Dear ladies and gentlemen of the Human Services Committee,
My name is Brittany McClary and I am here on behalf of the Advocates for Victims of Human Trafficking Non-profit Organization. This organization is located here in Baltimore, Maryland, and stands to combat human trafficking through prevention awareness, advocacy, and by assisting victims with resources and services. First and foremost I’d like to thank the committee for the honor to give my testimony today and for considering human trafficking as an issue. I’d also like to thank the committee for inviting students as witnesses. I am here today as an advocate in support of bill S.178 - Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. I have been an advocate for victims within this organization for the last 5 years ago. I was compelled to join when a dear friend of mine became a victim after being deceived by a false job advertisement that promised more money and no previous work experience. This one of the many recruitment tactics that traffickers use to lure victims. This for a college student seemed like a dream, but for my friend it turned out to be a horrific nightmare that she was lucky enough to escape and start the process of healing from. But for many victims they are not able to do so.
The policy aims to protect victims of human trafficking by strengthening the services provided to assist them. The bill includes many provisions that target specific issues within trafficking. One such is a policy change
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that human trafficking is an incredibly relevant issue today that must be halted.
Out of the thousands of people that have been human trafficking victims each year, only an insignificant amount of them is actually reported. Imagine being in 8th grade. Having all sorts of hopes and dreams. Now flash forward to dreams being taken away by a pimp that lures people into human trafficking. In short, this is true for Holly Austin Smith, a survivor of human trafficking. The punishment for the pimps that ruin the lives of these young girls is not severe. Therefore, there is not much help for the girls after they get rescued from this tragedy. A realization Holly had soon on and explains, “...Although I was soon recognized to be a victim, the specialized aftercare needed for a trafficking victim did not yet exist... Twenty years ago, there were no anti-trafficking laws in place. This pimp, who raped and lured a child into prostitution, served only 365 days in jail” (Smith). This young girl had recovered from this horrible incident all by herself. Many other girls in her position have gone through similar experiences and have been hurt by their pimp. In addition, the pimp will not receive much punishment. A sad story repeated across America and is very prominent in other countries. In America, most of the time victims are the ones that usually serve time in jail since in some cases it’s considered prostitution, even if it was forced by the pimp. In most cases, the pimps stay uncovered and if the victims of trafficking come forward as to who their pimp is, they
I want to have 4 children one day. Two girls and two boys. My children could be vulnerable to sex trafficking if I don’t teach them the dangers of what a conniving, charming, and manipulative person could do by turning them no longer into a friend but a product that is bought and sold for sex. According to Equality Now about 18,000 people in the US and 20.9 million people worldwide adults and children are bought and sold due to sex trafficking. That means one out of forty-three people will be bought and sold into sex trafficking in the US alone and I do not want that one to be any of you. Slavery in any form makes me sick to think about. Sex trafficking is one that upsets me the most. The buying and selling of humans for a sexual and torturous purpose should without a doubt looked upon in a stricter light. Together we need to shed light on this dark topic and know the warning signs of a pimp and of a victim so we can stop something that to the subject seems impossible to stop.
Sex trafficking is becoming more of a problem as time moves on. Sex trafficking is the recruitment, harbouring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion [Internet Safety 101]. Sex trafficking is increasing due to the evolution of modern day social services and sources. From safety sources, it is the second fastest growing criminal industry, [Internet Safety 101]. Increasingly, sex trafficking is coming about due to the evolution of the internet and the improved ability of GPS tracking. On social media, many people find other people and try to be their friend, even if they don't know who they are. This provides opportunities for fake people to create more of a problem. The internet is providing different advertising places that can increase the effect of sex trafficking and lure in citizens to becoming victims. Sex trafficking has to come to an end for the safety of citizens, for the safety of their pride and dignity.
One of my all time favorite musicals as I was growing up was alway Annie, about a sweet little orphan who through determination and a little positivity found a better life. But has happened to orphans nowadays, you don’t exactly drive by your neighborhood orphanage on your way to work. It seems that these children have disappeared, virtually falling off the face of the earth. Today they are called foster kids with families like my own housing them. The early foster system was established in the 1500s in order to care for children who were removed from their parents. Foster care was intended to be a short-term solution until the child is either adopted or reunited with their family. However, the average child will spend over two years waiting to be adopted. But the flaws in this system run much deeper, from mental disorders all the way to human trafficking. Human trafficking through the foster system is a dire problem that can not be neglected. We will examine this today by looking at three points; recognizing what the problem, understanding the pressure that they are under, and finally how you and i can help provide the promise of a new life
What’s the word that describes someone who thinks that the world revolves around them? Self-centered? Egocentric? Narcissist? Vain? Self-seeking? Selfish? Hm. Is that too harsh? We live in society today where we are only concerned about ourselves. Somehow, we have adopted the mentality that life revolves strictly around me and what I want. We are so consumed with ourselves that we have totally forgotten about the thousands of people who struggle every day for their life. Who are these people that I am talking about? The people who are promised a better life but instead are trapped into this terrible system where they are forced to do things they never knew about. This system is called Human trafficking. Today, I would like to convince you that this world does not revolve around you.
