WORCESTER —  A crowd in front of City Hall, including commuters who were waiting for buses, gathered to hear speakers and have a cup of coffee this morning to mark the fifth annual National Anti-Human Trafficking Day. 

Mayor Joseph M. Petty issued a proclamation declaring Anti-Human Trafficking Day today in Worcester. The rally was organized by Lutheran Social Services, an organization that provides pro bono legal assistance and representation to noncitizen survivors of human trafficking in immigration proceedings. Lawyers from the Human Trafficking Legal Assistance Center represent noncitizens applying for T-visas, a special immigration status for trafficking survivors, and pursue public benefits for trafficking survivors.

Jayna Turchek, a staff lawyer at Lutheran Social Services for New Americans, a program of Lutheran Social Services, was one of the local organizers of the event. She said this is the second year a rally has been held in Worcester to raise awareness of human trafficking. 
“This year we're celebrating the passage of the state's first human trafficking bill (in November), and talking about the local impact,” Ms. Turchek said. “We're talking about what it means here.”
Organizers said human trafficking involves people of all ages who are forced, coerced or tricked into sexual or labor exploitation.

Those attending the rally were encouraged to volunteer, to donate money to the Human Trafficking Legal Assistance Center, and to raise awareness by telling others about the issue.

In addition to the mayor, several local politicians came by to show their support, including state Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury; state Rep. James O'Day, D-West Boylston; state Rep. John J. Mahoney, D-Worcester; City Councilors Tony Economou, Sarai Rivera, Frederick C. Rushton, Joseph C. O'Brien; and Gladys Rodriquez Parker, from U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern's office.