The Delaware Hotel and Lodging Association (DHLA) is working with faculty from the University of Delaware to conduct an awareness campaign on the problem of human trafficking in the hotel industry.

The basic issue is that human traffickers often use hotels to exploit their victims. Trafficker set up meetings in hotel and motel rooms between victims and those seeking to purchase sex.

In early April, Bill Silva, chairman of DHLA, hosted a learning session with instructors Dr. Sheryl Kline of the University of Delaware and Bill Sullivan, hotel manager and faculty member of the UD Hospitality Business Management program.

The session tackled how to define human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, identify victims, and explain the role of hotel workers in responding to the issue.

DHLA will hold additional sessions across Delaware over the next four weeks.