Human trafficking forces people -- usually young women -- into the commercial sex trade or labor. It is widespread throughout the world, in the U.S. and in Pennsylvania.

Just last week, a Berks County man was arrested on charges related to trafficking a young woman.

Police and the justice system have re-evaluated their approach to dealing with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Instead of punishment and prison, many cities are using rehabilitative measures to re-integrate the victims into communities.

Because of the evolving nature of the approach to trafficking and exploitation, there is a lack of continuity in the enforcement, prosecution and rehabilitation of the perpetrators and their victims.

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Institute of the Villanova Law Institute is sponsoring a symposium Thursday, March 9th to address these disparities and promote ideas to improve the relationships between attorneys, lawmakers, social workers and law enforcement agencies and aid in combating commercial sexual exploitation.

Shea M. Rhodes is the Director of Villanova's CSE Institute and she will join us on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the scope of human trafficking and forced prostitution and society's approach to aiding those victims. Dr. Susan Mapp, Professor of Social Work at Elizabethtown College will be in studio to describe the impact these crimes have in Central Pennsylvania.