DES MOINES, IOWA (March 23, 2023) — Secretary of State Paul Pate’s Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking (IBAT) initiative is one of three finalists for the National Association of Secretaries of State’s (NASS) 2023 IDEAS Award. IBAT is a member organization which raises awareness for human trafficking and promotes Safe at Home, Iowa’s address confidentiality program for victims of violent crime.
“Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking is making a difference in communities across our state. The fact that it’s being recognized nationally is a huge honor,” Sec Pate said. “With this initiative, we have the ability to not only raise awareness to recognize the signs of human trafficking, but also work to end this horrible crime.”
This announcement comes as other states across the country are replicating the Iowa program and working to end human trafficking in their respective areas. Mississippi recently launched MBAT and other states are beginning to follow.
“It’s great to see other Secretaries of State joining in on the effort to combat human trafficking,” said Sec Pate. “The collaboration between businesses and combating this crime just makes sense. Together, we’re making a difference in our communities.”
The idea of Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking came to light in August of 2021 and quickly reached 100 members just before the public launch of the initiative. Today, IBAT has reached more than 630 members across the state of Iowa and continues to grow.
The NASS IDEAS Award was established in 2011 to recognize significant state contributions to the NASS mission. The award honors outstanding programs and achievements of NASS member offices.
For more information on the Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking program and how your business can sign up, visit IBAT.Iowa.gov.
