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Book Review: Good News About Injustice

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Good News About Injustice

by Gary A. Haugen (Inter-Varsity Press, 1999).

Summary:

For many Christians, learning about the reality of human trafficking leaves them struggling to find a framework to understand the injustice happening across the world Good News About Injustice examines cases of child prostitution, state-sponsored religious persecution, racial violence, torture and genocide while searching God’s Word with equal vigor to grasp the biblical view of justice, evil, and the response of concerned individuals.

Gary Haugen believes that Christians grow into a more mature way of engaging the reality of injustice in the world by (1) developing a compassion for the people suffering injustice by looking through the eyes of missionaries and other Christian workers who see this suffering firsthand, and (2) preparing themselves to help people by looking at them through God’s eyes, that is, through his Word.  He uses real-life testimonies in the first part of this book to show the reader the reality of injustice world-wide and what others are doing to fight injustice directly. 

The second part of the book elaborates on the hope that is found in the God of justice.  Oppressors exploit the inaction of despair, which occurs when others have lost the hope of making a difference.  Haugen dedicates four chapters to studying different attributes of God and the hope that is found in Him:

  • Hope in the God of Justice
  • Hope in the God of Compassion
  • Hope in the God of Moral Clarity
  • Hope in the God of Rescue

The last part of the book focuses on providing real-world tools for rescuing the oppressed.  Topics discussed include: why injustice occurs and why God allows it; how coercion and deception breed injustice; how investigations take place; how intervention for victims occurs; and what the body of Christ can do to seek justice.

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

Gary Haugen is the president of the International Justice Mission, a Christian agency that documents and monitors conditions of abuse and oppression, educates the church and public about the abuses, and mobilizes intervention on behalf of the victims.  This book would be very informative for leaders of congregations and faith-based organizations and will shock, challenge, persuade and inspire them to pursue God’s justice.




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"Must Read" Articles on Human Trafficking

 
      FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE

"Must Read" Articles on Human Trafficking

(FASTEN staff, 2004)

 

A Tragic Statistic:

After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry, as the second largest criminal industry today, and it is the fastest growing.

 

From the Department of Health and Human Services

 

"The greater the awareness, the more likely cases will be reported and prosecuted," according to Terry Coonan, Executive Director of the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at Florida State University. "This is almost an invisible crime because the victims are kept out of the public eye. We need to crack this code of silence."

 

 

Social service practitioners may come into contact with victims of human trafficking more than they realize. Church activists involved in ministries of mercy, justice, and advocacy may be unaware of the extent of the problem of modern-day slavery and especially of the problem of human trafficking in the U.S. The following list of informative and gripping articles from the religious and secular press can help faith leaders better understand the problem and how they can be engaged in efforts to serve victims.

 

"Sex Slaves on Main Street," by Peter Landesman, The New York Times Magazine, January 26, 2004.

 

"Sex Trafficking Runs Rampant, Experts Say," by Karen Long, The Christian Century, January 27, 2004.

 

"Obstruction is Charged in Sex Slavery Case," by William Glaberson, The New York Times, February 3, 2004.

 

"Slavery in 2004," by John R. Miller, The Washington Post, January 1, 2004.

"On Human Bondage," by Matthew Continetti, The Weekly Standard, October 6, 2003.

 

Peter Landesman Discusses His Article in The York Times Magazine on Sex Slave Trade, NPR Interview on Fresh Air with Dave Davies.

 

"Sex Trade Uses Bay Area to Bring in Women, Kids," by Carolyn Lockhead, The San Francisco Chronicle, February 26, 2003.

 

From Catholic News…

"The Franciscan office at the UN in Geneva has successfully introduced a UN document, its major points of concern on human trafficking and exploitation…" Read more at: http:// www.cathnews.com/news/308/94.php

 

 

From Christianity Today

"Up to 100,000 eastern European women have been trapped into forced marriage, labor or prostitution by traffickers who lure the women to European Union countries, an international consultation has found…."

www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1999/dec13/35.0.html

 

From U.S. Catholic Bishops

"…Each year approximately 45,000 to 50,000 women and children are trafficked into the United States, most to perform essential unpaid labor in manufacturing or to be forced into prostitution. By some estimates, a third of these victims are under age 18…."

www.nccbuscc.org/prolife/programs/rlp/macdon02.htm

 

From The Institute on Religion and Democracy

"The following resolution was drafted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy for the 74th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, MN…"

www.ird-renew.org/Episcopal
 


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Disposable People

 
      RECOMMENDED BOOKS  

Disposable People

by Kevin Bales (University of California Press, 2004).

