The Statistics of Trafficking Cases

By Meera Manoj, Contributing Writer

In our judicial system, the end goal is to send cases to court and secure conviction. But what truly happens when a trafficking case goes to court?

As per a 2015 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement referred the most human-trafficking suspects to U.S. attorneys that year, accounting for 52% and 19% of cases respectively. Out of the 1,923 suspects referred to U.S. attorneys with human trafficking being the lead charge, 39% focused on peonage, slavery, forced labor or sex trafficking; 32% focused on production of child pornography; and 29% focused on transportation for illegal sex activity. Of these suspects, nearly 6 in 10 were prosecuted in U.S. district courts. More than 9 in 10 human-trafficking defendants were convicted in 2015.

According to the Human Trafficking Institute’s 2018 Federal Human Trafficking Report, 771 anti-trafficking cases were in progress in federal courts nationwide in 2018. The majority of these cases (88.2%) were criminal prosecutions, while the rest were civil suits. New cases initiated in federal courts were overwhelmingly sex trafficking violations with a small remainder being labor trafficking cases. More than half of the cases overall were also about the sex trafficking of children. The report also identified that hot spots for trafficking cases include New York, Maryland, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Oregon and South Carolina.

As for the results of the cases themselves, 77% resulted in guilty dispositions, 3% in dismissals, 8% are still pending, and less than 1% in acquittals. 96.4% of defendants were convicted, with 57% of these convictions coming from non-jury trials and 63% from plea-bargained guilty pleas. Sentences for convictions range from probation to 600 months or 50 years of incarceration. The federal prosecutors who were interviewed state that these convictions resulted from: (1) the trust of the victim and their testimony; (2) excellent agents that can develop an immediate rapport with the victims; (3) patience with victims; (4) trained investigators; (5) collaborative relationships among victims, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and FBI/ICE; and (6) bridge with the NGO community. Interviewed prosecutors also indicate that once they have decided to move forward with a case, it is rarely dropped, with 80% reporting that none of their TVPA cases have resulted in dropped charges. 

Interviewed prosecutors also relayed how TVPA cases often require a greater concern for victims and their needs than other cases, a critical component to be aware of since these cases are victim-dependent (i.e., the outcome of the case depends heavily on the victim’s cooperation). Prosecutors note that some challenges that occur when working with victims include determining who the victim was from the onset, language and cultural barriers, the ability to obtain “truthful” testimony from the victims given their fear of the trafficker, lack of trust of authority figures and the presence of extended family abroad and concerns this raised for the victims. Prosecutors also voiced concerns for tactics used by defense attorneys, including trying to use obtainment of a visa or receiving social services to discredit the victim. Prosecutors have identified this tactic as highly unsuccessful though since they were unable to identify a case in which this tactic was successful.

When asked on what was needed for prosecutors to address the challenges in TVPA cases, interviewed prosecutors called for greater buy-in and dedicated law enforcement to investigate these crimes. Prosecutors also noted an unwillingness at times of law enforcement in dealing with these cases and viewing the victim as a human trafficking victim. They identified a need for better relationships with agents on the case; greater resources to address trafficking cases (from investigation through to prosecution of cases); availability of more and better services for victims, in particular emergency and safe housing; access to more interpreters for the prosecution; and more training for law enforcement and prosecutors across the board to better prosecute TVPA cases and secure convictions.

References and Further Reading

2015 Report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics 

2018 Federal Human Trafficking Report by the Human Trafficking Institute 

'Prosecuting Human Trafficking Cases: Lessons Learned and Promising Practices' Executive Summary by ICF International

The Darknet: A Safe Haven for Human Trafficking

By Reetika Gupta, Contributing Writer

Ever heard of the Silk Road?

The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and West from the second century to the 18th century. The Silk Road trade played a significant role in the development of the civilizations in those regions, opening long-distance political and economic relations among them.

Wondering why we are talking about it here?

The Silk Road collapsed in the 18th Century. However, it began to operate again in 2011. This time, though, the Silk Road operated as a darknet market—a platform for selling illegal drugs.

Ross Ulbricht, founder of this new Silk Road, was caught and arrested in 2013; however, Silk Road 2.0 emerged afterward. After the FBI shut it down, there was Silk Road 3.0.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are multiple operational marketplaces on the darknet. You can hire assassins or sell drugs, arms, sex and humans. That’s right—you can sell humans on the darknet! 

Human trafficking is such a major issue, and yet one of the prominent platforms where it takes place is hidden from everyone's eyes on the darknet.

This platform is widespread throughout the country. In fact, in the U.S., 2 out of every 3 children sold for sex are trafficked online. It is estimated that 50,000 people in the U.S. alone access the darknet for the sole purpose of trading child pornography.

What is the darknet?

As Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania explains, the darknet is a part of the deep web where the websites are really hard to find, if not impossible. It is used by people who are intentionally trying to hide their identities using specialized software, such as Onion Router or TOR, that hides their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

Instead of making direct connections, these software programs allow users to access and communicate using virtual tunnels so that their true locations cannot be identified.

And because identities remain anonymous and untraceable, illegal activities like human trafficking or drug dealing take place unchecked on the darknet. 

Using the darknet is not illegal. It is often used to shield classified government activity and protect reform agents, such as human rights activists and journalists, opposed by oppressive foreign regimes. 

However, it has emerged as a fully functional marketplace for hidden criminal activity.  

Human trafficking activities on the darknet

Criminal organizations have taken to human trafficking on the darknet because it is easy and inexpensive to buy and exploit vulnerable children there. What adds to the misery is that the chance of detection and prosecution of those who are involved in this technology-facilitated human trafficking business is extremely low.

Undoubtedly, the darknet has become a safe haven for human traffickers and pornographers because of these circumstances. 

One of the most notorious human trafficking groups, the Black Death Group based out of Eastern Europe, operate on the darknet. Involved with selling sex slaves to Saudi Arabia, it also hosted virgin auctions of girls as young as 15, advertising them by their age, hair color and measurements.

The starting price of an auction can be as high as $762,789. Their disclaimers state they “do not sell girls that are terminally ill, pregnant, have STDs, or are young mothers.”

Black Death Group also abducts their victims. They have been accused of kidnapping a 21-year-old British glamor model and mother of one Chloe Ayling, who claimed to be drugged, handcuffed and stuffed in a suitcase while being held captive for six days. Ayling recounted the horrors she experienced to news reporters. She was warned that she would be auctioned to buyers on the darknet and then fed to tigers when they grew bored with her. She was later told she would be auctioned as a sex slave for $354,780. 

The darknet’s connection to child pornography

Not only a safe haven for human trafficking, the darknet is the safest and perfect place for child pornography. Many websites allow hundreds of thousands of pedophile members to connect and share tactics on targeting, seducing and engaging in sexual attacks on children. 

Efforts to shut down the darknet

The darknet is the perfect platform for criminal activity. Host to anonymous, password-protected sites, the darknet offers anonymity to illicit vendors and customers to conduct their business online, which makes policing this online space complicated. 

Despite the best efforts of the government, the intricate nature of the deep web makes it very difficult to trace users. Though law enforcement agencies have been continuously working to stop these activities, there are huge numbers of people who operate on the darknet, which makes it difficult for the agencies to investigate and prosecute them.

As decent human beings, it is our duty to show empathy toward one another. If someone today is being exploited, then tomorrow it may happen to us as well. It is important that we join hands to help each other, educate each other and take steps to end human trafficking. To read more about this issue and learn how you can help abolish child sex trafficking, read more of our blogs and share them with your family and friends.

