On Friday the White House recognized the growing threat of human trafficking with the signing of an executive order. The order broadly addresses kidnapping and modern day slavery. In the U.S. this issue has a profound impact on African Americans, women in particular. The statistics are astounding:
– 62% of human trafficking suspects are African Americans
– 52% of all juvenile prostitution arrests are African Americans
– 40% of victims of human trafficking are African-Americans
Ivanka Trumo, who heads the initiative, spoke for about 15 minutes, which included remarks from Jessica Hamlet, a survivor of human trafficking, the president's daughter and advisorTrump introduced Attorney General Bill Barr, and then took her seat in the front row, next to Jared Kushner.
Barr said his office is prepared to put the “full force of the law” behind stopping human trafficking, which he called “a horrific crime” and “modern day slavery.” Barr spoke for about 7 minutes, noting specifically the “serious challenge” of digital communications, internet and “platforms like that,” in which trafficking evidence is frequently digital – however, he says it’s being encrypted and that’s posing a real problem. He says this is his particular focus and that of his office as they move to combat trafficking and go after those responsible.
Ivanka Trump’s remarks are below:
Good morning. I am honored to welcome you here today to the White House Summit on Human Trafficking, honoring the 20th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
On behalf of the President, thank you for joining me to celebrate this milestone and to recognize the incredible work that has been done across the country to tackle modern-day slavery, pursue justice for victims, and hold traffickers accountable.
Thank you Attorney General Barr, Secretary Scalia, Secretary Azar, Acting Secretary Wolf, and Deputy Secretary Biegun [bye-gun] for being here today. Under your leadership, and in coordination with the whole of government, the United States is committed to ending human trafficking in all of its evil forms.
I’m grateful to also be joined by Members of Congress and special guests, including Congressman Smith, Congresswoman Wagner, Congressman McCaul, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Brownback, and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Gingrich.
Further, among us are the members of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, the President’s Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking, as well as recipients of the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Each of you possess a wealth of knowledge and action-oriented approach that are invaluable resources in our fight against this crime and as we support survivors.
Human trafficking is believed to be one of the largest criminal activities in the world, with an estimated 24.9 million people trapped in forced labor, domestic servitude, or commercial sex trafficking. It is also one of the most lucrative illegal industries worldwide, generating over $150 billion dollars in annual profits.
This issue has no demographic limitations, exploits society’s most vulnerable, often women and children, andparticularly targets runaway and homeless youth.
In 1983, Robert Fuller and Louis Molitoris [Mo-lee-tor-is], two middle-aged men both born with intellectual disabilities, were discovered working on a dairy farm in Chelsea, Michigan. Isolated from the world, these two men were working 17 hour days without pay and living in squalor. They were hidden in plain sight.
The ruling in United States v. Kozminski [cause-min-ski], as Robert and Louis’s case would come to be known, recognized that the U.S. involuntary servitude and slavery statues were not sufficient in their scope, lacking necessary provisions to guarantee protections for these men and many others. This case spurred what would become a national outcry for legislation to address modern-day slavery.
In 2000, Congress responded. Under the leadership of former Senator Sam Brownback and Representative Chris Smith—who we will hear from shortly—Congress passed the monumental bi-partisan Trafficking Victims Protection Act.
This landmark piece of legislation changed the landscape of the conversation around human trafficking and elevated the U.S. Government’s capabilities to combatthis evil.
The TVPA created a number of protections for victims of human trafficking, ensuring they can access necessary services. It also sharpened prosecution capacities, criminalizing a broader scope of human trafficking-related crimes and requiring convicted traffickers to provide full restitution to their victims.
The TVPA enhanced prevention efforts as well, creatingfor the first time in U.S. history, an “Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons” within the Department of State.
The TIP Office, currently led by Ambassador-at-Large John Richmond who joins us today, is tasked with producing the annual Trafficking in Persons Report that serves as our key diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on this issue.
It goes without saying to the guests in this room that the TVPA ushered in a new-era in anti-trafficking work. Over the past 20 years, this legislation has shaped how our country pursues justice for victims, holds traffickers accountable, and prevents further trafficking.
So that brings us to today. Much progress has been made, but we recognize that this issue is still pervasive across communities.
In the early days of the Administration, President Trump boldly committed to bringing the “full force and weight of our government” to solve this horrific problem.
Since then, the President has delivered on this promise, signing NINE pieces of legislation into law that directly address human trafficking, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Acts of 2017 and 2018.
These bills expanded the provisions of the TVPA of 2000to include required law enforcement victim-identification training, HHS grant authority for educational institutions to educate teachers and students on signs of sex and labor trafficking, and more.
In 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, including those trafficking human beings. This action elevated human trafficking as a national security issue, as traffickers’ profits enrich their organizations at the expense of the American people.
President Trump was also the first sitting U.S. Presidentto attend the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, the interagency body tasked with coordinating U.S. Government-wide efforts to combat trafficking in persons.
Further, the President has prioritized funding for anti-trafficking work, proposing a $42 million dollar budget increase for 2021 that will enhance human trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and victim services.
Never before has a President been so resolved and relentless in the fight to hold perpetrators accountable and restore human dignity for victims.
The Trump Administration has fought, and will continue to fight this crime and ensure that survivors can access the services they need.
Human trafficking is not solely an international issue or a crime that must occur across borders. Human beings are being sold in America. In neighborhoods throughout our Country.
In rural and urban communities, as well as tribal lands. We cannot turn a blind eye to trafficking that happens at home. We cannot tolerate the exploitation of our own citizens.
The prevalence of domestic trafficking was brought to a new light during a recent visit of mine to Atlanta. Facing one of the nation’s highest rates of human trafficking, the City of Atlanta has taken big strides forward to equip survivors with long-term care and the skills they need to succeed in the workforce.
One of the facilities leading in this effort is Wellspring Living, a non-profit providing a path forward to survivors of domestic sex trafficking. Wellspring’s motto is “To Live and Dream Again,” a beautiful testament to what I witnessed that day.
I met incredible, courageous women in Wellspring Living’s Women’s Academy, which is dedicated to helping survivors attain skills for their GED, an apprenticeship, or a future career.
A few of these ladies join us here today, including Jessica Hamlet. Jessica’s story is one of truly remarkable transformation. Jessica shared with me her experience being trafficking for sex domestically after surviving a childhood of abuse, losing custody of her children, and facing serious challenges with drug abuse and addiction.
Despite all of this, Jessica recently completed an apprenticeship at Delta Airlines, regained custody of her daughter, and now works full-time for the City of Atlanta.Her resilience is inspiring. I would be honored if Jessica could join me up here on stage to say a few words.
Thank you, Jessica. You have shown courage that few will ever know, and your voice is critical to this conversation.
No human being deserves to live without agency or without hope for the future.
So today, let us recognize the vigorous work of all those who brought us to this point in history. As a Nation, we have taken strides forward in combatting modern-day slavery, but there is more to be done. We must continue our efforts to end this evil scourge.
Thank you for being here, and with that, I welcome Attorney General Bill Barr, a passionate champion of this cause, to share a few words.