the Spring 2016 newsletter
Transcription
the Spring 2016 newsletter
HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER Newsletter The Mission of the center is to work towards the elimination of human trafficking and modern day slavery, by Providing a centralized resource center to serve as a catalyst for public and private agencies, task forces and advocacy groups in the spirit of partnership and inclusiveness that will enhance collaboration and cooperation while engaging faculty and students in supporting and conducting research specific to the crime and related issues of trafficking in persons. Visit our website: http://www.fgcu.edu/htrc/ Email Contact: [email protected] March 2016 “If you think slavery ended in the United States in 1865… You’re Wrong.” In This Issue Florida Gulf Coast University Module 1 Room# 36 Fort Myers, FL 33965 Hidden In Plain Sight Dangerous Apps Lurking Society House Bill 0369 Meet Our Interns Four Main Types of Traffickers Human Trafficking Symposium Are Men and Boys Overlooked? What Can You Do To Help? Redlight Traffic App Laws Assisting Foreign Born Victims Recent Human Human Trafficking Resource Center Data: 2015 Calendar Year Law Enforcement 38 USAO 1 Service Provider (NGO) 44 DCF (Suncoast Region-verified HT reports) 45 Multi-Disciplinary Cases Staffed 19 The Human Trafficking Resource Center at Florida Gulf Coast University continues to gather and analyze regional data collected from local law enforcement, service providers, child welfare services and our very own Multi-Disciplinary Team. This data provides a overview of the amount and types of identified victims in our area. For the full comparison of data from the last three calendar years please go to… www.fgcu.edu/htrc Meet Our Center Staff L-R: Dr. Johnny McGaha, Dr. Amanda Evans and Alex Olivares Call 1 (888) 373-7888 for the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hidden In Plain Sight: Human Trafficking By Vincent Sonsini There are many topics that reach the media each and everyday, they are typically topics that interest the public so that they are pulled into the subject. The goal is to keep people coming back. One topic that rarely hits the media but is a never-ending problem is the human trafficking, that either goes on within our country and outside of it. These cases are international and domestic and affect millions each year, yet we rarely hear of the endless crime. This ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ topic surrounds us, whether one may think of it or not, an illegal case of human trafficking is happening within a ten mile radius of sixty eight percent of citizens in this country. That fact alone should gather attention and in result get some coverage and help for the negative phenomenon. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center or (NHTRC), in 2015, there was over 22,000 calls and they learned of more than 5,500 cases of human trafficking in every state of the country. Even they themselves have now broken down the cases into three categories: sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and child exploitation. There are many sub categories within these three but for major cases they are all divided depending on detail. Over the last five to eight years, major success has been reached within the subject of human trafficking, there are many more services available to people who need the help now, and many of these services are held by law enforcement agencies or backing them to help improve long term rather than just one case at a time. . The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) runs the Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons (GPAT), which supports Member States to prevent and prosecute the crime, to protect the rights of victims, and promotes cooperation among Member States. UNODC's Human Trafficking Case Law Database has made available information on more than 1,000 successful prosecutions and convictions from 83 countries. The database improves the capacity of States to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes. Dedicates anti-human trafficking programs have been developed jointly with national governments in key countries and regions including Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Gulf countries, and South and West Asia. Dangerous Apps Lurking within Society By Kaitlyn Payne In this day and age apps can be found on many of our hand held devices and these hand held devices can be found in the hands of adults all the way to young children. These apps are known as the perfect vessel to contact long distance friends and family or post updates and pictures of what is going on in one’s life. What many of us do not realize is that these sights have dangerous predators lurking in the shadows. We have been learning recently of the dangerous of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Unlike these apps however, Snapchat is just one of the newer social media platforms to this list and is seemed as a device that people share funny, goofy, and ugly pictures of one self or their friends. Therefore, many parents allowed for their kids to have Snapchat because it just seems like a “goofy kid thing”. However, this sight is the perfect