Human Trafficking and Our Community

July 30 is the “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons”

For many in the U.S., the thought that Human Trafficking could be occurring in our community is almost inconceivable and that the U.S. is the exception to other countries regarding this crime.
That is not the case, unfortunately. Though the U.S. has made great strides since signing on to the Palermo Protocol in 2000, which states that human trafficking is a federal offense in our country, we are far from free of this insidious crime. According to the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report, the U.S. is a “Tier 1” country which:

[. . .] is the highest ranking of states fighting HT, it does not mean that a country has no human trafficking problem or that it is doing enough to address the problem. Rather, a Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem that meet the TVPA’s minimum standards. To maintain a Tier 1 ranking, governments need to demonstrate appreciable progress each year in combating trafficking. Indeed, Tier 1 represents a responsibility rather than a reprieve. (TIPS Report 2020, p.39).

There are many other measures that can be taken by countries to fight HT, including: partnering with NGO’s to protect victims, informing vulnerable populations of the dangers and harm caused by HT, sponsoring programs that inform the public about HT , how to recognize it and provide contact information of agencies, like phone numbers, hotlines , etc. to be contacted. These are some of the ways to fight this crime.

But the reality is that human trafficking is an under-reported crime. As proof, let’s look at the statistics on the global efforts to stamp out the crime. The figures in parentheses ( ) represent victims of labor trafficking as opposed to sex trafficking:

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-TIP-Report-Complete-062420-FINAL.pdf

On a planet with a population approaching 8 billion people, and in a country like the U.S. with a population of over 380 million, the numbers of prosecutions, convictions and victims identified should strike the reader as paltry. They are. Human trafficking is one of the most under-reported crimes. It is carried out through fraud, threat of violence, coercion. People are afraid to report it for fear of harm being done to family members, shame of being involved in sex trafficking, need for food, housing, or protection.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, all over the world and even in Mesa County, the eyes of front line reporters and professionals like teachers and healthcare workers are not watching over the most vulnerable: children, single parents, the unemployed, the cognitively challenged, those in danger of eviction. Traffickers take advantage of the desperation that occurs during times of social upheaval, like now, all over our country and in our county.

So what can one do?

According to the experts, the most important tool for our community to prevent human trafficking is the education of community members to become knowledgeable about the crime and know what resources are available for them in the event they suspect that they encounter a victim.

Please reach out to Colorado Human Trafficking Council to schedule a free training for your group or organization at
Camerron Resener P (303) 239-5740 camerron.resener@state.co.us

Or contact the local human trafficking initiative is Western Slope Against Trafficking (WSAT) at ocoa_1953@yahoo.com.
Tom Acker, WSAT
Grand Junction