HCN News & Notes

Sex Offender Registry Board Convenes All-staff Human Trafficking Training 

LYNNFIELD — The Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB) recently convened an agency-wide training on human trafficking at the Municipal Police Training Academy in Lynnfield. Led by experts from My Life My Choice and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the five-hour program equipped staff to understand the latest human-trafficking trends, deepen their awareness of victims’ needs, and pursue case-specific information to inform classification decisions when presented with convicted traffickers. 

The program included presentations from Dr. Rachel Niemiec from My Life My Choice, AGO Human Trafficking Division Chief Jennifer Snook, Massachusetts State Trooper Erin McLaughlin, and AGO Victim Services Division Chief Anne Kelley McCarthy. Members of the SORB leadership team also presented information about identifying secondary trauma and the agency’s employee-assistance program, which provides staff with important support as they manage complex cases.  

“The Healey-Driscoll administration remains deeply committed to working collaboratively with our federal, state, local, and community partners to end this heinous crime and protect everyone’s basic human right to live free of exploitation,” Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy said. “Under the leadership of Chairwoman Megan McLaughlin and Executive Director Laurie Myers, SORB has pursued important partnerships with outstanding organizations like the AGO, My Life My Choice, and Northeastern to advance our shared mission to combat human trafficking and support survivors with trauma-informed services.” 

McLaughlin added that “the Sex Offender Registry Board remains committed to fulfilling our public-safety mission to prevent further victimization through meaningful public information and education. Today’s discussion elevates our team’s collective understanding of human trafficking, the convicted traffickers who we classify as part of our work, and the importance of self-care for those who work on these challenging cases. I thank our partners at My Life My Choice and the Attorney General’s Office for their willingness to share their expertise.”