vessel to share and sell nudes, pornographic imagery, and pornographic videos. Not only is Snapchat the perfect device to send these type of pictures when your young and don’t want them to be spread but, they are also a way for a young girl to get cash fast. With the installment of Snapcash which happened when connections were made between snapchat and an app called square. The pornography side of Snapchat took an even stronger hold on victims. This app was already used by people of all ages and includes young children all the way up to high school. Cash flow allows for many different money deals to be exchanged. For example, one person could just get $30 for a picture, or a person could sell a pornographic video for even more cash. The reason why this pertains to sex trafficking and not solely child pornography is because many sex traffickers want a young, timid girl or boy that they can groom in to being the perfect addition to their ring. Often times the rebellion seen by the spreading of their nudes is a key indicator that it wouldn’t be hard to groom them. These terrible people look on this type of site waiting to pounce on anything they see that will make them money. A way these traffickers/pimps become big and successful is by finding these young girls sending people nudes. They then groom them and make them become “models” for a monthly or lifetime subscriber. “Models” as these victims and their pimps call themselves allow the sending of their username and info for the exchange of money and a subscription to pornographic imagery and videos. There are many tactics and ways Snapchat can have dark shadows lurking in the corners. It is important for all of us to do our job and not let young influential and impressionable people to have access until they fully understand the dangerous that hide behind a computer screen. The Importance of House Bill 0369 By Alex Olivares Last year House Bill 369 was signed in to law by Governor Rick Scott. This law requires that public awareness signs related to Human Trafficking are posted in specific locations throughout the State of Florida. The signs must state in English and Spanish, “If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in an activity and cannot leave — whether it is prostitution, housework, farm work, factory work, retail work, restaurant work, or any other activity — call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to 233-733 to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under United States and Florida law.” This is an extremely important law and tool in all anti-trafficking efforts because the signs must be posted in many public areas that include rest areas, airports, emergency rooms, welcome centers, turnpike service plazas, weigh stations and strip clubs as well as other adult entertainment establishments. Many of these locations and establishments are locales where victims may frequent or even work allowing them to take note of the fact that not only are they protected by law, but there is also a number they can call or text to receive assistance. Furthermore any concerned citizen that may have noticed suspicious activity also has a number that they can call immediately. While most legislative items come in to effect immediately after signing or at the beginning of the fiscal year, HB 369 did not go in to effect until January 1 st 2016. For this reason we ask that any and all professionals remain vigilant and if you happen to be near or at one of the aforementioned areas, ensure that one of the signs is displayed as it should be by law. House Bill 369 was filed by State Representative Dave Kerner. Meet Our Interns (L to R) Sally Pham, Lindsay Gaines, Kaitlyn Payne, Vincent Sonsini, Sabina Douzhankova, Xaenyah Richardson, and Estephania (Nia) Galan By Alex Olivares On January 21st 2016, The Human Trafficking Resource Center at Florida Gulf Coast University held their first symposium completely organized by the center staff and their interns. The event was a complete success having sold out all available seats with an attendance of 253. The event was developed with the idea of providing the community with a series of advanced workshops that would provide relevant information related to Human Trafficking, focused on multiple different areas. The workshops included the following: Forensic Interviewing for minor victims Substance Abuse and Human Trafficking Identifying male and transgender victims Best practices for Human Trafficking programs Trauma informed care Needs of foreign and domestic born victims Law Enforcement Case Study The medical systems response to Human Trafficking Child welfare’s response to Human Trafficking Residential Programs and Human Trafficking The symposium received nearly universal praise through the workshop evaluations and it is the hope of the Center that practitioners and community members all received new and effective ideas that can be applied to antitrafficking efforts throughout southern Florida. Contact information for all speakers can be accessed on the center website (www.fgcu.edu/htrc), including for our keynote speaker Dr. Elizabeth Hopper and our guest speaker Christy Ivie. We look forward to seeing all of you next year at the 2017 HT