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Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
IJM Celebrates 100th Human-Trafficking Conviction in the Philippines
On Friday October 12, our friends at the International Justice Mission (IJM) celebrated the100th human-trafficking conviction in Manila, the Philippines.
The trial spanned over a six-year period and brought justice for six girls who were trafficked on the same street of bars. The trafficker received a life sentence in jail and is required to make compensatory measures to the victims affected. The courtroom was filled with anticipation, and tears of joy and relief were shed over the guilty verdict.
What does this mean for the larger anti-slavery community? It means that our hard work is paying off and victims are being rescued on a more consistent basis. It means that we are seeing the fruit of our labor and are changing people’s lives. It also means that traffickers will get the signal that their crimes will not go unpunished and they cannot continue to act with impunity.
The fight is not only overseas however. Sex trafficking also occurs in the United States every day. Here are some places you may see sex trafficking domestically:
• massage parlors
• Internet ads
• residential brothels
• street prostitution
• hostess & strip clubs
• escort services
• truck stops
Polaris Project has created an incredibly useful resource that visualizes how many reports of trafficking the National Human Trafficking Resource Center receives by state.
One useful way that you can join us in the fight is by saving the number of your national hotline in your cell phone: in the U.S. it’s 1-888-3737-888. Specialists are always on call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. All reports are confidential and can be taken from anywhere in the States to report potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. Translators are available!
Wherever you are, from Washington D.C. to Manila in the Philippines, stay alert and celebrate that we are gaining momentum in convicting traffickers worldwide! ~Michelle Cho
Each year, the Department of State honors individuals around the world who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking. These individuals are NGO workers, lawmakers, police officers, and concerned citizens who are committed to ending modern slavery. They are recognized for their tireless efforts – despite resistance, opposition, and threats to their lives – to protect victims, punish offenders, and raise awareness of ongoing criminal practices in their countries and abroad.
Azezet Habtezghi Kidane, also known as Sister Aziza, is a member of the Comboni Missionary Sisters from Eritrea. She volunteers as a nurse for the NGO Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I) and has called attention to human trafficking in Sinai, Egypt for the past two years. Her painstaking work led to a groundbreaking research project that has interviewed hundreds of victims of sexual slavery and African asylum seekers living in Israel. This could not have been accomplished without the devotion of Sister Aziza who helped identify men, women, and children who had been kidnapped, repeatedly raped, or subjected to forced labor and sexual servitude.
Sister Aziza’s perseverance, heartfelt concern, and willingness to listen to countless hours of interviews enabled many victims to open up about their horrific experiences with modern slavery. Whereas previously little was known of the specific atrocities in Egypt, these documented first-hand accounts have led to widespread international media reporting and attention to human trafficking in the region. The State Department has relied on the work of Sister Aziza and PHR-I to promote awareness of this important issue.
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US drops biggest-ever human trafficking case amid evidence doubts
- Federal prosecutors dropped the human trafficking case against the owner of a labor contracting company accused of exploiting hundreds of Thai farm workers.
We need justice!
