The criminalization of sex work in the U.S., barring the state of Nevada, further complicates and undermines efforts to tackle sex trafficking, the Washington Post reports. Like many countries, in the U.S., there is a dangerous conflation of sex work and sex trafficking due to the criminalization and stigmatization of sex work. U.S. law enforcement […]
Source: Washington Post
The Washington Post is the most widely circulated newspaper published in Washington, D.C., and was founded in 1877.
Filipino domestic workers trafficked from UAE to Syria
Dozens of Filipina domestic workers who were recruited to work in the United Arab Emirates have been trafficked to Syria, subjected to physical and sexual abuse and denied their salaries by their employers. One such domestic worker is Josephine Tawaging, who arrived in Dubai but was locked in a crowded, dirty dormitory by her recruitment […]
World’s chocolate supply relies on more than 1 million child laborers
Who harvests the cocoa that makes its way into the global supply chains of the world’s largest chocolate companies? Nearly 1.6 million child laborers in Ivory Coast and Ghana, according to a major report sponsored by the US Department of Labor. The report, produced by NORC at the University of Chicago, exposes the failure of […]
New York makes own hand sanitizer to fight coronavirus — using prison labor
New York state has announced new measures to cheaply produce large quantities of hand sanitizer to combat its worsening coronavirus outbreak. But the plan has been widely criticized for relying on prison labor. The ongoing global outbreak of COVID-19 has led to widespread shortages of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in New York state, which has among […]
US alleges Cuban doctors in modern slavery
The US government is urging its allies to end their medical agreements with Cuba and expel Cuban doctors, accusing the country of modern slavery and human trafficking. Nearly since its inception, Cuba has maintained a program of international medical assistance, sending 400,000 doctors to 164 countries since 1960. The program is a major source of […]
Movement to treat human trafficking as a public health issue gains ground
Medical professionals in the US are playing an increasingly important role in the fight against human trafficking as calls grow for human trafficking to be treated as a healthcare issue. Trafficking has a serious impact on the well-being of victims beyond their freedom. Physical conditions such as injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, and dental issues are […]
US Customs investigates whether to block Ivory Coast cocoa imports
A team from US Customs and Border Protection visited farming regions of Ivory Coast last week as part of their investigation into forced or child labor in the production of the country’s cocoa. If they find enough evidence, it could mean the US starting to block cocoa imports. The field investigation was prompted after two […]
Trump Administration Cuts Legal Funding for Victims of Trafficking
It has become even harder to survivors of human trafficking to clear their criminal records for crimes they were forced to commit. The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice, has ordered that federal funds no longer be used to provide legal assistance for victims of trafficking hoping to vacate their records. The sudden changes […]
Mars, Nestlé, and Hershey Won’t Promise Chocolate is Free from Child Labor
The world’s largest chocolate companies promised to eradicate child labor from their supply chains 20 years ago. But today, these same companies say they cannot guarantee that the chocolate you buy is free from child labor. A key ingredient in chocolate — cocoa — is harvested from farms in Ivory Coast, and many of the […]
Under Trump, Visas for Trafficking Victims Hit 7-Year Low
As part of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month President Trump announced that his administration would use “every resource we have to confront this threat.” Yet despite this promise, trafficking victims and survivors are being intimidated and deported in unprecedented ways. Since 2003, foreign-born victims of human trafficking in the United States have been […]