Resources and Further Reading

Human trafficking on the dark web

'Revealing research exposes business practices on the dark web'

America’s History: Sexual Abuse of Black Slaves

By Reetika Gupta, Contributing Writer

When people were kidnapped from Africa and forced into slavery in the American colonies starting in the 16th century, they were exploited to work as servants and produce labor in the production of crops like tobacco and cotton. European settlers in North America saw enslaved Africans as a cheaper and better option than indentured servants, who were mostly poor Europeans.

Historians have estimated that 6 to 7 million enslaved people were imported during the 18th century alone. These enslaved people included men and women. Slaves held almost no rights. In fact, just as there are limits in most societies on the extent to which animals may be abused, so there were also limits on how much a slave could be abused.

Let’s Talk About Sexual Abuse

Unsurprisingly, slaves endured not only physical abuse but also sexual abuse. They were often harassed, raped or forced into concubinage by largely white slaveholders and overseers. Enslaved women were forced to submit to the sexual advances of their “masters.”

But this abuse was not limited to just women. There is a long history of Black men being sexually abused as well. However, the issue is virtually ignored in the news media and in most histories. But many scholars have researched and produced numerous instances of rape and sexual assault of enslaved men and boys.

Sexual abuse was more about power and less about sex. Corporeal punishments functioned as displays of power that constituted sexual violence against enslaved men. Though many slaves tried to fight back and resist, it resulted in bad outcomes. Furthermore, court records and letters from the 1800s reveal that white women, not just men, took advantage of their power. 

In "Rethinking Rufus: Sexual Violations of Enslaved Men," historian Thomas Foster thoroughly examined how the conditions of slavery gave rise to sexual violence against enslaved men and women. Foster researched sexual violence, physical assault and coerced reproduction through a wide range of sources, including early American newspapers, enslavers’ journals, court records, visual art, etc.

Foster also notes the trauma of coerced reproduction, a form of sexual violence where enslaved men and women were forced to bear children in order increase the population of enslaved people. Using interviews and testimonies from formerly enslaved men, he highlights that those who had high reproductive capabilities were often singled out from their communities and relocated to different regions. They were then forced to couple with multiple partners. These men were excused by masters from performing certain types of laborious activities as they feared it could negatively affect their reproductive capabilities.

Why Is This Subject taboo?

Because evidence for the sexual abuse of male slaves is harder to come by compared to that of females, the topic has largely gone unexplored. Also, society tends to define rape along gendered lines, which makes both victims and perpetrators reluctant to discuss male rape.There has been a long and painful history of sexual abuse and exploitation of black men and women under slavery in this country, but it has largely gone untold. Stories of sexual assault have not been fully explored by historians, although passed down in oral histories and traditions.

Help One Bread Foundation spread our mission and help rehabilitate children aged 8 through 18 rescued from sex trafficking by sharing these blogs with your networks. Also, please consider joining our 1 in a Million campaign by donating as little a $1 a month. Find more information here. 

Resources and Further reading

This Day in History: First African Slave Ship Arrives in Jamestown

A Question of Power, Not Sex

History.com's Timeline of Slavery in America

The History Engine: Sexual Abuse of Black Male Slaves

Courage

By Autumn White, Contributing Poet

Her courage. Her courage is something unattainable like a rare gem that’s been discovered.

Her courage seeps through her heart like lava flowing from a volcano and glows for everyone to see. 

Her courage was her mask before COVID to hide her pain and has now become her identity. 

Her courage is like the light at the end of a long dark tunnel that represents the result of suffering and abuse she’s endured.

Her courage forces you to make the same face you would as you watch the sun rise in the sky and are amazed.

Her courage is a cliffhanger and leaves your mind wanting to know more about her story.

Her courage is that of a survivor and cannot be broken for the second time.

What We Can Accomplish in 2021

By Alexandra Sullivan, Contributing Writer

2021 is a new year, and we’ve advanced many areas in the prevention of human trafficking in the United States, yet a long road is before us. There is still so much we can do to stop these atrocities. 

The first topic that comes to mind is the shocking amount of interstate sex trafficking of minors — up to 199,000 cases in the U.S. every year. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states, “In 2013, the Administration for Children and Families reviewed statistics from several studies and found that up to 90 percent of children who were victims of sex trafficking had been involved with child welfare services, which include foster care.” Another horrifying fact from the National Foster Youth Institute: The average victim entering the sex trade is a female around 12 years old, and many children aren’t recovered until they’re 14. The fact that these crimes are happening within a system that was created to protect children is abhorrent.

One key component is supply and demand, and the United States is in the lead. The means of human trafficking are made up of three things: cheap labor, low prosecution and the fact that sex sells. Thankfully, through social and mainstream media, these crimes have gradually been exposed, such as the case of sex trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein. Through the education of human trafficking for would-be victims, such as what signs to look out for and the lies these criminals will promise them, we can help reduce their supply and demand. 

Though social media and other sites have assisted in the exposure of human trafficking cases, the internet is also an accomplice to predators. The dark web is a modern method that many traffickers use to lure their victims. It allows users to hide their identification using programs like Onion Router and Tor. While the dark web is not bad in and of itself, it is home to 57% of criminal activities, such as human trafficking, illegal drug sales and other illicit activity. The most common of these crimes are child trafficking and the spread of child pornography, especially in the United States. [Editor’s note: For more information about the dark web and its role in human trafficking, look for our blog on the topic being published in mid-March.]

Many international victims are enticed to the U.S. not just through the dark web, but through sites like Backpage and Craigslist. They are smuggled here and taken to “safe houses,” where they are forced into slave labor, prostitution and other illegal activities. With human traffickers using more advanced methods, we must be more careful in our web browsing and advise others to do the same. 

One last thing we can improve during 2021 is research into human trafficking prevention and assistance programs. Such research helps early intervention of potential victims, the psychology to assist existing victims and educate those who wish to end human trafficking. There have been positive causes due to anti-trafficking efforts, such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Also, schools such as William James College have dedicated themselves to spreading awareness of the need for specialized health and social services for human trafficking recovery. We must look to their example and further push for services that help human trafficking victims. 

Resources and Further Reading

States' prevention of child sex trafficking in foster care

Sex and human trafficking in the U.S. disproportionately affect foster youth

Do Not Become Weary: A Lesson From MLK

By Chitara Ellis, Contributing Writer/Editor

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9 NIV

What would you think of a man who was arrested 29 times? 

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested 29 times, assaulted four times and had his house bombed—yet he continued his nonviolent fight for civil rights until his assassination. He never lost sight of his principles or gave up on his dream of equality. Today, he is celebrated as a hero, but during his active years, he was known as a troublemaker and regarded as an enemy of the state by the FBI.

Nothing worth fighting for comes easy. There will always be setbacks, pushbacks and attacks. King’s home was bombed while he was leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He continued the boycott until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public transportation was illegal. While he was sitting in jail for protesting segregation at lunch counters in Birmingham, Alabama, he wrote the “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” which gives us the famous line, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Even behind bars, King continued to share his philosophy on justice and nonviolence—not allowing the opposition he faced to hinder the movement he helped lead.

When we look back at the black-and-white photos of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, we assume it all happened a long time ago, but it didn’t “end” on record until 1968—a little over 50 years ago. As we can see from current events, there is still much work to be done for civil and human rights in the United States and beyond. The amount of work that needs to be done may seem daunting, but it is necessary work. We should continue speaking out against injustice and standing up to oppression in the hope that one day all of our collective hard work will pay off because we did not give up.  

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than a day off from school and work. Celebrate this day by recommitting your heart, time and strength toward causes that move you, whether those are poverty alleviation, racial equality, veterans’ rights or human trafficking. Whatever you feel led to take on, take King’s example by not giving up. Do not become weary in doing what is good. 

