Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery: Practical Tools For An Effective Response © Freedom Network 2008 Photos by J. Maillard, International Labour Organization

Human Trafficking Is On The Rise Estimated 14,500-17,500 men, women and children trafficked annually (US Department of State) Estimated 2 million people trafficked worldwide annually (CIA) Twenty seven million people in slavery around the world (Kevin Bales, Disposable People) Fifteen-billion dollar business (United Nations) Open investigations in 48 states (US Dept of Justice) © Freedom Network 2008

Compared to Drugs or Arms, Human Trafficking: Is more profitable Is more profitable Produces continuous profits Produces continuous profits Involves less risk Involves less risk © Freedom Network 2008

Trafficked People May Be: Non-citizens  Without legal status  With legal status US citizens From different backgrounds, not just an issue of language or nationality  Race, class, gender, schooling, religion, culture Men, women, children All ages © Freedom Network 2008

Why People Decide to Migrate Economic Social Personal Civil unrest Escape from gender-based discrimination Political persecution Adventure/opportunity © Freedom Network 2008

Why People Are Vulnerable to Human Traffickers Poverty Immigration laws/policies  Demand for migrant work that immigration system cannot meet  Marriage as a way to obtain legal status  Dependence on third parties for information about migration Discrimination: ethnic, religious, gender, age Dependence on third parties for information about migration © Freedom Network 2008

Who Are The Human Traffickers? Neighbors, friends, family members, village chiefs, returnees Agricultural operations/garment industry Business owners Families (including diplomats) Organized crime Diplomats & governments © Freedom Network 2008

How People Are Recruited Acquaintances or family Newspaper ads Fake employment agencies Front businesses Word of mouth Abduction © Freedom Network 2008

Abuser’s Manual Limited Freedom of Movement after Trafficker: Fear of INS/ICE Not knowing where to turn Lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services Limited Freedom of Movement with Trafficker: Confiscate identification documents Long hours Little/No pay Inhuman living conditions Physical abuse Psychological abuse Sexual abuse © Freedom Network 2008

Climate of Fear Fear of placing family or themselves in danger Fear of losing family/children Economic dependence Emotional dependence Cultural/religious constraints Fear of law enforcement Guilt Stigma Belief that abuse/situation will change Ambivalence over making change Lack of resources Lack of documents/legal status © Freedom Network 2008

Identifying Victims of Severe Forms of Human Trafficking Photos by J. Maillard, International Labour Organization © Freedom Network 2008

What is Human Trafficking? Trafficking means recruiting, abducting, facilitating, transferring, harboring, or transporting a person, by threat or use of force, coercion, fraud or deception or by the purchase, sale, trade, transfer or receipt of a person, for the purpose of subjecting that person to involuntary servitude, peonage, slavery, slave-like practices, sex trafficking, or forced or bonded labor services. (The full text of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 can be found at © Freedom Network 2008

Victim of Severe Form of Trafficking Sex trafficking: sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion commercial sex act coercion Except for CSA of minors under 18 Labor trafficking : the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.involuntary servitude debt bondage © Freedom Network 2008

In the following scenarios, “Have I been trafficked?” If yes, what are the elements of trafficking? At what point did it become trafficking? If no, why not? What elements are missing? What additional information is needed? What questions need to be asked? What should happen next? © Freedom Network 2008

Have I Been Trafficked? Scenario 1 I am from China and I came to the U.S. because I wanted to make money to support my family. I knew a woman in the market who could help me to get to the U.S. and she make some arrangements. She said I would have to pay $5,000 to get to the U.S. and I would have to pay off another $15,000 more once I got here by working in a restaurant, factory, or somewhere else. I was able to borrow the $5,000 and was told to get a passport. I came to the U.S. on a boat with about 100 other people. There was not very much food and it was cold and dirty. We slept on the floor. I was scared of the other people, especially the men whose language I did not understand. We were close to the U.S. when the police stopped the boat and we were all arrested. I think I am in debt bondage to the people in China due to my large debt. © Freedom Network 2008

