Modern Slavery News Round-up

Victim helps raise awareness of human trafficking
An estimated 27 million people, mostly women and children, are forced into exploited labor or sex acts each year, according to the U.S. State Department, and groups that track human trafficking data rank North Carolina as one of the top 10 states for the illegal activity. The Governor's Office and several organizations hosted a day of panel discussions at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School on Monday to raise awareness about human trafficking in the state among students from across eastern North Carolina.

Human trafficking to be focus of OSUM seminar
A former human trafficking victim will headline a seminar this week to discuss the growing problem. De Romano runs a program called Wake Up Youth, which caters to human trafficking victims and survivors. She assisted FBI agents in getting women to testify against traffickers in the Precious Cargo case, which was a massive bust in 2005 in Harrisburg, Pa., that involved numerous Ohio victims and offenders. She also works with Shared Hope International, an anti-human trafficking organization. The Ohio State University at Marion also is taking donations of toiletry items that will support De Romano’s outreach work to get young people off of the streets.

Anti-human trafficking measure moves forward
Victims of human trafficking may see more state services made available to them, if legislation that would allow for intervention through the court system passes.House Bill 569, sponsored by Rep. Julie Stokes, R-Kenner, which gained approval from the House Judiciary Committee last week and will be heard on the House floor, would allow district courts to create a division for human trafficking cases. Traditionally, Louisiana has looked at victims of human trafficking as prostitutes. Over the past few years, Louisiana lawmakers have tried to change that perception. Stokes’ bill is a part of a package that would strengthen penalties for captors, provide more money for victim support services and allow courts to intervene and to secure counseling and shelter.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

27 million live in slavery 
In her unveiling of the annual human trafficking report, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton revealed that up to 27 million people are living in slavery around the world.  Fortunately, the report also showed that governments are becoming more aware and beginning to instigate tough new laws and programs to help victims.  Only 33 countries complied fully with laws in place to end human trafficking, but five countries moved up from the bottom blacklist including Venezuela and Myanmar.  According to the report, the countries "took a number of unprecedented steps to address forced labor and the conscription of child soldiers..."  A total of 29 countries have been upgraded to a higher ranking, which means, according to Ms Clinton, "governments are taking the right steps."

Wal-Mart supplier accused of forced labor
A group of immigrant workers has recently gone on strike in an effort to get Wal-Mart to drop its contract with Louisiana-based seafood company, CJ's Seafood.  Headed by Ana Rosa Diaz, one of the workers from Mexico on a H-2B work visa, the group claims that CJ's Seafood forced them to work 24 hours without overtime pay, locked them in the facility and threatened physical violence to prevent people from taking breaks.  "Our boss threatened us and our families...," says Diaz.  The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) has verified the claims and the company is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Government rescues 106 would-be trafficking victims 
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in the Philippines has rescued some 106 persons who were being smuggled overseas this month.  85 of the rescuees were saved on board the ML Kadrina between the boundaries of islands.  "We intercepted 150 persons who were on board.  But only 65 were officially declared on the ship's manifest," says Vice President Jejomar Binay.  10 other persons were saved after they caused a scene to catch IACAT agents' attention in an airport terminal.  As of right now the Philippines is in the Tier 2 status in this year's Global Trafficking in Person's Report.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Israel: Court Conviction a victory, but more needed
On May 10th the head of the largest trafficking operation in Israel, Rami Saban, received an 18-year jail sentence.  Saban and three partners are accused of having trafficked thousands of young women from Eastern Europe.  They are said to have recruited mostly from Moldova and Ukraine on the false pretenses of offering careers as cleaners.  The women were then sold to brothels based on age and appearance once they were smuggled into Israel from Egypt.  According to the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons report, Israel "does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so."  The Israeli government has instituted special training for police officers and has established a shelter for victims who escape, but more needs to be done.

Forced labor in the seafood industry
Sea vessels, or "motherships", that serve as deep-sea resupply stations have become sites for laundering products gathered by forced labor.  Once a squid or sardine comes aboard a mothership, it is almost impossible to know whether it was netted by paid fisherman or sea slaves.  Slavery is Thailand's deep-sea fishing trade is an open secret, recognized by the US, the UN and even within the Thai government.  In the wild-caught seafood industry, forced labor persists because out in the open sea, the "law is soft," says Bpa Ouan, a fishing syndicate chief based in Samut Sakhon, Thailand's hub for the fishing industry.  "We have to handle problems ourselves," he says.

Human Trafficking: McKenna, AG's blast Backpage.com
One of the most common things heard from law enforcement regarding human trafficking is that the trade has moved from the real world to the virtual one.  One of the easiest avenues for human trafficking is through websites that contain "adult" sections, most notoriously, Backpage.com.  Washington State Attorney, General Rob McKenna, along with 48 other attorneys general (AG) are pressuring the site to close it's adult section.   "One reason police are critical of Backpage.com is because too often the victims of prostitution are children," says Missouri AG Chris Koster.  In response, Liz McDougall, the general counsel, has promised to only cooperate with the AGs if they rescind their request to have that section discontinued. It is a request, they say, they will not obey.