Human Trafficking 101

This session will give an in depth look of the way that traffickers groom victims, the types of trafficking we are seeing, and the work we are doing to improve and support the prevention and response to Human Trafficking in South Dakota.

Presented by: Mary Beth Holzwarth, SD Division of Criminal Investigation

Mary Beth Holzwarth is the Human Trafficking State Coordinator for South Dakota under the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the South Dakota Attorney General. Mary Beth began her career combatting child sexual assault after two of her son’s disclosed sexual assault in 2009, at the ages of 8 and 5. She created her organization, Endeavor 52, to educate adults, children, and professionals on how to keep children safe and improve response efforts after disclosure. She was involved in the passionate group of professionals who drafted Jolene’s Law which led to the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment and more efforts around the state.

Years later she became the Re-Entry Coach at the South Dakota Women’s Prison, guiding women through the Moving On program to heal from trauma and recreate new lives prior to being released. That led her to truly begin to understand the correlation between childhood trauma and the ties of human trafficking on some of the most vulnerable populations which led her to the position she is now in, combining both areas of expertise and joining with others to change the scope of South Dakota.

She is master trainer for ACEs, Enough Abuse, and Moving On; an avid backpacker and outdoorswoman, and mother to four amazing sons.