Current News
Man in New Jersey Sentenced for Forcing Women to Work Without Compensation
A man in New Jersey was found to have forced women to work in hair braiding salons for 14 hours a day, six or seven days a week with no pay.
Find more here: http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1006/100628newark.htm
Texas Supreme Court Finds that Children In Commercial Sex Industry Are Not Criminals
The Texas Supreme Court recently decided that children involved in the commercial sex industry are not criminals; instead, they are victims. Prior to this decision children could be both victims of statutory rape and, if involved in prostitution, charged with the crime of prostitution.
Find more here: http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/texas_supreme_court_kids_in_prostitution_are_victims_not_criminals
Woman in New York Charged For Forcing Young Women Into Prostitution
A woman in New York was charged for forcing women into a life of prostitution. The women met her when answering ads to work in a nail salon. They were then allegedly forced into prostitution through threats of violence and intimidation.
Find more here: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/29/2010-06-29_queens_madam_forced_young_korean_women_into_lives_of_sex_slavery_in_li_massage_p.html
Against Child Trafficking: Women Bring Their Vision to Washington
A group of 500 women will be convening on Washington in order to lobby key members of Congress on the issue of human trafficking. They will be advocating for the Child Protection Compact Act, currently stuck in Congress, which would provide “assistance for the purpose of eradication of trafficking in children.” “It is designed to boost international law enforcement, protection for survivors and prosecution against people trafficking in children for sex and labor.”
Find more here: http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/greenwich-post/news/local/51173-washington-sees-vision-local-women-seek-support-against-child-trafficking.html
Buy Trash Bags, Stop Sex Trafficking
A mother-daughter team in Iowa work to sell trash bags as a fundraiser in order to raise money for a 15 person trip to the Philippines. Their destination is Cebu City, one of the most notorious child trafficking cities, where they plan to work in shutting down trafficking operations.
Read more here: http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/trash-bags-030610
Sen. Teresa Fedor Gains Support for 'Trafficking-in-persons' Bill in Ohio
Ohio state Senator Teresa Fedor of Toledo, Ohio, which is considered the fourth largest trafficking city in the nation, has garnered support from the Ohio Senate to make human trafficking a stand-alone crime. Senate Bill 235 would create the crime of "trafficking in persons" and attach a prison sentence of 2 to 8 years in prison.
Read more here: http://toledoblade.com/article/20100308/NEWS24/3080323/-1/NEWS01
Human Trafficking Victim Deceived with Promise of Temporary Work
She was held captive for five years in the home of an Azusa man because she was promised a housekeeping job. Although she came in contact with neighbors and others, she did not run away. Those who learned about her situation and the situation of others, wondered why she did not leave.
Read more here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/trafficking-236146-victims-human.html
Senate Holds Hearing on Child Sex-Trafficking in the United States
The chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law, Senator Dick Durbin, called a Senate hearing to learn more about the problem of child sex trafficking in the United States. At this hearing, it was reported that over 100,000 American children a year become sex-trafficking victims.
Read more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/conchita-s-sarnoff/us-senate-holds-child-tra_b_476808.html
Generate Hope Will open a Safe House for Young Sex Trafficking Victims In San Diego
A safe house for young sex trafficking victims will open in San Diego. Learn about the efforts regarding sex trafficking and rehabilitation projects in San Diego.
Read more here: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/mar/01/safe-house-sex-trafficking-victims-opens-san-diego/
In Our Own Backyard: Child Prostitution and Sex Trafficking in the United States
Luis CdeBaca, the Ambassador-at-Large for the Office To Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, gives important testimony before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
Read more here: http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/rm/2010/137239.htm
Alabama Senate Votes to Outlaw Human Trafficking
The Senate in Alabama voted unanimously for a bill that creates a penalty for using coercion or deception to force a person to perform labor or sex acts. The law will now be considered in the Alabama House.
Find out more here: http://www.whnt.com/news/sns-ap-al-xgr--humantrafficking,0,3741573.story
New Oregon Bill Provides Information regarding Human Trafficking
Oregon House Bill 3623 requires the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to include information regarding human trafficking with certain license renewal notices, if materials are supplied by nonprofit organization.
Find out more here: http://gov.oregonlive.com/bill/HB3623/
Suspected Brothel in Single Family Home in Sunset District
A 44-year-old man suspected of running a brothel out of his home was shot in his home on January 27th, 2010. Anonymous law enforcement sources said they suspected prostitutes worked in the house. One article cites a neighbor who said she saw men and women entering the house’s basement in the afternoons and evenings. No confirmations of the use of the house or the motive for the murder have been made by police authorities.
Read more at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/29/BA8S1BP525.DTL#ixzz0eOn63iyB
San Francisco Month-long Campaign Against Human Trafficking
The San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, a collaborative of non-profits and government agencies, will be announcing a number of awareness events during the month long campaign against human trafficking at a press conference on January 11th at San Francisco City Hall.
Read more here: http://www.examiner.com/x-32558-SF-Crime-Examiner~y2009m12d29-Month-Long-SF-Anti-HumanTrafficking-Campaign-to-happen-January-11th?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
President Obama Issues Presidential Proclamation of the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Noting the continued existence of forms of slavery and the need to combat it, President Obama declares January the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The month officially ends on February 1st, the National Freedom Day.
More information can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-slavery-and-human-trafficking-prevention-month
Obama Administration to Announce New Strategies in Tackling Human Trafficking
The administration will be announcing such tactics in the next couple of weeks. No details of what the procedures will include, but anti-trafficking organizations are somewhat hopeful.
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/80802.html
Doctors Join the Fight Against the Global Sex Trade
That's right, medical practitioners formed a nonprofit, Doctors At War, that will work with projects to combine health care and anti-human trafficking efforts. Mainly, these doctors provide medical and specialty care to trafficking survivors, especially children.
