Meeting Professionals International Washington State Chapter (MPIWSC) became the first MPI chapter and the third Seattle-based company to join the fight against child trafficking by signing the Tourism Child Protection Code of Conduct (The Code).
Since President Obama designated January Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, this is an especially appropriate time to become a member of The Code, which is an initiative driven to prevent the sexual exploitation of children, especially in the travel and tourism-based industry. Traffickers commonly transport their victims by bus, plane or train, and then move them to hotels where they are sold behind closed doors. This puts the travel and tourism industry in a unique position to spot and prevent trafficking, which is why The Code is so dedicated to providing awareness, tools and support to its communities and members.
“As a chapter and leaders in our industry, it’s important for us to bring this awareness to the forefront of our community. We feel it’s our duty and obligation,” said Jeannette Davidson, director of sales, geoteaming, and president of MPIWSC. “It’s surprising how deeply this issue runs in our industry. It’s refreshing to know The Code exists and that we can be part of the solution by raising awareness in our community and helping to pave the way for others to adopt the same principles.”
As an association signatory of The Code, MPIWSC will create a policy against child sexual exploitation, educate members on the issue, and report annually to ECPAT-USA. MPIWSC’s membership will raise awareness about the issue in an industry that is particularly involved in identifying victims.
