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.