Read more about this issue at http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1796292/doctors_at_war_against_human_trafficking_worldwide/index.html?source=r_health
Would Businesses Reject a Proposal to Ban Goods Made by Forced Labor?
A customs bill introduced by Senator Baucus and Senator Grassley, the Customs Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Reauthorization Act of 2009, would prohibit the importation of goods made by forced labor, bonded labor, convict labor or trafficked labor as defined in the TVPA.
Apparently a trade journal, “Inside US Trade,” suggested that businesses would worry about such import limitations. As a result of this report, many blogs, media outlets and others have voiced their opinions and shock that there could be any obstacles to the passage of a bill to fight slavery.
Read more here: http://www.openleft.com/diary/15912/business-aims-to-relax-bans-on-products-made-with-child-and-slave-labor
Low Economy, High Human Trafficking
The economic crisis is having a toll on everyone, especially those vulnerable to exploitation. The U.S State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report says that the current economic crisis is increasing the demand for human trafficking. Due to the financial difficulties, there is a higher demand for cheap goods and services. The report says the crisis will potentially cause more businesses to go underground so that they can avoid taxes and union labor. Some businesses may search for cheaper sources of labor, including child labor. "A striking global demand for labor and a growing supply of workers willing to take ever greater risks for economic opportunities seem a recipe for increased forced labor cases of migrant workers and women in prostitution," the report says.
Read more about it at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/02/human.trafficking.report/index.html
Child Slaves Freed in Cities across the United States
As part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, the FBI, police officials and representatives of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children arrested almost 700 people and freed 52 children trafficked into prostitution. According to the article noted below, almost 900 children have been rescued as part of this initiative since 2003.
To read more about this great success, visit http://www.star-telegram.com/238/story/1712689.html.
Thai Women Trafficked into the United States Are Rescued
In October, Thai women who were trafficked into the United States for prostitution and forced to work in San Francisco, Chicago and New York were rescued in Chicago.
For more information about this rescue, visit the following article: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/sheriff-investigates-human-trafficking-ring.html
Three Men in Great Britain now in prison for human trafficking!
The men had trafficked women from China into the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2008. Unfortunately, their jail sentences are rather light, but justice continues to prevail as more people are being sentenced for this atrocity.
To read more about the arrest and sentence visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hereford/worcs/8323368.stm
Trafficking Victims Speak Out at the United Nations
That's right. Survivors of human trafficking had a voice Thursday, Oct. 22, during a U.N. event organized by Navi Pillay, U.N High Commissioner. Pillay called human trafficking "pressing and urgent," admonishing officials to hear their stories and make recommendations of how the international community can take action.
Three survivors told their stories. A Nepal man who struggled to take care of his wife and children spoke of how he responded to an agency that promised work in the United States. Instead, he wound up at a U.S Al Asad Air Base where he was forced to work and was paid less than the promised $500 a month. Meanwhile, a Uganda girl told of how rebels abducted her and used her as a human shield and sex slave. A woman spoke of how she met a man and followed him to New York City, only to end up working in a brothel operated by his family against her will.
U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon urged governments to heed Pillay's call to action and to increase efforts in preventing exploitation and protecting victims. To read more about this story, please visit: http://www.newsday.com/news/world/victims-of-human-trafficking-speak-out-1.1543249?localLinksEnabled=false
Employment Agency Joins Fight in Human Trafficking
What is Manpower known for, other than finding people jobs? How about joining in efforts to combat human trafficking?
The employment agency will not only work with Polaris Project to educate the public on human trafficking, but they will offer training and assistance to trafficking survivors identified through Polaris. Read more about it here at http://www.polarisproject.org/
Department of Labor Updates List of Products Suspected of Being Tainted of Child Labor
Chocolate. Coffee. Shrimp. Rubber. Harmless products are possibly tainted with the sweat of enslaved children. And you can find out what products they are and which countries these products come from.
The U.S Department of Labor, under the Executive Order 13126, released an updated list of products and their country of origin from where there may suspected forced and indentured Child Labor. The update is part of the normal procedure under EO 13126, which was signed into law in 1999. The list will be available for public viewing for 90 day. To read more about EO 13126, or to download the list on PDF file, go to http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/regs/eo13126/main.htm#List .
To go to the list directly, visit http://www.dol.gov/federalregister/HtmlDisplay.aspx?DocId=23111&Month=9&Year=2009
California Anti-trafficking laws pass the State and Senate
Two bills, AB 17 and SB557 are designed to strengthen anti-trafficking laws in California. One could increase fines on traffickers who are convicted of pimping a minor. The other bill will make it financially difficult for real property to be used as a place to conduct human trafficking. Both bills are waiting for our governor to sign them into law.
Read more details about AB 17 and SB 557 here at: http://actioncenter.polarisproject.org/take-action/featured-actions/48-featured-actions/642-featured-action-californa-anti-human-traficking-bills-
Government Is Now Approving Visas for Illegal Immigrants who are Victims of Certain Crimes
There is a federal government program that allows illegal immigrants who have been victimized to obtain visas. Called the U Visa program, it can serve as a benefit to women who have been physically abused, raped, or trafficked for sex, although most of the cases have been those who have endured domestic violence and physical abuse. Since the rules for implementing the U Visa Program have been approved in 2007, the government has approved thousands of requests by applicants. But there are still 13,000 applications that are pending, and immigrants remain timid of applying for the U Visa for fear of being deported. Could the U Visa be just as useful as the T Visa, the program specifically geared toward victims of trafficking? Or are there still issues of red tape and waiting?
Read more to find out about the U Visa, and its pros and cons here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32988444/ns/us_news-life//