A Global Pandemic

by Autumn White, Contributing Poet

Nowadays when we hear the word “pandemic” our minds think of a deadly body disease. 

Our minds don't think of the type that is silently staggering without decrease. 

The kind that strips over 1.2 million children from their homes and deprives them from life.

The pandemic that will never have a cure but with one call can save a life. 

The epidemic that raises an alarm but doesn’t sound a ring 

Since it is often done in secret until a person goes missing. 

A sickness that produces fear and abuse and many sorrows. 

Feeling worse than death itself — just bondage with never-ending tomorrows. 

If only we could dismantle the suffering imposed and find a remedy. 

Then there wouldn’t be so many lost memories. 

No more lost feelings, abandonment, and shame.

Where sex trafficking isn’t death’s understudy in pain.

A Closer Look at the History of the TVPA

By Meera Manoj, Contributing Writer

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which was enacted "to combat trafficking in persons” and protect undocumented immigrants who are victims of severe human trafficking and violence, has been amended and reauthorized many times since it was first passed in 2000. Here is a rundown of how the act has grown and expanded since its inception. 

2000

The TVPA was first enacted by the 106th U.S. Congress on October 28, 2000, as “an act to combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes.” It established a framework for what are known as the 3 P’s: protection, prosecution and prevention.

To protect victims of human trafficking, the act made foreign victims eligible for federally funded health benefits regardless of immigration status and created immigration protections for foreign national victims via the T visa (victims of trafficking) and the U visa (crime victims who have suffered substantial abuse while in the U.S. and are willing to help law enforcement with investigation and prosecution). 

To prosecute human traffickers more effectively, the act added new criminal provisions that prohibited and criminalized forced labor, trafficking, slavery and involuntary servitude and strengthened the maximum penalties for existing trafficking crimes.

To prevent future trafficking crimes, the act:

• Provided establishment of international initiatives to improve economic opportunities for potential trafficking victims

• Created the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) to publish an annual report describing the efforts of countries to combat human trafficking

• Required the establishment of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (PITF) to measure and evaluate the 3 P’s progress in the U.S. and other countries

2003

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 was passed on December 19, 2003. It defined trafficking as a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) predicate, allowed victims to file lawsuits against their traffickers in federal district courts, established a senior policy operating group to enhance policies about international trafficking and the implementation of the TVPA (22 U.S.C § 7103), and mandated an annual report from the attorney general to Congress regarding governmental efforts to implement the TVPA.

2005

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 was passed on January 10, 2006. It provided extraterritorial jurisdiction over trafficking offenses committed overseas by federal government employees; established a grant program for states, Indigenous tribes, local governments and nongovernmental organizations to increase assistance for trafficking victims; directed the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and implement benefits and services for juvenile victims; and expanded the reporting requirements of the TVPRA 2003.

2008

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 was passed on December 23, 2008, as “an act to enhance measures to combat trafficking in persons.” It created and expanded the definition of trafficking crimes, increased or created penalties for trafficking crimes, required the government to provide information about workers’ rights to work and education-based visas applicants, expanded available protections of the T visa and required all unaccompanied alien children to be screened as potential victims of human trafficking.

2013

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2013 was passed on February 28, 2013. It focused on the elimination of human trafficking from the supply chain of goods, strengthened and amended previous laws to include more crimes or to extend the statute of limitations for certain crimes and increased requirements for the attorney general’s human trafficking report.

2015

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 was passed on May 29, 2015, as “an act to provide justice for the victims of trafficking.” The act clarified and amended definitions of sex trafficking, including broadening it to include child pornography production (18 U.S.C. § 2423(f)) and facilitating prosecution of customers of sex trafficking victims (18 U.S.C. § 1591 and 18 U.S.C. § 1594). It also required the attorney general to create and maintain a national strategy to combat human trafficking.

2017

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017 is the most recent reauthorization of the TVPA. It was passed on January 9, 2019, as “an act to amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to modify the criteria for determining whether countries are meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, and for other purposes.”

If you’d like to learn more about state-specific laws regarding human trafficking, more information can be found on our Resources page. Every month we add more information, so if you don’t see your state there yet, check back next month to see if it’s been added. 

How to Respond to Victim Blaming

By Chitara Ellis, Contributing Writer/Editor

Why didn’t she fight back?

Why didn’t you take it like a man?

Why didn’t you leave?

Unfortunately, survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault and abuse are often met with these questions. Victim blaming is defined by Harvard Law School as “the attitude which suggests that the victim rather than the perpetrator bears responsibility for the assault.” This attitude makes the healing process for survivors more difficult and promotes fear in victims who suffer in secret and want to speak out. The normalization of victim blaming can seep into our justice system and prevent attackers from receiving their due punishment. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network says that less than 1% of sexual assault perpetrators go to prison or jail and 3 out of 4 attacks are never reported to the police. 

We need to challenge the myths surrounding sexual violence to build a safer and more just society. Georgetown Law has a comprehensive list of common myths regarding sexual violence. They can all be summarized around three themes: consent, the victim’s initial response and the identity of the perpetrator.

Myth: Consent can be complicated. 

The network explains that consent is all about verbal communication. Physiological responses are involuntary, so they’re not signs of consent. Consent is always a clear yes or no. Saying yes for one moment does not mean yes for everything. An underaged person or someone who is under the influence is automatically incapable of consent.

Myth: A victim’s initial response to being attacked can vindicate the attacker.

A victim may go into shock or feel trapped while being attacked and freeze in response—mentally and emotionally disassociating from the attack as a means of survival. This behavior is mistaken as “going along with it.” The brain’s decision to freeze is why victims do not scream for help and cannot remember details of the attack. Freezing is not a sign of consent; it’s a common and natural response to trauma. This article from The Washington Post by Dr. James W. Hopper explains this phenomenon in more scientific terms. 

Myth: Attackers are strong male strangers who prey on weak, attractive women.

Sexual violence is about exerting power over another; it has nothing to do with gender or attraction. Most victims of sexual violence know their attackers—it can be a spouse, an ex, a childhood friend or a coworker. Georgetown Law states over half of reported attacks involve underaged victims. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can be attacked.

We can help stop the normalization of victim blaming by responding to it with facts and empathy for victims. Remember: Over half of reported attacks involve underaged victims and only 3 out of 4 attacks are reported. This means there are far more underaged victims out there, and they need our voice to defend them. To support children aged 8–18, consider signing up to give a monthly donation of $1.00 (yes, one single dollar per month) and help us reach our goal of recruiting 1 million supporters to raise awareness and funds for rehabilitation centers serving children rescued from sex trafficking in all 50 states. Learn more here.

Wondering What Rehab Care Looks Like?

By Alexandra Sullivan, Contributing Writer

Human trafficking takes a horrifying toll on victims, many of whom are often tormented mentally and physically for the rest of their lives. In all types of trafficking, victims may experience physical or psychological abuse, including beatings, sexual abuse, food or sleep deprivation, isolation and verbal threats to themselves and their family members. But thanks to rehabilitation care, many can regain a semblance of who they once were and learn to cope with their trauma. Rehabilitation groups help victims by supplying therapy, legal support, employment assistance, housing and other assistance meant to help them get back on their feet and deal with their trauma. 

For Women

Because women are some of the most vulnerable targets of human and sex trafficking, many rehabilitation groups offer services specifically for female-identifying victims. For example, Veronica’s Voice and Fair Girls provide free food, medical, housing, dental needs, therapy, education and job training. Restoration House of Greater Kansas City is a Christian group that offers similar services, along with faith-based programs, as well as alcohol and drug treatment. 