Symposium. The Fight Against Human Trafficking: Are Men & Boys Overlooked? By Xaenyah Richardson If the term “male prostitute” is uncommonly heard, then “male sex trafficking victim” is heard even more rarely. If you look at the early literature, legislation, and media coverage of sex trafficking, it would seem to appear that the commercial sexual exploitation of men and boys is a relatively new concept; something that did not exist until recent years. But in reality, men and boys are also subjected to commercial sexual exploitation in many countries around the world, and they even outnumber female victims within certain subcategories of trafficking. To ignore these facts is not only inaccurate, but also dangerous – and it has led to the oblivious abandonment of tens of thousands of victims. While it is true that the vast majority of survivors of commercial sexual exploitation are female (likely around 98 percent), it is not true that women and girls make up the vast majority of all human trafficking victims globally. The International Labour Organization approximates that 42 percent of victims of state-imposed labor exploitation are male. That number increases to 60 percent when considering labor exploitation in private economies. When you add in sex trafficking data, this does mean that more of the nearly 21 million victims worldwide are female rather than male. Nevertheless, the difference is not so huge as to warrant neglecting the men and boys that are involved. And what about that 2 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation that is male? Are these 400,000 men and boys being consistently overlooked? As awareness of male victimization has increased, so has the recognition of the struggles of individual male victims. Early versions of the Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Reports—which are some of the most comprehensive sources of country-specific human trafficking information— have very few references to male victims of sex trafficking. In 2007, only three countries acknowledged the existence of the problem. In contrast, the latest report from 2014 contains references to this phenomenon in the narratives for thirteen different countries. It is likely happening in many more countries, but expectations of who constitutes as a trafficking victim, as well as culturally reinforced ideas of who can be victimized, prevent further reports of male sex trafficking from being made or taken seriously. If even a single victim is one victim too many, then human trafficking experts, first responders, and service providers must first be aware of the very real exploitation of men and boys in human trafficking—both for labor and for commercial sexual purposes. They must learn to devote equal attention to all genders when screening potential victims and to provide appropriate and sufficient services for all those who are victimized, not merely those who fit a stereotypical description of a victim or survivor of human trafficking. The mainstream media and well-intentioned but misinformed professionals within the counter-trafficking movement have perpetuated the image of a young, foreign, female victim. Just as it is easier to believe that a foreigner is a 4 Main Types Traffickers By Lindsay Gaines Young girls and boys that are living on the streets are being lured into commercial sex trafficking every day. It is hard for outsiders to really understand how a child can be pulled into such a terrible industry and not be able to get out for years, if ever. There are many types of street traffickers depending on what type of recruiting they are using. Human Traffickers can look and be anyone there is no specific stereotype. Lover Boy This type of trafficker tends to prey on young girls in a setting like the mall, group homes, and especially online in chat rooms. The main similarity of these places is that there are groups of children with little to no adult supervision. This individual will begin showering the child with gifts and making them feel special, like someone cares about them. Eventually once the pimp knows that the child trusts them, they will demand the child to perform sexual acts with other men to pay back all the gifts that the pimp has bought. The Enabler Other traffickers use the method of befriending young girls but instead of showing them with gifts to show their affection, the pimps offer to buy the underage girls alcohol and drugs. Once the girls are addicted to the drugs, it becomes easier to force them into prostitution. Many pimps are also drug dealers so they give the girls free drugs and eventually they are trapped into the ring of addiction and prostitution with no way out. Peer Pressured This method is a little different from the others. Pimps will send out their top girl to recruit younger girls and peer pressure them into coming along and “partying” with the top girl’s friends. The Top girl flaunts all the jewelry and clothes that “daddy” (the pimp) has bought for her so the young girl wants the same things. Once the new girl is introduced to the pimp she will then become of the victims. Gorilla Pimp This is the most cruel and inhumane method of trafficking. A gorilla pimp is one that is very violent with recruiting