2000, the winter of 2005, 2006 through the winter of 2000 and 2011.

So it is dated information.

But they never even bothered to look at what we found.

The Illinois DNR, who is at best the Illinois DNR, has shown themselve to either be one of two things.

Either they are staffed by the most, The most incapable and unqualified individuals that there are.

That's the best case scenario.

Worst case scenario, they are utterly corrupt and they are not safeguarding the environment, the natural resource or the biodiversity of Illinois.

And I say that I know those are strong words.

And I say that, because they bought in, they accepted the results of Terracon, a one day study that was conducted at a time of year when eagles don't even utilize Night Roost, and they never even looked at this very intensive project that was done for the Corps of Engineers over six years, on of the most intensive projects that's ever been done.

So we, we decided we're not going to accept the suspect findings.

And so we're conducting, a much more intensive night route study this year that's going, work, it's taking place one day a week, every wee from the first week of January through the end of February, where we're monitoring, because our information is dated.

So we wanted to know, is Milan Bottoms still a night roost?

Is it still a major night roost?

And so one day a week, we're down there monitoring, how many eagles are night roosting in my Milan Bottoms?

We've complete three weeks of the study so far.

I just have a few moments left in those three weeks.

What have you found?

What we found is Mila Bottoms is still a major night roost location.

We've, in the first three weeks, we've ranged from a low of 211 to a high of 317 eagles, night roosting within Milan Bottoms.

Part of this project, besides monitoring the night roost, we're also conducting a weekly population surve in what we call the local area.

That's a 38 mile stretch running from Lock and Dam 14 at Hampto to Lock and Dam 16 at Muscatine.

So we do that one day a week also.

So every week we know how many Eagles, approximately that are wintering in the area.

And we can compare that to the number that are night roosting in Milan Bottoms, which allows us to have a very good estimate as to what proportion of the local wintering eagle population is relying on Milan Bottoms as a nigh roost location, and therefore, how important is Milan Bottoms?

And what we're finding is that, anywhere from 40 to 67% of all the eagles wintering in the local area can be accounted for as night roosting in Milan Bottoms.

That indicates how incredibly important Milan Bottoms night roost is to our local, wintering eagle population.

What do you hope to use that information for?

We're not we're not really sure, because the, the cit and the developers, and the DNR seem like they've made the decision that they're willin to sacrifice the most important piece of eagle habitat in this region.

It is by far, hands down, the most important piece of eagle habitat.

And they've all indicated that they're willing to sacrifice that for a truck stop and a pot shop, because that's what it boils down to.

That's, this, this development, which consists of a truck stop and a pot shop, is going to be abutted right up next to the largest known night roost in the lower 48 states.

Will you continue to study once it's developed so that you find out the impact?

We're hoping to, if we can, if we can continue to get funding.

Yeah.

Our thanks to Wildlife Biologist Kelly McKay.

America is getting read to celebrate its 250th birthday.

And leading up to July 4th, we're talking to peopl in the cities about their role in making America the nation it is today.

So many people have what's called a Civic Spark.

The impetus that made them get involved in a way that makes a difference for all of us.

We posed that questio to the head of the Quad Cities Health Initiative, Nicole Carkner.

What is your Civic Spark?

[soft music] I enjoy solving big problems.

I enjoy really thinking about how all the piece of our community fit together, and this opportunity to work with the Quad City Health Initiative was one that really emphasized how we needed to partner, how we needed to collaborate, and how we all have a role to play in keeping ourselves and our community healthy.

Our thanks to Nicole Carkner head of the Quad Cities Health Initiative.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues on The Cities