For Boys and Girls

Children are the most common victims of sex trafficking, with girls being twice as likely to be targeted. Their experiences can lead to serious psychological and physical effects in their later years. Groups such as Ark of Hope for Children and Shared Hope exist to help all children recover. The Covering House is a residential home specifically for girls that are victims of sexual exploitation, offering free therapy, housing, employment programs and other rehabilitation services. USIAHT’s Florida Safe Home is one of the first safe homes for boys under the age of 18 who have been victims of sex trafficking and offers free housing, therapy and financial support.

For Men

Men are the most overlooked victims of human and sex trafficking. Just Ask seeks to eradicate this gap in awareness by providing necessary rehabilitation services to male victims, as well as female victims. MaleSurvivor is a website specifically for males to discuss their experiences with other male human trafficking survivors and professional therapists in friendly and moderated forums. 

Housing services, healthcare, legal support and employment assistance are all crucial in the rehabilitation process, and many groups strive to help human trafficking survivors. But with so many people in the United States still trapped in slavery, there is still a long way to go. Consider donating to One Bread Foundation as we work to raise funds (through online retail sales) to rehabilitate victims of trafficking so they are safe, supported and have the opportunity to rebuild. Visit our website at one-bread.org/shop-now to learn more!

Abuse at the Altar

By Chitara Ellis, Contributing Writer/Editor

Every little girl has dreamed of being someone’s bride. In every dream, there is the beautiful, flowing white gown. Perfect hair crowned with a bridal veil. Parents and friends are gathered with tears in their eyes, gazing at the bride as she gracefully walks down the aisle. The organ plays “Here Comes the Bride.” In dreams like these, the bride is a consenting adult. 

In a nightmare, she is a child forced to marry an older man by her parents or community. Thousands of children have lived this nightmare right here in the U.S.—legally.

Individuals under the age of 18 can legally wed with a parent or guardian’s permission. Unchained at Last says that out of 38 states, over 150,000 legal child marriages occurred between 2000 and 2010. Most child marriages are between young girls and older men, with the state of Idaho having the highest percentage of these ungodly unions. Fortunately, the rate of child marriages decreased each year from 2000 to 2010, but without an outright ban, child marriages can legally continue in the U.S.

Child marriages fall under the category of slavery because children are not capable of consent, are abused and exploited during the union, and usually cannot support themselves if they escape, according to Anti-Slavery International. As Human Trafficking Search explains, married children are disenfranchised: Children who can legally marry cannot legally receive counsel for divorce proceedings, work a full-time job, sign for an apartment lease or obtain a driver’s license because they are too young. Even homeless shelters are required by law to report children who come to them because they are minors. Like a slave, a child bride is forced to stay with her “master.”

Little has been done at the federal level to prevent child marriages in the U.S. Girls Not Brides states that the U.S. signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1995 in partnership with the United Nations but has yet to ratify it. The convention would set the minimum marriage age limit to 18. From 2013 to 2015, the U.S. cosponsored the U.N.’s resolutions for child marriages, and the United States Agency for International Development has proposed guidelines and vision plans for stopping child and forced marriages globally. Still, no federal laws have passed to wipe out the practice across the country. New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania passed laws in 2018 that ban child marriages in their states, making them the only 3 states that protect minors from marriage. 

As a component of child sex slavery, child marriage is another method abusers and traffickers use to harm children. You can play a crucial part in the rehabilitation of child sex trafficking victims by supporting One Bread Foundation. Use our affiliate links to do your upcoming holiday shopping and donate to One Bread Foundation at no cost to yourself. Learn more at one-bread.org/shop-now.

A Personal Essay

By Pooja Walia, Contributing Writer

Where a perv is free to roam and thrive

And a girl is caged in a room to barely survive

Where the rules are ruled by the rulers of lust
And if u feel pain, keep shut you must

For it’s no big deal if your body is mishandled
Be quiet, else it’ll be a scandal

Stay put, cause your tears will dry away
But don’t talk to anyone about THAT day

Cause it is natural for a male to act this way
It’s okay to let your boundaries slay

For the people will believe just what they see
No matter how shattered you may be

The lecherous will still walk innocent with pride
Into the depths, you have to stride

No law, no person can save you from this hysteria
Cause the land you come from is indeed Incredible India!!

Thanks & Regards,

A frustrated Indian Girl

This was a submission made to one of the leading Indian newspapers, The Hindu, in 2018 by a girl who wanted to let people know how it feels to hail from India, which was titled world’s most dangerous country for women in 2018.

The country has been known for its diverse culture, cuisine and art and being the world’s largest democracy. Demos = people, Kratia = authority. These words don’t just define a system of government but also how powerful the inhabitants of a country are. We became independent in August 1947, but to this day, I am unable to celebrate “Freedom.” We became independent from the British in 1947.

Rape Culture

Jammu and Kashmir, called heaven on earth, is one of the most beautiful scenic beauties of the country. The union territory contains a town called Kathua, where  an 8-year-old girl, Asifa Bano, belonging to a “lower caste” was raped and strangulated to death by over four men. She was kidnapped on January 10, 2018, sedated and raped for several days before being killed.

New Delhi, my home state, is known as the rape capital of India and is home to one of the most heinous crimes committed in the country. On the night of December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old woman was raped and assaulted by six men on a bus while her male friend was severely beaten and stripped. The rapists took turns assaulting her and maimed her private parts with an iron rod before throwing both victims out on the street, naked, bloodied and helpless. After being found by a passerby, she succumbed to her injuries and died in a hospital in Singapore. Throughout her fight and the case’s investigation, her real identity was kept confidential. She was named Nirbhaya – fearless.

Aruna Shaunbag, a nurse in Mumbai, was sexually assaulted by a ward boy in November 1973 and strangulated with a dog chain. She spent 42 long years in a vegetative state and died aged 66 years old in May 2015 due to pneumonia. While in her coma, she was blind, deaf, paralyzed, unable to talk and could only survive on mashed food. 

These incidents are just a few of the most heart-wrenching cases that moved me to the core. These victims died instantly, after two weeks or after 42 years, all still fighting. What many refuse to acknowledge is that the law and order of the country and women’s safety were also dead a long time ago. In Asifa’s case, after almost a year and a half, three convicts faced life imprisonment and three police officers were sentenced to five years in prison for tampering with the evidence after accepting a bribe from the 61-year-old mastermind behind the crime. One of the accused was acquitted due to “lack of evidence,” and one juvenile who kidnapped the victim is still under trial. This juvenile was made a part of the plan only because the accomplices were aware that he wouldn’t be charged. In Nirbhaya’s case, four of the six convicts were executed after eight years, one died in custody, and another, a juvenile, spent only three years in jail before walking free. In Aruna’s case, justice was never served. The culprit was imprisoned for seven years for robbery and attempted murder but was never even charged for rape because sodomy was not considered rape at the time. People reacted to her case by saying that “her ordeal will always shame India.”

Indeed, it did. India shook, protested, spoke up and marched, but the safety of women in India is still a big question mark. These horrific instances prove that lust and criminal tendencies are not dependent on the age of the victim, and neither should our laws. Furthermore, the normalization of objectification, the patriarchal system and casteism still remain systemic problems that cause women to become victims and spend their lives in the darkness. Whether it’s assault, domestic violence, rape, murder or sex trafficking, crimes have diversified, gone global and become more frequent with time. 

Human Trafficking 

Sex Trafficking

With the worldwide economic meltdown and consequent high rates of unemployment, human smuggling is taking a toll on the country more than ever before. Female- headed families in rural areas are more vulnerable to this practice as they are easily conned by traffickers who falsely promise instant monetary support and distant jobs.