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act (Homeland).
Everybody is born with a voice. One may have a voice that can be heard for miles, while another may possess a voice that is very quiet and not often used. Being born with a voice is a gift, a gift so precious. One may use their voice for good, to stand up for what they believe in, while another may use it to promote bad behavior. Some people tend to overlook its value until possibly one day, it is snatched away from them and there is nothing else they can say. All around the world today, there are people who have have been forced into human trafficking against their own will. The victims have had their voices stolen away by human traffickers. They can no longer be heard by the public, as their voice begins to silence. The only people who can speak on their behalf is the government. The government has the power to help the public become aware of the issue. They can also help by enforcing laws, as well as new programs, to get victims out of the inhumane system that has dramatically began to rise over time. The government can assist in establishing a better life for those who have been victimized. Without the government’s aid in funding, which means the increase in tax dollars, the problem will continue to grow and more victims will be trapped in the system.
Human trafficking is a serious problem in modern society. In fact, the United Nations has referred to it as “one of the gravest human rights violations of our times” (“Secretary - General Calls Human Trafficking”). It is a fast growing industry that affects millions. No gender, age, or status is spared from the cruelty that is trafficking. To stress this point again, human trafficking is not just a problem of the “world” or “United States”, in general. As previously seen, it strikes very close to home, affecting hundreds of men, women, and children of our own community. In fact, “North Carolina ranked as a top-10 state for human trafficking with Charlotte being the top destination. It is estimated that more than 1,700 girls are trafficked
Some of the worst nightmares possible to imagine actually happen to women and children across the United States. In this country that americans are so proud of, every single day, including today there are dozens to even hundreds of people that are suffering deeply from being a victim of human trafficking. No one ever thinks that it could happen to them but there are men and even women recruiters for the trade that lure their victims. Since human trafficking is so unknown around us people tend to forget about it and have a tendency to “throw it under the rug”. Human trafficking in the United States must end because the variety of laws from state to state do not encourage a cohesive front against the practice, the victims are completely taken advantage of, and the level of disturbing and detrimental situations that these victims go through warrant an end to human trafficking.
Furthermore, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was best known for providing the framework to respond to human trafficking (Feldman, 2011). Likewise, it also helped for the redesigning of the laws in the United States by making sex trafficking an individual crime and allowing the government to focus on the victims. Even though this law has been reauthorized in 3 years the latest time, 2008, is the one that actually strengthens protections for the victims as well as, improves the protections for the victims. While this law already helped to develop people to prohibit the crime, the reauthorization of it, created a new set of criminal tools to reach unscrupulous labor recruiters (Feldman, 2011). Although the revisions of this law
We fail to prevent it, discuss it, or even acknowledge it. However, inaction will only exacerbate a problem that should not be allowed to continue. Gardner-Webb University “Release the Captives” club is an on campus anti-human trafficking club that raises awareness and funding for anti human trafficking organizations. But we still need help. There are a number of ways you can help us in stopping human trafficking: become involved in human anti-trafficking awareness, support any anti-trafficking organization that you feel comfortable with, pray for all (victims, responders, persecutors, and profiteers) involved in human trafficking, and continue to pray that God’s justice will break out in the
Imagine for a moment you are a normal man or woman. You have lots of friends, a spouse who you love, maybe children and pets too. You have a new co-worker at your job. This person has invited you to come to a party in the less safe part of town, but you accept anyways because you want to become friends with this person. The next thing you remember is waking up in a strange place, surrounded by strange people, they tell you you are to do everything they say or your family and friends will die. You will now be forced to perform sex acts, or forced to work for little to no money, and you won't be allowed to see your family ever again, with no way out unless someone from one of many organizations rescues you. People who are trafficked are used in many ways and for many reasons. Human trafficking victims can go to one of the many organizations for help.
I may have read this sentence incorrect, but after reading this a few times, it appeared to me that you were saying sex trafficking is no longer sex trafficking after age 18. Sex trafficking acts happen to children and adults.
Many Americans remain ignorant of human trafficking within the United States, believing that this inhumane act only occurs in third-world countries. No one likes to believe that it can be happening in our own country let alone in some of our own states and cities. Society rarely takes the time to understand these women and what lead them into trafficking and what factors contributed to them staying in trafficking. This study seeks to voice the ability to raise awareness, enhance penalties for the traffickers/violator’s, and offer rehabilitation for the victims.