GBMC HealthCare to Host International Anti-Human Trafficking Leaders
May 4, 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Krystina Wales | 410-952-2558 | Krwales@gbmc.org
GBMC HealthCare to Host International Anti-Human Trafficking Leaders
State Department's Premier Exchange Program Brings Delegation of 10 to Baltimore
Baltimore, MD (May 1, 2026) – For the second consecutive year, GBMC HealthCare's Sexual Assault Forensic Examination, Domestic Violence and Child Protection (SAFE/DV/CP) program will welcome an international delegation on Tuesday, May 5, as part of the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the nation's premier professional exchange program.
Ten leaders from Angola, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Namibia, and the Seychelles, arranged through the World Trade Center Institute of Baltimore and Meridian International Center, will visit GBMC to learn about GBMC's model approach to human trafficking prevention, survivor advocacy, and forensic nursing.
The IVLP delegation represents law enforcement officials, government policy advisors, immigration officers, and NGO leaders whose work spans multiple continents. Participants include a Superintendent from Angola's National Police overseeing trafficking investigations, Cabo Verde's President of the National Observatory on Human Trafficking, the Head of Immigration at Maputo International Airport in Mozambique, the Director of Seychelles' Trafficking in Persons Secretariat, and a project manager from Love Justice Namibia, which screens individuals at border checkpoints to detect signs of trafficking.
The group's visit to GBMC aligns with the State Department's objectives of examining U.S. strategies to combat trafficking, understanding the role local organizations play in victim protection and recovery, and fostering cooperation with international law enforcement.
“This visit reflects the power of global partnership in addressing human trafficking,” Kelly Truax, Community Outreach Coordinator at GBMC, said. “Bringing international leaders together to not only exchange ideas but also learn from each other and strengthen this impactful work is so important. It is through collaboration like this that we deepen our commitment to prevention, enhance our response, and move closer to a world where every individual is safe and free from exploitation.”
The two-hour program will include a presentation on GBMC's human trafficking, outreach, and advocacy work, a panel Q&A session with the clinical team, and a tour of the SAFE Suite. Presenters include Paari Gopalakrishnan, MD, MBA, and Baltimore County Police Detective Scott Kilpatrick, alongside seven members of the SAFE/DV/CP team.
Media interested in attending or speaking with a presenter in advance should contact Krystina Wales at 410-952-2558 or Krwales@gbmc.org.
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About GBMC HealthCare
GBMC HealthCare is a true community-based system of care that holds itself accountable for delivering to everyone the care it would want for its own loved ones, from birth until death. Since its founding in 1965, Greater Baltimore Medical Center has been known as an outstanding, independent community hospital. Our 211 licensed-bed acute care hospital in Towson handles more than 23,000 admissions and more than 52,000 emergency department visits annually. Our system also includes GBMC Health Partners, our multi-specialty group practice, with more than 300 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, and 12 advanced primary care practices throughout the region, working to keep people well by coordinating preventive care and managing chronic diseases. Gilchrist, a complete elder care company completes our system with the capability of caring for people through advanced illness and hospice.
