Which Comes First, The Smuggling or The Trafficking?

Authors

Linda Brandmiller, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San AntonioFollow
Elizabeth Crooks, Embassy of Hope Center, San AntonioFollow

Date of this Version

10-2009

Comments

Presented at First Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking, Lincoln, Nebraska, October 29-31, 2009.
Copyright © 2009 Linda Brandmiller & Elizabeth Crooks

Abstract

The Immigration Services Department of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc., is seeing more and more women which we believe are by definition statutorily eligible to be considered “trafficking” victims but who are nevertheless being denied certification and are therefore falling through the cracks of the immigration system.

One of our clients, discovered in the trunk of a car by immigration officials after enduring three months of being beaten, raped, starved and sold for sex, cannot get certified for trafficking- because the perpetrators were only charged with “smuggling”. Another who was purchased by a couple to be their sex slave and forced to work at a fast-food restaurant (and of course never paid) can’t get certified because the case isn’t “big enough”.

Judgments are being made regarding knowledge and “consent” of the victim which then effectively disqualifies them for this legal remedy. When it comes to trafficking victims, have we reverted to the archaic analogy of the rape victim who “asked for it because she was wearing a short skirt”? If so, what to do about it?!

Questions this Power Point Session Will Answer:
Why is it important to screen clients as possible trafficking victims?
How do you find a trafficking victim? (tips on interviewing)
What are your options if you can’t get your client certified as a trafficking victim?

[ The "Download" document (upper right) is a PDF file generated from the PowerPoint presentation; the "Additional file" (below) is the Powerpoint slides themselves. ]