Federal law defines severe human trafficking as:
- Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, coercion or in which the person induced to perform such an act is under 18.
- The recruitment, transportation, harboring, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services (link to “labor” tab), through the use of force, fraud or coercion, for the purposes of subjecting that person to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world today. This form of modern day slavery is tied with arms as the second largest international criminal industry – behind drug dealing.
The U.S. Dept. of Justice estimates that between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the country each year.
Washington's Task Force against Trafficking of Persons reports our state is a hotbed for the recruitment, transportation and sale of people for labor. The report indicates several factors make Washington prone to human trafficking:
- International border with Canada
- Abundance of ports
- Vast rural areas
- Dependency on agricultural workers
Seattle is part of a trafficking circuit that can include Honolulu, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Portland, Vancouver (Clark County), Yakima and Canada.
The report also notes that trafficking has occurred in 18 Washington state counties.
- Victims range from "mail-order" brides to sex workers to domestic workers and children.
- Local victims have come as far as Russia, the Philippines, China and Mexico.
In 2003, Washington was the first state to pass a law criminalizing human trafficking and we have the most stringent law in the country.
- Under the law, it's a serious felony to recruit, harbor, transport or obtain any person for labor or services using force, fraud or coercion.
- That includes sex trafficking and other forms of forced labor, from domestic servitude to sweatshop work.
Unfortunately by 2008, no known charges had been filed under the law. The Attorney General’s Office became involved in this issue through work on domestic violence. At the AG’s Office, we learned the law wasn’t being used because victims of human trafficking were not being recognized as such. Rather, they were being seen as victims of other crimes, such as domestic violence and sexual assault.
AGO Human Trafficking Roundtable
In April 2008, the Attorney General’s Office convened a roundtable of legislative, law enforcement and social services leaders well-versed in the issue of human trafficking to determine ways to integrate efforts.
Our work is ongoing but we continue to seek a comprehensive approach to victims services, addressing:
- Language barriers
- Lack of awareness of services
- Fear and suspicion of law enforcement
Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, the 2011‐12 President of the National Association of Attorneys General, has selected this problem as the focus of his presidential initiative.
Pillars of Hope: Attorneys General Unite against Human Trafficking is built upon the following four pillars:
- Pillar #1: Make the case: Although data exist on human trafficking cases tried by federal authorities, state‐specific data on human trafficking are severely lacking. The AGs will work to:
- Prepare an analytically sound assessment of the problem of modern slavery in the U.S. including labor and sex trafficking, and victims both foreign and domestic.
- Analyze existing state laws and model criminal and civil statutes, as well as tools for evaluating the effectiveness of prevention strategies, law enforcement and victim services at the state level.
- Promote the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (1-888-373-7888) to increase victim access to services and to collect data regarding trafficking incidents nationwide.
- Pillar # 2: Hold Traffickers Accountable: AGs will work to:
- Support the launch of the new FBI business and training plan to include human trafficking as a part of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
- Encourage state program managers responsible for criminal justice statistics to participate in the FBI’s UCR and NIBRS effort to map and code trafficking offenses, and collect data regarding trafficking incidents for entry to state reporting repositories.
- Provide a toolkit of anti-human trafficking statutes and best practices based on analysis under Pillar 1 for use by state and local law enforcement in all 50 states.
- Based on the National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute (NAGTRI) template, develop and conduct additional regional trainings for first responders and prosecutors.
- Pillar #3: Help Victims: Coordination among service providers and law enforcement has increased the number of victims identified. AGs will work to:
- Identify service provider networks or “portals” in every state, to ensure that all identified victims of human trafficking have access to food, shelter, culturally appropriate services and legal advocacy.
- Create an inventory of grass-roots advocacy organizations that are available to assist with community awareness strategies at the state and local levels.
- Disseminate model protocols for local law enforcement that create partnerships with service providers.
- Review existing statutes and best practices relating to victim restitution per Pillar #1 so that traffickers’ assets may be seized and the proceeds used to fund victims’ services and enforcement efforts.
- Pillar #4: Reduce Demand: Although numerous public awareness campaigns exist, few use proven metrics that demonstrate a campaign’s effectiveness. Attorneys General will work to promote zero tolerance for trafficking, reduce demand and identify victims through public awareness and to specifically:
- Inspire public officials to support the “anti-human trafficking resolution”
- Disseminate public awareness content via billboards, print and broadcast media leading up to Superbowl XLV on February 12th, 2012.
- Develop anti-trafficking awareness content for placement in cyberspace and beyond.
Acknowledgment
The Attorney General’s Office would like to provide a special thank you to the following national, state and local government and organizations. They have generously provided us with advice, research assistance, resources, and given us permission to link to their materials.