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C
Combating Human Trafficking
in the United States
Western Governors University
TASK 3 Topic: Causes of Human Trafficking in the United States Presently, the United States is facing the horrifying reality that humans never stopped being owned. When Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, Americans believed they had abolished slavery however, worldwide there are more people are living in slavery now than there were in the Civil War era. As writer and activist Alyssa Cole said, “I care because as long as slavery is sanctioned in this world, either directly or tacitly, we are a doomed species. There is no hope for progress, no hope for a world of peace and prosperity…” (Cole, A., 2019). While this is a growing issue in the United States, there are effective ways the government can address the challenges, such as strengthening victim identification, fostering foreign relations, and supporting anti-trafficking programs. Human trafficking, also known as “modern slavery”, is a reprehensible crime that exploits thousands of people yearly. Its definition includes forced marriage, child labor, bonded labor, forced labor, and domestic servitude. As reported by The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), “human trafficking as one of the leading criminal enterprises of the early 21st century” (Okech, D., Morreau, W., & Benson, K., 2011). Men, women, and children are forced into lives of massive suffering, believing there is no escape. In 2000, The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was passed as the first U.S. legislative effort to address these offenses. On February 1, 2021, America celebrated National Freedom day by renewing its commitment to work with “governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and survivor leaders – as well as the U.S. Congress and federal agencies to address the vast scale and complexity of human trafficking” (Blinken, A. J., 2021, February 02).
To combat these crimes, we must know who and where the victims are. The Vera Institute of Justice, who completed a two-year study called Improving Trafficking Victim Identification, helped strengthen human trafficking victim identification. The Vera Institute generates a 30-question survey or a 16-question version that can identify trafficked people. To measure the survey’s abilities in recognizing victims, Vera asked 11 victim organizations in California, Colorado, New York, Texas, and Washington State to participate in trial testing. Vera said of the results, “Data analysis determined how well the screening tool worked, both in its ability to distinguish trafficking victims from victims of other crimes and to differentiate between victims of sex and labor trafficking. More than half of the 180 interviewees (53 percent) were found to be trafficking victims” (Simich, L., 2014). After speaking with victims, Vera learned that language is critical to gaining trust. Words like “force” or “coercion” were not always in a person’s vernacular; therefore, it’s essential to tune the language to suit the victim’s culture. Understanding the victim’s shame and how this would translate into their responses also immensely helped identify victims. Additionally, law enforcement officials have stated that “[Trafficking victims] are terrified…they think we’re not going to take care of them, we’re just going to throw them in jail… they’d rather be with the monster they know than with the monster they don’t know, which is us” (Simich, L., 2014). Vera conferred with law enforcement experts about the mistrust, barriers, and fear that victims face and how to reduce these issues. Vera then provided law enforcement a set of improved procedures regarding questioning victims more graciously and proper collection of trafficking evidence to increase the likelihood of conviction. Another recommended improvement was to refer victims to specialized programs such as public assistance programs, legal assistance, specialized victim services programs, shelter programs, and advocacy experts (Simich, L., 2014). The Department of State leads the U.S. in its international endeavors to end human trafficking. The “3P” model means prosecution, protection, and prevention with a “complementary 4th P” for a partnership to circumvent trafficking globally. The U.S. also developed the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, commonly known as TIP Office. The TIP Office’s objective is to “partner with foreign governments, international organizations, other federal agencies, civil society, the private sector, and survivors of human trafficking to combat modern slavery” Human Trafficking - United States Department of State. (2021, February 03). It is working to foster foreign relations through international diplomacy and engagement to combat trafficking. According to the Acting Director, Dr. Kari Johnstone, the TIP Office’s objectives include objectively assessing
Trafficking (CAST) and Center for Human Trafficking Awareness are programs that civilians and government agencies alike can participate in. CAST is a coalition group committed to human rights and social justice that partner with NGOs and the government with the common goal of ending modern slavery. CAST offers victims services like legal representation, shelter, social services, and health care. CAST provides training on identifying trafficked victims and guides on human rights. The Center for Human Trafficking Awareness gives anti-trafficking training to social service providers, law enforcement officials, and task force members. The center also provides trained speakers, publications on anti-trafficking, and free community resources (U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, & Children’s Bureau., n.d.). There are nearly 40 million people alive today that have had their fundamental right to freedom stolen from them. It was just over 20 years ago that the world began to acknowledge that human trafficking is modern slavery and became concerned with the treatment of victims. At present, the United States is strengthening three separate pillars in our effort to combat this evil: improving our ability to identify victims, fostering foreign relations, and founding and supporting anti-trafficking programs. The U.S. government and NGOs, along with other foreign countries that adopted these methods, have prevented the abduction and provided care for thousands of people since these programs have gone into effect. America was founded on liberty – freedom from oppression. Mistakes were made, but we have always found our way back to our guiding principles. One can only hope that these foundational tenets will keep us at the forefront, as a leader, in the battle against all forms of involuntary servitude. We must not become complacent, or willfully ignorant, to the evil that lies just outside our field of view.
References
2020 Report on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons - United States Department of State. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/2020-report-on-u-s-government-efforts-to-combat-trafficking- in-persons/#:~:text=On%20July%2030,%202020,%20DOJ,United%20States%20by %20aligning%20funding Blinken, A. J. (2021). National Freedom Day: Deepening Our Resolve To Fight Human Trafficking - United States Department of State.
Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.state.gov/national-freedom-day-deepening-our-resolve-to-fight- human-trafficking/ Secretary of State Cockayne, J. (2021, February). What Role Should Anti-Trafficking Play in U.S. Development Efforts? Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.cfr.org/blog/what-role-should-anti-trafficking-play-us-development-efforts Cockayne, James. (2021). , Synopsis, Developing Freedom: The Sustainable Development Case for Ending Modern Slavery, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.developingfreedom.org/repo rt/ Cole, A. (2019). An Unconditional Freedom [Amazon Kindle]. Retrieved March 18, 2021. Human Trafficking - United States Department of State. (2021). Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.state.gov/policy-issues/human-trafficking/ Okech, D., Morreau, W., & Benson, K. (2011). Human trafficking: Improving victim identification and service provision. International Social Work, 55(4), 488-
- doi:10.1177/ Simich, L., Goyen, L., Powell, A., & Berberich, K. (2014). Out of the Shadows. Vera Institute of Justice. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.vera.org/publications/out-of-the-shadows-identification-of-victims-of- human-trafficking Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking. (2021, January 22). Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.transportation.gov/TLAHT U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, & Children's Bureau. (n.d.). Sex Trafficking Prevention and Intervention Organizations. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/? CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=
