WASHINGTON, D.C.—Leveraging its leadership position in the hospitality industry nationwide, Omni Hotels & Resorts announced that it will host the nation’s premier conference on child and youth sex trafficking. In the coming three years, Omni will be the banner hotel and host for the highly regarded JuST Conference (Juvenile Sex Trafficking) that Shared Hope International has annually brought to the nation over much of the past decade.
Said Linda Smith, founder and President of Shared Hope, “Much of sex trafficking is conducted in, or facilitated through, the hospitality industry. This is where alert and trained employees can make a huge difference—literally, their awareness may save the life of a boy or a girl who is being targeted by a sex trafficker. Omni is an ideal partner due to the core values they hold as a corporation as well as the awareness and training programs they have already put in place.”
This new relationship advances the fight against sex trafficking: https://vimeo.com/503159277
The partnership includes opportunities for Omni to participate in certain aspects of the conference which includes many survivors of sex trafficking along with disciplines such as law enforcement, healthcare, social work, policy, and citizen advocates. By sponsoring elements of the conference including a networking reception, Omni will provide a unique opportunity for advocates to connect in a social setting outside structured workshops. As an authority with 25 years invested in addressing the issue of sex trafficking, Linda Smith will be available to speak at major Omni client events.”
“Local market leadership is one of our core values, and we are committed to our partnership with Shared Hope International to ensure we’re supporting the communities in which we operate to end sex trafficking,” said Peter Strebel, President of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “Understanding that sex trafficking is very prevalent within the hospitality industry, we know we have to do our part in helping to educate our associates, who in turn, have the power to prevent these horrific acts.”
