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This year a slave: 3 out of every 1,000 humans are still trafficked. Let's fix that This year a slave: 3 out of every 1,000 humans are still trafficked. Let's fix that
(6 months later)
Just the other night, in the year 2014, Steve McQueen got up there on stage, accepted the trophy for Best Picture, and closed the Oscars with these simple words:Just the other night, in the year 2014, Steve McQueen got up there on stage, accepted the trophy for Best Picture, and closed the Oscars with these simple words:
Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup. I dedicate this award to all the people who have endured slavery, and the 21 million people who still suffer slavery today.Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup. I dedicate this award to all the people who have endured slavery, and the 21 million people who still suffer slavery today.
McQueen’s groundbreaking film, 12 Years a Slave, left some audience members – myself included – looking away from its more graphic moments, when the torture endured by African Americans at the hands of their so-called owners was so brought vividly to life. But the director is asking more of us than just to face up to the horrors of the slavery of the past; he wants us to confront the horrors of right now.McQueen’s groundbreaking film, 12 Years a Slave, left some audience members – myself included – looking away from its more graphic moments, when the torture endured by African Americans at the hands of their so-called owners was so brought vividly to life. But the director is asking more of us than just to face up to the horrors of the slavery of the past; he wants us to confront the horrors of right now.
And of those 21 million people, around 1.5 million modern slaves are hiding in plain sight – and in the advanced democracies of North America and the European Union, no less. Steve McQueen is right to insist that we do not avert our eyes.And of those 21 million people, around 1.5 million modern slaves are hiding in plain sight – and in the advanced democracies of North America and the European Union, no less. Steve McQueen is right to insist that we do not avert our eyes.
Now, it might seem wrong to compare the unbearable brutality of legalized slavery, which allowed so many men and women to be bought and sold on the open market and subjected to public lashings and lynchings, with its more discreet present-day incarnation. But Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project, a US-based organization that fights against human trafficking and modern slavery, said what needs to be said in a recent op-ed for CNN:Now, it might seem wrong to compare the unbearable brutality of legalized slavery, which allowed so many men and women to be bought and sold on the open market and subjected to public lashings and lynchings, with its more discreet present-day incarnation. But Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project, a US-based organization that fights against human trafficking and modern slavery, said what needs to be said in a recent op-ed for CNN:
Slavery may no longer be legal or accepted. Slavery may no longer be as brutal, as visible, or as blatant. But it’s time for us to fully absorb that slavery has been with us every day since the late 1800s.Slavery may no longer be legal or accepted. Slavery may no longer be as brutal, as visible, or as blatant. But it’s time for us to fully absorb that slavery has been with us every day since the late 1800s.
Myles goes on to describe how the tactics used to enslave Northup, the real-life hero of McQueen’s film who was kidnapped and robbed of his identity before being sold into slavery and subjected to years of abuse, are eerily similar to the tactics reported by 21st-century victims who call Polaris Project’s National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline every day. That’s a pretty shocking revelation considering that human trafficking is a federal crime carrying long penalties in today’s America. It suggests also that the laws currently in place to deter traffickers and to protect their victims are failing on both counts, either because they’re not strong enough or they’re not being adequately enforced. Myles goes on to describe how the tactics used to enslave Northup, the real-life hero of McQueen’s film who was kidnapped and robbed of his identity before being sold into slavery and subjected to years of abuse, are eerily similar to the tactics reported by 21st-century victims who call Polaris Project’s National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline every day. That’s a pretty shocking revelation considering that human trafficking is a federal crime carrying long penalties in today’s America. It suggests also that the laws currently in place to deter traffickers and to protect their victims are failing on both counts, either because they’re not strong enough or they’re not being adequately enforced.
To understand why traffickers can operate successfully in a country like America, where the legal system is not (theoretically) on their side, you have to look at the collective vulnerability of their victims. In his op-ed, Myles describes “modern slavery” as praying on the women and girls who are lured against their will into the commercial sex trade, or the farm workers, domestic workers and factory workers who are induced through force, fraud or coercion into working work long hours in terrible conditions for little or no pay. Some of these victims are US citizens, some are documented workers who had their papers stolen by their employers, and some remain undocumented.To understand why traffickers can operate successfully in a country like America, where the legal system is not (theoretically) on their side, you have to look at the collective vulnerability of their victims. In his op-ed, Myles describes “modern slavery” as praying on the women and girls who are lured against their will into the commercial sex trade, or the farm workers, domestic workers and factory workers who are induced through force, fraud or coercion into working work long hours in terrible conditions for little or no pay. Some of these victims are US citizens, some are documented workers who had their papers stolen by their employers, and some remain undocumented.
The enforcement now lies primarily in the Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act (TVPA), which was signed by the US Congress in 2000 and has been amended and improved upon five times since. And it is primarily after-the-fact enforcement at that. According to the law, if a person can demonstrate that she was trafficked, then she may be entitled to compensation and is usually eligible for a T Visa that allows her to remain and work temporarily in the country as her case is resolved.The enforcement now lies primarily in the Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act (TVPA), which was signed by the US Congress in 2000 and has been amended and improved upon five times since. And it is primarily after-the-fact enforcement at that. According to the law, if a person can demonstrate that she was trafficked, then she may be entitled to compensation and is usually eligible for a T Visa that allows her to remain and work temporarily in the country as her case is resolved.