Purchase Now!

Summary:

Disposable People shows that across the world, the conditions are right for modern-day slavery.  People are being economically exploited and held under the threat of violence.  This modern-day slavery looks different than “old slavery”—for instance, slavery in the American South before the 1860’s—but it is no less a reality and no less of a crime against humanity.  The first chapter in Disposable People highlights the key differences between “old slavery” and “new slavery”—including human trafficking.

 

Old Slavery

New Slavery
  • Legal ownership asserted              
  • High purchase cost
  • Low profits                                 
  • Shortage of potential slaves
  • Long-term relationship
  • Slaves maintained
  • Ethnic differences important
  • Legal ownership avoided
  • Very low purchase cost
  • Very high profits
  • Glut of potential slaves
  • Short term relationship
  • Slaves disposable
  • Ethnic differences not important

    
 Chapters 2-6 examine modern-day slavery in Thailand, Mauritania, Brazil, Pakistan and India.  Combining scholarship with true stories and survivor’s firsthand accounts, Kevin Bales shows how economic, social and cultural values contribute and perpetuate varied forms of modern-day slavery.  The final chapter of the book seriously asks the question “what can be done?”  Bales takes a dispassionate look at slaves as a commodity in order to strategize ways to make slavery less profitable and therefore less in-demand.  He believes that most people are willing to do something to end slavery, but very few are willing to make a great sacrifice.  The good news is no great miracle is required: he believes that slavery can be stopped by enforcing existing laws and agreements, developing a few new ones, and providing assistance to get victims back on their feet.  The book concludes with a list of actions you can take to stop slavery, notes on his research methods, and excerpts from international conventions on slavery.

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

Kevin Bales is the director of Free the Slaves and a professor of sociology in England.  He is the world’s leading expert on contemporary slavery.  This book is for readers who want to understand the economic forces behind modern-day slavery and learn more about the situations of people in bondage across the world.

 



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Labor Trafficking Fact Sheet

    FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE

Labor Trafficking Fact Sheet

(Adapted from Department of Health and Human Services Rescue and Restore Campaign.  Used with permission.)

 

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) defines labor trafficking as: “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.” The TVPA also recognizes sex trafficking, which is discussed in a separate fact sheet. A modern-day form of slavery, labor trafficking is a fundamental violation of human rights.

 

Forms of Labor Trafficking
There are several forms of exploitative practices linked to labor trafficking, including bonded labor, forced labor and child labor.

 

• Bonded labor, or debt bondage, is probably the least known form of labor trafficking today, and yet it is the most widely used method of enslaving people. Victims become bonded laborers when their labor is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan or service in which its terms and conditions have not been defined or in which the value of the victims’ services as reasonably assessed is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt. The value of their work is greater than the original sum of money “borrowed.”

 

• Forced labor is a situation in which victims are forced to work against their own will, under the threat of violence or some other form of punishment, their freedom is restricted and a degree of ownership is exerted. Forms of forced labor can include domestic servitude; agricultural labor; sweatshop factory labor; janitorial, food service and other service industry labor; and begging.

• Child labor is a form of work that is likely to be hazardous to the health and/or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development of children and can interfere with their education. The International Labor Organization estimates worldwide that there are 246 million exploited children aged between 5 and 17 involved in debt bondage, forced recruitment for armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, the illegal drug trade, the illegal arms trade and other illicit activities around the world.

 

Identifying Victims of Labor Trafficking
Victims of labor trafficking are not a homogenous group of people. Victims are young children, teenagers, men and women. Some of them enter the country legally on worker visas for domestic, “entertainment,” computer and agricultural work, while others enter illegally. Some work in legal occupations such as domestic, factory or construction work, while others toil in illegal industries such as the drug and arms trade or panhandling. Although there is no single way to identify victims of labor trafficking, some common patterns include:

 

• Victims are often kept isolated to prevent them from getting help. Their activities are restricted and are typically watched, escorted or guarded by associates of traffickers. Traffickers may “coach” them to answer questions with a cover story about being a student or tourist.

