LAS VEGAS (January 2026) – In recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Wedding Capital of the World™ announces it is partnering with Signs of HOPE (Healing, Options, Prevention and Education) to host an educational conversation designed to help the wedding industry recognize and respond to potential marriage trafficking situations. Marriage trafficking affects communities worldwide, and though only a small number of cases surface in Clark County annually, the impact on victims is significant. While trafficking situations like this are rare in Southern Nevada, the Clark County Clerk’s Office and its partners believe proactive awareness, education and preparedness play a critical role in protecting individuals who may be vulnerable to exploitation, whether it’s forced labor or sex trafficking.
The conversation-style program will feature Cassie Matheus, RISE (Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment) outreach director at Signs of HOPE; Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Fred Haas; and Clark County Clerk Lynn Marie Goya. Together, they will equip wedding professionals with practical tools, including how to recognize warning signs, safely separate a suspected victim, identify unwilling participants, contact the Marriage License Bureau if filing should be delayed and connect individuals with the appropriate services and support.
“Las Vegas is the Wedding Capital of the World™, so we have an innate responsibility to lead when it comes to education, awareness and protection,” said Goya. “The vast majority of weddings in our community are joyful celebrations. However, marriage trafficking is a real global issue. Even if only a handful of incidents occur locally each year, if we can prevent harm to even one individual, this effort is worthwhile. Our goal is to ensure officiants, chapels and all wedding professionals feel prepared, supported and empowered to respond when something doesn’t feel right. It is also critical that we provide tools so they can protect themselves in the process of protecting someone else. In addition, we sometimes see victims who are unable rather than unwilling. It is critical that the wedding industry have the tools to protect these vulnerable people, as well.”
Signs of HOPE has served Southern Nevada for more than 50 years, offering crisis response, long-term advocacy, education, outreach and counseling for those affected by sexual violence and exploitation. By engaging industry partners through prevention-focused programming, the organization strives to help communities recognize warning signs and intervene safely.
“Traffickers use a wide variety of tactics, including abuse of legal processes such as marriage, to exert control over their victims,” said Kim Small, CEO of Signs of HOPE. “Education and awareness are critical in helping to prevent human trafficking, which unfortunately affects many in our community. Signs of HOPE offers free training programs to businesses, industry organizations and community groups throughout Clark County, and we encourage anyone who is interested to please reach out.”
The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. and is open to officiants, wedding chapel employees and other wedding industry professionals such as photographers, hairstylists, makeup artists, seamstresses and others interested in learning more. The conversation will take place both in-person at the Clark County Chambers (500 S Grand Central Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89155) as well as online via livestream. No pre-registration is required.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
Media attending the event in-person are invited to interview Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Fred Haas, Clark County Clerk Lynn Marie Goya and CEO of Signs of HOPE Kim Small. To RSVP to the event or schedule an interview, email Desiree Vontur at desiree@thevoxagency.com. All interviews must be scheduled in advance.
ABOUT SIGNS OF HOPE
Signs of HOPE – Healing, Options, Prevention and Education – is a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering hope, help and healing to those affected by sexual violence and exploitation. The organization was founded in 1974 by Florence McClure and Sandra Petta as the Community Action Against Rape (CAAR) and operated as The Rape Crisis Center from 2004-2021. Today, Signs of HOPE operates two 24/7 crisis hotlines and provides hospital response for sexual assault victims. In addition, the organization provides counseling, advocacy and support to help victims throughout the healing process, for as long as it takes. Through its Resources and Integration for Survivor Empowerment or RISE program, the organization provides crisis response and long-term case management services to victims of all forms of human trafficking. Signs of HOPE is committed to raising awareness of sexual assault and exploitation by engaging in prevention efforts, educational programs and community outreach, particularly to youth. The Signs of HOPE 24/7 hotline number is 702-366-1640. The RISE human trafficking 24/7 hotline is 702-936-4004. For more information, visit sohlv.org.
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE CLARK COUNTY CLERK, NEVADA
The Office of the Clark County Clerk, Nevada, overseen by the Honorable Lynn Marie Goya, issues more than 75,000 marriage licenses per year, making it the wedding location with the highest marriage rate in the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual Marriage Rate by State report, Nevada has 24.6 marriages per 1,000 population. The U.S. marriage rate is 6.1 per thousand; Hawaii’s rate is 12.5 per thousand with Utah at 11.2 per thousand. Internationally, marriage rates for countries typically range from 5 to 10 per thousand population. Las Vegas was originally recognized with its iconic title as the “Wedding Capital of the World” on Sept. 23, 1953, when the London Daily Herald used it in an article highlighting the city’s popularity for destination weddings. Clark County Clerk Lynn Marie Goya and the Office of the Clark County Clerk have won numerous local, national and international awards in recognition of her commitment to good government, including awards for innovation, saving tax dollars, environmental stewardship, constituent outreach, efficiency and the transformation of the “Vegas wedding” brand from “The Hangover” to one of fun, stress-free excitement. The office is also responsible for numerous other government services, including passport acceptance, lobbyist registration, fictitious firm name certificates and maintaining the permanent records for the Clark County Commissioners. For more information on the Office of the Clark County Clerk, visit clarkcountynv.gov/clerk/about.
ABOUT THE WEDDING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD™
With more than five million weddings and counting and more weddings per 1,000 people than any other place on the globe, Las Vegas remains the undisputed Wedding Capital of the World™. For over a century, a “Vegas wedding” has captured public imagination as the ultimate stress-free, fun, glamorous and romantic wedding, whether it is a spur-of-the-moment occasion or an elaborately planned extravaganza. Offering weddings for every budget—including elopements at iconic Las Vegas chapels, elaborate nuptial celebrations at the Strip’s most elegant resorts and everything in between—the destination delivers dream weddings of every description for every budget. For more information about the Wedding Capital of the World™ or the Office of the Clark County Clerk, Nevada, visit weddings.vegas.
