Human Trafficking Guide OPIA 2017
Human Trafficking Guide OPIA 2017
Human Trafficking Guide OPIA 2017
Trafficking
Summer 2017
1
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Background on the Field
A. Philosophical Differences in the Field
V. Career Advice
A. Skills and Experience
Programs at HLS
Course Listings
Organizations
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Acknowledgement
This guide would not have been possible without the valuable insights of several people. Many thanks to
Kristen Abrams, Hilary Axam, Christina Bain, Reynaldo Bicol, Jayne Bigelsen, Alan Howard, Ann
Johnson, Stacie Jonas, Barbara A. Martinez, Anna Martinez, Kate Mogulescu, Victoria Wisniewski
Otero, Marissa Ram, Stephanie Richard, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Jeanne Smoot, Julie Su, Martina
Vandenberg, Jill Coster van Voorhout, and Viviana Waisman for their willingness to speak about their
work; Judith Murciano her knowledge on fellowships; Ginny Greiman for her assistance with editing; and
Alexa Shabecoff for her vision and guidance on this project.
I. Introduction
Recognizing human trafficking as an affront to human dignity, both national and global leaders
have called for stronger efforts to combat the crime and support trafficking survivors. “It ought
to concern every person,” President Barack Obama said at the launching of a new federal anti-
trafficking campaign in 2012, “because it’s a debasement of our common humanity.”1 Likewise,
UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson has stated that “we must take action on all fronts:
criminal justice, victim assistance and victim protection, human rights, migration policy and
labor market regulation.”2 In fact, attorneys can take on human trafficking from any of these
angles. Lawyers have used both criminal law and employment regulations to bring traffickers to
justice. To aid survivors and safeguard their rights, lawyers have forced traffickers to
compensate their victims, fought charges leveled against women and children forced into
prostitution, and secured legal status for people brought to this country against their will. Both at
home and abroad, American attorneys have also advocated for a more comprehensive, consistent
government response to human trafficking in all its forms.
Lawyers in this field describe their jobs as tremendously rewarding, citing the impact of their
work as well as the flexible blend of client services and policy advocacy in many of their
positions. After working more directly with clients and then in policy, Jayne Bigelsen at
Covenant House in New York City said that her current position as Co-Director of Anti-Human
Trafficking Initiatives/Legal Advocacy contains the perfect balance between the two. Though
she said it is frustrating to see many of the trafficked youth she works with return to their pimps,
with whom they have formed a bond rooted in trauma, she also described the joy she feels when
she sees a previously homeless teenager depart for college, receive their GED, or succeed in a
job interview. Hilary Axam, Director of the Human Trafficking Unit at the US Department of
Justice, said she loves to emphasize a human trafficking victim’s personal story so that the court
understands the difference between a victim’s sexual history and present refusal of consent, or
comes to see a drug addiction as a source of vulnerability rather than as an offense to be
punished. Because public defenders stand “at the forefront” of efforts to protect vulnerable
people from criminalization, said Kate Mogulescu, Supervising Attorney at the Legal Aid
Society’s Exploitation Intervention Project, she is glad to have the opportunity to defend both
1
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/25/fact-sheet-obama-administration-announces-efforts-
combat-human-trafficki
2
http://www.un.org/sg/dsg/statements/index.asp?nid=415
3
people who have been charged with prostitution and trafficked persons facing other criminal
charges. “I have the best job in the universe,” she said.
Though they disagreed on the degree of improvement in the government’s response to human
trafficking over the past twenty years, professionals in this field consistently said that the level of
general awareness on this issue has increased tremendously. Stephanie Richard, Policy and Legal
Services Director at the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) noted that the
change is particularly striking with regards to domestic trafficking. When she started out,
Richard said, people heard the word “trafficking” and thought she handled parking violations.