• Victims may be blackmailed by traffickers using the victims’ status as an undocumented alien or their participation in an “illegal” industry. By threatening to report them to law enforcement or immigration officials, traffickers keep victims compliant.

• People who are trafficked often come from unstable and economically devastated places as traffickers frequently identify vulnerable populations characterized by oppression, high rates of illiteracy, little social mobility and few economic opportunities.

• Women and children are overwhelmingly trafficked in labor arenas because of their relative lack of power, social marginalization, and their overall status as compared to men.

 

Health Impacts of Labor Trafficking
In addition to the human rights abuses that define their involuntary servitude, victims of labor trafficking suffer from a variety of physical and mental health problems:

 

• Various methods of forced labor expose victims of labor trafficking to physical abuse such as scars, headaches, hearing loss, cardiovascular/respiratory problems, and limb amputation. Victims of labor trafficking may also develop chronic back, visual and respiratory problems from working in agriculture, construction or manufacturing under dangerous conditions.

• The psychological effects of torture are helplessness, shame and humiliation, shock, denial and disbelief, disorientation and confusion, and anxiety disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, panic attacks, and depression.

• Many victims also develop Traumatic Bonding or “Stockholm Syndrome,” which is characterized by cognitive distortions where reciprocal positive feelings develop between captors and their hostages. This bond is a type of human survival instinct and helps the victim cope with the captivity.

• Child victims of labor trafficking are often malnourished to the extent that they may never reach their full height, they may have poorly formed or rotting teeth, and later they may experience reproductive problems.

 

Assistance for Victims of Labor Trafficking
When victims of trafficking are identified, the U.S. government can help them stabilize their immigration status, and obtain support and assistance in rebuilding their lives in the United States through various programs. By certifying victims of trafficking, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enables trafficking victims who are non-U.S. citizens to receive federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee. Victims of trafficking who are U.S. citizens do not need to be certified to receive benefits. As U.S. citizens, they may already be eligible for many benefits.

 

As a result of the certification or eligibility letters issued by HHS, victims can access benefits and services including food, health care and employment assistance. Certified victims of trafficking can obtain access to services that provide English language instruction and skills training for job placement. Since many victims are reluctant to come forward for fear of being deported, one of HHS’ most important roles is to connect victims with non-profit organizations prepared to assist them and address their specific needs. These organizations can provide counseling, case management and benefit coordination.

 

If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1.888.3737.888. This hotline will help you determine if you have encountered victims of human trafficking, will identify local resources available in your community to help victims, and will help you coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and serve victims so they can begin the process of restoring their lives. For more information on human trafficking visit www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.

 




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Toolkit for Social Service Organizations

 
      RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Toolkit for Social Service Organizations

 

by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Rescue and Restore Campaign)

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Summary:

Some social service providers are a first point of contact for victims of human trafficking.  The Department of Health and Human Services has assembled relevant fact sheets, presentations, and print materials specifically for people working in the social service industry who might come in contact with these victims. 

 

The toolkit includes:

    • Tips for Identifying and Helping Victims of Human Trafficking
    • Screening Questions to Assess Whether a Person is a Trafficking Victim
    • Understanding the Mindset of a Trafficking Victim
    • Communicating with Victims of Human Trafficking
    • PowerPoint Presentation for Social Service Providers
    • Social Service Provider Posters (2)
    • Social Service Provider Brochure
    • Social Service Provider Pocket Card

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

This is a unique resource specifically targeted to the social service profession.  The tips for identifying and helping trafficking victims, as well as the explanation of the mindset of a victim, provide a quick introduction to human trafficking.  The posters, brochure and pocket card are useful and the PowerPoint presentation is easily adaptable. 





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Types of Available Victim Assistance

    FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE
Types of Available Victim Assistance

 

(Adapted from Department of Health and Human Services Rescue and Restore Campaign.  Used with permission.)

 

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery.  After drug-dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing.

 

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) provides a means for non-citizen victims in the U.S. to apply for a special visa and other benefits and services so that they can safely and securely rebuild their lives.  Among the social services that qualified victims can access are legal, housing, job placement, health care and educational assistance programs.  Victims who are U.S. citizens are already eligible to receive many of these benefits.

