Globally, in 2023, we fell behind in prosecuting traffickers, funding safe and affordable housing for victims, and providing victim services essential to the mental health of trafficked victims.
2023 in Review: Advancing Federal Prosecution Against Human Trafficking and Strengthening Enforcement Measures
Enhancing the government’s capacity to detect and prosecute federal criminal cases related to forced labor and bolstering the enforcement of the ban on imports produced through forced labor is the main objective for 2024. In FY 2022, the Department of Justice secured convictions for 613 traffickers, predominately in sex trafficking-a significant increase from 203 in 2021. Although human trafficking prosecutions decreased from 228 to 162, convictions rose from 203 to 256. Notably, 86 percent of the 291 convicted traffickers received sentences of five or more years. The U.S. Department of State is actively advancing a comprehensive 2024 plan to combat human trafficking domestically, focusing on victim assistance, legal process scrutiny, and addressing vulnerabilities like the visa program flaws.1
Empowering Change: Strategies for the New Year in Human Trafficking Prevention and Victim Support
The strategy for the new year calls for increasing the number of Continued Presence requests, accelerating the processing of benefits related to trafficking, and removing obstacles for victims. Collaboration between victims, advocates, and authorities is vital to preventing unjust outcomes for human trafficking victims.3 Advocating for legislative changes empowers victims to challenge convictions that occurred while in captivity. Important components involve engaging survivors in anti-trafficking campaigns and establishing easily accessible compensation procedures.
Narrowing the Gap: Enhancing Human Trafficking Data Accuracy through Comprehensive Training Initiatives
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) began gathering data on occurrences of human trafficking, including sex acts and involuntary servitude, in 2013. There are still significant gaps in the reporting. The main reason for underreporting is the lack of adequate training in crime statistics and accurate victim identification. Bridging the underreporting gap and increasing the accuracy of data gathering requires a concerted effort to equip law enforcement, social services, transportation, immigration, and other relevant organizations with the necessary skills and knowledge.4
Addressing these shortcomings and providing comprehensive training will give authorities a more accurate understanding of the prevalence and patterns related to human trafficking. Consequently, this will enable the several sectors involved in tackling this grave issue to formulate more efficient solutions. Comprehensive training for law enforcement and legal authorities is necessary to guarantee the effectiveness of restitution orders and maximize restitution orders.
Daily acts of kindness honoring human trafficking survivors and victims in January!
Join us in January as we dedicate each day to uplifting survivors and victims of human trafficking. Share a note of encouragement and show them that we won’t give up. Send your notes and letters to our email at lisaburdsall@speroinspired.org. Keep your communication light. Refrain from talking about yourself or their life. Simply encourage.
We will display your notes at our new building, opening this March.
References
1 U.S. Department of State. (2023, December 7). United States - United States Department of State. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-trafficking-in-persons-report/united-states
2 Polaris. (2023, September 27). Labor trafficking on specific temporary work visas report - Polaris. Polaris - Polaris Works to Reshape the Systems That Allow for Sex and Labor Trafficking in North America and Operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. https://polarisproject.org/labor-trafficking-on-specific-temporary-work-visas-report/
3 Continued presence: Temporary immigration designation for victims of human trafficking. Homeland Security. (n.d.). https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/materials/pamphlet-continued-presence
4 Gaps in reporting human trafficking incidents result in significant undercounting. National Institute of Justice. (n.d.). National Institute of Justice. https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/gaps-reporting-human-trafficking-incidents-result-signifigant-undercounting
5 Al-Tammemi, A.A.B., Nadeem, A., Kutkut, L., Ali, M., Angawi, K., Adballah, M.H., …& Sallam, M. (2023). Are we seeing the unseen of human trafficking? A retrospective analysis of the CTDC-k-annonymized global victim of trafficking data pool in the period 2010-2020. PloS one, 18(4), e0284762
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