TRANSPORTATIONS IMPACT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING Marion Kotowski

TRANSPORTATIONS IMPACT ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING • Marion Kotowski – Violence Prevention Specialist • Up 2 Us Now Child Abuse Prevention Coalition • Mercy Foundation • Roseburg, Oregon

• Established in 2010 with over 30 community partners which include law enforcement, not-for-profits and govt. agencies • Goal is to reduce and prevent the incidence of child abuse in Douglas County • Multiple projects across sectors

UP 2 US NOW – HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE • Initiative to raise awareness and collect data on the incidence of human trafficking in Douglas County began January 2015 and partnered with CSEC & Portland Human Trafficking Task Force/Oregon’s Dept. of Justice • Trainings for law enforcement agencies, security companies, medical providers, nursing, dental assistants, paramedic and truck driving students • Community awareness & education events • Resources

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery Victims of trafficking exploited for commercial sex or labor purposes Traffickers use force, fraud or coercion to achieve exploitation Need NOT be present for minors After drug dealing, human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world, surpassing the arms trade and it is the fastest growing industry among traffickers. Why? $38 WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

Trafficking by Type - US Rates 4% 8% Sex 5% Domestic 10% 46% Agriculture Sweatshop Restaurant 27% Other Sex Trafficking Labor Trafficking • Commercial Front Brothel • Internet Based Commercial Sex • Hotel/Motel Based Commercial Sex • Truck Stop Based Commercial Sex • Escort/ Delivery Service • The Track • Domestic Work • Agriculture/Farm Work • Production • Restaurant/Food Service • Retail/ Small Business • Traveling Sales Crews

HOW DOES IT WORK?

ORGAN TRAFFICKING • Removal of organs or tissue from a person, deceased or otherwise. • Organs are sold for experiments, transplants and rituals. • Human Rights organizations estimate approximately 15, 000 – 20, 000 illegal kidney transplants per year

LABOR TRAFFICKING Labor – Individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud, coercion including debt bondage. Often recruited from other countries and imported to US (Work Abroad, Mail Order Brides, earn more in…. ) Dept. of Homeland Security Rescue and Restore

SEX TRAFFICKING • Sex – People forced into commercial sex against their will. No force, fraud or coercion for minors. Victims usually have histories of abuse or disconnection. • False promises, fake relationships, manipulation • Commercial Front Brothel • Internet Based Commercial Sex • Hotel/Motel Based Commercial Sex • Truck Stop Based Commercial Sex • Escort/ Delivery Service

THE FACTS 2 nd most profitable criminal activity in the world after drug trafficking and before arms trafficking More money than Nike, Google and Starbucks COMBINED! 27 Million victims; 1 Million are Children (100, 000 300, 000 just in the US) Pray on the vulnerable (poverty, children, lack of opportunities, social isolation, family disconnection) Victims are tricked, forced and/or coerced Trafficked by people they know and seemingly trustworthy recruiters/agents Long hours, inhumane conditions, no or little compensation, drug addicted, false debts 14, 500 – 17, 500 trafficking into US each year. 50% are children

MYTHS • Human trafficking and prostitution are completely unrelated • Human trafficking happens to poor people with no education • Human trafficking must involve violence and confinement • Human trafficking does not happen in the U. S. or in my neighborhood/town/city

HIGH PROBABILITY OF TRAFFICKING VICTIMS

RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS • Unsafe/unhealthy work or living conditions • Poor mental health or abnormal behavior- extreme shyness/fear • Poor physical health – sick, bruised, malnourished • Underage youth with older adults who appear to be in control • Lack of control over ones own papers, freedom, money, decisions, speech

LABOR TRAFFICKING SPECIFIC Is not free to come and go as he/she wishes Is unpaid, paid very little or paid only through tips Works excessively long and or unusual hours Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off Was recruited through false promises concerning nature and conditions of work High security measures exist in the work and/or living conditions (opaque/boarded/barred windows, barbed wire, security cameras etc. )

GOODS PRODUCED BY FORCED/ CHILD LABOR Cocoa/coca – child labor on the Ivory Coast Coffee – Colombia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Brazil – child labor Tobacco – child and slave labor – children under the age of 10 Clothing – Walmart, H & M, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Disney, Forever 21 – cotton / manufacturing working 19 hours per day making $20 per month Electronics / Toys – sweatshops in Thailand, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Philippines – Apple, Toys R Us

BUY FAIR TRADE

PARTICULAR TO SEX TRAFFICKING • Sudden change in appearance, behavior, material possessions • Provocative or inappropriate dress • Drug and/or alcohol use • Tattoos / branding on neck, chest or lower back • Skipping usual activities like school or work • Missing regularly with no explanation • Late night phone calls/leaving • Any minor engaging in commercial sex

TRANSPORTATION & TRAFFICKING Taxi driver helps bust child trafficking racket – 2014 A taxi driver helped child helpline volunteers bust a child trafficking racket, leading to the arrest of a 45 -year-old man. The man had allegedly kept a 15 -year-old girl and a 12 year-old boy in his captivity and reportedly forced them to beg for him. NEW KENT COUNTY, Va. — A truck driver in Virginia saved an alleged sex trafficking victim after he witnessed strange behavior in an RV and called police, according to authorities. “Saw what looked like a young girl looking out the window, the black drapes didn’t make it look like a families’ RV, you know, ” Kimmel told WTVR. “I saw a guy come up and knock on the door then go inside the Pilot — then quickly came back and knocked again, all of the sudden the thing was rocking and rolling. ” ~ 2015

PLAY YOUR PART • Businesses – make sure slave labor is not being used in the supply line of your products and your staff know the signs and how to report • Communities – refuse to buy slave -made goods and learn now to identify slavery and trafficking so that traffickers will have nowhere to hide • Governments – make nations slave-free and start enforcing anti -trafficking laws • Organizations – coordinate efforts and become united in solving global poverty and slavery

TRANSPORTATION ANSWERS Truckers Against Trafficking - Truck drivers, trucking companies, schools, travel centers and policy makers have trained drivers and staff in TAT Iowa MVE Model – LEA’s, weigh stations, truck stops, CDL new or renewed, trucking companies New York City taxi drivers will soon not just be taking passengers around the city, they're being asked to help spot potential sex trafficking victims. ~ CNN Headline 2012

BE A CHANGEMAKER https: //youtu. be/a. ZXa. WAke. NLo

Truckers Against Trafficking National Human Trafficking Resource Center Polaris Project Department of Homeland Security Rescue and Restore

QUESTIONS?