Bride Trafficking

Indian tradition calls for marrying girls off and sending them to live with their in-laws. Due to a patriarchal system, several states, especially Haryana, still face female feticide, which leads to a decline in the female population. This, in turn, gives rise to bride trafficking of girls who are trafficked from other parts of the country or world to meet the demand for eligible brides. Many of these girls aren’t even of legal age for marriage. They are exposed to abuse, violence and early pregnancies and aren’t treated as equals but as commodities to be recycled and resold.

Child Trafficking

According to the International Labour Organization, India constitutes the largest child labor in South Asia with “5.8 million children aged 5-17 working in poor conditions.” The Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire rightly underscores the situation of forced labor and child trafficking for sexual exploitation, domestic service, begging or work in agriculture, textile, brick industries, etc. West Bengal has the greatest number of children trafficked, followed by Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Cases of slavery can still be witnessed due to debt bondage, especially in brick kilns, where there are high number of workers migrating from other states and bound to work for indefinite periods of time with negligible benefits.

“Child victims of commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking are more likely to be children from marginalized groups, such as low-caste Hindus, members of tribal communities, and religious minorities. Children from marginalized groups also face barriers to accessing education. Teachers sometimes subject these children to discrimination and harassment.”

-Bureau of International Labor Affairs

Several government shelter homes are also known to be hot spots of such types of trafficking. The victims of such practices are deprived of their childhood, basic education, privileges and, above all, normal mental health. 

Systemic Problems

Patriarchy

This gender-based bias, where a male is given all the privileges and a female is either killed before birth or subjected to household chores without any freedom, runs rampant in India. Given the lack education and awareness in some states, many wives face abuse if they give birth to a daughter because it is considered their fault if the baby is not a boy. In some states, women are expected to keep their heads and faces covered in front of everyone, to not raise their voices or concerns, and to dedicate their lives to serving their husbands, children and in-laws. Cases of dowry are still prevalent and often lead to wives being tortured or even killed. Domestic violence is a major problem, and most women are too scared to speak up, take action or seek help, let alone file for divorce, which is considered taboo in India. During the COVID-19 lockdown, several countries around the world have seen a rise in cases of domestic violence, thus strengthening the fact that women become targets of men’s rage due to any inconvenience. Inhumane acts like marital rape are not even considered a crime in our legal system because women are supposed to perform their “wifely duties” regardless of their consent.

Casteism

One of the culprits in the Kathua case was quoted as saying that the victim’s fault was that “she belonged to a lower caste.” Victims of sex and bride trafficking in India usually belong to lower castes. Despite a ban on discrimination based on caste in 1948, casteism has undermined the safety and security of many people, making them more prone to violence, abuse, assault, rape and murder. 

Religion

Similar to casteism, religious beliefs play a major role the country. The Kathua victim was also preyed upon because of her religious minority background. Recent violence over biased government bills, political decisions and hate speeches from various people in power have exponentially corrupted people’s mindsets and given them the illusion that they are above the law. Several recent cases include mob lynching, rape, murder, destruction and violence over religious differences. 

Change

• The Nirbhaya Act, or Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013, was introduced in the aftermath of the New Delhi case. This broadened the definition of rape and included acts of vagina penetration by penis into vagina, anus, urethra or mouth or inserting a foreign object into any of these parts. The law also recognizes acts such as acid attack, sexual harassment, voyeurism and stalking as offenses dealt under the Indian Penal Code.

• After the Kathua rape and murder case, along with a similar incident in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, the minimum punishment for rape of a female less than 16 years of age has been increased from 10 years to 20 years under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2018.

• In 2018, three years after the death of Aruna Shaunbag, passive euthanasia under strict guidelines was legalized in India.

• As per the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, the country has tried to strengthen its regulations to deal with the increasing levels of human trafficking under the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill but still remains in Tier 2 of the report due to its improper structure and implementation.

With the deeply rooted issues still prevailing due to poor execution of the changes in the law, India still suffers from major safety concerns. Corruption, political motives and lack of fear among perpetrators due to their faith in a flawed judicial system add to a delay in justice and rise in crimes.

To read more about the prevalence of these issues worldwide and learn how you can help abolish child sex trafficking, visit our website at one-bread.org. Go the extra step this month by bookmarking our shopping page here and directly benefiting One Bread Foundation. 

Why Immigrants Are Vulnerable to Human Trafficking

By Alexandra Sullivan, Contributing Writer

Immigration in America is a hot-button issue, but one undeniable aspect of immigration is that the complicated process puts strain on hopeful immigrants and makes them vulnerable to human trafficking. Loopholes in the immigration system exacerbate the problem, and those looking to make a new life in the U.S. may suffer as a result. 

Concern for Children

Children of immigrants are some of the most vulnerable targets of human trafficking. For example, according to a Senate report, the Department of Health and Human Services mistakenly gave custody of more than a dozen immigrant children to human traffickers. This was due to a failure to conduct proper background checks on these so-called caregivers.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. The number of unaccompanied immigrant children entered into federal care doubled from 13,625 in 2012 to 24,468 in 2013. In 2019, more than 72,000 were taken into federal care. July 2020 saw as many as 23,785 children near the southwest border alone. Many children without relatives are put into a foster care system, and even those who are claimed by relatives are often sold to traffickers to pay off smuggling debts. The New York Times claims that officials often do not check whether adults receiving custody of unaccompanied immigrants are in fact relatives or not.

Promises of Employment

Many immigrants look to enter the country by finding employment in the U.S., which human traffickers exploit. Immigrants see and apply for a supposed job opportunity, but when they arrive, they are taken not to the job they applied for, but to a brothel or to engage in some other kind of unpaid, enslaved labor. Immigrants of all ages have been victims of forced labor in all industries. 

Earlier this year, Ralph Colamussi from East Northport, New York, was found guilty of having forced labor at a catering company called Thatched Cottage. Workers had been brought all the way from the Philippines using H-2B visas. After these expired, they were forced to apply for student visas and acted as full-time students. Colamussi would occasionally deposit funds into their accounts to make it seem as though they had adequate financial support, but he would merely withdraw the money once the visas were approved. Any objections from the workers were met with threats to contact immigration authorities. Colamussi faces up to 20 years in prison and a large fine. 

Exploitation of immigrants, especially undocumented, is extremely common. They are especially vulnerable to human traffickers due to their fear of deportation. Many traffickers will offer aid to undocumented immigrants, and out of fear of law enforcement, they will accept, often ending up enslaved in brothels or warehouses. 

There is still much to do in the fight for the abolishment of trafficking. If you’d like to contribute, consider volunteering to be a Child Ambassador for One Bread Foundation. All you must do is share our newsletter, blogs and social media posts with your network and keep an eye out for resources and collaboration opportunities in your own community. If you’re interested or want to learn more, please contact David P. Bernal at info@one-bread.org.

Breaking Down the Trump Administration’s Response to Sex Trafficking

By Lydia VanDerKamp, Contributing Writer

President Donald J. Trump, along with Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, have been working together during his administration to enact laws and put safeguards in place to assist those who are victims of human trafficking, according to a FOX Business report. In “What is the U.S. Government doing to Combat Human Trafficking?,” a blog post by WatchBlog, a website ran by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the federal government’s priorities are to prevent, protect and prosecute. Prevention strategies are implemented to reduce victims of human trafficking, while efforts are put in place to protect those who are already victims and prosecute those who are breaking the law by selling humans into slavery. 

Ivanka Trump recently announced there will be a $42 million budget increase to aid victims of human trafficking in 2021. In a video clip posted by The White House on Twitter, she stated that sex trafficking is a billion-dollar industry with close to 25 million victims. She also said in the announcement, “We are resolved, and we are relentless in the fight to hold perpetrators accountable and restore dignity for victims. This administration has fought and will continue to fight this crime and ensure that survivors can access the services they need.” 