and controlling the victims. To recruit the new girls, the pimp ambushes young girls walking alone and beats them into submission until they agree to have sex for money. In this type of situation the trafficker may also tattoo their name on the girls and punish them when their daily quota is not met. Redlight Traffic App By Sally Pham Human trafficking impacts those involved but also their family and loved ones. Those who have undergone trauma should be known as survivors and not victims. Through our 2015 Fall Newsletter there are many applications that are on our smart phones that are ways traffickers can coerce women, children and men to use and sell like property. However there is a new application for our phones called the “Redlight Traffic” which allows those who download it to be able to report on a vehicle, business or an individual person who can be involved in human trafficking. The individual who downloads this application will understand the immediate need for human trafficking awareness and the need for Redlight Traffic and other organizations like them. Through the passion of those helping survivors of human trafficking they will be able to advocate and be a voice for their then and now survivors. Here in Southwest Florida we have made many strides with Law enforcement and social service providers that have joined them together. This creates a firm partnership that fights human trafficking more cohesively. Thus communication is key and needs to be more standardized within our state as well as the rest of the country. It also allows for anonymity and confidentiality between those putting out their reports of possible trafficking wherever they may be living. Their vision is very similar to the Human Trafficking Resource Center at Florida Gulf Coast University because we both strive to live in a world without human trafficking. Application users will understand the urgency that is needed when it comes to spotting human trafficking in their local communities. Those who use this application will be able to gain more knowledge about human trafficking and be able to advocate for the best interest of the victim. Another value this organization will bring is authenticity that those who use it will shine a light on the truth and want to help those at risk of human trafficking or are actively involved of this crime. People downloading this application will be able to have ways to spot out a trafficker as well as a survivor. We want those involved in human trafficking to continue to advocate for more ingenuity and resourcefulness that can be used to stop human trafficking. It is important that we focus on the family not just the person being trafficked because they are generally the survivor’s support system. To understand human trafficking we have to reach those who are indirectly involved and have the issue of human trafficking accounted for and spoken for in a social, economic and political status. We have to work together to stop the stereotypes and normalization of what human trafficking might look like because it happens locally and it happens right in front of our eyes. All italicized words are the seven values of the Redlight traffic phone application. Laws Assisting Foreign Born Victims By Sabina Dauzhankova Day by day we hear more and more often about human trafficking and its victims; but we should remember about “the other side of the coin” – what happens after “rescue”? Connection between immigration law and human trafficking are very important. Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers lure individuals with false promises of employment and a better life. The United States is a source and destination country for thousands of men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. Women and girls, largely from East Asia, Eastern Europe, Mexico and Central America are trafficked to the United States into prostitution. Some men and women, responding to fraudulent offers of employment in the United States, migrate willingly (legally and illegally), but are subsequently subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude at work sites or in the commercial sex trade. During an interview, Yaro Garcia, the Clinical Director at Abuse Counseling & Treatment, Inc. Fort Myers, FL, stated that today Florida is in third place on the list of reported incidents of Human Trafficking. According to Florida statistics, the average age of initial sex trafficking initiation are: 11-19 years old for domestic girls and for foreign girls in the age of 14-19. Labor-victims in Florida are about 30% of foreign males (16-60 years old, mostly from Latin America). The common risk factors leading to human trafficking victimization nowadays are: 1) for sex trafficking – “romantic reason”, pretenses of love; 2) for labor trafficking – work contracts (most of them look legitimate), promises of better jobs, opportunities to earn a lot of money and etc. And according the statistics, 70% domestic girls who became human trafficking victims are already or were in the child welfare system, under the supervision of the Florida Department of Children and Families, and they temporary live in shelters and carecenters. Typically, if the victim’s family is