It may be hard to detect in everyday situations, but that doesn’t make human trafficking any less of a significant concern throughout the United States.
Such was the main focus of a presentation at the Widener Lecture Hall on Monday evening. Representatives from the Covenant House of Philadelphia, the Delaware County District Attorney’s office, Senator Daylin Leach’s office and the FBI were on hand for a question-and-answer session as well as a screening of documentary “Sex+Money: a National Search For Human Worth.”
“I didn’t really know [human trafficking] was going on that close to home,” attendee Erika Womack said. “It was really weird seeing that even some of my friends could be involved in it and I couldn’t even know.”
Carl Hill, outreach coordinator for the Covenant House of Philadelphia brought up the idea of a “john school”- a program for prostitute solicitors that educates them on human trafficking and allows for payment of a fine rather than any jail time.
Sarah Charles, district director for the Office of Senator Daylin Leach in King of Prussia, talked about projects that Sen. Leach is undergoing in order for legislation against human trafficking, as well as encouraged the practice of lobbying.
“Know what you’re talking about before going in [to lobby], and don’t be afraid to speak with a staff member,” Charles said.
Delaware County Assistant District Attorney Pearl Kim discussed how the DA’s office is going about the process of applying for funds and grants to step up their efforts against human trafficking. As the chief of the office’s Human Trafficking Unit, it’s a cause that Kim showed passion for.
Following the conversation, “Sex+Money” was screened. The documentary follows students as they tour the country interviewing victims of human trafficking, traffickers themselves, solicitors, government officials, activists and more as they seek answers for how it can happen on our soil.
Human trafficking is trading of humans for various purposes, mainly sexual and forced labor. Internationally, it makes approximately $32 billion annually, with the average victim generating $13,000. In the United States, runaway and missing youth are at high risk, and the average ages for a child to be forced into prostitution range from 12 to 14. While slavery in the United States was abolished in 1865, human trafficking exists as a modern-day form of slavery.
In a 2011 study published by the Department of Justice, federal task forces opened up over 2,500 cases, with 82 percent being classified as sex trafficking (half of those also involved victims under the age of 18.) A majority of sex-trafficking victims (83 percent) were U.S. citizens, while a majority (67 percent) of labor-trafficking victims were undocumented immigrants.
These numbers may seem appalling, but Pennsylvania State Senator Stewart Greenleaf intends to find a solution to the problem with Senate Bill 75. The bill intends to provide a clearer definition of human trafficking, increase fines and penalties, create a Council for the Prevention of Human Trafficking, increase training for first responders and increase resources for victims.
Passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the bill was sent to the Senate floor before being tabled. If approved by the Senate, it will then be sent to the State’s House of Representatives, where it will be examined and voted upon by the House Judiciary Committee and voted upon by the House.
But while Senate Bill 75 is tabled by the Senate, there is still action that can be taken by students against human trafficking. The Covenant House as well as Dawn’s Place can provide opportunities for students to get involved, and getting in contact with state representatives and state senators could be a resource as well. There is also the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
“I would recommend that they join a local coalition…talk to the administrators at Covenant House, I would ask that they would speak to those in charge at Dawn’s Place and get involved,” Karol Brewer of the Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition and organizer of the event, said. “I also think that there are a lot of training sessions out there that kids could attend, and come back and reach 1,000 kids.”
Human trafficking, whether for sex, labor or both, may not be visible, but it is still significant. However, there are still resources out there to combat it.
“We have wonderful resources here, and I really want to get the kids involved,” Brewer said. “We’ve had a number of events like this now and it’s always been a great turnout. The kids just want to have more concrete ways to be involved.”
