Human Trafficking
Judy Hale Reed, Lauren Sullivan
judy.hale.reed@gmail.com,
sulliv13@duq.edu
Western PA Human Trafficking Coalition
Duquesne University Human Trafficking
Training
[DATE HERE]
Presentation Objectives
 What is human trafficking?
 How does a trafficker exert control over
another person?
 What populations are vulnerable to
traffickers?
 What does human trafficking look like
globally, nationally, and in Pittsburgh?
 What can I do to combat trafficking?
Trafficking Defined
a. Commercial sex acts induced by force,
fraud, or coercion, or in which the person
induced to perform such acts is under 18
years old
b. Recruitment, harboring, transportation,
provision, or obtaining of a person for
labor or services using force, fraud, or
coercion to subject the individual to
involuntary servitude
Trafficking Defined
 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA)
of 2000
 Defined human trafficking
 Made human trafficking a federal crime
 Created sentencing guidelines for
traffickers
 Provided victims (“survivors”) with access
to federal benefits
Types of Trafficking
Sex Trafficking
 Adults: Force, fraud, or coercion
 Minors: No proof of force, fraud, or
coercion required
Labor Trafficking
 Force, fraud, or coercion
 Includes Domestic Servitude
Force
 Kidnapping
 Physical violence, rape, sexual abuse,
harassment
 Confinement, use of restraints
 Denial of food, water, medical care,
contraceptives, condoms, communication, etc
 Removal of children
 Concealment of whereabouts to friends/family
Fraud
 Promises of immigration or travel
documents
 Required to perform work other than agreed
upon
 Promises of salary or compensation that
never materializes
 Misrepresentation of work/conditions of
work
Coercion
 Debt bondage
 Threats of serious harm to victim or victim’s
friends/family
 Trafficker controls victim’s contact with
friends/family
 Threatening to use pictures against victim
 Withholding documents
 Punishment of others
 Quotas
 Verbal or psychological abuse
Vulnerable Populations
 Minors – “hello”
 Homeless, esp. youth, LGBT
 Drug/alcohol abusers
 Mentally challenged
 Uneducated
 Cultural background
 People without language skills
 Former convicts/arrestees
Vulnerable Pops. - cont
“I didn’t believe in police. I really believed what my
trafficker said. My trafficker said they would put
you in jail; they will send you back…she said in this
country, dogs have more rights. And I believe, I
believe everything she said because she has been
living here a long time, she knows, she speaks
English, she has money, everything, and I didn’t
have anything.”
-”Esperanza”
Trafficking Survivor
Human Trafficking vs.
Alien Smuggling
Alien Smuggling
Human Trafficking
Individuals consent to
Victims do not consent to
smuggling
their situations
Contract ends after border Forced exploitation of a
crossing
person for labor/services
Smugglers physically
Crime against person's
move "customers"
fundamental rights
Occurs domestically and
Always international
internationally
Crime against the border Crime against the person
Worldwide Stats (2012
TIP Report)
 20.9 million estimated in forced labor and
forced prostitution around the world (ILO)
 7,206 trafficking prosecutions; 508 labor
 4,239 trafficking convictions; 237 labor
 41,210 victims identified
Western Hemisphere Stats
(North, South, Central America, 2012 TIP Report)
 1,023 trafficking prosecutions; 42 labor
 318 trafficking convictions; 52 labor
 9,839 victims identified
Industries
Commercial Sex
 Prostitution
 Dancing
 Pornography
 Live sex shows
 Brothels
Domestic
Servitude
 Housekeeping
 Child rearing
Labor Trafficking
 Sweatshop factories
 Migrant agricultural work
 Restaurant work
 Hotel/motel housekeeping
 Construction/ Landscaping
 Magazine sales crews
 Cattle and sheep herding
 Elder care facilities
 Hair braiding
 Nail salons
Different Crimes Overlap
Prostitution
Smuggling
UNCLASSIFIED
Trafficking
The Victim – U.S. Citizens
Push Factors
 Discord at home
 Homelessness
 Mental health or
addiction problems
Pull Factors
 Better paying jobs/pay
off debt
 “Loving” partner
 Availability of
drugs/alcohol
 Food, shelter, material
possessions
The Victim – Foreign Nationals
Push Factors – Origin/
Transit Countries
 War
 Repression
 Economy
 Same issues as
domestic victims
Pull Factors –
Destination Countries
 Better paying jobs/pay
off debt
 Promises of better life
 False marriages
 Recruitment by
traffickers
The Victim – Foreign Nationals
Vulnerable Visa
Pattern 1
 Recruiter in home
country
 Promised income
 Debt in exchange for
visa
 Debt manipulated
 Harsh conditions
 Deportation threats
Vulnerable Visa Pattern 2
 Recruiter as visa is
expiring/overstay
 Promised visa extension
 Debt in exchange for
extension
 Identity documents taken
 Deportation threats
 Harsh conditions
Indicators
 Was the victim recruited for one job but
forced to engage in a different job?
 Was the victim a juvenile?
 Was the victim compelled to perform sexual
acts?
 Did the victim have freedom of movement?
 Did the victim have contact with family or
friends?
Indicators - cont.
 Was the victim deprived of food, water,
sleep, medical care, or other necessities?
 Was the victim or victim’s family threatened
if the victim attempted to flee?
 Was the victim threatened with deportation
or law enforcement action?
 Was the victim’s salary garnished to pay
debts?
 Was the victim in possession of
identification documents?
Western PA Human
Trafficking Coalition
 The coalition is a victim-focused,
collaborative effort between social service
organizations, government agencies,
advocacy groups, religious organizations,
academia, concerned citizens, and law
enforcement to combat human trafficking
Western PA Human
Trafficking Coalition
 Mission: develop and maintain a network of
people and agencies to educate the
community about human trafficking and to
provide and coordinate emergent support to
survivors.
Western PA Human
Trafficking Coalition
 Food
 Lodging
 Clothing
 Physical healthcare
 Mental healthcare
 Legal assistance
 Language/ESL classes
 Transportation
Contact InformationNonprofits
Polaris Project
 1-888-3737-888
 Confidential help and information 24/7
 http://www.polarisproject.org
Project to End Human Trafficking
 412-578-6478
 http://www.endhumantrafficking.org
Contact InformationGov. Agencies
FBI Pittsburgh Civil Rights Hotline
 412-432-4122
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
 1-866-347-2423
 http://www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking
In an emergency, call 911
“I freed a thousand slaves, I
could have freed a thousand
more if only they knew they
were slaves.”
-Harriet Tubman
Conclusion
 Human trafficking is a growing problem in
Pittsburgh and throughout the world
 A unified approach is necessary to identify
victims and investigate/prosecute traffickers
Questions?