Want to learn about Human Trafficking in Connecticut?

Posted: January 13, 2012 in Child Slavery, Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Events in Connecticut, modern day slavery
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Human trafficking and modern day slavery look very different than the Transatlantic Slave Trade and slavery 200 years ago. But not only are they different generally, slavery in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, look different than slavery here in Connecticut.

If you are interested in learning about slavery today in Connecticut, you should consider attending an upcoming event at The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford.

On February 9, from 5-7pm at the Stowe Center, they are holding an event titled “Slavery’s Face in Connecticut Circa 2012.” The guests are people who often go as unsung heroes in the fight against human trafficking: local police and child services providers.

First is Officer Debora Scates from the Hartford Police Department. Somewhat of a celebrity in Connecticut’s anti-trafficking fight, Officer Scates was an investigator on the first high-profile human trafficking case in Connecticut involving Dennis Parris. She appeared in a popular article in Vanity Fair titled Sex Trafficking of Americans: The Girl Next Door. This article is a must-read to learn about trafficking in Connecticut – the whole article profiles this very investigation.

To learn more about this case, and to get an understanding of what anti-trafficking activities look like here in the US, you can read the review of the Dennis Paris case. So often we hear of organizations working oversees to provide housing and therapeutic and life-skills assistance to victims of human trafficking. But the reality in the US is that people we take for granted, who don’t work for “anti-trafficking” organizations, are the very people who are fighting human trafficking on a daily basis. This review gives you a sense of the departments and people that are involved with cases involving domestic victims.

The other guest is Polly Marston from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF). If you read the 2010 Annual Report published by the Connecticut Trafficking in Persons Council, you’ll notice that 49 children were identified and assisted between 2009-2010. Not all victims of trafficking are within the DCF system, nor are all victims in the system always identified. You can read this post to learn more about laws and stats related to human trafficking in Connecticut.

I am extremely excited for this event, and hope that if you want to learn more about human trafficking in Connecticut, you will mark your calendars!

Two Connecticut Residents Found Guilty of Human Trafficking

Posted: July 1, 2011 in Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, human trafficking, Human Trafficking in Connecticut, modern day slavery
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Several months ago, Jarell Sanderson and Hassanah Delia pled guilty to sex trafficking of minors in Connecticut. The girls were 14-years old at the time of the trafficking.

About one month ago, Sanderson was convicted to 310 months (25 years 9ish months). He also will be required to pay them restitution, though the amount has not yet been determined.

About one week ago, Delia was convicted to 110 months (9 years 2ish months). She also will be required to pay a yet undetermined amount of restitution.

It isn’t clear from the FBI press releases why the convictions are so different. However, U.S. District Attorney for Connecticut David Fein notes that these appropriately lengthy sentences should serve as a warning to people who sell or buy sex online that the consequences of purchasing sex for minors is punished severely. I have a feeling it will take many more cases, and cases that actually receive decent media coverage, to have an effect.

Human trafficking in Connecticut – what do we know?

Posted: March 7, 2011 in Human Trafficking in Connecticut, Uncategorized
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Last week, the Connecticut Trafficking in Persons Council released their annual Traficking in Persons Council Annual Report 2010. Between the agencies that reported to the council, including a number of state agencies, the International Institue of Connecticut, and the Paul and Lisa Program, a total of 170 victims were identified and received services between 2009-2010.

This might seem like a lot of victims, but victims are able to be identified only as service providers know what to look for. For that reason, the Connecticut Office of Victim Services trained 5 service providers to offer training to law enforcement, doctors, social workers, mental health service providers, and other staff members at organizations that may come into contact with victims of human trafficking. Over 2,000 of these folks recieved training in what to look for this year. The Paul and Lisa Program and the International Institute of Connecticut both trained service providers as well.

The Last Cookie/Flickr

Connecticut also has several laws related to human trafficking. In 2006, human trafficking became a crime in Connecticut. This legislation also created the Interagency Task Force on Trafficking in Persons. They work as a coordinating body between state agencies and non-profit organizations that are involved with the issue, and advise the state legislature on recommended policy, among other things.

In 2009, legislation was enacted to allow the state to confiscate assets that have been gained through child sexual exploitation and the possession of child pornography.

In 2010, the Connecticut State Legislature passed a Safe Harbor Act. These laws align state law to federal and international law. Without a safe harbor law, a minor (person under the age of 18) can be prosecuted for prostitution if they are “prostitutes.” Both federal and international law consider minors victims of human trafficking, and eligible for services, not a criminal sentence, if they are involved in prostitution. Child victims of commercial sexual exploitation, regardless of their age, are now eligible for recovery services if they are picked up for prostitution.

To find out what legislation your state has in place, check out the State Human Trafficking Legislation list at the Human Trafficking Data Collection and Reporting Project.

* Corrected on May 6, 2011

Event opportunities wherever you are!

Posted: March 3, 2011 in What You Can Do
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There are a couple of great opportunities you can participate in wherever you are in the country. First a webinar.

Another event is one that you can organize in your church wherever you are!

On March 13, 2011, churches around the world will be celebrating Freedom Sunday. This is the basis of the celebration:

Freedom Sunday understands that worship is the catalyst for action.  The worship of God does not just flow up to God and then down to us in the form of blessings.  Worship also moves the worshiper outward.  We give – we receive – we move outward to transform the world with love and prophetic action in the power of God.

This will be our churches second year of holding a Freedom Sunday service. I’m excited because this year we’re going to be adapting the Salvation Army Intercessory Prayer Stations during the service.

I’d love to hear what you do for your celebration. If you organize a Freedom Sunday event, leave a comment and let us know what you’re doing!

Two Connecticut residents plead guilty to sex trafficking of children

Posted: March 2, 2011 in Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Human Trafficking in Connecticut
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On January 20, Jarell Sanderson and Hassanah Delia pled guilty to sex trafficking of minors in Connecticut. In July 2009, the two recruited two 14-year old girls and brought them to a hotel in East Hartford. The crime was investigated by both the FBI and the East Hartford Police.

According to one source, both are facing multiple criminal counts – “two counts of sex trafficking of children, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children” (thandian.com). They face a minimum sentance of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted  (US Attorney’s Office District of Connecticut), and potential fines of up to $250,000 (FBI, New Haven).

It appears that the couple used an online website to advertise the girls, and Delia arranged for the perpetrators to meet them (US Attorney’s Office District of Connecticut).

The reasons this case is considered human trafficking are because

  1. The victims are under the age of 18, and are automatically victims of human trafficking. Because of Connecticut’s Safe Harbor law, any child under the age of 18 who is involved in prostitution is automatically considered a victim of human trafficking.
  2. Because of their age, they are automatically considered to be forced, defrauded, or coerced into human trafficking.

Presumably because the case has not gone to trial, very little else is available about this case. As more details become available, I’ll add them here.

Event – Human Trafficking: a Jewish Issue?

Posted: March 1, 2011 in Events in Connecticut, Human Trafficking in Connecticut
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If you live in the Hartford area, there is an interesting-sounding event being held at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Here is the info from their website.

Human Trafficking: A Jewish Issue?

When: Thu, March 3, 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Where: Community Services Building, 333 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT (map)
Description: Join us for a compelling panel discussion focusing on the relationship between Judaism and emancipation, the gravity of trafficking in Connecticut and Israel, the connection between trafficking and violence against women, and what you can do to help. This event is a collaboration between Women’s Philanthropy, the Jewish Community Foundation and the Jewish Community Relations Council. Contact: Deb Rothstein, Phone: 860.727.6186 drothstein@jcfhartford.org.
Speakers include
  • Rabbi Debra Cantor of Congregation B’nai Sholom in West Hartford
  • Shaleen Silva, executive director of the Connecticut-based Paul & Lisa Program
  • Kathleen Liner, FBI victim specialist

In an article in the Jewish Ledger, Rabbi Debra Cantor pointed out why this is a Jewish issue:

When Laura Zimmerman first asked me whether human trafficking is a Jewish issue, my automatic response was, ‘This is a very Jewish issue’….‘Remember that you were slaves in Egypt’ runs throughout our liturgy and the Torah, and helps shape a basic worldview. But then what? Remembering is doing. In the Torah, whenever it says, ‘God remembered,’ it doesn’t mean that God forgot something, but that God is about to take action. And for us, it means, ‘Take action.’ You can’t just notice a violation  and not do anything about it.

To read more about why these groups decided to hold this event, check out the article Is Human Trafficking a Jewish Issue by Cindy Mindell in the Jewish Ledger.

One thing that is inescapable is that human trafficking is not simple and throughout history, slavery has been a form of oppression against those who have the least societal power. Whether you’re Jewish or not, this will no doubt be an interesting event that will help you understand this issue of power, and help you to identify its intersection with oppression in our world today.

The Connection Between Faith, Human Trafficking, and Immigration

Posted: February 28, 2011 in Forced Labor, modern day slavery, Take action, What You Can Do
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“Three Florida fruit-pickers, held captive and brutalized [sic] by their employer for more than a year, finally broke free of their bonds by punching their way through the ventilator hatch of the van in which they were imprisoned. Once outside, they dashed for freedom” (The Independent, 2007).

Marino Lucas, Jose Velasquez, and Jose Hari had been enslaved by the Navarette family in the fields of Immokalee, Florida.

To read more of this post on the World Relief blog on immigration, go here. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this connection.

To read more about immigration and human trafficking on this blog, click here.

To learn more about modern day slavery, click here.

To learn more about what you can do, click here or here.

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