Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Award recognizes impact of anthropologist’s work on human organ trade
Nancy Scheper-Hughes, an anthropologist at UC Berkeley, was honored by the American Anthropological Association with the first ever Anthropology in Public Policy Award for her trailblazing work shedding light on the dark practice of human organ trafficking. Scheper-Hughes was instrumental in founding the Berkeley Organ Watch project, an endeavor focused on monitoring the organ-transplant trade for abuses.

Nigeria frees 16 girls, women in ‘baby factory’ raid
Police in Owerri, the capital of the Imo State in Nigeria, raided a home and rescued 16 girls and women, ages 14 to 19. All were in various stages of pregnancy and allegedly being forced to have the babies sold. The male owner of the home had registered it as a non-governmental organization promoting women’s and children’s issues.

US: Human trafficking a worry in post-typhoon Philippines
Thousands of women and children in the Philippines risk falling prey to human traffickers in the aftermath of last month's catastrophic typhoon, lawmakers and the chief US aid agency warn. Natural disasters are events that greatly contribute to the great supply of vulnerable people who are in danger of being exploited by opportunistic traffickers. This is why it is integral to create safe spaces for women and children affected by typhoon Yolanda.

Human trafficking victim speaks out
A gripping firsthand account by a young woman of her long and challenging road from captivity to freedom and growth.

Protests as France debates Bill on Prostitution
Protesters both for and against an anti-prostitution bill that would decriminalize prostitutes but fine their customers continue to demonstrate outside France's National Assembly as lawmakers debate.

Modern Slavery News Round-Up

Timor-Leste: Trafficked people left unsupported
According to the Alola Foundation, a Timorese NGO focusing on women's issues and prevention of trafficking, lack of funding in Timor-Leste for trafficking victims is taking its toll.  "Even if someone was referred to us, we wouldn't have a designated place to put them now, says Susan Kendall, an international mentor at PRADET, a local NGO providing psychosocial support to victims.  The most recent US State Department Trafficking in Persons report notes that Indonesian and Chinese women are often forced to become commercial sex workers, while Camodian and Burmese men and boys are forced into labor or onto fishing boats.  The border authorities lack resources and the system of identifying victims have broken down, leaving trafficked persons vulnerable.  A draft law on trafficking still needs three ministers to sign off on it before it can go to Parliament for approval.

Long Beach man charged with running sex trafficking ring
Roshaun, aka "Kevin", Nakia Porter, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of forced labor and two counts of sex trafficking through force, fraud or coercion.  The victims allege that Porter placed personal ads on craigeslist.com and seekingarrangments.com, but once a relationship was established he forced them to work as prostitutes.  The federal complaint adds that he kept control of the women by using physical violence and threatening them and their families.  If convicted on all counts, Porter will face life in federal prison.  The trial date is set for June 19.

Nigerians Become Most Trafficked into Italy's Sex Trade
Although Nigerian women and girls have been trafficked into Italy since the 1980s, the United Nations now estimates that between 8,000 and 10,000 are forced into the country's street prostitution trade every year.  Like other countries, these women are promised decent jobs and better wages, but what makes Nigeria unique is the trafficker's use of juju, or black magic, to cement the trafficker's agreement.  The traffickers make the girls go through a ritual where they swear to reimburse their sponsors for the trip.  Most of the victims are so terrified of the juju that they will not attempt to escape and they end up promising to repay up to $78,000.  This can translate into 10 customers a day.