 

Assistance Available to Victims of Human Trafficking

Adult victims of human trafficking (ages 18 and over) who are certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can receive Federally-funded services and benefits to the same extent as refugees.  To receive certification, an individual must:

 

    • Be a victim of human trafficking as defined by the TVPA;
    • Be willing to assist with the investigation and prosecution of traffickers; and
    • Have completed a bona fide application for a T visa; or
      Have received Continued Presence status from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

 

Child victims of human trafficking (under age 18) are immediately eligible for benefits—they do not need to apply for a T visa or get Continued Presence status.  For such victims, HHS issues—once it has received proof that the child is a victim of trafficking—a “letter of eligibility.”  The victim or the victim’s advocate may then present the letter to social service providers as proof of eligibility.  Certified and eligible victims of human trafficking can receive benefits and services necessary for the safety and protection of their lives including:

 

    • Housing or shelter assistance
    • English language training
    • Food assistance
    • Health care assistance
    • Income assistance
    • Mental health services
    • Employment assistance
    • Assistance for victims of torture

 

See the reverse side for a list of some specific benefits available to certified-adult and eligible child victims of human trafficking.

 

Immigration Status

The TVPA signified a shift in the immigration law policy, which had previously resulted in many victims of human trafficking being deported as illegal aliens.  The TVPA established the T visa to give victims of human trafficking temporary status in the United States.  It recognizes that returning victims to their country of origin is often not in the best interests of victims and that victims need the opportunity to rebuild their lives without facing the threat of deportation.

 

After three years, a T visa recipient can apply for permanent residence status.  In certain situations, it enables victims of human trafficking to get T visas for family members.

 

Following are some of the specific benefit programs for which victims can apply:

 

Program

Description

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

A cash benefit and work opportunities program for needy families with children under age 18.

Food Stamp Program

Used like cash to pay for food at most grocery stores.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

A monthly benefit for people who are blind, have severe disabilities, or at least 65 years old and have limited income and resources.

Torture Treatment Program

HHS-funded social, legal, health and psychological services for victims of torture.

State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

The public health insurance program for low-incom, uninsured children 18 years of age or younger who do not qualify for Medicaid.

Unaccompanied Refugees Minor Program

Assists unaccompanied minor refugees and trafficking victims in developing skills to enter adulthood and achieve economic and social self-sufficiency.  Provides family reunification assistance where appropriate.

Medicaid

The public health insurance program for people with low income and limited resources.

Health Screening

Provided by the State Department of Public Health for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of any illness (including screening for TB, parasites, and hepatitis and vaccinations for children).

Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance (RCA and RMA)

HHS program available to victims who are ineligible for other cash or medical assistance programs such as TANF, SSI and Medicaid.  Victims may receive this assistance for the 8 months following issuance of the letter of certification/eligibility.

One-Stop Career Center System

Free job search and employment centers that provide information and assistance for people who are looking for a job, or who need education and training in order to get a job.

Job Corps

DOL residential and job education program for youth aged 16-24.

Matching Grant

HHS-funded self-sufficiency program administered by private agencies.  Provides job counseling and placement, case management, cash and living assistance.

Housing

Eligibility for public housing authority assistance.

State-specific Programs

Individual states offer additional programs.  Contact the HHS Refugee Coordinator for a specific state for more information: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/partners/coordina.htm

 

For more information on human trafficking visit www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.

 

 



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FBOs and Human Trafficking

FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE
FBOs and Human Trafficking

 

(FASTEN Staff, 2005)

As a social service provider in a faith-based organization, you face human need everywhere you turn. You may wonder if turning your attention to human trafficking is something you can reasonably take on. These brief vignettes on how some FBOs are combating the growing human trafficking problem may well help you prioritize how you can most effectively address this concern, even with limited time and resources.

Vital Voices, a Global Partnership for Women, offers insights on where faith-based organizations would most likely encounter human trafficking. You may well face women who have been sexually exploited in settings such as massage parlors, escort services, strip clubs and brothels. 

Victims of labor exploitation will often come out of sweatshop factories, farm work, low-end domestic jobs, such as working as nannies and maids, construction sites, as well as janitorial and restaurant work.

If you want to serve these individuals, your faith-based organization should not only document where a victim comes from but proactively enter these different ill-defined work settings to find victims of trafficking. Staying alert to signs of human trafficking, according to Vital Voices, means looking for the following in a woman, man or child:

·         evidence of being controlled

·         lack of identification, such as a passport or visa

·         bruises, or other signs of abuse

·         extreme fear, especially of authorities

·         language barriers

·         inability to move or to leave a job

Read more of Vital Voices Global Partnership for Women at http://www.vitalvoices.org/

 Salvation Army Giving Safe Haven

Since its founding in 1865, the Salvation Army has provided safe haven to some of this world's most vulnerable—including women and children. Naturally, the heinous act of human trafficking would rally the sensitivities of this faith-based organization. And indeed it has.

On a national scale, the Salvation Army has established an extremely practical website called the  Initiative Against Sexual Trafficking, http://www.iast.net/. From its experience helping women and children, the Salvation Army recommends taking the following actions:

·         Write to congress members. Confirm U.S. attorneys who will make prosecuting traffickers a top priority.

·         Organize briefings, conferences, lectures, Partner with local churches, women's organizations and schools.

·         Write letters and articles for local papers, church bulletins, denominational magazines. Inform readers of this modern day slavery.

 Christianity Today Magazine Speaks Out

In Christianity Today magazine, the largest evangelical magazine in America, a writer encourages churches to take seriously their responsibility to "love your neighbor as yourself." Churches have a unique role in local communities nationwide, the writer contends. And they have often earned the trust of their neighbors and usually have the resources to help the most underserved.

Christianity Today endorses the following actions by churches in addressing the human trafficking issue: 

·         Educate your church members. Introducing them to important related materials at www.ashaforum.org/church.htm and at elca.org.dcs.commercial sexual exploitation.htm

·         Organize a group of people who can provide practical help for victims.

·         Support Christian organizations that fight sex trafficking.

·         Report suspected abuse to the Trafficking in Persons and Work Exploitation Task Force at the U.S. Department of Justice (888.428.7581).

·         Refer suspected victims to counselors recommended by the Initiative Against Sexual Trafficking (703-5199-5896).

·         Write a congregational letter to your congregational representatives asking them to make a priority of combating sex trafficking.

 Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), is a faith-based organization created by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Formed in 2002, LIRS focuses on helping children, specifically, who are trafficked into the United States.

LIRS serves trafficked children directly through partnering with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Together they work with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to place eligible child trafficking victims in culturally appropriate foster care, small group care, or independent living, which provide the children with a range of specialized and comprehensive services.

Read more about the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service at: http//:www.lirs.org/

On the Ground in Baltimore

Sister Loretta Rosendale, S.S.N.D., is executive director of Marian House, a residential program for homeless women sponsored by the School of Sisters of Notre Dame and the sisters of Mercy.

She urges her faith community members to designate someone within each parish to study the issue of human trafficking and raise awareness. Even the wealthiest parish, she observes, can be affected by people who are exploited for their labor in people's homes.

"Like the Underground Railroad, Rosendale says "we need to establish a network of safe homes. It costs nothing. We could use the colleges, rectories and convents."

These portraits are just a brief introduction to how some faith-based organizations are fighting the human trafficking problem. May they be an inspiration to your organization to take action in combating this heinous crime.




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Fighting Human Trafficking

 
EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS TOPIC
Fighting Human Trafficking

Articles, Excerpts, Tips & More
Labor Trafficking Fact Sheet: Labor Trafficking Fact Sheet: FBOs working with vulnerable populations, especially immigrants, may come into contact with victims of labor trafficking. This fact sheet defines the laws surrounding this and offers counsel.
View this Resource

FBOs and Human Trafficking: FBOs and Human Trafficking: These brief vignettes on how some FBOs are combating the growing human trafficking problem may well help you prioritize how you can most effectively address this concern, even with limited time and resources.
View this Resource

"Must Read" Articles on Human Trafficking: "Must Read" Articles on Human Trafficking: FBO practitioners working with vulnerable populations, especially immigrants, refugees, and runaway youth, can read these articles from the secular and religious press to gain understanding of human trafficking in the US and its relevance to their daily work.
View this Resource

Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet: Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet: FBOs engaged in ministry to vulnerable populations including immigrant families and youth runaways can educate themselves about sex trafficking with this basic fact sheet.
View this Resource

Types of Available Victim Assistance: Types of Available Victim Assistance: FBOs that encounter victims of human trafficking can connect them to a variety of forms of governmental assistance, as described in this short article.
View this Resource

Human Trafficking Fact Sheet: Human Trafficking Fact Sheet: Faith-based practitioners working among vulnerable populations and especially among immigrants can acquaint themselves with some basics on human trafficking through this brief fact sheet.
View this Resource

Recommended Books
Three Tales of Slavery in the USA/Tres Historias de Esclavitud en EEUU: Three Tales of Slavery in the USA/Tres Historias de Esclavitud en EEUU: This bilingual comic book (English and Spanish) shows three forms of human trafficking using simple language and clear pictures.
View this Resource

Health Care Provider Brochure: Health Care Provider Brochure: A ready-to-distribute brochure created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appropriate to use to train health care providers about human trafficking or to place in waiting rooms.
View this Resource

Toolkit for Social Service Organizations: Toolkit for Social Service Organizations: Social service practitioners can use the information and resources in this toolkit to help them understand human trafficking, spot victims, and seek aid.
View this Resource

Disposable People: Disposable People: This book provides an in-depth analysis of modern day slavery and the way it is intertwined with the world’s economy. Pitched at an advanced (rather than introductory) level, it offers a comprehensive analysis of the many and varied forces behind human trafficking.
View this Resource

Toolkit for Health Care Providers: Toolkit for Health Care Providers: Practitioners in faith-based health clinics serving low income patients will find this HHS toolkit helpful in raising awareness about human trafficking. It offers medical personnel practical suggestions on identifying and treating victims of trafficking.
View this Resource

Community Member’s Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking and Slavery: Community Member’s Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking and Slavery: This powerful and informative overview of the problem of human trafficking in the U.S. is an extremely helpful resource for those unfamiliar with the problem and with preventative and ameliorative actions that can be taken.
View this Resource

Good News About Injustice: Good News About Injustice: This book focuses on human rights conditions across the world and touches on stories of human trafficking, forced labor, and child sexual exploitation. The good news about injustice is that God is against it and is calling the body of Christ to action on His behalf.
View this Resource

Health Care Provider Pocket Assessment Card: Health Care Provider Pocket Assessment Card: This is a template for a 3x5 index card for health care providers to carry in their pocket to have assessment clues and questions handy at all times.
View this Resource

Trafficking in Persons: A Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations: Trafficking in Persons: A Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations: When practitioners suspect that they have encountered a victim of human trafficking, this Q&A guide will assist them in knowing what to do and where to get help.
View this Resource

Education Pack on Human Trafficking: Education Pack: This curriculum on human trafficking contains many activities, projects, fact sheets, quizzes, pictures and illustrations geared towards students from upper elementary through high school. The material is easily adaptable for individual lessons and youth group activities.
View this Resource

Recommended Links
Captive Daughters: Captive Daughters: This website is dedicated to ending the sex trafficking of children and focuses on the exploitation of girls and female adolescents. They provide information on sex tourism, links to other organizations and government websites, articles and a reading list.
View this Resource

ECPAT-USA: ECPAT-USA: The primary focus of this organization is ending child prostitution, child pornography, and trafficking of children for sexual purposes in the United States. This website focuses on education, relevant resources, and advocacy.
View this Resource

Free The Slaves: Free The Slaves: This website is dedicated to ending modern-day slavery and has many free downloadable forms and educational materials.
View this Resource

 

Captive Daughters
Free The Slaves
ECPAT-USA
FBOs and Human Trafficking
"Must Read" Articles on Human Trafficking
 
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Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet

FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE

Sex Trafficking Fact Sheet

(Adapted from Department of Health and Human Services Rescue and Restore Campaign.  Used with permission.)

 

 

Sex trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years. Enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) made sex trafficking a serious violation of Federal law. The TVPA also recognizes labor trafficking, which is discussed in a separate fact sheet.

As defined by the TVPA, the term ‘commercial sex act’ means any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person.

The TVPA recognizes that traffickers use psychological and well as physical coercion and bondage, and it defines coercion to include: threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; or the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

Victims of Sex Trafficking and What They Face

Victims of sex trafficking can be women or men, girls or boys, but the majority are women and girls. There are a number of common patterns for luring victims into situations of sex trafficking, including:

    • A promise of a good job in another country
    • A false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation
    • Being sold into the sex trade by parents, husbands, boyfriends
    • Being kidnapped by traffickers

Sex traffickers frequently subject their victims to debt-bondage, an illegal practice in which the traffickers tell their victims that they owe money (often relating to the victims’ living expenses and transport into the country) and that they must pledge their personal services to repay the debt.

Sex traffickers use a variety of methods to “condition” their victims including starvation, confinement, beatings, physical abuse, rape, gang rape, threats of violence to the victims and the victims’ families, forced drug use and the threat of shaming their victims by revealing their activities to their family and their families’ friends.

Victims face numerous health risks. Physical risks include drug and alcohol addiction; physical injuries (broken bones, concussions, burns, vaginal/anal tearings); traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting in memory loss, dizziness, headaches, numbness; sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis, UTIs, pubic lice); sterility, miscarriages, menstrual problems; other diseases (e.g., TB, hepatitis, malaria, pneumonia); and forced or coerced abortions.

Psychological harms include mind/body separation/disassociated ego states, shame, grief, fear, distrust, hatred of men, self-hatred, suicide, and suicidal thoughts. Victims are at risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – acute anxiety, depression, insomnia, physical hyper-alertness, self-loathing that is long-lasting and resistant to change (complex-PTSD).

Victims may also suffer from traumatic bonding – a form of coercive control in which the perpetrator instills in the victim fear as well as gratitude for being allowed to live.

Types of Sex Trafficking

Victims of trafficking are forced into various forms of commercial sexual exploitation including prostitution, pornography, stripping, live-sex shows, mail-order brides, military prostitution and sex tourism.

Victims trafficked into prostitution and pornography are usually involved in the most exploitive forms of commercial sex operations. Sex trafficking operations can be found in highly-visible venues such as street prostitution, as well as more underground systems such as closed-brothels that operate out of residential homes. Sex trafficking also takes place in a variety of public and private locations such as massage parlors, spas, strip clubs and other fronts for prostitution. Victims may start off dancing or stripping in clubs and then be coerced into situations of prostitution and pornography.

Assistance for Victims of Sex Trafficking

When victims of trafficking are identified, the U.S. government can help them adjust their immigration status, and obtain support and assistance in rebuilding their lives in the United States through various programs. By certifying victims of trafficking, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enables trafficking victims who are non-U.S. citizens to receive Federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee. Victims of trafficking who are U.S. citizens do not need to be certified to receive benefits. As U.S. citizens, they may already be eligible for many benefits.

Through HHS, victims can access benefits and services including food, health care and employment assistance. Certified victims of trafficking can obtain access to services that provide English language instruction and skills training for job placement. Since many victims are reluctant to come forward for fear of being deported, one of HHS’ most important roles is to connect victims with non-profit organizations prepared to assist them and address their specific needs. These organizations can provide counseling, case management and benefit coordination.

If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1.888.3737.888. This hotline will help you determine if you have encountered victims of human trafficking, will identify local resources available in your community to help victims, and will help you coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and serve victims so they can begin the process of restoring their lives. For more information on human trafficking visit www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.




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Community Member’s Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking and Slavery

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Community Member’s Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking and Slavery

by Free the Slaves (copyright 2004 by www.freetheslaves.net)

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Summary:

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and the second largest criminal industry in the world.  The U.S. government estimates that 14,500-17,500 people are brought into the U.S. each year to be used as slaves.  The non-profit organization Free the Slaves is a leader in education and advocacy about human trafficking and created a booklet that sums up the problem and the solution.  It will help you:

    • Look for and identify trafficked and enslaved people in your community
    • Know what to do if and when you find slavery
    • Understand how slavery in the US fits into the slavery that exists around the world
    • Know what you can do in your life and community to bring slavery to an end

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

This is the best booklet we’ve found for explaining what human trafficking is, what it looks like, and what you can do to make a difference in the lives of those trapped in modern-day slavery.  These brochures are available for free in their downloadable form.

 
 


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Education Pack

 

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Education Pack

by Free the Slaves

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Summary:

This education pack is teacher and student-tested and can be adapted for classrooms from upper elementary through high school.  It contains many activities, projects, fact sheets, quizzes, pictures and illustrations.  Schools, community groups, congregations and other organizations have been able to adapt material from this education pack to teach others about modern slavery and get them involved in the fight to end slavery.
The Education Pack has five sections, which you can download from their website:

    • Slavery in the 21st Century—This short section introduces the topic of modern slavery and places it in the context of global human rights.
    • Slavery Throughout History—This section compares and contrasts modern slavery with slavery in the Old South and provides accompanying activities.
    • Slavery and Human Rights—This section provides activities to help students understand human rights and anti-slavery advocacy.
    • Bonded Labor Campaign—Bonded labor is the most common form of slavery.  This section explains the issue and provides ways to help.
    • Resources and Contacts—Find other materials and organizations to continue your work on the issue of slavery.


Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

Educators, parents, and youth group leaders can easily adapt activities to create and supplement lessons.  Free the Slaves is one of the leading organizations in the fight to end modern-day slavery, and they have found that when young people learn about modern slavery—particularly about kids their age who are enslaved—they are inspired to learn more about it and act in a positive way to end it.

 


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Toolkit for Healthcare Providers

 
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Toolkit for Health Care Providers

by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Rescue and Restore Campaign)

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Summary:

Medical clinics, hospitals and emergency rooms are often a first point of contact for victims of human trafficking.  The Department of Health and Human Services has assembled relevant fact sheets, presentations, and print materials specifically for people working in the health care industry who might come in contact with these victims. 

The toolkit includes:

    • Tips for Identifying and Helping Victims of Human Trafficking
    • Screening Questions to Assess Whether a Person is a Trafficking Victim
    • Understanding the Mindset of a Trafficking Victim
    • Communicating with Victims of Human Trafficking
    • Health Problems Seen in Trafficking Victims
    • PowerPoint Presentation for Health Care Providers
    • Health Care Provider Poster
    • Health Care Provider Brochure
    • Health Care Provider Pocket Card

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

This is a unique resource specifically targeted to the health care profession.  The tips for identifying and helping trafficking victims, as well as the explanation of common health problems, provide a quick introduction to human trafficking.  The poster, brochure and pocket card are useful and the PowerPoint presentation is easily adaptable.  This toolkit would best be used for educational purposes by a community medical clinic or faith-based initiative partnering with a hospital/clinic.



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Free The Slaves

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Free The Slaves

Visit this Site

 

Summary:

 

Free The Slaves is the sister organization of Anti-Slavery International in London, the world's oldest human rights group.  Free The Slaves focuses on:

 

    • Working with partner organizations, especially local grassroots organizations.

    • Raising awareness of contemporary slavery by providing a video library, a web site, educational materials for schools and community groups, and public presentations.

    • Promoting slave-free trade by partnering with concerned businesses and non-governmental organizations to build a consumer movement that chooses slave-free goods.

    • Educating policy-makers by working with governments to draft and enforce effective anti-slavery and anti-trafficking laws.

    • Researching modern slavery to determine its scope and nature and to formulate targeted ways to combat it.

The two most helpful sections of the website are "Take Action" and "Resources" which gives many suggestions for activism and education.

Free the Slaves also sponsors an annual National Anti-Slavery Day. Free the Slaves hopes to make this event a way for communities and college students to make others aware of human trafficking issues.  Because youth often have such passion about fighting injustice, they are a perfect group to get involved in fighting human trafficking, although this material is easily adaptable to other concerned individuals and organizations, as well.

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

FBOs working with vulnerable populations, especially immigrants and refugees need to be educated about human trafficking realities and to know how to help victims find relief and aid. This Web site offers important, up to date information and practical resources.



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Three Tales of Slavery in the USA/Tres Historias de Esclavitud en EEUU

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Three Tales of Slavery in the USA/Tres Historias de Esclavitud en EEUU

by The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

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Summary:

Through illustrating the stories of Anna, Imelda, and Ricky, this comic book shows three forms that human trafficking can take.  Anna was told she could find a good job and a better life in America, so she let a man make her travel arrangements.  She quickly learns that she has become in debt to him and he forces her work doing “whatever the men want” to pay him back.  Imelda is virtually enslaved by a woman who hired her to be a housekeeper.  She works 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is unable to leave.  Ricky is the trafficker who smuggled people into the US and made them work long hours but rarely paid them.  These stories show the horror of human trafficking without dwelling on the horror.

 

Why does FASTEN recommend this resource?

This comic book is a unique vehicle to communicate with people who have limited literacy skills.  It is also a way to introduce children to the concept of human trafficking and injustice that happens in the US.  This would be effective for outreaches, for educational/awareness programs in the community, and for faith-based organizations to provide in waiting areas for children to color.
 

 

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