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Human trafficking is indeed terrifying. Imagine innocents struggling to break free from their cages. If they can't fight for themselves, we'll have to do it instead. Yes, justice prevails in the end. But no matter what form of abuse you witness or undergo, don't be silent; be persistent.

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Is yes and it is the SDG's of the United Nations, particularly SDG 16 where it promotes peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provides access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere and anywhere in the world. But before that, "WHAT IS AN SDG"?

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The Sustainable Development Goals / SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, were created by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people in the near future or even in the farther one enjoy peace and prosperity. However, there is one hurdle that it tries to eradicate...

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Furthermore, Mindanaoans, like the indigenous people, are at risk with regards to this issue because they "remain amongst the groups that have limited access to social protection" (Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Trafficking in Persons, n.d., p. 21).

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on trafficking in persons. (n.d.). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (p. 21). Retrieved August 13, 2021, from https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/HTMSS_Thematic_Brief_on_COVID-19.pdf

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President Trump signed Executive Order 13903 on Combating Human Trafficking and Online Child Exploitation in the United States during a White House Summit on Human Trafficking. The Executive Order establishes a White House employee position dedicated solely to issues related to combating human trafficking entering, leaving, and within the United States, as well as coordinating with personnel from other parts of the President's Executive Office, such as the Office of Economic Initiatives and the National Security Council (NSC).

On June 9, 2020, the White House appointed a Special Advisor for Human Trafficking to coordinate White House efforts on human trafficking policy, coordinate interagency efforts on human trafficking, and advise the DPC on human trafficking policy, which complied with Section 2 of the President's Executive Order.

Source:
2020 Report on U.S Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons, October 19, 2020. Retrieved from:

https://www.state.gov/2020-report-on-u-s-government-efforts-to-combat-trafficking-in-persons/

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We know today that human traffickers deny nearly 25 million people their fundamental right to freedom, forcing them to toil for their exploiters' profit. However, just over 20 years ago, the world was grappling with and starting to engage in modern efforts to address what we now call human trafficking, also known as modern slavery. Mounting concern from both civil society and the U.S. government about human traffickers' ability to operate with relative impunity to compel individuals to perform labor or engage in commercial sex culminated in significant legislative action: in 2000, the 106th U.S. Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). The TVPA became the first comprehensive federal law designed to protect victims of sex and labor trafficking, to prosecute traffickers, and to prevent human trafficking in the United States and around the world. That same year, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, commonly referred to as the "Palermo Protocol."

Since the passage of the TVPA, the anti-trafficking movement has become more agile at targeting and dismantling trafficking schemes, and it has evolved to become more victim-centered and trauma-informed in its approaches because of the incredible advocacy and leadership of key stakeholders, including those who have experienced and survived human trafficking. But the world is not static, and traffickers adapt and innovate to maximize profits. Thus, the anti-trafficking movement must also continue to adapt to shifting circumstances and new challenges to remain one step ahead of traffickers. The year 2020 has forced the world to confront an unimaginable crisis. Law enforcement, service providers, survivors, and advocates have warned about the increasing number of people vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers due to the instability, isolation, and lack of access to critical services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of COVID-19, as with other catastrophic events, are disproportionately impacting communities suffering from systemic or generational inequality - the same communities traffickers often prey upon.

These challenges have fueled the resolve of the United States and the global anti-trafficking community in the pursuit of freedom for every victim and accountability for every trafficker. The United States has made the global fight against human trafficking a policy priority and employs a whole-of-government approach to address all aspects of this crime. Furthermore, the U.S. government has stepped up its pressure on governments that are themselves engaged in human trafficking, such as through state-sponsored forced labor programs that benefit those governments - often regimes that represent a threat to U.S. national security interests. In January 2020, the White House hosted a Summit on Human Trafficking: Honoring the 20th Anniversary of the TVPA, during which President Trump signed Executive Order 13903 on Combating Human Trafficking and Online Child Exploitation in the United States. Among other things, the Executive Order designates an employee position at the White House dedicated solely to work on issues related to combating human trafficking occurring into, from, and within the United States and to coordinate with personnel in other components of the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Economic Initiatives and the National Security Council (NSC), on such efforts. The Domestic Policy Council (DPC) fulfilled Section 2 (a) of the President's Executive Order when a Special Advisor for Human Trafficking was appointed on June 9, 2020 to coordinate White House efforts on human trafficking policy, coordinate interagency efforts on human trafficking, and advise the DPC on human trafficking policy.

The President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) and the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG), which consists of senior officials designated as representatives of the PITF agencies, work year-round to address the many aspects of human trafficking both in the United States and around the world. The agencies of the PITF are the Departments of State (State), the Treasury (Treasury), Defense (DoD), Justice (DOJ), the Interior (DOI), Agriculture (USDA), Commerce (DOC), Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), Transportation (DOT), Education (ED), and Homeland Security (DHS), as well as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the NSC, the DPC, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

PITF agencies regularly convene to advance and coordinate federal policies and collaborate with a range of stakeholders. Focus areas include: the enforcement of criminal and labor laws to end impunity for traffickers; victim-centered identification and trauma-informed assistance; innovations in data gathering and research; education and public awareness activities; and synchronization of strategically linked foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement. This report includes federal data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 and reflects the work PITF agencies have accomplished since October 1, 2019. These accomplishments are described according to ten strategic objectives beginning on page 10.

In addition, PITF agencies have adapted programs and launched initiatives to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020. Below are examples of key efforts agencies have undertaken in response to COVID-19:

DOJ and HHS engaged with local governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) nationwide to understand the impact of COVID-19 on child trafficking and exploitation. The agencies also published comprehensive resource guides for grantees that include how to operate, provide services, and manage grants during COVID-19.

DHS's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI) Victim Assistance Program created new guidance on conducting remote forensic interviews. The guidance, which includes safety protocols, allows Forensic Interview Specialists to continue their interviews; during the COVID-19 pandemic, they completed 391 interviews between March and September 2020.

State announced an open, year-long competition for proposed projects to address the impacts of COVID-19 on efforts to combat human trafficking and to support government measures to combat human trafficking.

DOL published suggested actions for governments and other stakeholders to protect children, who are at heightened risk of labor exploitation due to the impact of COVID-19, from being victimized in child labor.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline, funded by HHS, successfully transitioned to full remote operations with no disruption in services and onboarded 15 new staff members. The Hotline found creative solutions for individuals in lockdown areas through partnerships with the business community to ensure victims access to shelter. The number of emergency trafficking cases handled by the Hotline increased by more than 40 percent in the month following shelter-in-place orders compared to the prior month.

USAID worked to adopt a more flexible approach to its programmatic decisions so missions overseas can more easily adapt work plans to account for COVID-19 activities. USAID also monitored human security and the potential for human trafficking to occur in places hard hit by COVID-19.

DOJ, DHS, and State, along with the Five Country Ministerial, composed of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, consulted with leading tech companies on their development of public service announcements for parents, caregivers, and children to prevent and respond to online exploitation, including child sex trafficking, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DHS expanded its internet safety messaging for children in response to traffickers' increased use of the internet to reach children. In FY 2020, ICE/ HSI live-streamed its iGuardian presentations and conducted a live televised iGuardian Special Report. Both have been viewed more than 36,000 times on social media. ICE/HSI also produced a video series, "Digital Dangers," with a school district. DHS's Blue Campaign-purchased social media advertisements directed viewers to iGuardian resources through the Blue Campaign online safety webpage, which received 205,000 visits from the advertisements.

DOJ's Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Child/Adolescent Forensic Interviewers developed a process to conduct remote forensic interviews. When able, interviewers have continued to operate and conduct victim and witness in-person interviews during COVID-19 with the use of personal protective equipment to prevent contamination.

In FY 2020, USAID launched the Safe Migration in Central Asia project. The project's goal is to strengthen the mutual accountability of all stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and the private sector, to become more self-reliant in efforts to prevent trafficking in persons, protect trafficking survivors, and promote safe migration. One of the project's components focuses on supporting migrant workers facing increased vulnerability as a result of travel restrictions due to COVID-19, including by developing livelihood support to targeted groups of migrants to mitigate COVID-19's impact and engaging with the private sector to connect migrants to legitimate jobs.

Throughout the reporting period, federal agencies explored how to use resources as effectively as possible to prosecute traffickers, provide comprehensive services to victims, and prevent the crime from happening in the first place. Agencies also sought input from and worked to empower survivor experts dedicated to elevating the issue of human trafficking and improving federal efforts.

The U.S. government draws inspiration from the strength and resilience of trafficking survivors. To further expand and strengthen its anti-trafficking efforts, the PITF will continue pursuing ways to bolster intelligence collection, information-sharing, and analysis; leverage the best tools and learning; provide much-needed comprehensive victim services; and establish effective partnerships with stakeholders.

Progress in Combating Forced Labor in Global Supply Chains

The U.S. government continues to build its ability to combat all forms of human trafficking, including forced labor, which has been documented in global supply chains and linked to U.S. imports. Importing goods produced wholly or in part with forced labor or prison labor violates U.S. law, and violators may be subject to criminal, civil, and administrative consequences. Any person or entity - whether an importer, retailer, online marketplace, or certification company, for example - who benefits from participating in a business venture knowing or in reckless disregard that the venture engaged in providing or obtaining forced labor may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Forced labor is antithetical to U.S. values of respect for human rights and dignity, and it undermines rule of law, legitimate trade, and economic competition. The United States has developed an arsenal of administrative, civil, diplomatic, and criminal enforcement tools to prevent traffickers' attempts to gain economic advantage through the reprehensible and criminal use of forced labor. Full enforcement of the law reflects our government's commitment to combating forced labor around the world. Enforcement actions have caught the eye of governments and private entities and have become strong motivators for them to address forced labor or to implement safeguards.

In addition, government purchases of goods and services represent a significant share of the global economy and therefore present an important opportunity to promote responsible business practices and transform markets. Recognizing this, the United States government, as the largest single purchaser of goods and services in the world, prohibits its contractors from engaging in human trafficking and numerous activities closely associated with human trafficking.

Key agency efforts taken since October 1, 2019 to combat forced labor in global supply chains include:

* In accordance with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act, President Trump signed Executive Order 13923 in May 2020 to establish the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to monitor U.S. enforcement of the prohibition of imports produced wholly or in part by convict labor, forced labor, or/and indentured labor under penal sanctions. On July 1, 2020, the USMCA entered into force. In addition to including commitments to adopt, maintain, and enforce statutes and regulations to eliminate forced labor, the agreement's labor chapter requires all Parties to monitor and prohibit the importation of goods produced by forced labor.

* DHS's U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued 13 Withhold Release Orders between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020 for shipments of goods where information reasonably indicated they were produced, wholly or in part, with forced labor or convict labor. CBP detained more than 250 shipments with a cumulative value of approximately $50 million. CBP issued 20 penalties for violations of U.S. trade law regarding goods produced with forced labor, which resulted in the payment of $575,000 by the importer.

* In July 2020, State, Treasury, DOC, and DHS issued the Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory, warning businesses of economic, legal, and reputational risks of involvement with entities engaged in forced labor and other human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and beyond. The agencies translated the Business Advisory into two additional languages and encouraged foreign governments to take similar actions to combat forced labor in China. In August, State organized an interagency roundtable with businesses to highlight the Business Advisory's key messages.

* DOC imposed export controls on nine companies in July 2020 in connection with the practice of state-sponsored forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. Since October 2019, DOC has imposed export controls on 48 entities in connection with human rights violations, including forced labor, against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.

* In July 2020, DOL's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) announced its intent to award up to $8 million for one or two technical assistance projects to improve downstream tracing of goods made with child labor or forced labor.

* DHS published its first strategy to combat human trafficking, the importation of goods produced with forced labor, and child sexual exploitation in January 2020.

* In October 2019, OMB finalized its guidance on anti-trafficking risk management best practices and mitigation considerations , which enhances the effectiveness of anti-trafficking requirements in federal acquisition and helps contractors manage and reduce the burden associated with meeting these responsibilities.

* In FY 2020, DHS's ICE/HSI continued advancing efforts to investigate individuals and businesses implicated in illicit activity related to the importation of goods produced with forced labor. To further these efforts, ICE/HSI continued its partnership with a civil society organization to identify additional sources regarding allegations of importation of goods produced with forced labor into the United States. ICE/HSI also enlisted contract support to help compile and analyze data to identify indicators of business enterprises' potential involvement in forced labor.

Strategic Objectives:

1. Investigate and prosecute traffickers and dismantle the criminal networks that perpetrate trafficking in persons.

2. Enhance victim identification and the provision of relief and services for all victims of trafficking.

3. Enhance training of stakeholders, including civil society, law enforcement, and government officials, to increase identification of victims.

4. Encourage foreign governments to combat trafficking through international diplomacy and engagement.

5. Forge and strengthen partnerships and other forms of collaboration to combat trafficking in persons.

6. Fund domestic and international anti-trafficking programs focusing on prosecution, protection, and prevention.

7. Integrate anti-trafficking components into relevant government programs.

8. Promote public awareness about modern slavery.

9. Spur innovation and improve capacity to combat modern slavery through data collection and research.

10. Gather and synthesize actionable intelligence to increase the number of domestic and international trafficking prosecutions.

DOJ secured convictions against 475 defendants in federal human trafficking prosecutions in FY 2019. Of these convictions, 454 involved predominantly sex trafficking and 21 involved predominantly labor trafficking.

The FBI Human Trafficking Program initiated 607 human trafficking investigations in FY 2019 and arrested 350 suspects. The FBI also dismantled 33 criminal enterprises engaged in human trafficking.

DHS's ICE/HSI initiated 1,024 cases related to human trafficking in FY 2019. ICE/HSI cases resulted in 2,197 arrests and 691 criminal counts in federal, state, and local convictions, and ICE/HSI identified 428 victims of human trafficking in FY 2019.

DoD initiated 65 human trafficking-related investigations involving DoD military, civilian, and contractor personnel in FY 2019. DoD also took administrative action against noncompliant employers or labor contractors from U.S. programs resulting in six non-compliance requests.

State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) opened 134 human trafficking-related cases in FY 2019. DS conducts human trafficking investigations, most with a nexus to passport or visa fraud, through DS special agents, investigators, and analysts assigned to field offices around the country and to U.S. embassies and consulates overseas.

DoD's Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline received 30 complaints regarding suspected trafficking in persons incidents in FY 2019. The Hotline referred 28 of the 30 complaints to DoD investigating agencies and referred two to non-DoD investigating agencies. The DoD OIG closed 19 of the 30 cases, and 11 were pending as of August 2020.

In FY 2020, DOL referred 12 cases to criminal law enforcement agencies and three H visa cases to DOL's OIG regarding allegations of human trafficking. Criminal law enforcement agencies requested DOL's Wage and Hour Division's assistance with computing back wages and providing testimony in four investigations. Additionally, one criminal law enforcement agency referred a case to DOL, and nine requested DOL's case file information.

The SPOG Victims Services Committee, co-chaired by DOJ, HHS, and DHS, held a series of listening sessions focused on housing for trafficking survivors, including discussions on barriers to accessing housing, innovative solutions, and unique needs of different types of victims, such as youth and male victims, in FY 2020.

DOJ's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) grantees providing services to human trafficking victims reported 8,375 open client cases from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, including 5,090 new clients. Local service providers in the states and territories using OVC's Crime Victims Fund dollars assisted thousands of victims.

In FY 2019, HHS anti-trafficking grantees provided comprehensive case management assistance to 2,398 victims of trafficking and eligible family members. HHS issued 311 Certification Letters and 892 Eligibility Letters to adult and child victims of trafficking, respectively, to be eligible to apply for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees.

HHS continued to fund an NGO to operate the National Human Trafficking Hotline. In FY 2019, the Hotline received 136,990 calls, texts, chats, online tips, and emails, identified 11,852 potential human trafficking cases, and provided resources and referrals to 3,828 potential victims. The Hotline also received information on 4,692 potential traffickers and 1,849 types of businesses facilitating human trafficking. Of the potential human trafficking cases identified, the Hotline reported 3,599 potential cases to law enforcement and received information that at least 1,086 investigations were opened as a result.

Pursuant to law, DOJ's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section approved the transfer of approximately $1,688,568 in forfeited proceeds for restitution in human trafficking cases from October 2019 to August 2020.

In FY 2019, DHS's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted T nonimmigrant status (for certain victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons) to 500 victims and 491 eligible family m embers. USCIS received 1,242 applications for victims and 1,011 applications for victims' family members. USCIS denied 365 principal applications and 216 applications for family members, and issued 32 Notices to Appear (NTAs) to principal applicants for T nonimmigrant status in FY 2019. At the end of FY 2019, 2,358 applications from principal applicants and 1,860 from family members remained pending. T nonimmigrant status application processing time was about 16.1 months.

In FY 2019, USCIS met the statutory cap of 10,000 principal petitioners in the U nonimmigrant status program (for certain victims of specified criminal activity, including human trafficking) and approved 7,846 eligible family members in FY 2019. USCIS received 28,364 petitions from principal petitioners and 18,861 petitions for victims' family members. USCIS denied 2,733 petitions from principal petitioners and 2,397 petitions from their family members, and issued 582 NTAs to principal petitioners in FY 2019. At the end of FY 2019, 151,758 petitions from the principal petitioner and 103,737 petitions from family members remained pending.

In FY 2019, State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) programming provided services to more than 3,500 victims of trafficking worldwide, including legal support, health and psychological support, life s kills t raining, and job placement. Of these, 456 victims were provided services through the TIP Office's continued support of a global emergency victim assistance fund, managed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to provide short-term direct assistance to trafficking victims overseas on an emergency, case-by-case basis.

The FBI Victim Services Division's 168 victim specialists provided services to 1,427 victims of human trafficking in 821 cases during FY 2019. The victim specialists provided 33,685 services total, including crisis response, victim support and assistance, needs assessment, victim notification, and service referrals. FBI victim specialists also provided ongoing support to victims and families throughout the investigative process.

The EEOC received two new charges of discrimination linked to human trafficking, resolved one pending charge, and recovered more than $4,000 in monetary benefits for charging parties through its administrative enforcement efforts from October 1, 2019 to August 1, 2020. As of August 1, 2020, the EEOC had 11 pending charges linked to human trafficking.

In FY 2020, DOJ's Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center continued to provide strategically focused, capability-building coaching to maximize a community's potential to serve victims of all forms of human trafficking, targeting organizations in five states with limited federal anti-trafficking funding.

In FY 2019, State's DS Victims' Resource Advocacy Program (VRAP) performed outreach overseas and domestically on approximately 100 cases of human trafficking and related abuse. VRAP focused on specialized client engagement to ensure personalized support during investigative interviews, court proceedings, and victim interactions to include connections to housing, counseling, and legal support. VRAP presented dozens of status requests and provided multiple supporting documents to victims and witnesses identified during investigations.

DOJ provided technical assistance funding to increase its grantees' capacity to respond to sex trafficking, including safety planning for victims, developing interagency cooperation in responding to sex trafficking, and expanding service providers' understanding of trafficking involving Native women and children throughout FY 2020.

In FY 2019, State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration funded a program that helped 204 individuals identified as victims of trafficking in the United States to reunite with family members, and provided return assistance to one trafficking survivor.

HHS anti-trafficking grantees conducted 798 public outreach events that reached 11,841 people, provided training to more than 13,000 people, and provided technical assistance to 3,341 people between October 1, 2019 and July 30, 2020.

From June 2018 to July 2019, DOJ's trafficking victim service grantees reported conducting 2,000 trainings and training 82,000 professionals to build community capacity to identify and respond to human trafficking. DOJ also funded specialized training and technical assistance related to legal assistance, housing, employment, and trauma-informed services, as well as court responses to human trafficking.

The HHS National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) provided training and technical assistance to 16,711 individuals from October 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. NHTTAC expanded access to its SOAR (Stop. Observe. Ask. Respond.) to Health and Wellness online training to more than two million health care professionals and developed 17 public training and technical assistance resources during the same period. In FY 2020, 14,919 health care, behavioral health, public health, and social service providers completed SOAR online training.

In FY 2020, DOI awarded three contracts to develop training materials on human trafficking, including a short video and vignette that DOI law enforcement officers can use to fulfill their annual refresher training requirement, and an online training. The contracts also enable DOI to coordinate the Federal Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Program federal interagency working group's efforts to develop training and toolkits on law enforcement victim interviewing.

DHS's Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) trained 1,765 federal law enforcement officers through its basic training programs on indicators of human trafficking since October 1, 2019. Additionally, FLETC provided human trafficking awareness training to 663 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials and stakeholders.

DOI provided training to about 900 of its law enforcement officers, first responders, contracting officers, as well as other federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement organizations on human trafficking in FY 2019. DOI also delivered human trafficking awareness training to more than 12,000 DOI employees, as well as tribal and state victim and social service providers, tribal council members, and tribal community members.

In August 2020, DOL hosted a virtual training taught by an NGO regarding human trafficking in agriculture for approximately 250 state workforce agency staff from across the United States.

In FY 2020, DOJ funded the delivery of new training to state and local practitioners on effective strategies to investigate and prosecute labor trafficking and delivered more than two dozen advanced trainings for federal prosecutors and law enforcement on conducting financial investigations to assist in corroborating victim testimony and enhance investigations and prosecutions.

In FY 2020, HHS's NHTTAC launched two online training modules to educate health care providers in school settings and those serving American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders regarding human trafficking and its impact on their communities.

State's TIP Office grantees trained more than 24,000 individuals about how to respond to human trafficking in FY 2019. Many of these individuals have gone on to identify victims of trafficking and participate in or initiate investigations and prosecutions of trafficking crimes.

DHS's USCIS trained more than 100 stakeholders, primarily law enforcement officials, on immigration options available to victims of human trafficking in FY 2020.

In September 2020, State significantly updated its introductory course for all State personnel on human trafficking. The course covers what human trafficking is, how to recognize it, and the professional responsibilities of employees to prevent or respond to human trafficking.

In FY 2020, USDA offered several training modules to its personnel and local law enforcement officers on how to identify and combat human trafficking.

Since October 1, 2019, State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs funded five training courses for 95 foreign law enforcement officials on combating human trafficking at its International Law Enforcement Academies in Accra, Budapest, Bangkok, Gaborone, and San Salvador.

In FY 2020, in cooperation with DOT, transportation stakeholders committed to train more than 1.3 million transportation employees to recognize and respond to potential instances of human trafficking.

In FY 2020, USAID provided specialized technical assistance, training, and grants to Burma's judiciary, government ministries, and local organizations to address trafficking issues that intersect with broader rule of law considerations, building on prior USAID-supported training.

In October 2019, DOJ held a three-day workshop for federal human trafficking prosecutors in which survivors, prosecutors, and victim assistance professionals provided training on victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches to law enforcement. A similar training, focused on child sex trafficking, took place in March 2020.

USTR, working with DOL, negotiates trade agreements that include enforceable obligations to eliminate forced labor and administers trade preference programs that require countries to meet worker rights eligibility requirements, including taking steps to address forced labor. In October 2019, USTR recommended and the President agreed to partially suspend Generalized System of Preferences trade preferences for Thailand based on its failure to adequately provide internationally recognized worker rights, including protection from forced labor.

State's TIP Office signed a Child Protection Compact Partnership with Mongolia in April 2020. The Partnership will strengthen the Mongolian government's capacity to form and operate a trafficking-focused multidisciplinary task force, prosecute and convict child traffickers, provide comprehensive trauma-informed care for child victims, and prevent child trafficking in Mongolia. In addition, the TIP Office identified key takeaways from its first Partnership with Ghana, which ended in June 2020, including how the Partnership improved interagency coordination, enforcement of Ghana's anti-trafficking law, and community-level awareness.

DOT continued to champion commitments related to combating human trafficking in the transportation sector through international fora. In FY 2020, DOT led the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization Facilitation Panel Working Group on Human Trafficking to develop a baseline report of member anti-trafficking efforts and held two workshops under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's Transportation Working Group that underscored the transportation sector's role in combating trafficking.

In FY 2019, DoD integrated trafficking in persons scenarios into its joint exercises and trainings for more than 2,100 foreign personnel and military members from 110 partner countries.

State engaged in multilateral fora, such as the UN and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to continue promoting U.S. interests in combating human trafficking by advocating for the political commitments of member states on the implementation of the Palermo Protocol, adoption of victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches, and responsible procurement of goods and services by governments and multilateral institutions, among others. For example, State participated in a UN General Assembly side event in October 2019 on promoting multi-agency responses to combat human trafficking. In December 2019, the U.S. Mission to the UN hosted an event with UN Security Council members on the importance of reporting data on human trafficking and prevalence.

As part of Treasury's bilateral anti-corruption initiative with Mexico, which among other priorities includes human trafficking, Treasury and its Mexican government counterparts created a working group focused on human trafficking and its illicit financing risks in February 2020. Since the working group's inception, the United States and Mexico have committed to demonstrating significant progress to hold human traffickers accountable and have exchanged financial intelligence on human traffickers operating across the U.S.-Mexico border.

In FY 2020, through its International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs sponsored 116 individuals, including government officials, human rights activists, law enforcement officials, and NGO representatives, in 16 projects to review efforts in the United States to combat trafficking at the federal, state, and local levels. Due to COVID-19, the IVLP pivoted in March to virtual programming, including on trafficking in persons.

Treasury's Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes headed the U.S. delegation to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and worked with the FATF and its global network to start a typologies project on combating money laundering through human trafficking and migrant smuggling crimes for the Middle East and North Africa FATF Style Regional Body.

PITF agencies collaborated with the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking on implementation of the recommendations in its 2020 Annual Report for improving federal anti-trafficking programs and policies. This Council provides a formal platform for trafficking survivors to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-trafficking policies to the PITF.

In December 2019, President Trump appointed a Member to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. In June 2020, the President appointed seven additional Members to the Council.

PITF agencies met with and provided input to the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking for its first annual report. The Council provides a formal platform for NGOs and academic instructions to advise and make recommendations on federal prevention and victim services policies to the PITF.

President Trump appointed nine Members to the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking in December 2019 and appointed two additional Members in January 2020.

In FY 2020, HHS implemented the first nationwide class of its Human Trafficking Leadership Academy, also the first class to be composed of 12 individuals who identify as Native American. This class focused on using trauma-informed principles, survivor-informed practices, and their knowledge of cultural practices and traditions in Native communities around health and wellness to identify ways cultural practices and traditions can prevent human trafficking among Native youth.

In FY 2020, the U.S. government signed a new bilateral cooperative agreement negotiated by DOL with El Salvador, mirroring the one signed with Honduras in FY 2019. The Government o f El Salvador agreed to facilitate and monitor recruitment and, through the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, to begin performing labor recruitment for the H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs directly. The agreement also requires that the Ministry create and maintain a registered foreign labor recruiter monitoring program. In September 2020, the U.S. government signed a renegotiated agreement with the Government of Guatemala, which was expanded to include the H-2B program in addition to H-2A. These agreements aim to increase transparency, accountability, and safeguards for temporary workers in the H-2 programs, including protection from labor recruitment practices that heighten workers' vulnerability to exploitation.

State, through its Human Trafficking Expert Consultant Network, increased survivor input into the TIP Office's anti-trafficking efforts. Since October 1, 2019, Network consultants delivered a newly required trauma training to TIP Office staff six times, advised on multilateral engagements, and reviewed grant solicitation language and proposals.

In FY 2020, Treasury's Office of International Affairs, along with State and others, worked with the multilateral development banks (MDBs) to increase awareness of human trafficking as a development challenge, and to enhance and improve their internal guidance and policies to help make sure MDB-funded projects build borrowing countries' capacity to address human trafficking issues related to development projects within their countries.

In Ukraine, USAID supported activities in FY 2020 to prevent trafficking through the promotion of strategic partnerships with the private sector. USAID's project assisted more than 800 victims of trafficking and helped connect 90 percent of them to private sector jobs or to school.

In FY 2020, USAID launched a new project in Haiti to strengthen key local entities like the National Counter-Trafficking Committee and the Social Welfare Institute in their efforts to combat child trafficking through the deinstitutionalization of Haitian children, to increase public awareness of human trafficking, and to help develop and implement victim-centered services at the national and local levels.

The SPOG Grantmaking Committee, co-chaired by State, DOJ, and USAID, continued in FY 2020 to facilitate interagency coordination related to international and domestic grants to ensure programs are strategic and not duplicative.

HHS awarded more than $16.6 million in grants to identify and assist domestic and foreign national victims of trafficking in FY 2019.

In August 2020, DOJ's OVC awarded more than $35 million in grant funding to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking, representing the largest ever federal investment in housing for trafficking survivors. Grants went to 73 organizations to provide 6-24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims as well as supportive services.

DOJ awarded more than $100 million in anti-trafficking funding in FY 2019. This funding included 65 awards totaling $42.9 million to provide direct services to trafficking victims and $6 million to four grantees to improve outcomes for child and youth trafficking victims. New initiatives included 32 awards for specialized services for child victims of trafficking ($15.5 million), five for improving victim services ($4.4 million), and one for training and technical assistance to improve services for labor trafficking victims ($1 million). DOJ also made 10 awards totaling $4.7 million to support specialized services and mentoring for child and youth victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. In addition to previously funded Enhanced Collaborative Model anti-trafficking task forces, DOJ awarded $21 million as part of its FY 2019 anti-trafficking funding to 15 task forces, which included funding for 13 state and local law enforcement agencies and 12 victim service providers implementing a collaborative approach to identify and combat all forms of human trafficking.

In FY 2019, State's TIP Office awarded more than $36 million to fund 37 projects worldwide that address sex and labor trafficking. By the end of 2019, the TIP Office had 90 open anti-trafficking projects in more than 80 countries in addition to global projects, collectively totaling more than $158 million. In October 2019, the TIP Office also awarded an additional $25 million under the Program to End Modern Slavery to measurably reduce the prevalence of human trafficking.

In FY 2020, DOL's ILAB awarded three new projects totaling approximately $13 million to address forced labor around the world. ILAB also awarded cost increases totaling approximately $5 million to three existing projects addressing forced labor. As of September 2020, ILAB was overseeing 17 projects with anti-trafficking components totaling nearly $75 million.

In May 2020, HHS announced funds for the Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education Demonstration Program, a new grant program that will provide $3.5 million to local education agencies, working in partnership with a nonprofit or NGO, to develop and implement programs to prevent human trafficking. HHS also announced a new funding opportunity for organizations addressing human trafficking in Native communities.

In FY 2020, USAID launched a program in Burundi to build the government's capacity to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases; improve the quality, reliability, and coverage of statistics related to human trafficking victims; and, in coordination with NGO partners, develop standard operating procedures for detecting and responding to cases.

DOT awarded $5.4 million in grants to address public safety, including human trafficking, in FY 2020.

With FY 2019 and FY 2020 funding, State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) established a regional trafficking in persons advisor position and funded programs in Central Asia to assist governments to more effectively investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons cases. INL also funded bilateral programs in the region to strengthen governments' anti-trafficking response.

The SPOG Procurement & Supply Chains Committee, co-chaired by OMB, DOL, and State, released a set of and accompanying directions in April 2020 for federal contractors, subcontractors, and others to post at worksites to inform those employed on federal contracts of their rights under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rule, "Combating Trafficking in Persons ." In FY 2020, the co-chairs delivered two virtual trainings to more than 100 acquisition personnel on human trafficking and the FAR.

In response to a provision in the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018, in 2020, the SPOG established an Ad Hoc Working Group on demand reduction to examine the role of demand reduction in preventing human trafficking.

ED implemented its department-wide plan to support human trafficking for FY 2020, which included initiating a process to compile downloadable resources to make anti-trafficking tools available to all stakeholders who visit its website and to publish a revised Human Trafficking in America's Schools Toolkit, complete with evidence-based reporting strategies, salient risk factors and indicators, and important information about vulnerable populations and reintegration for survivors.

On July 30, 2020, DOJ announced the consolidation of law enforcement, juvenile justice, and victim services human trafficking initiatives at its Office of Justice Programs into the new Human Trafficking Division within DOJ's OVC, to further efforts to combat human trafficking in the United States by aligning funding, training, assistance, and other resources.

In FY 2020, DHS created the Center for Countering Human Trafficking to bring together multiple DHS components to prioritize human trafficking investigations, victim identification, and public outreach.

In FY 2020, the EEOC established a Vulnerable Workers Task Force to examine its efforts and implement adjustments to ensure it effectively identifies, reaches, and serves - through outreach, enforcement, and litigation - workers who may have heightened vulnerability to exploitation, including human trafficking.

DoD's combating trafficking in persons program manager in Afghanistan works to establish guidelines and procedures for DoD units to address trafficking in persons in their operating environment. From October 2019 to August 2020, the program manager briefed 5,500 personnel arriving in Afghanistan, trained 400 contracting officers and contracting officer representatives on trafficking in persons, conducted 80 ad hoc on-site trainings for foreign national personnel, and conducted 100 compliance visits and spot checks of facilities around Afghanistan.

In FY 2020, State's Office of the Chief of Protocol and the U.S. Mission to the UN each continued to implement their respective domestic worker In-person Registration Programs for A-3 and G-5 visa holders employed by foreign mission and international organization personnel. Due to COVID-19, both programs temporarily transitioned to phone and video registrations.

In FY 2020, HHS integrated human trafficking into health systems by adding diagnostic codes on confirmed and suspected human trafficking cases in health care settings and including human trafficking in violence prevention programs in federally qualified health centers.

In July 2020, State launched a FAR "Know Your Rights" pamphlet, translated into six local dialects, at the U.S. embassy in Kuwait to notify employees on federal contracts at the embassy of their rights under the FAR.

In FY 2020, HHS and the National Human Trafficking Hotline increased collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to strengthen protocols on locating, protecting, and serving children. HHS also integrated anti-trafficking efforts into child welfare, runaway and homeless youth, unaccompanied children, domestic violence, and Native communities programming through training and technical assistance and data collection.

In FY 2020, DHS used its suspension and debarment to ensure one entity and two individuals convicted of engaging in human trafficking were prohibited from conducting business with the federal government for a period of time.

The SPOG Public Awareness & Outreach Committee, co-chaired by HHS, DHS, and State, served as a forum for agencies to seek feedback on public awareness and outreach activities and share information on planned events and materials to allow for cross-promotion and to avoid duplication of effort. In February 2020, the Committee publicly released guidance for public awareness materials, which serves as a resource for the anti-trafficking field to promote common messages, a standardized set of statistics, and guidelines on images.

The DHS Blue Campaign raised public consciousness of human trafficking across the country and incorporated input from trafficking survivors and other partners to develop new educational awareness products for school campus law enforcement, youth, and front-line convenience store employees in FY 2020.

In FY 2020, ED released three of four webinars in a series that targets how to prevent and protect students from human trafficking. The webinars provided administrators, teachers, and specialized instructional support personnel with information on how they can identify and support students impacted by human trafficking, and they shared anti-trafficking strategies in the online space to prevent human trafficking and child labor exploitation in light of increased internet use among youth due to COVID-19.

HHS, in partnership with DOJ, launched a four-part national virtual listening session series on preventing and responding to child trafficking during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. The series included discussions about the impact of COVID-19 on children and youth as well as federal, state, and local efforts to safeguard this population. More than 3,500 people attended the listening session series.

HHS regional anti-trafficking grantees conducted local outreach campaigns to raise awareness about human trafficking, reaching more than 32,438 people in FY 2019.

DHS's ICE/HSI Victim Assistance Specialists and Special Agents conducted more than 1,300 outreach events on human trafficking, providing training to more than 80,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement, victim advocates, NGOs, prosecutors, and others in FY 2019. In January 2020, ICE/HSI created the Strategic Targeted Outreach Program (S.T.O.P.) Trafficking initiative to mitigate human trafficking by engaging key industries and raising public awareness to recognize and report trafficking.

DHS's U.S. Secret Service's Childhood Smart Program, which aims to increase awareness of sexual exploitation, including child sex trafficking, and reduce child victimization, provided resources to 18,275 children and parents in the United States in FY 2020.

The EEOC's Strategic Plan for 2018-2022 continued to emphasize outreach to vulnerable workers and underserved communities. In FY 2019, the EEOC conducted 1,298 outreach events targeting vulnerable and underserved communities, reaching 112,410 participants, which represented approximately 34 percent of the EEOC's total outreach. This focused outreach included immigrant and farm worker communities, as well as communities where individuals are reluctant to come forward about employment discrimination or exploitation, including human trafficking.

In July 2020, State's TIP Office launched a monthly virtual stakeholder conversation series to meaningfully engage with the public and anti-trafficking stakeholders around the world on featured topics and connect them with experts. The first two calls drew more than 750 attendees each.

The SPOG Research & Data Committee, co-chaired by State and DOJ, bolstered agencies' understanding of the scope, demographics, and nature of human trafficking throughout FY 2020 by facilitating information-sharing about human trafficking research, data, and evaluation projects; inviting external researchers to present on their latest findings; and driving interagency discussions on how to address challenges related to gathering, harmonizing, and sharing human trafficking data.

In May 2020, State's TIP Office partnered with the University of Georgia's African Programming and Research Initiative to End Slavery to virtually host the  Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum, a first-of-its-kind initiative focused on new research in the field of international human trafficking prevalence measurement, the improvement of methodologies, and the establishment of standardized guidelines.

DOL updated its Sweat & Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World mobile app to include the 2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor and the 2020 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor .

DOT established and awarded a $50,000 Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award to incentivize the development of innovative solutions that increase human trafficking prevention efforts among transportation stakeholders. The FY 2020 award recipient will conduct a national anti-trafficking survey to help inform future research on the intersection of human trafficking and transportation.

In November 2019, HHS launched a new online case management system that strengthens data privacy, security, and confidentiality protection for data related to HHS certification and requests for assistance; improves the quality and use of data to inform evidence-based victim assistance and prevention programming; and fosters public accountability and transparency.

During the National Academy of Science's Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual meeting of more than 14,000 transportation researchers and professionals in January 2020, DOT helped convene the Human Trafficking in Transportation Common Interest Group. The Interest Group's Steering Committee began working to define TRB's anti-trafficking role, build a collaborative network, leverage sector knowledge, and advance effective practices across mission areas and modes.

USAID-funded research in FY 2020 sought to increase understanding of how patterns of human trafficking and migrant smuggling enable local conflict and influence governance and stability in Libya. The research also assessed the influence of human trafficking and migrant smuggling on the level of conflict in Libya and the implications for strategies to address governance issues.

In FY 2020, DHS's Science and Technology Directorate developed three new digital forensics investigative tools to support investigations of online child sexual exploitation and began pilot testing those tools with 25 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel and five country partners. The Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis Center pursued four research projects to spur innovation and improve capacity to combat human trafficking. Three projects focus on increasing law enforcement officers' ability to collect evidence that aids in the prosecution of human traffickers.

In FY 2020, USAID research applied an ecosystem model using "weak-signal analysis" with geospatial analysis and artificial intelligence to identify populations in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Laos at heightened vulnerability to trafficking in persons.

In FY 2020, HHS released a fact sheet on anti-trafficking research and data collection efforts, released an information memorandum summarizing 15 years of HHS-funded public health research on human trafficking, and awarded a contract to contribute to domestic human trafficking prevalence measurements.

In FY 2020, the Intelligence Community (IC) increased its information-sharing efforts and coordination with law enforcement agencies, which included sharing of unclassified efforts to analyze transnational elements of human trafficking operations to identify foreign trends among more than 25 IC analysts and law enforcement personnel.

In November 2019, DHS ICE/HSI launched the Angel Watch Center to improve its ability to notify countries of the potential travel of registered child sex offenders.

State's DS used its case management system to manage operational activities; identify and analyze trends, anomalies, and vulnerabilities; and establish threat patterns. DS focused on emerging threats posed by transnational organized crime related to human trafficking and provided weekly criminal intelligence products to agents, analysts, and global law enforcement partners.

Between October 1, 2019 and July 31, 2020, Treasury received 9,536 suspicious activity reports (SARs) alleging human trafficking. Large depository institutions and money services businesses continued to be the most prominent filers of SARs related to suspected human trafficking-related activity.

In October and December 2019, Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) collaborated with DHS ICE/HSI and DOJ to provide analytical support to four criminal investigations into human trafficking networks. In addition, FinCEN trained DOJ human trafficking coordinators and members of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Working Group on FinCEN's recent work related to human trafficking and recommendations for using Bank Secrecy Act data in human trafficking investigations.

DOJ's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit served as chair of Interpol's Human Trafficking Expert Group, composed of members from 146 countries. During FY 2020, the group exchanged information on new challenges in combating human trafficking during COVID-19 and promising practices to address those challenges. DOJ also promoted the use of the Interpol's "Purple Notice" to share information about the modus operandi of transnational human trafficking enterprises.

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2020 Report on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons - United States Department of State

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We know today that human traffickers deny nearly 25 million people their fundamental right to freedom, forcing them to toil for their exploiters' profit. However, just over 20 years ago, the world was grappling with and starting to engage in modern efforts to address what we now call human trafficking, also known as modern slavery.

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The pandemic has surely introduced to us a lot of problems. But at this peak of adversity, we fail to recognize the threats brought about by criminals in a global level. While the pandemic restricts physical interaction, traffickers use the online platform instead to prey on victims like children, considering that education is already virtually accessible. Hence, online grooming is rampant.

Furthermore, the domestically-abused are in worse situations, for they have closer contact with their trafficker. Lockdowns just all the more conceal the oppressed from the public.

Source: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on trafficking in persons. (n.d.). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Retrieved from https://www.unodc.org/documents/Advocacy-Section/HTMSS_Thematic_Brief_on_COVID-19.pdf

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Palicte (2019) states that since 2003, women comprised the majority of the 203 people victimized by human trafficking until 2019. This all took place in Davao City.

Source: Palicte, C. (2019, July 26).

132 human trafficking cases filed in Davao Region since 2003. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1076163

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING. Atty. Barbara Mae Flores, Deputy Regional Prosecutor of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Region 11, briefs the local media on the cases handled by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in the region during a press conference in Davao City Friday. (Photo by Che Palicte)

DAVAO CITY--The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Region 11 (IACAT-11) said it has filed a total of 132 cases in court from 2003 up to May this year.

Thirty-five of these cases have already resulted to conviction while 55 are still on trial, said Atty. Barbara Mae Flores, Deputy Regional Prosecutor of the Department of Justice (DOJ), during a press briefing here Friday.

Flores said the cases involved a total of 203 victims, majority of whom are females. She added that the cases included four claims of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC), two of whom have already resulted in conviction.

Aside from OSEC cases, Flores said majority of the cases filed are prostitution of minors and labor trafficking cases.

She also bared that for the past two years, IACAT-11 participated in three entrapment operations involving OSEC offenders.

Rhea Lomanta, a victim of child trafficking, narrated her experience when she was brought in a certain bar in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

Lomanta said she was just 12 years old when forced to work as a sex worker for about three months. She eventually escaped from her handlers and found her way into Lawig Bubai, a People's Organization of women and children who help survivors of prostitution.

She said that her experience became a nightmare that she continuously tries to overcome until now.

"Everybody from the community must be aware of human trafficking. I urged the youth to responsibly use the technology for them to avoid sexual abuses," she added.

Data from IACAT-11 showed that the Philippines garnered a Tier 1 ranking in the United States Department of State's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. The ranking indicates that a government has acknowledged the existence of human trafficking, made efforts to address the problem, and complies with the Victims Protection Act's (VPA) minimum standards.

The country leads the ranking in East Asia and the Pacific, sharing the Tier 1 status with Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

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132 human trafficking cases filed in Davao Region since 2003

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DAVAO CITY--The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking in Region 11 (IACAT-11) said it has filed a total of 132 cases in court from 2003 up to May this year.Thirty-five of these cases have already resulted to conviction while 55 are still on trial, said Atty. Barbara Mae Flores, Deputy...

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If you come across a post of a missing person on social media, don't hesitate to share. The person could be already facing exploitation from their captors. Thus, sharing saves lives and reunites the victims with their families.

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We need to help guide youths in educating and rehabilitating themselves, either at home or in alternative care, in order to provide a safe environment and break the cycle of violence and exploitation. Not only this, but reaching out to indigenous people and those from different ethnic groups by sharing posters prevents them from being victims, too.

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Social media can be utilized as a means of spreading awareness. Youtube, Facebook or Twitter can be platforms for disseminating the dangers of this issue, how to spot signs of manipulation or exploitation, and the like. This decreases the chances of potential victims, as they are able to gain knowledge from these posts.

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My rights don't matter.

That house across yours could contain a child whose screams are muffled by cruel hands.

An employer could be snapping at their exhausted workers who were promised with high-paying jobs, but are now  working instead in a dimly-lit room.

We are here to empower the youth and other social groups to know their rights and fight for them. These can be done in just a few steps.

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This video implies how Filipinos are scarred by this issue.

Source: News5Everywhere. (2021, March 17).

Ilang taga-Immigration, sangkot umano sa human trafficking [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz2fOsG4o44

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Ilang taga-Immigration, sangkot umano sa human trafficking

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It's a difficult subject to address, but it's one that our communities must discuss. Human trafficking is a human rights violation. We should strive to spot indicators of human trafficking in our neighborhoods. We have the ability to assist human trafficking victims. Talking about it with our friends, family, and neighbors is one method to do so. We can form community-based groups to assist raise funds.

Source:
Don't ignore human trafficking, Tiffany Geer,
November 9, 2016. Retrieved from:
https://westerncourier.com/36953/showcase/dont-ignore-human-trafficking/

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These are the key points retrieved from an article on human trafficking:
-Approximately .04% survivors of human trafficking cases are detected, implying that there is still more to identify.
-Human traffickers gain $150 billion per year because of their schemes, including sexual exploitation.
-There are more enslaved girls and women than that of the opposite sex.
-Around 50,000 people from the Mexico and Philippines people are exploited into the United States.

Source: 11 facts about human trafficking. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-human-trafficking

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These are the statistics provided by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on human trafficking as of August 2, 2021. As you can see, it suggests how children can be manipulated, lured or threatened into such acts.

Source: IOM UN Migration. (2021, August 2). Some grim numbers about human trafficking: •74% of the children identified were trafficked for sexual exploitation. [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/UNmigration/status/1422104962331553798

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Human trafficking is a global conflict in which the victims are tricked or compelled to commit into labor, prostitution or the like to benefit the traffickers. This needs an urgent response because people of different race, gender and age are vulnerable to this. This contradicts the main mission of SDG 16, as it disrupts justice by violating human rights. Come on, let's learn more about this.

Source: What is human trafficking & our process. (2021). Not for sale. http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/what-is-human-trafficking/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6s2IBhCnARIsAP8RfAibf9ptf5L0yBW0rG45MRvjFGXRBMmQ0k51DWM0qVQIGN8e1tcnFxUaAi2KEALw_wcB

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Human trafficking, otherwise known as modern slavery, involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act against the will of the person trafficked. Traffickers may use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into being trafficked. Trafficking victims include men, women, and children of all ages, races, and nationalities¹.

Today, there are approximately 45.8 million people caught in the trap of modern slavery around the world. This includes 10 million children, 15.4 million people in forced marriage, and 4.8 million people in forced sexual exploitation. However, it is difficult to determine exact statistics because so many cases of human trafficking go undetected and unreported².

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What Is Human Trafficking & Our Process - Not For Sale

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Human trafficking, otherwise known as modern slavery, involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act against the will of the person trafficked. Traffickers may use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into being trafficked.

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Some may say it is just a simple issue. Some may say "relax, other people have it worse". Yet it is as dangerous as a bomb but as silent as a bullet. What is it? What is the very thing that most of our women and child in the world are afraid of experiencing? in putting it simply... It's Human trafficking. What is Human Trafficking you say?  well...