The focus of the August issue highlights topics covered by the United States State Department Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report for 2021.
We have learned during the last year that human trafficking does not stop during a pandemic. The concurrence of the increased number of individuals at risk, traffickers’ ability to capitalize on competing crises, and the diversion of resources to pandemic response efforts has resulted in an ideal environment for human trafficking to flourish and evolve. Yet, despite the added challenges and risks that the pandemic has presented, we have also witnessed the adaptability among those continuing to combat human trafficking and their dedication to ensuring the continuation of anti-trafficking efforts to minimize the effects of the pandemic on victims and the broader anti-trafficking community. This year, the TIP Report introduction examines the emerging trends, challenges, and adaptations to global anti-trafficking efforts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this year’s Report we celebrate the efforts of anti-trafficking professionals who continued to serve and identify victims as well as prosecute traffickers amidst the pandemic’s devastating effects on the world’s most vulnerable populations. We salute the survivor leaders––those with lived experience of human trafficking––who have demonstrated resilience and reaffirm that employing trauma- and survivor-informed approaches is essential, crisis or not. While acknowledging these leaders, we recognize that many of us have also been touched by trauma, whether through loss of a loved one, our own illness, or dealing with large-scale lockdowns and extreme uncertainty. A trauma-informed approach is needed now more than ever. We must ensure that our commitment to victim-centered and trauma- and survivor-informed approaches when serving victims and survivors is uninterrupted. We must also extend this approach to our interactions with our colleagues throughout the anti-trafficking field.
While hopeful that we’re turning the corner on the pandemic, we know that different countries are at different stages in their pandemic response and recovery. We call on governments and anti-trafficking actors to draw inspiration from the innovation and leadership this Report highlights to continue and improve the response to combat trafficking even amidst the necessary recovery efforts. We should also consider the lessons learned over the course of this global health crisis. It is through collaboration and collective understanding of both the nuances of our profoundly changed world and the needs of those affected most by the compounding effects of both human trafficking and the COVID-19 pandemic that a path forward emerge
August Monthly Reflection
By Maryann Agnes Mueller, CSSF
“Education is the most powerful weapon
Which you can use to change the world.”
- Nelson Mandala
As we approach the beginning of a new school year, it is important to remember that aside from children, teachers, and staff, human traffickers can be found near schools, playgrounds, and other venues where children and teenagers congregate. These include social media, which offers traffickers access to children and their profile information. Traffickers often create fake profiles to impersonate individuals whom children may trust. By connecting on social media, a trafficker can anonymously learn the characteristics, behaviors, and social circles of their potential victims. In 2020, one case of grooming started on a school-issued Chromebook which led to a student and the groomer meeting up in person.
Read the Monthly Reflection
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