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"Human trafficking is a
modern-day form of slavery," Blagojevich said. "Young children,
teenagers, men and women are promised jobs and better lives in the
United States. But 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. Sadly, we've seen this in Illinois. Last
year, we launched the Rescue and Restore campaign to raise awareness
and understanding about human trafficking. Now law enforcement
officers have this training video available to help them to better
recognize cases of human trafficking and know how to help victims."
Growing awareness of the human trafficking problem led the Chicago
Police Department and the Heartland Alliance to organize and
implement a multi-jurisdictional, interdisciplinary Chicago Regional
Human Trafficking Task Force funded by the Department of Justice and
chaired by the Chicago Police Department.
One of the task force's primary goals, educating the law
enforcement community about human trafficking, led to the
collaborative production of a training DVD. The video is
called "Anti-Human Trafficking for Law Enforcement." Copies of the
video are being mailed to all of the approximately 1,400 law
enforcement organizations in Illinois.
The video includes information on topics such as the history of
trafficking, state and federal laws, the roles of law enforcement
and social services, victimization, investigative considerations,
and the recognition of human trafficking. Driving this curriculum is
the need to treat victims ethically and with empathy, always mindful
of the needs and mind-set of the trafficked person.
"Recognizing human trafficking as a crime against humanity and as
a worldwide policing problem requiring local solutions requires a
multi-jurisdictional approach in which both law enforcement and
social service agencies must work together," said Chicago Police
Department Superintendent Philip Cline. "The efforts of these
organizations exemplify a spirit of collaboration. We hope that this
DVD will help every law enforcement professional understand that
those who fall prey to human trafficking are victims of a crime
perpetrated against them and that we must help them begin their
healing process with compassion and professionalism and help them
secure the social services they need."
The DVD addresses the myths that individuals must be moved in
order to be victims of trafficking and clearly states that victims
can be either foreign born or United States citizens. To view the
video online or for additional information about the course, visit
www.dhs.state.il.us or
ricp.uis.edu.
"Officers will have access to this program around the clock
anywhere an Internet hookup is available, including in their squad
cars, so they can recognize and respond to potential human
trafficking cases" said Department of Human Services Secretary Carol
L. Adams, Ph.D. "And long-term plans include more trainings for
prosecutors, judges and members of the social service communities."
The Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of
Justice reports human trafficking as the fastest growing criminal
industry in the world and estimates that 27 million people worldwide
are held against their will by coercive means; 70 percent of the
victims are women; this criminal enterprise yields an estimated $9
billion in annual profits; and as many as 2 million people worldwide
are trafficked annually, including into and within the United
States.
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 In 2005, Blagojevich and the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, in conjunction with several Illinois agencies, launched
the Rescue and Restore public awareness campaign to combat human
trafficking. The campaign includes outreach and training to local
social service organizations, law enforcement and health care
professionals.
"As a member of the worldwide criminal justice system, the
Illinois State Police is committed to a collaborative enforcement
effort with the Chicago Police Department, as well as to our
continued reliance on our social services partners," said Illinois
State Police Director Larry Trent. "Since 2000, federal and state
laws have been passed with the purpose of enabling law enforcement
to investigate and prosecute traffickers and to provide protection
to victims. Achieving success requires both the rescue
of victims and the successful prosecution of their traffickers. One
victim of human trafficking is one too many."
"This collaborative effort resulted in a curriculum that is
driven by the need to treat victims ethically, with empathy and with
the application of sound investigative techniques sympathetic to the
needs and mind-set of the trafficked person," said Dr. Patricia
Rushing, interim director of the Regional Institute for Community
Policing, University of Illinois, Institute of Government and Public
Affairs. "A well-educated criminal justice system, one armed with
knowledge of the law and enforcement techniques, will enable the
effective prosecution of those perpetrating these crimes. When
police officers understand that traffickers use violence, threats
and psychological manipulation to maintain control of their victims,
they will apply their well-honed investigative techniques with
sensitivity. It is analogous to the days when victims of domestic
violence were unseen and unheard. They were invisible. We hope to
rectify this phenomenon with the creation and distribution of this
'Anti-Human Trafficking for the Law Enforcement Professional' DVD."
Illinois Rescue and Restore aims to educate Illinoisans about the
problem of human trafficking and how they can help victims in their
community. To learn more about the national campaign, visit
www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking for information and resources. To
learn about Illinois Rescue and Restore, visit
www.dhs.state.il.us/projectsinitiatives/trafficking. People are
encouraged to call 888-3737-888, a toll-free national response line,
if they suspect human trafficking.
Earlier this year, Illinois organized the first-ever statewide
Human Trafficking Outreach Day, a grass-roots blitz involving
federal, state and local agencies and hundreds of volunteers to
heighten awareness of the growing problem. More than 130 volunteer
teams from every corner of the state canvassed neighborhoods and
hung approximately 15,000 posters advertising the toll-free number
for national human trafficking response. Another outreach day is
planned for the near future. [See April
article in LDN.]
The governor also signed
House Bill 1469 last year, making it easier to prosecute human
trafficking offenders and to assist victims. The legislation
established penalties for the offenses of involuntary servitude,
sexual servitude of a minor and trafficking of individuals for
forced labor and services.
[News release from the governor's office] |
