International Investigative Strategies-Human Trafficking-Law Enforcement Training

Speaker calls human trafficking the downside of U.S. prosperity

2009-06-13T12:40:00.000-04:00

By MaryAnn Kromer
Staff Writer
mkromer@advertiser-tribune.com
Nadia Lucchin, a graduate of Ohio State University, spent more than three years in Italy studying Italian and teaching English. During that time, she also observed women from Africa and other European countries involved in prostitution on the streets of Rome.
"I kept seeing these women ... and I thought, 'Why would they work on the street? They're so pretty,'" Lucchin said.
Those experiences led her to investigate the business of human trafficking to supply workers for the sex industry and for other kinds of forced labor. On June 6, Lucchin gave a presentation about what she learned to about 25 people at Restoration Ministries in Tiffin Mall. April Vanover of Tiffin, a member of the church, invited Lucchin to speak. Vanover volunteers at a Columbus shelter for trafficking victims, and Lucchin is the director of the Not For Sale Campaign in Ohio.
"Not For Sale" also is the title of a book by David Batstone, an ethics professor at the University of San Francisco. The book estimates the number of people enslaved around the world at 27 million people. After reading the book, Lucchin found the figures to be "shocking, staggering," and said she couldn't turn her back on trafficking victims. She wanted to do more, especially because the numbers most likely are higher than the estimate.
"People do not document the slaves that they keep," Lucchin said.
Her program defines human trafficking as the recruitment or transportation of humans across boundaries by force, fraud or deception for the purpose of exploiting them to make money. Minors often are kidnapped. For adults, Lucchin said a common ploy is to promise a job to people who agree to relocate. The trafficker says fake documents will be provided.
"Once they get here, their documents are taken and they must pay the trafficker to get them back - if they even exist," Lucchin said.
In many cases, the victims do not know where they are and cannot speak the language. Their families do not know their whereabouts. They have no one to turn to for help, and the traffickers usually threaten the victims to make them compliant.
In Ohio, Toledo is one of the top locations for recruiting minors for sex, Lucchin said. A large immigrant population and widespread poverty are two factors. Toledo also has a network of highways, railroads and shipping lanes leading in and out of the area in all directions.
Reducing human slavery depends on ordinary citizens observing suspicious people and conditions, such as workers with obvious physical injuries or constant anxiety. A business from which the workers do not come and go may indicate they are forced to stay somewhere in the building at all times, against their will. A truck driver in the audience said he had witnessed workers at a sawmill in another state who were housed in barracks at the site. Law enforcement seemed to be aware of illegal labor practices but did not take action.
Lucchin said Americans' appetite for low-cost products is partly to blame for sweatshops and slave labor here and in other countries. She asked the audience to consider what the world might be like if we didn't have all the consumer goods that are available.
"For us to live the way we do, a lot of other people have to live in dire poverty," Lucchin said. "I want to make sure that people are not suffering so I can have a cool shirt ... It sickens me that people will close their eyes to where these things come from."
Trade policies need to be changed to require fair wages and safe working conditions for all workers, Lucchin said, but she believes legalizing prostitution would not end the sex trade. In the meantime, she said law enforcement officers should have more training for the best ways to handle human trafficking victims and offenders.
Anyone who observes activity that suggests human trafficking should report it to local law enforcement or call the national hotline toll-free at (888) 373-7888.

