CATE

Human Trafficking on Temporary Work Visas

Austin Hattox — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 14:42:38 +0000

This report from the Polaris Project collects data from 2015 to 2017 about human trafficking victims in the United States on temporary work visas. It highlights the vulnerabilities those on temporary visas face, and some steps we can take to better protect them.

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Ukrainian Refugees Face Threat of Human Trafficking at Borders

Austin Hattox — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:24:24 +0000

The recent war and refugee crisis in Ukraine have increased the risk for fleeing women and children of being recruited into human trafficking warns a collection of anti-trafficking advocates and legislators in this article from New York Post. Read this story to learn more about the challenges being faced as millions flee the country.

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Examining the Link: Foster Care Runaway Episodes and Human Trafficking

Austin Hattox — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 18:13:59 +0000

This report, from the Administration for Children and Families takes a close look at the connections between foster care runaway episodes and child recruitment into human trafficking. This report is full of information regarding risk factors and statistics about runaways and how they are recruited by trafficking.

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OVC – The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit

Austin Hattox — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 15:45:28 +0000

Office for Victims of Crime - The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit

This toolkit, put together by the Office for Victims of Crime, compiles over 500 resources for the purpose of learning to identify, respond to, and work with the vicarious trauma that comes with working with vulnerable populations.

“It takes courage to help child and adult victims of sexual abuse, assist survivors of acts of terrorism and mass violence… It also takes commitment to do this work despite the personal, physical, emotional, and mental impact it can have.”

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Rethinking Human Trafficking Representation

Austin Hattox — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 21:19:28 +0000

This joint article and webinar shared by HEAL Trafficking explore some of the trends shown in the representation of human trafficking survivors and of the crime itself. In addition to exploring the issues currently faced in human trafficking representation, some strategies are shared to improve the ways we discuss and educate about trafficking.

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The Current State of Restitution for Survivors of Human Trafficking

Austin Hattox — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:09:42 +0000

This article from the Human Trafficking Institute discusses the current status of restitution for survivors of human trafficking. The article discusses how often restitution is awarded in human trafficking cases and what roadblocks exist to the mandatory restitution survivors are owed. The article ends with recommendations for attorneys, judges, lawmakers, and advocates about how to improve the state of restitution and better ensure survivors receive it.

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The Silenced Minority: Sex Trafficking of Males

Austin Hattox — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 18:00:53 +0000

In the anti-trafficking movement, the sex trafficking of men and boys is often overlooked, and services can be difficult to find for male survivors. This article addresses common themes in the sex trafficking of boys, unique barriers that male victims and survivors face, and recommendations for anti-trafficking advocates to better assist male survivors

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Human Trafficking Myths, Facts, and Statistics

Austin Hattox — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 15:46:16 +0000

Misinformation is common online, especially in issues surrounding human trafficking. The Polaris Project recently released an article tackling some common myths and misconceptions surrounding trafficking, and presenting the true fact and statistics.

Read the article here.

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Migrant Worker Safety, Occupational Health Equity, and Labor Trafficking

Austin Hattox — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 15:28:13 +0000

This article, from the Harvard Public Health Review, explores the unique hardships facing migrant workers and survivors of labor trafficking. With a focus on mental health, the authors suggest a few ways in which migrant workers can be better protected from labor trafficking, and how survivors can be better served.

Read the article here.

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An Open Letter to Mayor Lyda Krewson

Austin Hattox — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 19:38:03 +0000

Dear Mayor Krewson,

My name is Lauren Masten, and I am the Membership Coordinator for the Coalition Against Trafficking and Exploitation, a statewide multi-disciplinary coalition that works to prevent and respond to trafficking and exploitation. Our coalition started in St. Louis City, and our group includes many service providers in the city who work with survivors of human trafficking. I am writing at the request of our Coalition Members in response to the disbandment of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s (SLMPD) Human Trafficking Investigative Unit.

As service providers, we work with city residents who have been the victims of the horrible crime of human trafficking, and we appreciate the vital importance of collaboration between providers and law enforcement to bring justice. Human trafficking is a unique and complicated crime that often involves multiple victims, suspects, and crime scenes across jurisdictions and state lines. It takes experienced and dedicated professionals at all levels, including the vital Law Enforcement personnel who respond to the scene and investigate these cases. Individuals experience complex trauma, PTSD, and other mental health concerns, genuine safety concerns, and often have a long history of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse. Because of this reality, it can be hard for them to trust providers or Law Enforcement. Providers work hard to build trust and having allies that the service providers trust can be the difference it takes to help a victim feel safe, report, and seek justice.

The Human Trafficking Unit disbanded a few years ago, and it was to the great detriment of the clients we serve. Without the Unit, cases fell apart, and perpetrators were released or never arrested. Service providers lost trust in law enforcement to address the complex cases we saw. Survivors were re-victimized by the lack of system support. Survivors did not trust the police, and we were not able to reassure them otherwise. Thankfully the Police Department reinstated the individuals who oversaw the Unit. Yet, in 2020 the Unit was disbanded again, and cases transferred to the Sex Crimes Unit. We fear the same consequences.

The Unit brings a victim-centered approach with specific knowledge and experience to see the cases through, make necessary services referrals, and unit with service providers and the community against trafficking. We are aware that this is a vulnerable and challenging time for the city and the police department as you plan how to move forward in response to the civil unrest across the nation as well as to a global pandemic. However, we believe that this is deeply related. When thinking about how to care for the police department as well as ensure city residents are protected and have a path to justice, do not forget the survivors of human trafficking.

We urge you to reinstate the Human Trafficking Unit in the SLMPD. It is essential to the well-being of victims, who already face many obstacles in their path to healing. It is vital to support the path to justice for survivors.

Sincerely,

Coalition Against Trafficking and Exploitation Members

Healing Action Network, Inc.

The Covering House

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