For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 16, 2004
Fact Sheet: Human Trafficking: a Modern Form of Slavery
Today's Presidential Action
Today, President Bush visited Tampa, Florida, to address the first
national training conference on Human Trafficking in the United
States: Rescuing Women and Children from Slavery.
The President continues to advance the fight against trafficking
in persons, which is a modern day form of slavery. Human trafficking is a serious problem in the United States and throughout the world. Each year, an estimated 600,000-800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked against their will across international borders 14,500-17,500 of whom are trafficked into the United States. Victimsof trafficking are recruited, transported, or sold into all forms of
forced labor and servitude, including prostitution, sweatshops, domestic labor, farming, and child armies. Approximately 80 percent of trafficking victims are female, and 70 percent of those female victims are trafficked for the commercial sex industry.
The President has taken strong action to combat trafficking at
home and abroad. He supported and signed the Trafficking Victims
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 and the PROTECT Act, both of
which strengthen the tools law enforcement authorities use to combat
trafficking crimes and ensure that victims of trafficking are rescued
and supported. Since 2001, the Bush Administration has provided more
than $295 million to support anti-trafficking programs in more than 120
countries.
New Steps to Provide Assistance to Victims and Combat Human
Trafficking
Support for Local Anti-Trafficking Efforts in American
Communities. The President announced Department of Justice (DOJ)
funding to support and implement local efforts to identify, rescue, and
restore victims of trafficking. DOJ will make available $14 million to
law enforcement agencies and service providers, and as many as 25
communities across the country will be eligible to receive this
funding. In addition, DOJ awarded $4.5 million today to nine local
organizations that are running shelters where victims of trafficking
can take refuge in the interval between rescue and the determination of
eligibility for public assistance and other benefits.
Cooperation to Combat Trafficking. To ensure the smooth and
timely delivery of benefits and services to trafficking victims
and comprehensive investigations and prosecutions, the Departments of
Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice are working
together to share information and provide benefits to victims most in
need. In addition, the charter for the Human Smuggling and Trafficking
Center went into effect July 2004 and brings together representatives
from law enforcement, intelligence, and diplomacy to combat alien
smuggling, trafficking in persons, and terrorist travel networks.
Comprehensive Anti-Trafficking State Laws. While many states have
laws that address various aspects of the crime of trafficking in
persons, comprehensive anti-trafficking statutes are needed to deter
and punish the wide range of coercive tactics used by traffickers. To
meet this need, DOJ has drafted a model anti-trafficking statute for
states. Texas, Washington, Minnesota, Missouri, and Florida already
have comprehensive state trafficking laws.
Support for Anti-Trafficking Initiatives Abroad. In his address
to the United Nations in 2003, President Bush announced a $50
million initiative to combat trafficking in persons. The countries
receiving funding include Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Mexico,
Moldova, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
Highlights of the President's Agenda to Combat Trafficking and
Provide Assistance to Trafficking Victims
The President's On-going Initiatives to Combat Trafficking
Investigating and Prosecuting Trafficking Crimes. From FY 2001 to FY 2003, the Bush Administration opened 210 new investigations, which
is more than double the number opened in the previous three fiscal
years, and prosecuted 110 traffickers during this period, which is
nearly a three-fold increase compared to the previous three fiscal
years. With 3,200 arrests in the first year alone, the Department of
Homeland Security's Operation Predator, launched in July 2003, targets
those suspected of child sex crimes, including traffickers.
Anti-Trafficking Training. The Department of Justice continues to provide anti-trafficking training to Federal, state and local
prosecutors and law enforcement agents and officers, to
non-governmental organizations and to officials of foreign
governments. DOJ is also developing a model curriculum for the
victim-centered approach to identifying and rescuing trafficking
victims and investigating and prosecuting their traffickers and
abusers. DOJ also issues an annual report on trafficking within the
United States.
Anti-Trafficking Task Forces. The Bush Administration has
convened anti-trafficking task force coalitions in Philadelphia,
Phoenix, Atlanta, and Tampa and will create a dozen additional task
forces this year. These task forces bring together Federal, state,
local, and non-governmental sectors to combat trafficking and provide
comprehensive assistance to victims. Additionally, public service
announcements have been issued in Spanish, Russian, Polish, Chinese,
and Korean to inform victims of their rights.
The President's Initiatives to Provide Assistance to Victims of
Trafficking
Assistance for Victims of Trafficking. Since 2001, the President
has provided more than $35 million to 36 faith-based and community
organizations across the county to aid victims of trafficking with
services such as emergency shelter, legal, mental, and health services
and English-proficiency instruction. In addition, the Department of
Health and Human Services has launched a referral hotline to help
victims escape by providing access to local service providers. Over
600 calls have been handled by the hotline since it began in April
2004. The Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline number is (888)
373-7888.
Immigration Relief for Trafficking Victims. The Trafficking
Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 created a new class of visa
(T-visas) that allows trafficking victims to remain in the United
States for three years with work authorization and access to benefits
and services offered by HHS. At the end of three years, T-visa holders
may apply for permanent residence. In 2002, DHS created a specially
trained corps of adjudicators to handle applications for immigration
relief for trafficking victims, and this team is steadily increasing
the number of T-visas issued each year.
The President's Initiatives Abroad to Combat Trafficking and
Provide Assistance to Victims
Support to Combat Trafficking and Provide Assistance to Victims
Abroad. Since 2001, the President's budget has provided more than $295
million to support anti-trafficking programs in more than 120
countries. Funding goes to governments and non-governmental and
international organizations to create specialized law enforcement
units; train prosecutors and judges; strengthen anti-trafficking laws;
provide emergency shelter and care for victims; offer voluntary
repatriation assistance; make available long-term rehabilitation
assistance and vocational training for victims; legal advocacy;
psychological and medical assistance for victims; and launch
information campaigns.
Cooperation for Investigating and Prosecuting Trafficking Crimes.
Cooperation with other countries has contributed to the prosecution
around the world of nearly 8,000 perpetrators of trafficking crimes,
resulting in over 2,800 convictions. In addition, 24 countries have
enacted new anti-trafficking legislation and 32 countries are in the
process of drafting or passing new anti-trafficking legislation.
International Anti-trafficking Initiatives. Under the leadership
of the United States and Norway, NATO adopted a comprehensive plan
to help combat worldwide trafficking in persons in Istanbul in June
2004. NATO personnel will support the efforts of authorities in host
countries to combat trafficking while working with non-governmental
organizations and anti-trafficking experts.
Focused Attention to Combat Trafficking. In June 2004, the State
Department issued a new Trafficking in Persons Report, which includes
an analysis of 140 countries' efforts to combat trafficking, successful
efforts worldwide, a summary of U.S. action to fight trafficking at
home and new data on the scope of trafficking. Countries that are the
worst offenders are now threatened with non-humanitarian sanctions.