Palau gets Navy, Coastie cots for emergency victim shelter

Coast Guardsmen assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Washington delivered cots to the Anti-Human Trafficking Office under Palau's Ministry of Justice Oct. 2.

"My crew and I were happy to deliver these cots to Palau. We are happy to be working alongside our Palauan partners on a regular basis and look forward to future joint efforts. Every opportunity we can help out is a good day," said USCGC Washington commanding officer Lt. Grant Rutter.

The cots were donated by the U.S. Navy at Joint Region Marianas in Guam, and transported from Guam to Palau by USCGC Washington. The cots will be used in the Anti-Human Trafficking Office's emergency victims' shelter. The emergency victims' shelter is a safe place where victims of human trafficking can stay temporarily while their cases are being investigated. The Ministry of Justice Anti-Human Trafficking Office coordinator Jennifer Anson sincerely thanked the U.S. Navy and US Coast Guard for making this donation possible. "These cots will make it possible to start accepting victims into the human trafficking emergency shelter. I thank the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard for their quick response to Palau's request," said Anson.