Sometimes it’s important to pause and take note of how anti-trafficking efforts are having a positive impact. Many organizations are working tirelessly to expose injustice, change systems, and rescue victims. Here are some examples of progress we’re making as a global community.
TRANSFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Cambodia’s police have generally been known as “ineffective, untrained, and corrupt,” but this is starting to change. Many police officers are taking anti-trafficking training seriously and working with community members to fight exploitation. Cambodia’s court system has also been strengthened – judges and prosecutors are better trained and more child-friendly, giving the justice system more teeth to deal with trafficking cases. International Justice Mission has played a huge role in this.
MORE THAN A HAIRCUT
Hair stylists in Ohio are being trained to spot signs of trafficking. The State Cosmetology Board for Licensing requires all hair dressers to watch a one-hour training video and pass a quiz by January 2017. Since many trafficking victims have their hair and nails done (to look good for customers), hair stylists can play a role in spotting warning signs.
“When I first heard about [the training] I was like this is weird. We do hair. But after hearing it I. . .think this summer I had an instance where it happened and I’m like, oh my gosh I’m so glad we do this kind of thing.”
Marci Nattinger, ABC 22 News
LEVERAGING MEDIA
The CNN Freedom Project, the longest-running awareness and investigative campaign on modern slavery on a global news channel, has resulted in 1,000+ survivors receiving assistance and more than $24 million in donations to anti-trafficking organizations.
A DUAL BENEFIT
A program called the Human Exploitation Rescue Operative is training wounded US veterans in computer forensics to combat online child exploitation. They’ve trained almost 100 veterans in 3 years, and each veteran can prevent up to 50 children a year from being exploited. Not only does the program prevent sexual exploitation, but also gives injured veterans a mission back home.
BREAKING RECORDS
Between April and December 2015, after a new slavery law was passed in the UK, 183 people were prosecuted for trafficking offences. This new record indicates that human trafficking cases are a priority and that prosecutors have the tools they need to hold traffickers to account.
Injustice looms large, but let us not lose heart. Stories of hope abound.
