Human trafficking lecture draws local crowd

More than 60 people attended last Monday night’s lecture on human trafficking at the First United Methodist Church in Saline. The United Methodist Women, who are trying to bring awareness to the problem that many say is underreported, hosted the evening.

The key speaker for the event was Jason Burns, a clinical fellow at the Human Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School.  He represents victims clients directly, is a liaison between victims and law enforcement, and plays an active role in the Human Trafficking Law Project, a database collection project that assists law enforcement in catching perpetrators. 

Burns said currently only 1.8 per 1,000 human trafficking crimes? are prosecuted.  On a more positive note, he said, the U.S. does allow victims to stay in the country, and in some cases even bring their families from other countries to join them.

According to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, human trafficking is legally defined as: sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age. The act also stipulates that the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery is considered human trafficking.

The most audible response from the room Monday night was when Burns started talking geography. 

“There is human trafficking going on right now in Southeastern Michigan, right here in Washtenaw County,” Burns said. 

He said one of the most active areas authorities are aware of exists in Ohio. In the U.S., the number of victims is not known, however it is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands he said. According to the U.S. State Department, 14,500-17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the country each year.

The lecture was broken into sub-topics, including how to spot trafficking, the difference between smuggling and trafficking, examples of individual cases that have been successfully prosecuted in the U.S. and the importance of language sensitivity as a first step in awareness. 

For example, Burns said there is quite a different inference between “child prostitute” and “prostituted child,” or “illegal alien” versus “undocumented worker.” 

He said the “child prostitute” term gives the impression that the prostituting is by choice, whereas “prostituted child” infers the child is being placed into the position of prostitution.  Likewise, an “illegal alien” automatically infers the individual is involved in illegal activity, whereas “undocumented worker” gives the person the benefit of the doubt that he/she is in the process of becoming a citizen legally.

Burns said “certain words or phrases further dehumanize victims.”

The evening wrapped up with about a 30-minute question-and-answer session. The Rev. Laura Speiran asked whether or not Michigan Laws were supportive, or enough to be effective? 

According to Burns, they “are not what we need yet.”

He said protective legislation from 2006 was amended and is scheduled to be implemented in April to include sex trafficking language, however, it does not yet include safe harbor provisions. Attendees were urged to contact their state representatives and suggest they pursue the matter further. 

Kathy Roth, of Saline, attended the event to find out more about what she can do as a consumer and to make sure her pocketbook isn’t supporting companies with lesser than desirable ethics.  

“I’m just trying to walk the Earth a little more gently,” Roth stated. 

She learned about a website, www.notforsalecampaign.com, that has  the kind of consumer watch-list she was looking for.

Sue Jackson, who shared a table with Roth, said the issue deserves more public awareness.

 “Ignorance is bliss,” Jackson said. “People just don’t know about it.”

Groups like the Human Trafficking Clinic and others are beginning to raise America’s awareness of the issue. Hollywood has also opened eyes. The 2008 blockbuster film “Taken,” was about a teenage girl swept into the sex trade while visiting Paris on summer break. A new film, “The Whistleblower,” based on the true story of trafficking in Bosnia, will be out next summer. 

More people know about human trafficking than a decade ago, but there is still much work to be done, Burns said. 

“There is a reason Mexican drug cartels are turning to human trafficking. It is easier to get away with it and it is a billion dollar industry,” said Burns.

Lecture attendees left with flyers, worksheets and resources to help spread awareness.

Anyone who suspects someone is a victim of human trafficking is asked to call the Human Trafficking National Hotline: 1-888-373-7888.