Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives

Hello! I’m Rebekah Dettmann and it is my privilege to serve as the Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) Coordinator at the Milwaukee Child Advocacy Center (MCAC), and as the AHT Regional Specialist for Milwaukee County. Funding through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (WI DCF) Regional Hub initiative has allowed for this position to exist and flourish at the MCAC since 2018.

The role of the MCAC AHT Coordinator has taken on several components:

• Facilitating a multidisciplinary team response to youth sex trafficking cases
• Providing individual case consultation to partners/youth workers on engagement strategies and targeted resource connections
• Delivering training and education to professionals and other community members
• Participating in task forces and other trafficking related workgroups, such as Dr. Angela Rabbitt’s AHW-funded project HCAST (Healthcare Collaborative Against Sex Trafficking)
• Maintaining subcontracted services with lived experience experts both as partners in content development, as well as for direct service delivery to youth

In a typical week you’ll find me on Zoom with my consultant working on our latest resource project, leading case staffings with child welfare and other investigative partners, coaching a case manager or social worker through implementing a new strategy with a youth on their case load, and preparing for a training event. Additionally, I spend time working with a local advocacy collaborative. Our goal is to increase the presence of advocates for high risk and trafficked youth who present for medical care or law enforcement interviews.

If you are looking to enhance your understanding of youth sex trafficking, build your awareness of resources available in Wisconsin, or have questions around mandated reporting requirements for trafficking concerns, I encourage you to reach out. For ongoing learning opportunities, you can also request a link for “Conversations about Sex Trafficking.” This is a monthly lunch and learn open to all, and a variety of “trending topics” from the field are covered.

For more information, materials, and ways to contact me please visit the WI DCF website.