Have I Been Trafficked? Scenario 2 I am from China and I came to the U.S. because I wanted to make money to support my family. I knew a woman in the market who could help me to get to the U.S. and I asked her to make some arrangements. She said I would have to pay $5,000 to get to the U.S. and I would have to pay off another $15,000 more once I got here by working in a restaurant, factory or somewhere else. I was able to borrow the $5,000 and was told to get a passport. I came to the U.S. on a boat with about 100 other people. There was not very much food and it was cold and dirty. We slept on the floor. I was scared of the other people, especially the men whose language I did not understand. When we arrived in the U.S., these men took us to a factory where we began working every day. We were housed at the factory. I wanted to get a different job but I was told that I had to work at the factory to pay off my debt. © Freedom Network 2008

Case #1 Irina was from Ukraine and responded to an ad in the newspaper to become a nanny for a family in the U.S. She was told she would take care of two young children and have the weekends free. She was promised an education. Instead, she was forced to work 7 days a week. Her documents were withheld, she was paid only $ per week and she had to care for an elderly parent who was ill. She had to sleep in the basement and was not allowed out of the house. The employers were abusive to her. A neighbor befriended her and helped her escape. She took her to the police. The police contacts your organization and requests that you interview Irina. How do you proceed? © Freedom Network 2008

Case #2 Shasta is a fifteen year old girl from the Midwest. Unhappy with her family after they set up rules that she thought were too strict, she ran away and started hanging out with other teens in parks and in the local mall. Her money ran out, she was cold and hungry, but determined to avoid the police and her family. An older guy befriended her, brought her food, clothes and started romancing her. He offered her a relationship, a home and a job. She fell for it. She was forced into prostitution and under total control of this “boyfriend,” her pimp. The Vice Squad picked her up, arrested her for prostitution and then called your agency to come and interview her. What would you do? © Freedom Network 2008

Case Scenario My name is Oksana. I am from Russia. I am 23 yrs old. I want to come to the United States, and a friend suggested I try an online match-making service. My friend said it was a good way to meet men, and that it would be the easiest way of coming to the United States. I started “chatting” with a man named John on the internet. John seemed like a good guy, so when our “relationship” progressed, and he proposed, I said yes. He brought me to the U.S. on a fiancé visa. The first week there, we got married. However, things changed immediately. John became very verbally abusive, and demanded that I cook and clean for him. He called me a “bitch” and “whore” and made fun of me in front of his friends. He forced me to have sex with him constantly. I cried a lot. He didn’t like it when I asked to call home and talk to my family and told me, “I’m your family now.” When I asked him if I could work, he told me that “no woman of mine works outside of the home.” When I threatened to leave, he told me that he wouldn’t sponsor my green card. Finally, after he hit me hard across my face, I ran away and went to a women’s shelter. © Freedom Network 2008

Case Scenario 2 women escaped with help of customer/”boyfriend” and told FBI that they were lured to US from Honduras under false pretenses and forced to dance in bars. One of the women tells FBI agent that there are 6 other women working in the club in “same situation” Came in on tourist visas a year ago that trafficker’s arranged Beatings, rapes, verbal abuse, withholding of documents, threats to sent to brothel, threats of mafia associations One of the traffickers showed women his gun Lived in apartment traffickers paid for and have key to and monitor movements and communication with family Taken to and from work each day by traffickers Had to pay off debt, plus had a weekly quota of $3000 in cash Worked 6 days a week, 2p – 2a One of the women speaks English, the other doesn’t © Freedom Network 2008

Questions to Keep in Mind 1) Is the person allowed to leave the place of work? 2)Has the person been physically and/or sexually abused? 3)Has the person been threatened? Have fear? 4)Does the person have a passport and other documents? 5) Has the person been paid for his/her work or services? ________ 6) How many hours does the person work a day? 7) What are/were the living conditions? 8) How did the person find out about the job? 9) Who organized the person’s migration? 10) What would the person like to see happen? © Freedom Network 2008

Trafficking vs. Smuggling Trafficking Crime or violation against a person Smuggling Unauthorized border crossing – crime or violation against a country Contains element of coercion (cannot consent to enslavement) No coercion Can include smuggling, plus subsequent exploitation and/or forced labor Facilitated illegal entry of person from one country to another Trafficked persons seen as victims by the law © Freedom Network 2008

Joy Zarembka Charles Song