Khaleej Times- Experts call for review of human trafficking law

The Dubai Public Prosecution’s office general attorney has admitted the UAE federal law on human trafficking is vague and is now advocating for a change.  He says the current form hindered prosecution,  did not detail acts that constituted human trafficking and was inadequate in outlining the procedures to be followed when violation was suspected.

Canadian Press-Ottawa to make sure no human trafficking problem at Olympics

The federal government is keeping an eye on Vancouver’s Olympic Games to ensure they do not further support human trafficking. Canada’s public safety minister said, “My view is that human trafficking is not a problem only at the Olympics. it’s a problem for Canada at all times at special events … we’re working with local police on the range of those issues.”

NY Daily News- She survived the horror Ex-’chica’ takes aim at trafficking

Kika Cerpa, a native of Venezuela, was lured to the United States by her boyfriend in 1993. When she arrived at age 20, her boyfriend’s cousin took her passport, her life savings and told her she had to pay off her debt by working at a brothel.  Now, Cerpa is working with the local authorities to educate the public on the dangers of force prostitution.

Examiner.com – Child sex traffickers sentenced to federal prison:

“Two Fort Lauderdale, Florida residents were sentenced to federal prison for running a sex-trafficking operation, disguised as an escort service, using children in South Florida, according to court documents obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.”

The Malaysia Star - Stateless at greater risk of sex trafficking, slavery:

“For thousands of people living along the Thai-Myanmar border, citizenship is a major issue. So major that it could determine whether they end up being trafficked as sex prisoners, child slaves or forced labour. Every year, an estimated 1.2 million child victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation or cheap labour (ILO and Unicef).”

Human Rights Brief – IJM mobilizes supporters to pass child trafficking law:

“Approximately 1.2 million children worldwide are victims of child trafficking each year. Children are trafficked primarily for purposes of domestic labor and sexual exploitation. Although the majority of countries where child trafficking occurs have outlawed the practice, they often lack the necessary resources and training to successfully enforce their laws. This gap in enforcement has moved the International Justice Mission (IJM) to launch a new campaign to raise public awareness and advocate the passage of the U.S. Child Protection Compact Act of 2009 (CPCA).”

AllAfrica.com – Zambia president vows to end gender-based discrimination and violence, supported by IJM Zambia:

“President Rupiah Banda has described violence against women and children as the worst form of human rights violation and said the Government will do everything within its means to end the crime. … Mr Banda paid tribute to United Nations Children Fund, United States for International Development , World Vision, Care International and International Justice Mission for the support.”

Huffington Post (blog) – HRW condemns MONUC in Congo:

“In a damning and stunning statement today, Human Rights Watch (HRW) charged that the United Nations peacekeeping force (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo ‘knowingly supports abusive military operations’ by the regular Congolese Army (FARDC).”

This week, we’re visiting the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid blog, “Ya Basta! Stop Human Trafficking Today.”

According to their Web site, “TRLA provides free civil legal services to low-income and disadvantaged residents of Central, South and West Texas, serving communities within 68 Texas counties – including the entire 1,200 mile Texas-Mexico border. TRLA provides legal assistance to more than 20,000 residents every year.”

The organization also gives trafficking victims the legal and social assistance necessary to help individuals get back on their feet.

To learn more about Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, and to read a post highlighting At the End of Slavery, please visit the organization’s blog.

The Examiner: More than 700 arrested and 50 children rescued in sting

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the rescue of 50 children who were the victims of child prostitution- here, in the United States. 700 other suspects were also arrested, including 60 pimps, on state and local charges over the weekend. The FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and state and local law enforcement agencies contributed to the sting known as Operation Cross Country IV.

Blogomonster.com: NBC Dateline’s IJM feature exposes blogger to sex slavery

One blogger writes about sex slavery and how they first became aware of the issue.  They write, “I first became aware of the issue of human trafficking after watching a special on Dateline NBC. The program featured the work of the International Justice Mission (IJM.org), a faith-based human rights agency that seeks to free victims of human trafficking and prosecute the perpetrators. I was horrified by the issue of sexual exploitation and bonded labor. The staggering statistics broke my heart.”

The Business Mirror: Lawyers step up drive vs. human traffickers

Lawyers in the Philippines, including International Justice Mission’s Andrew Sawchenko, are hoping to put more people suspected of criminal exploitation in jail as they continue to crackdown on trafficking within the region.

Sawchenko said, “Since 2007, there has been a huge upswing in the cases filed, and we are looking forward to convictions as we need to establish that there is a significant risk so the people involved in trafficking will have a difficult business decision.”

BBC: Lords consider ’slavery’ offenses

A New parliamentary bill amendment, which aims to protect those being held under practices of servitude and forced labor, is going before the House of Lords in the UK.

Aidan McQuade, from Anti-Slavery International, said: “Forced labor will remain a reality in the UK unless adequate legislation is put in place and enforced…. The existing legal provisions fail to protect victims or ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice.”

KCAU-TV (ABC): UNL wants to become center for human trafficking research

Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln want to become the new center for research on human trafficking.  Marketing professor Dwayne Ball points out that trafficking is a problem found worldwide, including Nebraska.

We invite you to take a look at the Soundslides presentation below, which highlights the rescue and ongoing restoration of one formerly enslaved family.

To play, please click the triangular button to the left of the scrubber. Also, if you would like to scroll through the photos at your leisure, please feel free to use the arrows to the right of the scrubber.

Viswanathan is a young boy who, along with members of his family was enslaved in a rock quarry in South Asia where he labored under dangerous conditions.

This inhumane situation reached its tipping point when a local government official enlisted the help of International Justice Mission in order to free Viswanathan and the other slaves.

IJM investigators conducted a reconnaissance mission and determined that the facility was actually two separate but connected quarries controlled by powerful perpetrators – one formerly a state-level politician.

Avoiding a tip-off required sweeping, yet precise, simultaneous operations at both quarries. The perpetrators were dangerous, and the plan was logistically challenging, but it worked. In coordinated dual operations, IJM and local authorities rescued 13 families from slavery. Today, the families – including Viswanathan’s – live in freedom.

For more stories of hope, please click here.