able to take responsibility – the victim is returned back to the family. When human trafficking victims are foreigners – there is a separate process for them. USCIS helps protect victims of human trafficking by providing immigration relief. When victims of trafficking cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of this crime, they can apply to USCIS for lawful immigration status so they don’t have to worry about their ability to remain in the U.S. The possibility of immigration relief is T-Nonimmigrant Status, which is provided to victims of human trafficking by U.S. immigration services. T-Visa provides immigration protection to victims of trafficking. The T-Visa allows victims to remain in the United States and assist law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking cases (USCIS, 2015). According to Florida Statute, human trafficking affects all sectors of our community and victims can be found in plain sight if we learn to identify the signs and take the time to look. Some traffickers keep their victims under lock and key. However, the most frequently used practices are less obvious techniques that include: isolating victims from the public and family members, confiscating passports, visas, or other identification documents, using or threatening to use violence toward victims or their families, prohibiting them from seeing their children, telling victims that they will be imprisoned or deported for immigration violations if they contact authorities, and controlling the victims’ funds by holding the money ostensibly for safekeeping (Florida Department of Children and Families, 2015). Source: Google Images The U.S. Department of Homeland Security organized special organization called the Blue Campaign – to provide support to human trafficking victims. This campaign is the unified voice for DHS efforts to combat human trafficking. Working in collaboration with law enforcement, government, nongovernmental and private organizations, the Blue Campaign strives to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice. Human trafficking is also one of the crimes that U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement investigate. Victims pay to be illegally transported into the United States only to find themselves in the thrall of traffickers. As we know, they are forced into prostitution, involuntary labor and other forms of servitude to repay debts – often incurred during entry into the United States. In most cases, the victims are children. They find themselves surrounded by an unfamiliar culture and language without identification documents, fearing for their lives and the lives of their families (ICE, 2015). And nowadays the most important thing is to find the way to organize the immigration law, its process to protect, support human trafficking victims. Human trafficking is hidden in our society, it can touch anyone at anytime. Lots of human trafficking cases start from the random visitor to shelter regarding domestic violence or abuse question; but later through counseling with specialists, survivors begin to share their horrible experience of human trafficking. All this people who had a chance to escape – need help. Together, we can fight human trafficking and we can be successful if we work in cooperation. Resources: American Immigration Council (AIC) (2015). Retrieved from Add Health website: http:// www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/ Florida Department of Children and Families (2015). Retrieved from Add Health website: http:// www.myflfamilies.com/ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Retrieved from Add Health website http:// www.uscis.gov/ U.S. Department of State (2015). U.S. Laws on trafficking in Persons. Retrieved from Add Health website: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/laws/ U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement (2015). Human trafficking. Retrieved from Add Health website: https://www.ice.gov/human-trafficking U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2015). Blue Campaign. Retrieved from Add Health website: http:// www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign Survivor Backs By Kaitlyn Payne Human sex trafficking over the years has affected thousands of men and women along with thousands of children. It has become one of the most successful money making criminal markets in the world and in the United States of America. Florida has become a distinguished and successful hub for both domestic and foreign human trafficking whether it is sex or labor. In efforts to control this ever increasing hub many different government agencies and organizations are banding together to prevent, reduce, and eliminate human trafficking. With the prevention and reduction of human trafficking not only means catching and enforcing the law on the perpetrators but, also getting the victims out of the cycle of human trafficking. Many time’s these victims have such a pull to their pimps or owners that it is hard to pull them away from that world and get them the help they need to escape it not only physically but mentally. These victims stay in these situations out of fear for their lives, fear for friends or family lives, debts, visas, or