Coalition Assists Victims of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking – just to hear the term repulses us.  And well it should. 

Human trafficking is, after all, a modern-day form of slavery.

Victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor.  Young children, teenagers, adult men and women – all are among the victims of this horrible crime.

Trafficking of humans is estimated to be the second-largest criminal industry in the world after drug dealing, and is the fastest growing.

For years, the staff of CCV has been aware of a link between human sex trafficking and Ohio’s commercial sex industry.  We have known that some of the women enslaved by various sexually oriented businesses in Ohio are victims of human trafficking.  Such victims frequently are trafficked between theses businesses in a vicious cycle of captivity, slavery, physical and psychological abuse, and fear.

For years we have been aware of the human trafficking element in Ohio’s sex business industry – but have felt helpless to directly address that aspect of the industry.  We have concentrated, instead, on public policies and citizen actions to reduce the other crimes and negative effects associated with Ohio’s sex businesses.

Until Recently

In the spring of this year, representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asked CCV to become a ground level partner in the Ohio branch of a nationwide HHS-initiated effort – Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking. 

Rescue & Restore seeks to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including law enforcement, health and social services, faith-based organizations, and legal aid groups, for the three-fold purpose of increasing public awareness of the human trafficking problem, identifying and assisting victims, and providing housing and other assistance for rescued victims.

Needless to say, CCV’s board and staff were willing and eager to join the Ohio Rescue & Restore team.

Background

Contrary to the common misconception, human trafficking is not something that happens just “over there,” wherever “there” might be.

Of the approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims trafficked annually across international borders worldwide, between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of State. 

Most victims are trafficked into the U.S. from Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe.  Because many of those victims do not speak or understand English, they are isolated and unable to communicate with service providers, law enforcement and others who might be able to help them.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 divides human trafficking into two forms:

• Sex trafficking – the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person forced to perform such an act is under the age of 18 years; and

• Labor trafficking – the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.

Getting closer to home, although victims of both forms of human trafficking may be found in major metropolitan areas through the U.S., most trafficking victims are brought into the Midwest for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Brothels, strip clubs, escort services, and massage parlors are among the establishments into which they are sold.

Ohio a Hub

Ohio has become a significant hub for human sex trafficking.

Why Ohio?  Two practical reasons – geography and demographics.  Lake Erie allows trafficking to move from Canada, while the various interstate corridors allow movement of victims to cities throughout the country.  The large number of colleges and military bases also contribute to the traffic.  Cleveland and Columbus have been identified as major cities popular among johns seeking Asian massage parlors serving as front for brothels.  Toledo has been identified by the FBI as one of the top recruiting centers in the country for underage prostitution.

Kathleen Davis, who serves as the Ohio Director for the Polaris Project authored a report titled Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery in Ohio.  In detailing the purposes for which women and children are trafficked into Ohio, she lists “commercial sexual exploitation, exotic dancing, stripping, and pornography.”

CCV’s Role

CCV’s Columbus operations director, Bruce Purdy, volunteered to serve as CCV’s representative on the Rescue & Restore coalition.

After an initial June organizational meeting, in which the expertise and respective roles of member organizations were identified, a press conference was held on July 31st in Columbus to announce the effort. 

CCV’s role in the Rescue & Restore team will be primarily in the area of increased public awareness. 

“In this start-up stage of the coalition,” Purdy explains, “increasing awareness is critical.  Initially we will focus on reaching out to those individual who are most likely to encounter victims on a daily basis, but may not recognize them as victims.  By educating health care providers, social service organizations and the law enforcement community, we hope to encourage these intermediaries to look beneath the surface by recognizing clues and asking the right questions.  They may be the only outsiders with the opportunity to identify and help these tragic victims.”

A critical component of the Rescue & Restore campaign is the creation of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, 1.888.3737.888, which connects victims of trafficking to non-government organizations, which can help victims in their local area. The resource center helps intermediaries determine whether they have encountered a victim of human trafficking, helps connect victims to resources,  and coordinates with local social service organizations to protect and serve victims of trafficking.

In the months ahead, Purdy will receive specialized training from various governmental agencies and national advocacy groups, including the Polaris Project, Catholic Conference, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

CDA a plus!

Members of the Rescue & Restore coalition, as well as HHS representatives, view Ohio’s recently enacted Community Defense Act (CDA) as a deterrent to sex trafficking in the state.  (See “CDA Stayed,” page 1.)

Says Purdy, “CDA’s two statewide regulations, as well as the assistance that the law provides for local communities, will make Ohio much less attractive to this criminal element.  Human trafficking is another one of the many crimes that will decrease as a result of the passage and enforcement of CDA.”