US envoy warns on human trafficking

2009-06-13T12:34:00.002-04:00

By Steven Candia

Thurday June 11, 2009

The US Ambassador, Steven Browning, yesterday expressed concern at the pace at which human trafficking was spreading. He said it was now the third most lucrative crime after the drugs and illegal weapons trade, and warned that Uganda has not been spared by the vice. He said the vice needed to be addressed urgently: “Uganda, like the US and other countries is not immune to trafficking,” Browning said. Speaking at the hand-over of equipment worth $15,000 (about sh33m) to the Police, Browning, citing UN figures, said close to two million individuals are trafficked worldwide each year. He said the vice could only be tackled through concerted effort and lauded Uganda for the measures already in place. “As you know, human trafficking is a global human rights issue and an international crime that can only be truly eradicated through cooperative efforts.” Police boss Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura noted that the donation was timely, given that tackling human trafficking and ritual murder still presented a challenge to the Police force. “Though we have brought it down, the vice was and still is a problem for the Police,” Kayihura said, adding that the donation would boost Police investigations. “With this there should be no excuse for not expediently investigating cases,” he said, adding that the Police force is in the process of improving its fleet with the view of having mobile squads at regional levels particularly tasked to curb trafficking in humans. The donation comes against the backdrop of the a pattern of human sacrifices. Last year, a total of 25 cases of ritual murder, in which children were the main victims, were reported, according to the annual crime report. Of these, 19 were male and six female. Twenty of these cases were successfully investigated with suspects charged in court. Like many other countries, Browning said, Uganda had become a source, transit route and a destination for persons trafficked for labour and commercial sex. “Trafficking victims include adults and children forced or duped into situations of exploitation, be they child prostitutes, victims of sacrifice or adults trafficked into Uganda for forced labour,” Browning said. The equipment donated included binoculars, still and video camera’s, scanners, computers, printers, video documentaries on human trafficking in Uganda and dolls to be used while questioning children who have been victims of the vice. Browning lauded the Police for a job well done. “I would like to commend the outstanding efforts of the Police Child and Family Protection Units,” he said. However, Kayihura said the fight against the vice was being undermined by the country’s legal system, which he said, handles suspects “with kid gloves.”

New Web Site

2009-05-21T19:36:00.002-04:00

ITA has just established our new web site to facilitate our current and future clients access to information provided by ITA. This new site is easy to navigate and will be source of information that will be beneficial to law enforcement and judicial authorities seeking information on investigative techniques for combating the crime of trafficking in humans, intellectual property rights violations, and money laundering.

Sixty-third General Assembly Dialogue on Human Trafficking

2009-05-16T08:23:00.000-04:00

No longer possible to turn blind eye to human trafficking, as world wakes up to scope of scourge, General Assembly hears in thematic dialogue
Source: United Nations General Assembly
Date: 13 May 2009
GA/10827
Sixty-third General AssemblyThematic Dialogue on HumanTrafficking (AM & PM)

Informaton sharing

2009-05-10T07:54:00.002-04:00

In the ongoing information campaign undertaken by ITA staff I have forwarded the link to and a short message to the U.S. Embassies in Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Paraguay.

Russan Women Trafficked

2009-05-09T09:42:00.004-04:00

This news piece provides an excellent piece on Russian Women and girls trafficked from Russia to Israel via Egypt, as well as as the deception utilized to dupe the victims. This video illustrates how the trafficking victims can assist law enforcement officials conducting a trafficking investigation. However, ITA would never suggest or condone sending a victim back into a brothel or other such type environment for the purpose of gathering additional evidence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJyYEQbDIEo&feature=related

Trafficking of Women - UN Public Awareness

2009-05-09T09:27:00.001-04:00

Though older this is an excellent awareness piece produced by the United Nations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFkqqPinvuE&feature=email

It's Nothing New

2009-05-04T22:37:00.002-04:00

As terrible as the criminal activity trafficking in humans is, it is a criminal phenomenon that has existed for thousands of years. As we enter into the 21st century one would think that the global community would be able to come to grips with how to best address the issue. The ITA is of the position that one of the fundamental points is that providing state-of-the-art law enforcement and judicial training to those charged with enforcing the applicable laws and prosecuting those violating the law and basic human rights of the victims.

Open Your Eyes and Mind

2009-05-03T13:38:00.008-04:00

The crime of Trafficking in Humans" is the most vile of criminal activities perpetrated by today's criminal element anywhere in the world. Beyond the Geo-political issues and Socio-economic factors that contribute to preventive measures from being as effective as they otherwise could be, law enforcement officers, wherever they serve, are the first line of defense to stop this phenomenon.

Whether it is the patrol officer making a traffic stop and engaging the vehicle occupants in conversation, or the investigator conducting interviews of suspects and witnesses in the course of conducting a criminal investigation or judicial inquiry, they must look beyond the obvious and down through the layers of deceit and and subterfuge put into place by those trafficking in humans. Law enforcement officials must be taught and learn to not take the path of least resistance. They must constantly challenge and keep and open mind to the facts as they are uncovered, as they may not be as they are perceived. For example, the female without proper documentation stopped by border protection officers may not be an undocumented alien attempting to illegally gain entry into another nation, but rather a trafficking victim. The investigator interviewing women detained at a brothel may not be engaged in prostitution of her own free will. She may be a victim who as been sold from pimp to pimp and forced to service dozens of men a day to avoid additional physical an psychological abuse.

