LifeWay Network

Sister Joan addresses AAUW

Sister Joan Dawber, Executive Director of LifeWay Network, gave a presentation about the organization and its efforts in combating human trafficking for the American Association of University Women on Monday October 5, 2009 at the Garden City Library.

The presentation began with human trafficking terminology, putting an emphasis on the most important aspect of human trafficking, the exploitation of human beings.

Sister Joan provided the audience with the following facts:

The 2009 TIP (Trafficking In Persons) reports which comes from the State Dept., says, “Human Trafficking, in essence, is a modern-day form of slavery. It involves exploitation and forced servitude. To recognize and address all forms of human trafficking, the language used to discuss it should focus on the harsh reality of victims’ suffering and the horrific crimes of perpetrators”. So we speak then of human trafficking as modern day slavery. This broadens the understanding from merely “trade” (“bought” and sold”) to include the clear exploitation of human beings, day after day, for years on end.  “The clarity of language is important in creating effective legislation or policies to prosecute offenders and protect victims.” So we move the focus from merely the transaction aspects of a crime and more accurately described it as enslavement. The exploitation of people.  (UN Report Feb 2009)

AAUW members and non-members alike attended the presentation to learn about the tragedy of human trafficking

Sister Joan also provided current trafficking statistics (see “Trafficking Facts”) and then went on to inform the audience about legislation that has been passed on federal and state levels:

On the federal level, Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) came into force in 2000, it was reauthorized and strengthened in 2003, 2005, and 2008 to better server victims and hold perpetrators responsible.  TVPA is a comprehensive federal law, established to combat sever forms of trafficking. TVPA defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons” in two ways; sex trafficking and labor;

(A) sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person is induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

(B) the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

In New York, in June 2007, due to a lot of hard work in letter writing by many, the anti-trafficking law was passed and came into effect on Nov. 1, 2007.

The Law:

• Criminalizes sex and labor trafficking
• Toughens penalties
• Establishes services for Victims.

An interagency Task Force was established. The Chairs of the Task force are Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and OTDS Office of Temporary Disabilities. (Duties: Collecting data to determine nature and extent, identify state, federal and local programs, collaborate to prevent trafficking and assist victims, develop protocols/collaboration, increase public awareness, training and evaluation, measure and evaluate progress) A report on this work was published in August 2008.

The evening ended with a question and answer period that further helped those in attendance appreciate the magnitude of the work that needs to be done and the suffering of human trafficking victims.

The Garden City News provided information about this presentation. Click to view.