On Thursday, June 24 the IMS Cooperative Leadership Council heard a report from Patricia McCay about the growing problem of human trafficking.  McCay reported that human trafficking is on the rise nationally and in North Alabama.  She reported that often young girls are lured into modeling careers or passage into the US from another nation, put into debt and then forced to work off a so-called debt that they can never pay off.  She was pleased to report that Alabama has recently passed a good law that will make it easier for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute potential cases of human trafficking.  The law will go into effect on July 1, 2010.  Member Congregations and other interested parties are encouraged to contact Patricia McCay if you would like to learn more about this growing problem.  You can reach Patricia McCay at 256-653-8527 or [pmccay at tts-llc dot com].  They have a Facebook Fan Page that you can see here.  Patricia McCay serves as the Soroptimist District IV Director, Southern Region.  She left the Leadership Council with the following resources: