Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Beedi industry's child workers trapped in economic slavery
Each day, between 10 and 14 hours, Indian women and children roll at least 1,000 beedis- for less than $2. Beedis, traditional hand-rolled Indian cigarettes, make nearly half of India's entire tobacco market and while the manufacturers make billions of dollars, the millions of workers are trapped in economic slavery.  A study estimated over 1.7 million children working in the industry and it is usually the only way to keep food on the table.  "The pressure to keep up with the speed and meet the target is so intense that many skip their meals and even avoiding drinking water so they do not need to go to the toilet," says Shanu, a community volunteer. The situation of the beedi workers involves violations of their fundamental right sand freedoms.

Life gets strange hunting traffickers in the US
CNN Freedom Project is reporting on the fight against sex trafficking- not in the developing world, but in the affluent Orange County near Los Angeles.  Undercover cops are working to earn the trust and confidence of  girls forced into prostitution, a new attitude of law enforcement that prostitutes are victims, controlled and manipulated by their pimps.  The police set up sting operations to capture these pimps, but even with months of surveillance, it can be difficult to get charges to stick.  Despite the frustration, the women are offered shelter, protection and a chance to start anew.

Canadian teen girls charged with human trafficking
Two girls have been charged with human trafficking and a third teenager is still at large for alleged pimping.  Three separate incidents were identified where three female victims were lured to a housing complex in Ottawa through social media and then forced to other locations for prostitution purposes.  Staff Sgt. John McGetrick said that the meetings were supposed to be an "enjoyable activity", like a hang out.  "There was no ill-intention in the invite."  Police believe that there were no adults involved in the operation and the police are now looking for the johns that sexually engaged with the victims.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Canadians fight global sex trafficking on their soil
Human rights advocates are enraged after an announcement made by the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada (AEAC) declared they will be recruiting high school and college students to fill the demand for sex workers after the government banned visas allowing foreign workers to work in the industry.  The AEAC insists the industry is safe to work in, yet Joy Smith, a member of Parliament, argues "many Canadians do no realize that prostitution, strip clubs...are were the majority of victims of human trafficking are found." Canada is a gateway for many Asian and Eastern European victims.

Appeals court reinstates Vermont prison forced labor case
After an appeal made Friday, a three-judge panel decided that Finbar McGarry, a man who claims he was forced to do manual labor while pending trial, has the right to argue that he was under threat to work in a prison laundry.  He was waiting trial for domestic disturbance when he says he was forced to work up to 14 hours three days a week washing laundry for 25 cents/hour.  He will be arguing for $11 million in damages.

Torture and denial of rights for drug addicts locked in Asian camps
Hundreds of thousands of drug users in China and across Southeast Asia are held in camps where they are subject to physical and sexual violence in order to be "cured".  These centers have received financial support from donor countries and UN agencies yet they deny people their rights.  The lack of liberty can last up to 5 years and involve the homeless, mentally ill and street children.  Joe Amon, a director at Human Rights Watch, insists that "beatings, forced labor and humiliation" are not part of the prescribed therapy.

Tanzania: Dar es Salaam Leads in Human Trafficking

The Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) reported that Tanzania has a higher rate of internal trafficking than transnational trafficking. Internal trafficking often occurs among the family and friends of victims who, as with other forms of trafficking, are given empty promises of employment, education, and otherwise. Many victims are subjected to being domestic workers, barmaids or prostitutes. The case study was done on the city of Dar es Salaam; the top five cities where human trafficking is found are Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro, Singida, and Dodoma, respectively.

Food cart gives human-trafficking survivors a new life on the street

Non-profit organization doma is helping human trafficking victims in Franklin County Ohio by allowing women to run their food cart, Freedom a la Cart. Stationed Downtown, the women, who learn skills such as kitchen prep and business management, also provide catering services and every “meal served comes with a pamphlet on human trafficking. All proceeds go to helping victims.”

DOJ suspiciously dismissed human trafficking case, says watchdog group

Watchdog group Judicial Watch claimed that the Department of Justice suspiciously dismissed a case in which three defendants “who worked for the Los Angeles-based labor recruiting company in question -- Global Horizons Manpower, Inc. -- pled guilty to [human trafficking-related] charges…” Bruce Schwartz pled guilty to conspiring to commit forced labor, while Sam Wongsesanit and Shane Germann pled guilty to conspiring to commit document servitude. However, other watchdogs argue that the prosecutors were unable to prove the admitted guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Compiled By: Elyse Elder and Whitney Joseph 

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

4 arrested in Florida foster child prostitution ring
Miami authorities are accusing four men of operating an underage prostitution ring.  Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle says most girls were 15 to 17 years old and were in foster care due to previous abuse.  The men lured these girls into the sex trade through cellphones, gifts of clothing and attention.  A problem across the country, these pimps shower girls with attention and then lure them into prostitution. Florida is the third most popular destination for domestic sex trafficking of minors and at least 300,000 children are at risk.

Ottawa bans sex trade business from hiring foreign workers
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced a ban on sex trade industry employees from hiring workers.  "We're protecting them from what they might not know will happen to them when they get to Canada," he explained at a press conference.  Citizenship and Immigration Canada will not process new work permit applications from temporary foreign workers who wish to work in places like a massage parlor, strip club or escort agency.  Representatives of the sex industry are considering challenging the new regulation.

Over 800 held after child-trafficking bust
An operation involving 10,000 Chinese police officers has broken up a child-trafficking ring that was operating in 15 provinces.  802 people where arrested who were selling babies to the highest bidder for up to 5,000 pounds (close to $8,000).  181 children were freed during raids that police say took place simultaneously across China. An unidentified police officer says they are managing the practice , but it's still prominent in certain areas.  However, since it's campaign to combat trafficking started in 2009, 24,000 kidnapped women and children have been rescued.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Ottawa plan to combat human trafficking in booming Alberta
Canada's federal government's new plan to combat human trafficking recognizes Alberta's particular vulnerability to forced labor.  A Calgary-based researcher said that cases in this province have frequently involved adults of both genders being coerced into types of work outside of the sex trade.  The plan, called The National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, includes the formation of an investigative squad dedicated to fighting this issue.  "...the forced labor issue is alive in that area, mainly because of the demand of workers in Alberta," says Sgt. Marie-Claude Arsenault.  The unit will receive $2 million to combat this problem.

Wisconsin officials strengthen fight against human trafficking
This past week 300 officials received training on how to identify cases of human trafficking after law enforcement leaders acknowledged that they could do a better attacking these criminals.  "...it's an issue that we frequently categorize wrong," says Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.  The officials included law enforcement officers, prosecutors and victim-assistant specialists.  Survivors also attended to share their stories.    Tritt-Feleshchuk testified that she was lured not by drugs, but the "promise of love' and called for a law that would allow victims to have their records expunged if they were forced to commit this crime.  "While most prostitution stories end in jail, that's where my journey began."

Forced marriage: an ancient practice in modern Britain
Already illegal in Scotland, the British government is expected to pass a law under which parents in England and Wales who force their children to marry could be jailed.  The courts have had the power to issue civil orders, but now those who violate the "Forced Marriage Act" could be sent to jail for up to two years.  Forced marriage, distinct from an arranged marriage, is a phenomenon in Britain's large Asian community, particularly among Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.  Theresa May, the Home Secretary, also revealed a three-year, $772,000 fund to assist schools in recognizing signs of forced marriage among their students.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Human Trafficking Happening in Charlotte
As a transportation hub with close proximity to major highways, human trafficking has come to Charlotte, North Carolina.  Traffickers can pick up their victims and then easily leave, making it hard to find and prosecute them.  State Attorney General Roy Cooper wants more public awareness and with the Democratic National Convention approaching, there's a growing concern of increased trafficking.  "When there's more money to be made, people are going to take advantage of it...this is a $32 billion industry," says Charity Magnuson, leader of the NC Stop chapter.  A this moment, there are 7 to 10 open human trafficking cases in the city.

Human Trafficking Crackdown in Northern Ireland
Since 2009, more than 70 women from a variety of countries such as Ghana, China, Slovakia and Zimbabwe have been rescued from human traffickers in Northern Ireland.  Police believe that there are about 90 brothels that have tricked these women into coming to the country and then forced into sexual slavery by crime gangs.  The increase in awareness can be partly attributed to a new working group, the All Party Group on Human Trafficking, that is lobbying for stronger legislation to make it more difficult for these gangs to exploit vulnerable women.  The MLA allianced recently announced its cooperation with other justice departments.  "Human trafficking is a hidden crime and it is difficult to know what the full extent is, but we know that it is happening and it has to stop."

Former Sex Worker Cautions Kids About Trafficking
Natasha Falle was 14 when she was first sold for sex and now she teaches high school students in British Columbia on how to avoid being exploited.  Falle was trafficked across Canada by her pimp and Naomi Krueger, member of a safe house for trafficking victims, says most of the facility's residents come from Canada.   "We've had residents who were trafficked from northern British Columbia to Vancouver."  Criminal charges for traffickers are rare in British Columbia, with the first conviction ever to be given in 2011.  Falle hopes to not only rely on criminal charges to protect women and children, but to also give an accurate presentation of sex trafficking to future generations.