Today's law enforcement officers may be the first opportunity for these victims to escape from their environment of a living hell. . .if they know what to look for. I have included a model schedule as ITA delivers this type of training.

The Crime of Human Trafficking: A Law Enforcement Perspective to Identification, Investigation and Prosecution - Seminar
Date: TBD

Monday,

0900-1000 Opening ( Brooks & ITA)

1000-1200 Introduction & Overview (Brooks)

(Break – 1015-1030) What is Human Trafficking?
Discussion of Human Trafficking as a Global Issue Discussion of Human Trafficking in Destination, Source and Transit Countries Questions

1200-1330 Lunch

1330-1500 Trafficking Unit Development & Operation - ( Brooks)
Working with Victim Organizations Community Issues

1500-1515 Break

1615-1700 Round table Discussion – International Best Practices (All Hands)

Tuesday,

0900-1200 Comparative Analysis – U.S. Statutes – Country specific Statutes ( Teufel & local attorney)

(Break – 1015-1030) Proving Elements of the Crime Evidence Issues

1015-1030 Break

1200-1330 Lunch

1330-1515 Human Trafficking Investigations ( Teufel & Brooks)
Disruptive/Proactive/Reactive Investigations
Interviewing of Victim/Witness Informants
Undercover Ops
Victim/Witness Issues

1515-1530 Break

1530-1700 Witness Protection Statute ( Brooks & Teufel )
Overseas Assistance – MLATS
Evidence
Extradition

Wednesday

0900-1100 Regional Trafficking Issues – Q&A (All Hands)

(Break -1015-1030)

1100-1200 Parallel Financial Investigations (ITA)
Tracing Funds
Methods of Proof
Money Laundering

1200-1330 Lunch

1330-1500 Parallel Financial Investigations (cont.) (ITA)

1500-1700 Human Trafficking Practical Exercise (Brooks/All Hands)

Thursday,

0900-1000 Human Trafficking Practical Exercise (Brooks/All Hands)

1000-1015 Break

1015-1200 P.E. Presentations – Critiques (Brooks/All Hands)

1200-1330 Lunch

1330-1530 NGO Presentation (NGO)
Services Provided
Victim Assistance
Community Issues
Repatriation
Victim Needs

1530-1730 Human Trafficking Case Study (Brooks)

Friday,

0900-1030 Regional Community Policing Issues (Brooks & ITA)
and Human Trafficking

Coordinated Investigations
Investigators Perspective
Task Force Unit Issues
Information Sharing
O.C. issues
Repatriation/Assistance Issues

1030-1045 Break

1130-1230 Critique/Graduation

What is Trafficking in Humans?

2009-05-02T08:52:00.000-04:00

International Training Associates (ITA) produces an investigative guide in an attempt to raise awareness amongst labor inspectors, police, government officials, employer’s organizations, trade unions, and others, on the issues of trafficking in human beings, to include forced labor of immigrants and job placement systems such as those who recruit young women as models, hostesses, and dancers, and who have utilized ruses and deception as means of recruitment.

The manual aims both to inform and provide guidance for action. It provides information on abusive recruitment practices and trafficking as well as the socio-economic factors that facilitate the incidence of trafficking. The main emphasis, however, is on policy measures, skills and techniques to be applied in curtailing these practices. It also promotes hands-on learning and encourages constant sharing and interaction among participants in its training programs who will benefit from each other’s experience and ideas.

As each national context is different, ITA trainers will complement the generic approach of this manual with information on particular countries laws, policies and socio-economic environment, which may limit the extent to which the countries can implement the recommendations included in this training manual. The materials are adaptable to different situations, types of participants and different national contexts. They have been designed as a flexible tool that can be used in a variety of ways and trainers should use the parts of the kit they find most relevant, depending on the amount of time available as well as the profile of participants.