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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction
with the Blagojevich administration, unveiled a public awareness
campaign to combat human trafficking. The campaign includes outreach
and training to local social service organizations, law enforcement
and health care professionals. "Human trafficking is a modern-day
form of slavery, and sadly it exists here in Illinois and all across
America," Gov. Blagojevich said. "Young children, teenagers, men and
women are promised jobs and better lives here in the United States,
but for thousands, once they're here, they are forced to live and
work in abysmal conditions, they're paid pitiful wages, and some are
forced into the sex trade. Today we're taking this crime on in two
ways: We're putting strong penalties in the law that will deal
severely with people who force others into servitude, and we're
partnering with the federal government in launching the Rescue and
Restore campaign to help law enforcement officers, health care
workers and social workers spot victims of human trafficking so we
can help them rebuild their lives."
House Bill 1469 -- sponsored by state Rep. Michelle Chavez,
D-Cicero, and state Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago -- establishes
penalties for the offenses of involuntary servitude, sexual
servitude of a minor and trafficking of people for forced labor and
services. Forcing a person into servitude will range from a Class 4
to a Class X felony if kidnapping or injury is involved.
The bill also allows for restitution to pay back a victim for
forced labor. In addition, the law allows the Illinois Department of
Human Services to provide emergency victim services.
"Human trafficking is the new slave trade," said Chavez, sponsor
of the legislation in the House. "It's time to stop looking at this
as a Third World problem and recognize that it's happening right
here, right now. Thousands of women and children are taken from
their homes every year and forced onto streets to sell their bodies
or to deal drugs against their will. They're so terrified they don't
know where to turn for help. This is happening in our communities,
right under our noses, and it's time we do something to help.
"People leave their countries and families with promises of a
better life, and instead they find themselves struggling to survive
in a life of slavery or prostitution. Human trafficking is a silent
problem that most people in this country are not familiar with.
"This legislation gives prosecutors the tools that they need to
prosecute those guilty of these terrible acts, and help victims get
their lives back," she said.
"The real benefit of signing this bill into law is that victims
will have access to federal assistance after successful state
prosecution," said Cullerton, the Senate sponsor.
The U.S. government estimates that 14,000-17,500 people are
trafficked into the United States annually. Victims are trafficked
across international borders from such regions as Southeast Asia,
Latin America, the former Soviet Union and Africa to work in labor
and sex trades. After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with
the illegal arms industry as the second-largest criminal industry in
the world today, and it is the fastest growing.
Recently, police and federal prosecutors in Rockford shut down
several health spas that authorities say operated as brothels with
potential trafficking victims. In 2002, a Russian trafficker was
prosecuted for forcing several Latvian women to work in Chicago-area
strip clubs. These examples highlight the prevalence of human
trafficking in Illinois and the overwhelming need to reach out and
assist trafficking victims.
Illinois is the first state to form this unique collaboration
with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lending its
extensive network to form a local Rescue and Restore coalition that
includes the Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois State
Police, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of
Labor, Department of Human Rights, Chicago's Heartland Alliance, and
some 70 other agencies and organizations.
"This partnership between HHS, the governor and various state
agencies is necessary to help identify and assist more victims,"
said Wade Horn, Ph.D., the HHS assistant secretary for children and
families. "It is our hope that increased awareness and involvement
at all levels of government will lead to the restoration of
victims."
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The campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking aims
to educate Americans about the problem of human trafficking and how
they can help victims in their community. As part of the campaign, a
major component that will be highlighted is the toll-free
Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline, 1 (888) 373-7888,
designated to provide assistance to organizations and victims of
trafficking. The special phone line helps organizations and victims
of trafficking by providing instant referrals to pre-screened aid
organizations in their city.
| Since victims of human trafficking
look like many of the people we see every day, HHS provides
information that will help citizens to look beneath the
surface to identify and assist victims. Below are some of the
key clues Illinois residents should look for.
Look for the following clues:
- Evidence of being controlled
- Evidence of inability to move or leave job
- Bruises or signs of physical abuse
- Fear or depression
- No passport or other forms of identification
If trafficking is suspected, call the toll-free
Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline, 1 (888)
373-7888.a |
The Illinois coalition will train potential "first responders" --
such as law enforcement, health care workers and social workers to
spot possible victims and direct them into federally funded victim
services. Specifically, the Illinois Department of Human Services,
while leading the coalition, will train social and health service
workers in its domestic violence, homeless youth, and immigrant and
refugee services. The Department of Children and Family Services
will use Web-based technology to train its 700 investigators. The
Department of Labor will train its nine compliance officers to spot
potential labor trafficking activity as they investigate complaints
in the day labor industry. The Department of Public Health will
train program outreach workers, case managers, Refugee Health
Screening Program site coordinators and nine participating health
departments. Illinois State Police will train its approximately
1,800 sworn police officers and work with the Regional Institute for
Community Policing as it offers a U.S. Department of Justice-funded
"train the trainer" curriculum on human trafficking to law
enforcement officials and other community leaders.
The 70-plus coalition members will generate a public awareness
campaign, peppering the state with thousands of posters and flyers.
Further, these organizations will have opportunities to attend
awareness trainings on human trafficking, beginning June 8 at
Northwestern Law School in Chicago.
Once victims are identified, they are referred to Chicago's
Heartland Alliance for certification of victim status. Certified
trafficking victims are granted access to federal benefits and
services through a special "T" visa.
Inquiries about the victim certification process and past
successes rescuing and certifying victims should be made to
Katherine Kaufka at Heartland Alliance, (312) 660-1311.
"Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights is pleased
to join the Department of Health and Human Services Office of
Refugee and Resettlement in its Rescue and Restore Campaign
initiative to ensure that victims of human trafficking are able to
access protection and receive comprehensive legal and social
services," said the Rev. Dr. Sid L. Mohn, president of the Heartland
Alliance.
To learn more about the campaign, visit
www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking for information and resources. The
Illinois Rescue and Restore website is at
www.dhs.state.il.us/projectsinitiatives/trafficking.
[News release from the governor's
office]
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