because of the mental dependency and hold these pimps and owners have put on them. When a victim is rescued many times they are found hungry, thirsty, on drugs, dressed provocatively, and over worked. The detectives and officers that find them know that they need to help fix their basic human needs before investigating any further in to the situation. Many times the victims will just ball up and feel so uncomfortable because they are embarrassed and now worried that their pimp or owner will be infuriated with them. In order to help the victims help the law enforcement involved it is crucial to get these victims comfortable and satisfy their basic human needs. This is why having “safety bags” on hand for the law enforcement that is not purchased by them will be extremely helpful. These bags have to be donated because technically if the law enforcement investigating the case buys the victim anything it could be considered bribing the victim and could unintentionally affect their court case. Though these items seem small many times this will be the only items the victims will actually own. This is something they can hold on to and for the first time in a while know that it is theirs and only theirs and that no one can take it away from them. The products inside will also help them get cleaned up and comfortable for the long process to recovery that is ahead of them. This bag symbolizes starting new and obtaining a better life for themselves. These bags will be a huge help to our communities local law enforcement, shelters, and organization that are in the fight to help reduce and eliminate human trafficking. Survivor backpacks can include: Gift cards to nearby cheap local food Gift cards to Walmart Change of comfortable clothes i.e. sweatpants, tshirt, and under garments Female hygienic products Tooth brush & tooth paste Mini shampoo, conditioner, body wash and face wash Snack foods such as granola bars Water bottles Small blankets Human Trafficking Arrest in Collier County By Nia Galan While most would never suspect a beautiful place such as Naples, FL to be a place consisting of activities such as Human Trafficking, crimes such as these may occur at anyplace and under any given circumstance. On Monday, January 11th, Collier County Sherriff’s Department announced that two men, Gregory Hines, 34, and Keith Lewis, 58, were arrested in Naples, FL of an investigation consisting of up to 6 months, after receiving a tip in July. Four victims were rescued when officials arrived at the scene on the Saturday, prior to when this case was announced. Deputies conducted a search warrant in two rooms at a Days Inn & Suites on Tollgate Blvd. in Naples, when they were shortly notified that one of the victims was on the verge of a drug overdose. Once they went in the 2 hotel rooms, it was confirmed that there had been drugs found and commercial sex activity. Officials immediately rushed the victim that was unconscious from the amount of drugs in her system to the nearest hospital for medical treatment. Details of the case included that, the men posted an advertisement on the website “backpage” for escorts, creating a family-like environment for the victims, convincing them that they should trust them, according to Wink News (2016). Collier County Sherriff, Kevin Rambosk, announced this statement pertaining to the two men claiming, “The drugs are provided to them (the victims) and then withdrawn to force the continued sex trafficking activities, and then they are provided with more drugs.” Hines and Lewis were pulled over in a traffic stop at a nearby Wal-Mart with the possession of heroin, crack-cocaine, morphine pills, various cell phones, and over $1,200 in cash according to police reports (2016). They are both incarcerated in the Collier County Jail on $1.8 million bond charges that include, human trafficking, racketeering, and living off earnings of prostitution (Wink News, 2016). The Collier County Human Trafficking Investigations Unit is very active, and detectives are suspecting more than a dozen women involved in this particular case. They are still investigating the case and hoping that further victims speak out and come forward for help. For further information on this case, particular cases, or for further information you may contact: Detective Andrew Henchesmoore at, [email protected] or Victim’s Advocate Marisol Schloendorn at, [email protected] Source: www.winknews.com/2016/01/11/2-men-arrested-in-collier-county-human-traffickingoperation/ No Indicators 6 Not Substantiated 0 Verified Subtotal 7 Still Open 1 Total Reports 8 1 Collier 10 2 1 13 1 14 Desoto 1 0 0 1 Hendry 6 0 0 6 0 6 Hillsborough 28 25 25 78 5 83 Lee 34 5 6 45 5 50 Manatee 11 2 3 16 1 17 Pasco 9 2 2 13 2 15 Pinellas 33 22 5 60 1 61 Sarasota 4 5 2 11 2 13 142 (65%) 63 (29%) 45 (18%) 250 (100%) 18 268 Charlotte Totals Statewide No Indicators 610 (56%) Not Substantiated 243 (22%) Verified Subtotal 233 (22%) 1086 (100%) 1 Still Open 106 Total Reports 1192 Thank you to the College of Health Professions and Social Work along with the College of Arts and Sciences for their continued support to the Human Trafficking Resource Center. To learn more… http://www.fgcu.edu/chpsw/ http://www.fgcu.edu/cas/