During a 2018 meeting with the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, President Trump shared similar sentiments: “This is an urgent humanitarian issue. My administration is committed to leveraging every resource we have to confront this threat, to support the victims and survivors, and to hold traffickers accountable for their heinous crimes.

President Trump has signed four bills to end human trafficking, as listed on the 2019 fact sheet published by The White House:

• Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1862)

  • Defines the standards of criteria of human trafficking in order to end it. 

• Abolish Human Trafficking Act (S. 1311)

  • Strengthens programs to aid survivors of human trafficking and aids to end human trafficking.

• Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2200)

  • $430 million to aid efforts to end sex and labor trafficking.

• Trafficking Victims Protections Act (S. 1312)

  • Increased efforts to bring human traffickers to justice.  

Furthermore, in the same fact sheet, the Trump administration has published its investigative findings on human trafficking in the U.S.: 

• In the United States, more than 8,500 human trafficking cases were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline last year alone.

• In fiscal year 2018, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations made 1,588 human trafficking arrests while identifying and assisting 308 victims of the same heinous crime. They also made over 4,000 criminal arrests for human smuggling violations. 

• 1,543 of the 1,588 arrests Homeland Security made in fiscal year 2018 for human trafficking were for sex trafficking violations.

These findings call for more federal funds dedicated to ending human trafficking. Trump signed over $35 million in grants from the Department of Justice to provide safe houses for victims of human trafficking. The money can also be used to aid victims to get occupational training and counseling, as reported by The Washington Post. According to an executive order issued Jan. 31, 2020, the following directives were given:

• Enlist a dedicated employee to organize the fight against human trafficking (Sec. 2a).

• Secretary of State responsible for monitoring and aiding with resources used to combat victims of human trafficking (Sec. 2b).

• Attorney General, Secretary of Labor, and Secretary of Homeland security to collaborate to prosecute traffickers and work through barriers of legalities that are not beneficial for prosecution (Sec. 3a), and shall improve law enforcement capabilities of finding and prosecuting human traffickers online and work to remove barriers to this process (Sec. 3b), and provide prevention education against sexual exploitation of children (Sec. 3b).

• Attorney General, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Secretary of Homeland Security (and other elected officials as needed) to collaborate to fund locating missing children, including runaways from foster care and in state custody – assistance to include technological advances (Sec. 4a).

• Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of Housing and Urban development shall collaborate to aid in housing for victims of human trafficking (Sec. 4b).

• The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of Education – partner with State, local, and tribal law enforcement to produce child exploitation prevention programs (Sec. 5).  

All in all, the efforts of the U.S. government are constantly evolving and continuously improving to put an end to modern-day slavery and the trafficking of innocent children. To do your part to help abolish child sex trafficking, volunteer to become a Child Ambassador for One Bread Foundation. This role involves sharing our newsletter, blogs and social media posts with your network and keeping an eye out for resources and collaboration opportunities in your own community. If you’re interested in becoming a Child Ambassador or want to learn more, please contact David P. Bernal at info@one-bread.org.

Spotlight: Operation Underground Railroad

By Lydia VanDerKamp, Contributing Writer

Your child could be the next victim of sex trafficking. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a 90% increase in reports of missing and exploited children. While cybersecurity education is available to teach children and young adults how to be protected from online predators, many are still kidnapped or exploited. Others are promised jobs or fame and tricked into leaving with strangers who abuse them—some of whom even sell children to the highest bidder in an online auction to be sexually abused. 

Truly, sex slavery is on the rise in America, and it is not stopping. Operation Underground Railroad, or O.U.R., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending this destructive habit. Tim Ballard, the organization’s CEO, inspired the launch of the Rise Up for Children campaign, which launched on July 30, 2020, on World Day Against Trafficking, to raise awareness of these horrendous acts and rescue children who are forced into the sex slavery industry. Ballard emphasizes the importance of government enforcement in these matters. O.U.R. partners with over 25 states in the U.S. and several countries worldwide to save victims, prosecute predators and provide support services for survivors. 

In 2019, over 3,000 individuals were rescued.  O.U.R.'s YouTube channel has several real-life stories that will fill your heart with compassion. These emotional stories will make you start asking, so what’s next? Help starts by raising awareness. To show your support, volunteer to attend or host an educational session. You can read more about the Rise Up for Children campaign here. To further show  your support, please share this blog with your family and friends to stay united in our endeavor to end slavery. And if you haven’t, sign up for our newsletter in the footer of any page of our website, one-bread.org, to stay updated on the latest news and ways to combat child sex trafficking. 

Remember Joan Today So Tomorrow’s Children Will Be Safe

By Vini Melwani, Contributing Writer & Digital Content Coordinator

It was Holy Thursday, April 19, 1973. Seven-year-old Joan D’Alessandro had a half-day of school, after which she and her sister decided to distribute orders of Girl Scout Cookies around their neighborhood. They had only four blocks to cover around their home in Hillsdale and approximately a dozen boxes to deliver.

After they visited most of the houses, they had only two boxes of cookies left. Joan’s sister had to attend a softball game, so she rode her bicycle to the nearby park. Joan went home. 

While playing on her front lawn, Joan saw her neighbor three houses down pull in with his car. Joan ran into her house to tell her mother, Rosemarie, that she would be back in a couple minutes. Rosemarie recalls watching her daughter take the boxes from the foyer. “She was a very enthusiastic, vivacious, and outgoing child. When she saw something had to be done, she would do it, and when she saw those two boxes left, she knew what needed to be done. She wanted to be a big girl. She was going to be a big girl, she liked that,” Rosemarie says.

Joan took the last two boxes of cookies from the box and shouted to her mom, “Bye, Mommy, I will be right back.” Rosemarie watched Joan walk over to the house three down from theirs. That was the very last time Rosemarie saw her daughter.

After several minutes had passed and Joan had not returned, Rosemarie walked toward the house with her 10-year-old son and asked him to stay outside while she rang the doorbell. A man in his late 20s opened the door, and Rosemarie entered the house.  She could sense something was not right. 

Rosemarie recalls, “I went into the house because I knew that she had been the last one who stepped in that foyer, and I wanted to step in that foyer.” As she stood there, she remembers, “He stood in front of me and was like a machine. His eyes were not real. They looked like two black empty spaces.” She asked him if he had seen Joan, and he said he had not. He then separated himself from Rosemarie and ascended eight steps to his upper level while she stayed below. She noticed he looked like he had just gotten out of the shower. He had a thin cigarillo in his hand. 

Rosemarie stood there and remembers thinking, “He has done something to my child. I know it.” Then she heard the loud sounds of a fire truck that drove by, along with the police she had already called. “Things would never be the same,” Rosemarie says.

Later that evening the police came back with a canine. With Joan’s old worn clothes, the dog, that was trained to use its senses to follow a trail, proceeded toward the house where Joan was last seen. It stopped outside the garage and wouldn’t budge.

Three days after her disappearance, Joan's body was found in Harriman State Park in New York. She had been sexually molested and murdered.

Joseph McGowan, who lived in the house three down from Joan, was her killer. He taught chemistry at Tappan Zee High School. After he pleaded guilty, they found many boxes of Girl Scout Cookies in his house. During questioning, he said he knew how to lure kids into his house. There were previous allegations of him stalking other students at his school, but nothing was done and no charges were filed. 

Since the murder of her child, Rosemarie D'Alessandro has spent her life searching for answers. She doesn't shy away from details of what happened to Joan because she believes that the more information she can gives translates to more awareness to possibly protect another child in the future. She adamantly states, “I wanted to do something. I didn’t want Joan just to be in the ground or to forget about her suffering. I wanted to do something to honor her suffering and save other children. I did not want any more babies to go through what she went through.”