The problem with that kind of trafficking law is huge: victims rarely self-identify, and even if they do, they’re often too afraid to come forward. Undocumented workers are understandably fearful of being detained or deported by immigration officials. And sex workers are justifiably reluctant to call on the police for help when they know that prostitution is a crime that carries prison time in most states. It doesn’t help that in most jurisdictions across the country, law enforcement officials do not receive adequate training to identify victims either and so are ill-equipped to help them.The problem with that kind of trafficking law is huge: victims rarely self-identify, and even if they do, they’re often too afraid to come forward. Undocumented workers are understandably fearful of being detained or deported by immigration officials. And sex workers are justifiably reluctant to call on the police for help when they know that prostitution is a crime that carries prison time in most states. It doesn’t help that in most jurisdictions across the country, law enforcement officials do not receive adequate training to identify victims either and so are ill-equipped to help them.
A few months ago, I interviewed a former trafficking victim. She goes by the pseudonym Anna Gomez and had been 13 years a slave here in New York City until a new system of Human Trafficking Intervention Courts helped her escape the life in which she had been trapped. Anna was only 15 years old when she came to the US, alone, hoping to earn money to help her family back home in Mexico. She was easy prey for a team of sex traffickers. And she was still just 17 when the brothel in which she worked was raided by the police. But Anna told me that no law-enforcement officers ever asked her age – or anything about her situation, even though she looked like a child and legally still was a child. She was simply arrested, processed and then released back into the hands of traffickers.A few months ago, I interviewed a former trafficking victim. She goes by the pseudonym Anna Gomez and had been 13 years a slave here in New York City until a new system of Human Trafficking Intervention Courts helped her escape the life in which she had been trapped. Anna was only 15 years old when she came to the US, alone, hoping to earn money to help her family back home in Mexico. She was easy prey for a team of sex traffickers. And she was still just 17 when the brothel in which she worked was raided by the police. But Anna told me that no law-enforcement officers ever asked her age – or anything about her situation, even though she looked like a child and legally still was a child. She was simply arrested, processed and then released back into the hands of traffickers.
A decade later, when a special unit trained to recognize and help trafficking victims raided another brother in which she she worked, Anna had a very different experience. No more churn through the criminal justice system. This time, Anan was connected with social service providers who were able to help her find freedom and rebuild her life.A decade later, when a special unit trained to recognize and help trafficking victims raided another brother in which she she worked, Anna had a very different experience. No more churn through the criminal justice system. This time, Anan was connected with social service providers who were able to help her find freedom and rebuild her life.
But Anna’s sex traffickers were never prosecuted, and they remain free to prey on new victims should they so choose. Even with the TVPA legislation still in place, prosecuting sex or labor trafficking cases is notoriously difficult. The trouble has something to do with victims who are sometimes unable or unwilling to testify against their former tormentors. But it can be difficult to establish physical evidence, as explained by Brittany Vanderhoof at Polaris:But Anna’s sex traffickers were never prosecuted, and they remain free to prey on new victims should they so choose. Even with the TVPA legislation still in place, prosecuting sex or labor trafficking cases is notoriously difficult. The trouble has something to do with victims who are sometimes unable or unwilling to testify against their former tormentors. But it can be difficult to establish physical evidence, as explained by Brittany Vanderhoof at Polaris:
The way the TVPA is written, prosecutors look at both psychological as well as physical factors to assess if a person was able to leave their situation. But it can still be difficult to convince juries that if a person was not locked in a room or held in a state of debt bondage that trafficking has taken place.The way the TVPA is written, prosecutors look at both psychological as well as physical factors to assess if a person was able to leave their situation. But it can still be difficult to convince juries that if a person was not locked in a room or held in a state of debt bondage that trafficking has taken place.
Indeed, modern-day slavery is not so simple, which is all the more reason for more of us to be hyper-vigilant of its existence, prevalence and continued horror. As awareness grows, with every US state now finally having an anti-trafficking law of some sort on its books, we’re getting somewhere.Indeed, modern-day slavery is not so simple, which is all the more reason for more of us to be hyper-vigilant of its existence, prevalence and continued horror. As awareness grows, with every US state now finally having an anti-trafficking law of some sort on its books, we’re getting somewhere.
But anti-trafficking laws will never be properly implemented without adequate resources to fund them. Only public pressure can make this happen. And public pressure increases when everyone – not just ardent activists and occasional legislators, but everyday moviegoers and concerned citizens – start to see the best picture of this issue: even though today’s slavery is less blatant, brutal and visible than slavery of the past, we should not deem it any more acceptable.But anti-trafficking laws will never be properly implemented without adequate resources to fund them. Only public pressure can make this happen. And public pressure increases when everyone – not just ardent activists and occasional legislators, but everyday moviegoers and concerned citizens – start to see the best picture of this issue: even though today’s slavery is less blatant, brutal and visible than slavery of the past, we should not deem it any more acceptable.