Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill Monday strengthening human trafficking laws in time for a potential spike of crime surrounding Super Bowl weekend.

The legislation tightens up Indiana law, making it easier to prosecute human traffickers as a class A felony, which can result in up to 50 years in prison.

Alongside the bill, Indianapolis and surrounding cities, including Terre Haute, are preparing the public for signs to watch out for in regards to human trafficking.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods invited hotel managers and staff, cab drivers and the local community on campus to learn about human trafficking trends and prevention techniques.

 "We have to come up with something, and it starts with education," Sergeant Jason Brentlinger of the Terre Haute police department said at a human trafficking workshop hosted by the Sisters of Providence Monday afternoon.

Brentlinger spoke with experience and events he saw take place during his days in the Marine Corps.

"I was 18 years old in Okinawa, [Japan]," Brentlinger said. "There were 13 to 14-year-old girls. I've seen it first hand, and it disgusted me."

Human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry and is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world, Brentlinger said.

There are several efforts happening across Indiana in hopes of reducing demand for trafficked persons, CEO of Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Anita Carpenter said.

Local churches, faith organizations and state entities have been working for the past several months on several projects, including SOAP. The SOAP project is working with area hotels to put soaps with stickers containing information and the national hotline number in bathrooms, Carpenter said. More than 16,000 bars of soap are expected to be distributed this week.

The Indiana Trafficked Persons Assistance program has also been working on collaborative efforts regarding the Super Bowl. Law enforcement and services providers have been training and coordinating efforts for the big game, said director Carleen Miller.

"Many community organizations have come together to build awareness and do outreach to the community," Miller said.

According to the National Attorneys General Training & Research Institute, 59 prostitution arrests were made before and during the event. Eleven of the arrests were suspected of being human trafficking during the week leading up to the 2011 Super Bowl.

"We have to stop it," Brentlinger said. "This is slavery. We're hitting hard and heavy now."

Those who believe they are witness to  human trafficking can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888.