HUMAN TRAFFICKING: SPOT THE SIGNS, IDENTIFY LEGAL NEEDS AND TAKE NEXT STEPS

Transcription

1 HUMAN TRAFFICKING: SPOT THE SIGNS, IDENTIFY LEGAL NEEDS AND TAKE NEXT STEPS ALIGHT Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking Marianna Kosharovsky Founder & Executive Director ALIGHT ALIGHT May 2018

2 AGENDA About ALIGHT What is Human Trafficking Red flags of Human Trafficking Types of survivor legal issues Free assistance from legal community

3 ABOUT ALIGHT ALIGHT exists to unlock a fresh start for human trafficking survivors. We rapidly match survivor legal needs with untapped expertise.

4 OUR WORK: ADDRESSING SURVIVOR LEGAL NEEDS Survivors face a myriad of challenges to piecing their lives back together and reintegrating into society because of persistent vulnerability if diverse, underlying legal needs are not resolved. Our work addresses the problem by bridging community service providers and expertise from the legal community.

5 ALIGHT IS THE BRIDGE Trafficking Survivors Have Diverse Legal Needs applying for public housing Legal Community is Ready and Willing to Provide Pro Bono Services Disability Benefits Law clearing criminal records Criminal Law (restitution, criminal records, warrants) negotiating debt issues Bankruptcy Law fighting for child custody resolving false documents / identity theft Family Law (custody, divorce, family reunification) Employment Discrimination Law filing wage theft claim ALIGHT uses innovative technology to connect survivors to free legal services Civil Litigation

6 WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING? Under US federal law, human trafficking includes the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for compelled labor or a commercial sex act, through the use of force, fraud or coercion. Sex trafficking of a minor does not require force, fraud or coercion. Trafficking Victims Protection Act

7 3 ELEMENTS

8 IDENTIFYING SURVIVORS EXAMPLES OF TRAFFICKERS METHODS Force: Rape, beatings, confinement Fraud: False offers of employment, marriage, better life Coercion: Threats, debt bondage, climate of fear, abuse of legal system

9 COLORADO STATE DEFINITION A person who knowingly sells, recruits, harbors, transports, transfers, isolates, entices, provides, receives or obtains by any means another person for the purpose of coercing the other person to perform labor or services, or engage in commercial sexual activity. If the victim is a minor, no coercion is required. CO HB

10 SPOTTING POSSIBLE SIGNS & RED FLAGS Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp/manager/abusive domestic partner Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips Works excessively long and/or unusual hours; is not allowed breaks Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off Adopted from Polaris, Recognize the Signs, /recognize-signsendtrafficking/ healthcare_brochure_nov2016.pdf

11 SPOTTING POSSIBLE SIGNS & RED FLAGS Was recruited through false promises about the nature/conditions of work Poor physical health, including lacking health care, or appearing malnourished, or showing signs of physical and/or sexual abuse Lacks control over his/her money and/or identification documents Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present) Adopted from Polaris, Recognize the Signs, /recognize-signsendtrafficking/ healthcare_brochure_nov2016.pdf

12 SPOTTING POSSIBLE SIGNS & RED FLAGS Claims to just be visiting the area and is unable to clarify where he/she is staying Loss of sense of time Multiple inconsistencies in his/her story Poor mental health or abnormal behavior, including acting fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense or paranoid and/or abnormally fearful of law enforcement Adopted from Polaris, Recognize the Signs, /recognize-signsendtrafficking/ healthcare_brochure_nov2016.pdf

13 HOW ALIGHT HELPS CONNECT SURVIVORS TO CRITICAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE - IN REAL TIME SERVICE PROVIDER / SURVIVOR LAWYER

14 NEEDS MATCHING EXPERTISE NEED HT community organizations youth, LGBTQI and immigrant community-based services nonprofit legal providers victim s assistance organizations DV and SA organizations Family Law Criminal Law Civil Litigation Tax Law General, Commercial and Contract Law

15 BENEFITS Free legal services on diverse needs in Family, Criminal and Civil Law Help survivor navigate complex legal system Help survivors access trafficking-specific legal remedies Immediate needs-matching and targeted alerts Easy and organized connection Plug into anti-trafficking community and resources

16 RESOURCES CoNEHT Hotline 24/7 Colorado hotline: Colorado Human Trafficking Council Training on human trafficking: RMIAN Immigration legal services for adults in immigration detention and immigrant children: National Human Trafficking Hotline 24/7 national hotline: National resource center:

17 RECAP: HUMAN TRAFFICKING & AT-RISK POPULATIONS Most agencies working with victims of crime (including domestic violence, sexual assault), LGBTQI, immigrant and other at-risk populations are already seeing and assisting human trafficking survivors Many crimes are premised on power and control, offenders often target marginalized populations Coercion extends beyond physical force / restraint Survivors may not self-identify or recognize their experience as exploitation / assault

18 INTERESTED IN ACCESSING FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE? NEXT STEPS FOR COLORADO AGENCIES Are you already serving survivors in CO who regularly need legal services, and want to be an ALIGHT Community Partner? Do you expect to serve survivors in CO and want to have the ALIGHT Intake Advocate information for referrals? NEXT STEPS FOR NON-COLORADO AGENCIES Do you expect to serve survivors in CO and want to have the ALIGHT Intake Advocate information for referrals? Do you have a need for a mobilized legal network in your community? Reach out to ALIGHT at connect@alightnet.org

19 THANK ALIGHTAlliancetoLead ALIGHT