Understanding and Working with Trafficking Victims/Survivors in Maine

Objectives  Understand the problem of human trafficking  Learn how to identify victims/survivors of human trafficking  Learn how to meet the needs of trafficking victims/survivors

Overview of the Issue

Discussion  What are we seeing in Maine?  What does human trafficking look like?  What have we heard about human trafficking?

Definitions  How do you define human trafficking?  What is the difference between trafficking and exploitation?  Human trafficking: compelling into labor/commercial sex work through force, fraud or coercion, for economic gain of a trafficker.  Or any minor in commercial sex work is a victim/survivor of human trafficking.  Exploitation: the abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust to profit monetarily, socially or politically from the labor or commercial sex work of another.

Data: What do We Know About Maine? Hornby, et al There are an estimated victims of sex trafficking in Maine per year.

Data: What do We Know About Maine?

Data: What do we Know About Maine?  Preble Street Anti- Trafficking Collaborative, since spring 2014, has served:  Over 95 victim/survivors  Over 80 percent did not have stable housing at intake

Data: What Do we Know About the Nation? 1. "Hotline Statistics." National Human Trafficking Resource Center. 4,168 Victims reported to the NHTRC in 2015

Data: What Do we Know About the World in Relation to the United States? 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2. U.S. Department of Justice 3. Free the Slaves

Laws: Federal  The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000:  Establishes the crime of trafficking (prosecution),  Builds awareness and systems (prevention), and  Enhances services and collaboration (protection) "Current Federal Laws." Polaris: Combating Human Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery. Web.

Laws: Maine  “Aggravated Sex Trafficking” occurs if a person knowingly promotes prostitution:  By “compelling” a person to enter into, engage in, or remain in prostitution  This includes any individuals who are under 18 or who suffer from a ‘mental disability’.  “Kidnapping and Criminal Restraint” occurs if a person knowingly:  Restrains a person, holds immigration documents, or makes an individual believe they will suffer harm if they do not perform labor.

Understanding Victim/Survivors

Activity: Perception vs. Reality: Who Are “Traditional” Victims of Trafficking? What is our ‘traditional’ perception of a trafficking victim/survivor?  What does our cultural or media perception of a trafficking victim/survivor tell us?  What do they look or sound like?  How do they present?

Activity: Perception vs. Reality: Who Are “Maine” Victims of Trafficking? What does the reality of a trafficking victim/survivor look like?  What might that look like?  How might they present?  What sectors might they be engaged in?  What systems response does this ask of us?

Video: “The Faces of Human Trafficking”

Vulnerabilities: 1. ”The Victims." National Human Trafficking Resource Center. 25 Sept Who is vulnerable to trafficking?  Youth, especially runaway and homeless youth  Foreign nationals; displaced individuals  Mental health concerns/cognitive disabilities  Those living in poverty, oppressed, marginalized

Tactics: How do traffickers and exploiters use those vulnerabilities to recruit someone? How do they ensure someone continues to work for them after recruitment?  Force: sexual assault, rape, physical abuse and violence, isolation, imprisonment, torture  Fraud: deception, false promises, illegal contracts  Coercion: holding documents, withholding pay, debt bondage, threats of violence against victims, threats to report immigration status to authorities, threatening family or friends in home country, emotional and psychological abuse

Recruitment and control Trafficking recruitment may appear as:  Bait and switch (ie, fraudulent relationships, the promise of a better job or opportunity)  Force (kidnapping, being sold into the sex trade) Conditioning into trafficking may include:  Abuse including sexual and physical abuse, starvation, confinement  Emotional manipulation including threatening friends or family, shaming victim about informing family of activities  Other means of coercion including supplying or withholding basic needs or alcohol, prescription or illicit drugs 1. "Fact Sheet: Sex Trafficking." Office of Refugee Resettlement. Web.

Tactics, continued

Discussion: Why might a victim/survivor not report their experience? How might they not respond to law enforcement or providers?

Meeting Victim/Survivor Needs

Scenario: Sonia comes into the shelter regularly, and talks about her weekend trips to Boston with her boyfriend. Jorge has come into the ER with a broken arm that he got at work, but he doesn’t have insurance, and his supervisor has come with him. Callie has been arrested for drug trafficking, and has a prior history of prostitution arrests; she doesn’t want to talk about her current boss. Josie is a domestic worker and takes care of the family’s children. She is at the park every day, but doesn’t know the common name of the neighborhood, hasn’t visited other places in the region, and doesn’t know what kind of work her employer does.

Scenario, continued  What indicators might you have seen in any of these cases?  What red flags may be visible?  What questions might you ask to find out more ?

Indicators and Red Flags:  Referral from law enforcement or community partner with suspicion of trafficking.  No access to personal identification, especially passports for foreign nationals.  Mentions of quota or debt in reference to employer/family member/partner.  Travel across state lines (without known resources to do so).  Frequenting hotels or areas known for criminal activities.  Unexplained physical injuries or signs of untreated illness of disease.  Disconnected or cut off from any family or support system.  Works excessively long hours or unusual hours and is unpaid, paid very little or paid only through tips.  Cannot identify address or residence.  Not allowed to speak for themselves—a 3 rd party speaks or translates for them.  Untreated mental health and medical needs (including STIs and a history of pregnancies).  Evidence of a controlling, abusive or dominating employer, partner or older adult.

Possible Assessment Questions  Have you ever traded or been asked to trade sex/sexual acts for food, shelter or other basic needs?  Does someone control, supervise or monitor what you do?  How did you meet this person/how did you find out about this job?  Is your communication (calls, s, conversations) ever restricted or monitored?  Do you have access to all your identification/personal documents?  Do you have access to any money or the money that you earn? Does anyone take all or some of your money?  What did you expect of this situation/relationship? Has it been as promised?  What would happen if you didn’t do what this person asked of you?  What would happen if you left this person/situation?

Maine Screening Tool

Discussion:  What needs might be currently met by a trafficker?  In what ways can you increase victim/survivor safety using the resources you already have?

Tips for Connecting with Survivors  What works with supporting victims/survivors?  Interview individual alone  Involve a trained interpreter if language barrier exists  Ensure interview is conducted in confidential and trusted environment  Work on establishing trust  Allow survivors to describe what happened to others before focusing on the survivor’s own experiences  Acknowledging their efforts to talk about a difficult subject; offer short breaks  Be aware that some survivors may have engaged in “illegal” activities as part of their HT situation

Tips for Connecting with Survivors Connecting with your local team is the best way to:  Meet a wide range of needs efficiently  Maximize community resources  Share information to enhance safety Services may be specific to immigration status – T- Visa, U-Visa Consider your organizational and professional policies and ethics regarding confidentiality before you need them.

Maine Service Structure

Statewide Infrastructure:  The referral protocol is supported by a statewide infrastructure addressing policy and systems.

Local Services:  The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC): Maine’s Single Point of Contact for Trafficking.  The toll-free hotline is available for urgent and non-urgent calls, 24/7.  200 languages are available.  A call to the NHTRC can connect you with local Maine resources. 

Resources Maine Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Network: Polaris:

“ ” I am a survivor and I am in recovery. I am living proof that people change and life can be so much better than the darkness so many live in. -- Maine Trafficking Survivor

Thanks to: