On Tuesday January 23rd, Luke and I had the privilege to attend a roundtable discussion on human trafficking organized by Congressman Darin Lahood's office. We met in a large conference room at Heartland Community College with other Central Illinois representatives from the State Police, local police and fire chiefs, emergency department managers, the Department of Homeland Security, members of social services, local city officials, faith-based services, and our own Catalyst Ministries. Also present were the President of Heartland Community College, Representative Keith Sommer, Senator Bill Brady, & Senator Dan Brady.
The major purpose of the gathering was to familiarize local agencies with law enforcement and first responders and to brief everyone on how to identify and combat human trafficking in the State of Illinois.
It's so important that people are aware that this is not just an overseas problem!! This devastating crime happens right here in Illinois; right here in Bloomington-Normal. The I-55 corridor in Illinois is a major beltway for traffickers moving guns, drugs, money, and people to and from the southern states and Chicago.
The Center for Prevention and Abuse, headquartered in Peoria, is in it's 34th year. Their mission is: "to help all people - women, men, children - live free from violence and abuse." The Center offers a wide range of services that includes safety planning, shelter, support groups, therapy and counseling, transitional housing, services for seniors and adults with disabilities, and help for the abuser.
Human Trafficking exploits the vulnerable and today there are more people trapped in this form of slavery than in any other time in US history! The University of Illinois at Chicago compiles a Human Trafficking in Illinois Fact Sheet. They report "the United States is considered the world's major destination for human trafficking."
This crime crosses a broad spectrum and its sinister reach touches our own American homes through pornography, textile industries, illicit massage parlors, nail salons, & food cultivated by illegal slave labor. Traffickers often prey on foreign nationals by withholding their visas, passports and workers permits; effectively coercing them into illegal slave labor in farms or factories or the illegal sex industry through fear and removing their power and freedom of movement. Over 80% of foreign trafficking victims are women; and 50% of them are children under the age of 18.
Michael Mitchell from the Department of Homeland Security shared local statistics, as well as their Blue Campaign. Agent Mitchell was well-versed in the area of smuggling. He has an extensive background in detection and prevention of a vast array of illegal acts including: arms exportation, drug smuggling, immigration violations, money laundering, trading with the enemy, child pornography, and now human trafficking. Agent Mitchell leads 6 agents in covering 46 counties; so they are spread quite thin and rely on leads from the State and local authority and law enforcement.
Julie Ryan, Founder and Director of Catalyst Ministries, informed the round table about the many aftercare services Catalyst provides. A holistic residential treatment home where women can heal from their trauma provides healthcare, safety, and counseling services to survivors of sex trafficking. Making first responders aware of this resource empowers them to be an advocate for the victims and survivors they may encounter in the field.
There was much discussion about the identifiers of those in human trafficking as well as the social services that provide a way out and give rescue to those who are enslaved. Things to look for include:
Are they living in the place they are working? (i.e. behind nail salons, over massage parlors, etc.)
Physical indicators; do they have visible marks of abuse?
Foreign born nationals: do they have personal access to their documentation?
Are they afraid of their "employer?"
Does someone else do the talking for them?
According to their website, The Polaris Project is "a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery. Named after the North Star that guided slaves to freedom in the U.S., Polaris acts as a catalyst to systematically disrupt the human trafficking networks that rob human beings of their lives and their freedom. By working with government leaders, the world's leading technology corporations, and local partners, Polaris equips communities to identify, report, and prevent human trafficking. Our comprehensive model puts victims at the center of what we do - helping survivors restore their freedom, preventing more victims, and leveraging data and technology to pursue traffickers wherever they operate."
In 2016, there were 7,572 cases of human trafficking reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline:
1. Sex Trafficking 5,551 (73%)
2. Labor Trafficked 1,057 (14%)
3. Sex and Labor Trafficking 268 (4%)
4. Not Specified 696 (9%)
Polaris project reported in 2016 human trafficking was reported in all 50 states; with 198 cases of human trafficking reported to the National Hotline from Illinois. This is a 64% increase overall of 2015 when 121 cases were reported. In total, the National Hotline has received reports of 941 cases of human trafficking from Illinois since 2007.
From 2007 to 2016 there have been over 31,000 cases of human trafficking reported in the US. Catalyst Ministries estimates there are more than 5 Brothels in Bloomington - Normal. (Thanks to Aaron Davis, Communications Director at Catalyst Ministries, for providing us with this data!)
All of these stats prove that human trafficking isn't just something we can ignore or avoid. If the facts make us uncomfortable, they should motivate us to action!
Are we paying attention to those around us? Are there situations we witness or are aware of where things don't seem as they should? Can we give an encouraging word to a lower income woman or child who may feel invisible? Remind them that they have value and worth... that Jesus loves them, died for them, and lives today to offer HOPE! There are caring people who are willing to listen and to see them if they get into trouble and need help.
The ringing message from the Tuesday meeting was "You have to spot it, to stop it."
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