Community & Editorial
Ending modern slavery
Public awareness key to combating the scourge of human trafficking
Slavery has been a scourge on earth through much of world history. Most Americans think of it as exactly that: a shameful part of our history or, if it is occurring today, it is in some far-off land. The sad truth is that slavery continues to exist today, and in some instances in our very own communities.
There are more people held in bondage today – an estimated 27 million worldwide – than at any time in human history. All over the world, thousands of people are taken, or “trafficked,” each year from their homes and forced into various types of slave labor. The global economic downturn, which has pushed more and more people to desperate measures just to survive, has only deepened the problem.
Human trafficking is perpetuated primarily through the exploitation of vulnerable populations, whose labor is forced and maintained through violence, threats and coercion. Trafficking is largely a hidden problem. Most of us don’t even know it is happening.
Sophisticated criminal networks smuggle thousands of people from around the world into the Puget Sound region each year. Officials estimate that there are up to 20,000 victims of human trafficking right here in the United States (the estimates for domestic victims of human trafficking, primarily minors involved in the sex trades, are alarmingly, much larger).
Human trafficking can surface in any industry: right here in Washington State, victims have been found in a variety of businesses such as construction, housekeeping, food service, and agriculture. Other immigrants have been found locally as domestics in homes trapped in servitude and debt bondage.
As the fifth-busiest seaport and the 17th-busiest airport in the country, the Port of Seattle is a major gateway for people and commerce. Federal experts believe Seattle’s multiple points of entry make the city one of the nation’s top human-trafficking hot spots. The Port therefore has a significant role to play in helping combat this human rights calamity. The Port of Seattle Police Department is one of a number of local law enforcement agencies that is now training all of its officers to identify the signs of human trafficking.
In the last ten years, legislation has been enacted at both the federal and state level to combat human trafficking. Washington State, which in 2002 established the first statewide Anti-Trafficking Task Force in the United States, has led the country in taking collaborative action against trafficking in slave labor.
In 2005, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington convened the Washington Advisory Committee on Trafficking (WashACT). WashACT’s mission is “to insure that victims of trafficking receive all resources available to them; and that human traffickers are identified, investigated and prosecuted to the utmost extent of the law.” WashACT has built coalitions and strengthened relationships between local law enforcement, federal investigators, and advocacy and social service organizations that deal on a daily basis with local immigrants who may be victims of trafficking.
The efforts of legislators, activists and advocacy groups working side by side to propose and adopt anti-trafficking legislation has been increasing – the State Legislature passed four important bills focused on combating human trafficking in the 2010 legislative session.
One of the main points raised by law enforcement and advocacy groups is the need for greater public awareness. The more aware the public is of the existence of human trafficking right here in our communities, the better able they will be to assist law enforcement in identifying possible victims of trafficking. Over 16 million people pass through Sea-Tac Airport each year, which makes it an ideal place to post notices and pass out literature both to educate the general public and to reach out to victims of human trafficking to let them know that there are law enforcement and social services ready to help them.
We intend to work with our fellow commissioners and staff at the Port of Seattle over the next year to identify additional initiatives that the Port can support and do our part, working with other regional and national partners, in helping once and for all put an end to this global tragedy.
Comments
john crieghton advocates for not punishing the m/v rotterdam that imported a bunch of slaves. the boat was expedited out of u.s. waters due to govt official accomodation to s.s.a. marine ( senator murray’s husbands company) and john creighton port contract with the shipping company who also pays for his lifestyle travel junkets..
this also from the main man who guranteed local seattelites would have to close thier libraries down and not open them to 21 st century times becuz he failed to charge the cruiselines the $150 per passenger that would have parred out and paid the debt for the bond payments to the bank regarding the 4 cruise terminals.. but once again hegets travel junkets along with his fellow commisioners and staff… when our property tax is raided to cover the bond payment the cruiseboats originally agreed to pay we have to close our libraries becuz the governor wants all the generations to suffer so she can travel like a dignitary to china where they kiss her ass more when she fucks over the local u.s. resident as a favor to shipping companies offshore… goddamn that fucking treasounous cunt
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