What's At Stake

Washington D.C. -- The hearing on "Human Trafficking: International and National Implications" took place March 25, 2010 in Congress at the Rayburn House. The Commission, which was chaired by U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) and U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), promotes, defends and advocates internationally recognized human rights norms in a nonpartisan manner both within and outside of Congress.

Ambassador Lou de Baca, who leads the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, was a key witness on today's panel. He informed the Commission on President Obama's global efforts and latest 2010 trafficking report published by the State Department against modern slavery. "Today is the International Day to Remember the Victims of Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade", he said. "And yet, in the year 2010... we are still combating a phenomenon that has plagued cultures, communities, and countries since the beginning of time". He continued, "ten years have passed since the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was signed into law by President Clinton. It has also been a decade since the United Nations negotiated the Palermo Protocol, which clearly defines human trafficking on the international stage, and has been adopted by 137 countries".

According to the International Labor Organization at least 12.3 million children and adults are trafficked yearly for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sex. INTERPOL's latest figure estimates that human trafficking is now a $28 billion enterprise. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), places child trafficking figures upwards of 2 million per year, read: "Selling Children in America."

The question remains: Why in spite of the protocols, reports, TVPA, Mann Act and all other presidential legislative efforts, is the United States continuing to witness an enormous increase in human and child trafficking?

Given the latest statistics, literature and NGO's working in the field, there are a number of reasons. They include:

1. Lax legislation against the child pornography online and general pornography business.
2. A lucrative Internet child pornography industry.
3. Negligent visa regulations for child modeling agencies posing as legitimate businesses who traffick children into the U.S. for purposes of sex.
4. Dysfunctional, cash strapped and resource-poor U.S. law enforcement agencies whose well intentioned mission to combat child and human trafficking, lacks the necessary man power to join forces in order to battle the cartels.
5. Lack of competitive data.
6. Limited public awareness.

Ironically, the greatest hazard in the United States remains the inadequate resources of the U.S. federal and state law enforcement agencies. Without the proper resources to be able to share vital information and fully funded and staffed departments, most law enforcement agencies cannot compete beside the highly-efficient and generously funded business models driven by the Mexican, Russian and Ukrainian drug cartels.

Let there be no doubt that the business of child and human trafficking today is a global enterprise and not a "mom and pop operation" as most would believe. On the contrary, this highly profitable business model managed by determined entrepreneurs would outperform even the most proficient global business such as the General Electric Corporation. Government alone cannot and should not lead this fight without additional funding and support from private and public enterprise.

Read more on human trafficking in America here.

 

Comments

[pcenedella]

04:28 PM on 03/26/2010

Thank you for this post..............I had the pleasure of meeting Amb.deBaca last year and am super confident in his ability to lead us all in this fight. He is a leader and a great human being. Did you know, today there are 3 times more slaves in America, and the world, than there were 200 years ago.............disgusting. ACTION is called for now! The San Diego Coalition to Fight Human Trafficking is implementing the DAYTON HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACCORDS thru a campaign of AWARENESS, ACTIVISM, AND ASSEMBLY!
Can any of your readers help us?
Peace,
Philip J. Cenedella
888.206.3264
www.stopslavery2010.com
email [e-mail]

The Dayton Human Trafficking Accords
WHEREAS,
WE can end human trafficking and slavery, but only if we solemnly commit ourselves to that common purpose.
We must confront the global scourge of trafficking and slavery beginning in our own local communities.
We as individuals and all institutions of society have a moral responsibility to end trafficking and free slaves from their captivity.
NOW THEREFORE,
WE undertake a solemn commitment, beginning now, to end the scourge of trafficking and slavery
And to take immediate action in our communities to
Stir society’s conscience to action against trafficking and slavery
Rescue and restore victims of trafficking and slavery
Identify and punish traffickers and slavers
Promote legislation and public policies to eradicate trafficking and slavery
Address the social, cultural and economic causes of trafficking and slavery
So that
We will end human trafficking in our time.