Her tenacity helped her successfully fight parole for her daughter's killer and win the passage of New Jersey's Joan's Law in 1997, which ensures that anyone who murders and sexually assaults a child under 14 will never be eligible for parole or leave prison.

A federal version of the law passed in 1998. The age of children protected in New Jersey was increased to include everyone under 18.

Rosemarie also went on to establish Joan's Joy, a foundation that funds recreational and educational programs for disadvantaged children. Joan's Joy also supports programs that help keep children safe.

In 2006, Rosemarie returned to the site where Joan was found. It was only the second time in decades that she had visited. As she approached the spot where Joan’s body had been placed, something caught her eye: a white butterfly that greeted her. It flickered around her, back and forth. “I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s her energy,’” Rosemarie reminisces. The butterfly has become symbolic to Rosemarie and is an integral part of her life as a symbol of hope, love, peace and positive change in society.

“Be the positive change you want to see in this world,” as Mahatma Gandhi said, and join hands with One Bread Foundation in our fight against crimes involving our youth. If you’re able, set up a recurring donation for as little as $1 per month to help us reach our goal of recruiting 1 million supporters to fund rehabilitation centers serving children rescued from sex trafficking in all 50 states. 

Resources and Further Reading

Joan's Joy

Joan's Law - New Jersey, 1997

Federal version of Joan's Law - 1998

Protection of Children From Sexual Predators Act - 2000

Joan’s Law - New York, 2004

Expansion of Joan’s Law - New Jersey, 2017

4 Ways Nonprofits Combat Sex Trafficking

By Constance Thum, Contributing Writer

Sex trafficking is an important issue that threatens, arguably, the most fundamental rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which are vital to every human’s well-being. While many proclaim that they would fight for others' rights when injustices are committed, they often take those rights for granted themselves. In fact, greater freedoms and material comforts have unintentionally bred complacency toward egregious acts that violate the very beliefs that many hold dear to their hearts. 

A society that sincerely values human rights must address sex trafficking problems so all humans may possess equal, inalienable rights. You may be asking yourself, what can I do to stop the proliferation of trafficking cases? The No. 1 thing you can do is donate to and volunteer for an organization that has the knowledge and know-how to make a dent in the trafficking “industry.” 

And if you’re wondering what these organizations do, here are four different actions they take. 

No. 1: Collaborating with law enforcement

At local and national levels, organizations partner with law enforcement to monitor vulnerable communities. They may also offer information to assist with search and rescue operations and the identification of suspected trafficking sites or traffickers. Likewise, American organizations may work with Interpol and law enforcement agencies from other countries to improve the response to transnational trafficking. For example, United Way Worldwide, which is based in the U.S., announced a collaboration with Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to manage trafficking that is endemic in Africa. Sex trafficking is rarely confined within national borders, and the smuggling and transference of victims across borders require a collaborative effort on an international scale. 

Some organizations partner with law enforcement to ensure trafficking cases are handled delicately to minimize the harm done to the victims. They may guide officers on interviewing techniques sensitive to the needs and emotional states of victims and on creating safe, respectful environments. Overall, cooperation with law enforcement is useful in intervening in trafficking cases, especially for global cases. 

No. 2: Advocating through policy 

Organizations influence the legal and justice system through advocacy work, ensuring that anti-trafficking laws are passed and that traffickers are duly prosecuted. The legal and justice systems’ functions are to protect individual rights and maintain social stability. While laws and regulations about trafficking do exist, they mostly pertain to soft laws that emphasize principles and human rights, so many organizations push for harsher international laws with precise language to hold countries accountable for their commitments to anti-trafficking efforts. Harsher penalties also serve as a deterrent for potential traffickers and prevent future cases. 

No. 3: Educating youth and vulnerable populations

Organizations work with school districts and school boards to offer training courses for teachers and educational programs for students. Since children may be in direct contact with traffickers and predators, educational programs that help them understand the dangers of trafficking and recognize warning signs early are crucial. Project Concern International, a global development NGO based in San Diego, started a range of after-school programs that work with local school districts to educate youths on recognizing exploitation and violence. Some organizations may provide support mechanisms like hotlines for students and teachers to phone in to if they suspect instances of abuse and exploitation. 

Similarly, organizations may cooperate with local communities to minimize exploitation of vulnerable individuals. Raising public awareness is key to preventing sex trafficking. Neighborhood seminars teach individuals how to better protect themselves against exploitation and how to assist others should they face a similar situation. 

No. 4: Partnering with other nonprofits or NGOs

Finally, many organizations partner together to provide myriad services that ensure better protection and rehabilitation of trafficked victims. To protect potential victims, nonprofits or NGOs that specialize in trafficking may share information regarding traffickers and victims (with full consent) to form a comprehensive database that may be useful to law enforcement. In the case of rehabilitation, organizations that mainly provide shelter and accommodation may work with those that focus on returning victims to their home countries, those that offer counseling services and even those that provide legal aid. 

If you want to learn more and do your part to raise funds for children ages 8-18 rescued from sex trafficking, volunteer to be a Child Ambassador for One Bread Foundation. We need Child Ambassadors who are willing to share our newsletter, blogs and social media posts with their networks and keep an eye out for resources and collaboration opportunities in their own communities. If you’re interested in becoming a Child Ambassador or want to learn more, please contact David P. Bernal at info@one-bread.org. 

Sources and Further Reading 

Law enforcement response to human trafficking and the implications for victims: current practices and lessons learned

Project Concern International

US-based NGO partners with NAPTIP to understudy human trafficking

The Dark Truth Behind Sensationalized Trafficking News

By Elizabeth Gilreath, Contributing Writer

Take a quick glance at social media or scroll through Facebook and you’re sure to find some mention of the horrific reality of child sex trafficking. This topic is rightfully grabbing our attention from every angle on multiple platforms. Jeffrey Epstein’s child sex trafficking ring, the Wayfair scandal, Blake Lively’s powerful speech on child pornography and other events have brought attention to the dangers faced and endured by many children at what appears to be the hands of powerful people. The politicization and sensationalism of child trafficking revealed that human trafficking is an issue many are prepared to fight against. Truly, these posts are raising awareness that could help protect vulnerable children and create active bystanders who stand up against injustice. However, it is important to ask one question: Are these social media posts showing us an accurate, full picture of sex trafficking?

Recent sensationalism falters in how it presents human trafficking. A look into popular posts and hashtags shows a common idea of protecting children from celebrities and politicians or how clicking on a strange text link can lead to being trafficked. But focusing only on prominent individuals and unverified theories is misleading in the fight against human trafficking and detracts from the injustices happening all around us. Although many are now vocal in their opposition to sex trafficking and child abuse happening elsewhere, they seem to be unknowingly turning a blind eye to an equally important problem: the likelihood of someone in their community abusing children, trafficking children or recording explicit material of children. We need to advocate for children not just because someone else’s kids are at risk, but also because our own are at risk. Socioeconomic status, age, ethnicity and place of residency can play a factor in sex trafficking and child abuse, but the No. 1 commonality is vulnerability. By presenting human trafficking as a problem mainly perpetuated by politicians or prominent individuals, we are so busy looking at Washington, D.C., and Hollywood that we fail to see children around us being abused.

In a Fox interview covering prominent anti-trafficking experts’ concerns about QAnon, Eric Zahnd, a prosecutor and member of the Missouri Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force, stated that in over 20 years of prosecuting sex trafficking cases, he never encountered a perpetrator who did not have a prior connection to the victim. What does this mean? Abusers and traffickers are often people children know. Of course it is vital to fight for children being abused and used by people in power, but it’s even more necessary to be aware of what’s happening in our own states, cities, communities and neighborhoods.

Awareness is the first step to change; it empowers everyone to respond and join in the fight against human trafficking. Although awareness lays the groundwork, we must decide how we build upon that to cause change. Before sharing a post on Facebook or tweeting about the latest topic under the #SaveTheChildren hashtag, check the validity of your claims or that of the post you’re sharing. Care for the children in your life by taking an interest in maintaining their safety and learning about warning signs. Continue raising awareness, shining a light on the darkness of sex trafficking, making abusers uncomfortable and spreading hope for those silently suffering in secret, but I also encourage you to go beyond your screen and partner with One Bread Foundation in our fight against human trafficking.

We invite you to play a crucial part in the rehabilitation of child sex trafficking victims by donating to our foundation. If you’re able, set up a recurring donation for as little as $1 per month to help us reach our goal of recruiting 1 million supporters to raise awareness and funds for rehabilitation centers serving children rescued from sex trafficking in all 50 states. 

Did you know you can also help victims of child sex trafficking through your regular online shopping? One Bread Foundation is a charity affiliate of Amazon, Goodshop, Groupon and eBay. Visit our Shop Now page to learn more, start shopping and benefit children. Finally, if you want to get more involved in the fight against human trafficking, consider becoming a Child Ambassador. We look forward to your collaboration.

Resources and Further Reading

Blue Campaign’s Indicators of Human Trafficking

'Human trafficking experts concerned about misinformation spread by conspiracy group QAnon'

National Human Trafficking Hotline’s tips on recognizing the signs of trafficking

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Complicates Trafficking

By Constance Thum, Contributing Writer

To say 2020 has been chaotic would be an understatement, and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic at the beginning of the year launched many nations into a state of frenzied panic. Disruptions caused by the upheaval of our social and economic systems have shifted our attention away from another pressing issue: sex trafficking. 

Loss of stable incomes and growing financial insecurities have exacerbated sex trafficking by incentivising more predators to exploit vulnerable communities, which exposes children to greater risks of abduction or exploitation. Equally significant is how the pandemic has diminished the budgets of organizations that investigate trafficking, partner with law enforcement to arrest traffickers and provide rehabilitation efforts for victims rescued from traffickers—the very organizations that we at One Bread Foundation support. 

Reduced funding has hampered the ability of nonprofits to partner with law enforcement to arrest traffickers or engage in search and rescue operations to identify potential victims. Because governments are forced to divert their financial resources to healthcare resources, police are focused on enforcing lockdown and social distancing rules, which further limits the ability of organizations to investigate trafficking cases. By deprioritising trafficking, predators are likely to remain undetected and websites where child sex abuse material runs rampant are going unobserved. 

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) states that referral mechanisms have faced increased challenges, resulting in delays while identifying victims and referring them to protection schemes. Some shelters have even had to shut down their field offices and suspend outreach services. Travel restrictions have also rendered agencies like the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) less effective in international trafficking cases.

Tighter budgets and fewer available personnel have also severely interfered with organizations’ abilities to provide rehabilitation efforts for victims rescued from traffickers. Ilias Chatzis, chief of UNODC’s human trafficking section, notes, “It’s alarming to hear that, in some places, trafficking victims no longer have access to shelters, some refuges have even closed down due to the virus and others lack protective equipment - putting both victims and staff at risk.” When victims are left homeless, they may be re-exposed to exploitation or potential COVID-19 infections. Organizations that provide psychological assistance have similarly experienced a loss of funding that now prevents them from offering counselling to traumatized victims, and the shutdown of borders and lockdown of cities to curb the COVID-19 outbreak have prevented rescued victims from returning home. 

One survey has found that at least one-third of anti-trafficking organizations worldwide are struggling to repatriate survivors right now. Between 2019 and 2020, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which works with the Nigerian government to repatriate victims of trafficking, experienced a 91.14% drop in the number of individuals repatriated. While some organizations offer online counselling sessions and rehabilitation courses to help victims of trafficking reintegrate, many victims reside in less developed areas and have unequal or no access to the internet.

COVID-19 has strained the organizations combating trafficking and providing aid to victims. Consequently, these troubles may inadvertently increase trafficking as predators take advantage of the disorder to operate with less risk of detection. Recovery following repatriation also faces numerous obstacles as organizations are prevented from helping victims recover. Truly, our current pandemic has revealed the precariousness of institutions and organizations that provide assistance to those in need. We must rethink how we manage important issues like trafficking that are central to protecting our rights to life and liberty. Above all, we must ensure that when times get hard, our most vulnerable are not forgotten.  

To help solve this ongoing problem, set up a recurring donation to One Bread Foundation. At just $1 per month, you can help us reach our goal of recruiting 1 million supporters to raise awareness and funds for rehabilitation centers serving children rescued from sex trafficking in all 50 states. If possible, become a Legacy Partner by pledging $30 per month. Any assistance you offer may be of greater significance than you can possibly imagine. 

Sources and Further Reading

'COVID-19 crisis putting human trafficking victims at risk of further exploitation, experts warn' 

'COVID-19 lockdowns left Nigerian trafficking survivors stranded'

'The impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on trafficked and exploited persons' 

'Exacerbating modern slavery with a global health pandemic'

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime pandemic report

State of Georgia Implements Human Trafficking Task Force

By Chitara Ellis, Contributing Writer

Backed by the state’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Georgia has created a task force to counter human trafficking efforts within the state. Officially called the Georgia Human Trafficking Task Force, it takes a holistic and unified approach in its mission to “protect the citizens of Georgia from perpetrators and systems of sexual exploitation while concurrently working to support recovery of adult and CSEC (commercial sexual exploitation of children) victims to ensure they are ready for college, work, and a successful future.” 

According to a fact sheet released in 2013 from the Center for Public Policy Studies, 374 girls are sexually exploited per month in Georgia. In 2012, the center received over 400 calls from Georgia, over 100 of them being high risk. Typically, young girls are brought into the state’s sex trafficking market at 12 or 14 years old. These children often have a history of truancy and running away from home. 

A report published by the council in 2014 makes four recommendations to better serve victims within the state: 1) a more efficient way of collecting and tracking data on victims, 2) a more efficient way of identifying victims and availability of services to them, 3) collaboration across agencies in victim assistance training, and 4) educating and bringing awareness to communities about what makes a person a victim and the help that is available to them. 

The newly created task force appears to have taken note of these recommendations. The task force includes representatives from various levels of government, law enforcement and nongovernmental organizations, and they make their quarterly meetings open to the public. They have nine objectives, with nine work groups designated to meet each one: 1) community awareness and education, 2) youth awareness and safety, 3) deterring traffickers and buyers, 4) keeping at-risk youth safe, 5) apprehending, investigating and prosecuting traffickers and buyers, 6) examining underserved and/or previously identified victims, 7) protecting and supporting survivors, 8) helping survivors recover and thrive, and 9) examining domestic adult sex trafficking. 

The task force’s website portal offers training and educational resources to the public. One of the educational resources listed is a free training series created by Georgia Cares, a nonprofit that serves young victims statewide. The other available resource on the site is the task force’s Technical Assistance Resource Guide on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention, which was created by work group no. 2 of the task force and is designed for schools and youth programs. The third available resource listed is a downloadable Know the Signs flyer. 

One Bread Foundation, Inc. also offers resources to the public for engaging in the abolishment of child sex trafficking across the United States. Help raise awareness of this issue by sharing this article with your friends and family and subscribe to our newsletter for monthly updates and news straight to your inbox. To sign up, simply enter your email in the footer of any page on our website at one-bread.org.