Then everyone thought she must work in Cambodia or Thailand. Only in 2011 or 2012, Richard
said, did the public become aware that trafficking happens within the United States. This
increased attention translates into more opportunities for lawyers in this field. Noting that CAST
has “grown dramatically” over the past two years, Richard said there are now far more resources
for anti-trafficking work in general. Rebecca Rittenhouse, Legal Research and Monitoring
Officer at ECPAT International, recognizes the same increase in awareness and funding, noting
that this may translate into more job opportunities for young lawyers interested in addressing the
problem. Entry-level positions in this area are still scarce, but the expansion of the field will
likely generate more positions over time.
To provide the reader with basic background on this issue, the section below contains a series of
“frequently asked questions” on the topic.
3
https://www.unodc.org/documents/middleeastandnorthafrica/organised-
crime/UNITED_NATIONS_CONVENTION_AGAINST_TRANSNATIONAL_ORGANIZED_CRIME_AND_TH
E_PROTOCOLS_THERETO.pdfhttps://www.unodc.org/documents/middleeastandnorthafrica/organised-
crime/UNITED_NATIONS_CONVENTION_AGAINST_TRANSNATIONAL_ORGANIZED_CRIME_AND_TH
E_PROTOCOLS_THERETO.pdf
4
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GLOTIP_2014_full_report.pdf
4
Finally, a small minority of detected cases centered on the sale of victims’ organs for profit in the
black market.
Shocking though these offenses may be, it is worth noting that human trafficking is not only a
gross violation of human rights but also a profitable business endeavor. According to estimates
from the Department of Homeland Security, “human trafficking is a $32 billion per year
industry, second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable form of transnational crime.”5 In
addition to profits from the transport and trade of human beings, traffickers also make money off
of the goods their victims produce under coercion and the acts their victims are forced to
commit.
5 https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/what-human-trafficking
6 https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/226844.pdf
7 http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_182109/lang--
en/index.htmhttp://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_182109/lang--en/index.htm
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Siddharth Kara, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, 11.
9 https://humantraffickinghotline.org/what-human-trafficking/human-trafficking/victims
5
South Asia. At least 37% of cases passed on to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center
involved US citizens or permanent residents.10
10 https://www.unodc.org/documents/middleeastandnorthafrica/organised-
crime/UNITED_NATIONS_CONVENTION_AGAINST_TRANSNATIONAL_ORGANIZED_CRIME_AND_TH
E_PROTOCOLS_THERETO.pdf
11 http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_182109/lang--
en/index.htmhttp:/www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_182109/lang--en/index.htm
12
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GLOTIP_2014_full_report.pdf, 5
13
http://www.dhs.gov/definition-human-trafficking
14 https://polarisproject.org/human-trafficking
15 http://www.missingkids.com/1in6
16 https://www.state.gov/j/tip/3p/
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Within the United States, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 constitutes
“the cornerstone of human trafficking legislation.”17 Not only did this law establish human
trafficking as a federal crime, but it also requires traffickers to pay restitution to their victims.
The law also created the T Visa, which allows trafficking victims and their families to remain in
the United States and renders them eligible for permanent residency after three years.
Supplementing the TVPA, some states have adopted legislation to prevent victims from being
convicted of prostitution offenses. State “safe harbor” laws, for instance, can render children
immune to prosecution for certain types of crimes. Similarly, some states allow trafficking
victims to vacate convictions if they show that they committed a criminal act under duress.
In the United States most Human Trafficking laws are found at the state level. Remarkably, all
50 States in the United States have passed trafficking laws with varying degrees of protection.
One of the toughest laws is found in Massachusetts, and strengthens protections for victims of
human trafficking and prostitution while increasing the punishment for offenders by carrying a
potential life sentence for traffickers of children. California also has a tough new law regulating
the supply chain and labor trafficking. The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act18
provides consumers with critical information about the efforts that companies are undertaking to
prevent and root out human trafficking and slavery in their product supply chains – whether
domestically or overseas. This Act requires large retailers and manufacturers doing business in
California to disclose on their websites their “efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking
from [their] direct supply chain for tangible goods offered for sale.”
What are the root causes of human trafficking, and how can activists eradicate them?
17 https://polarisproject.org/current-federal-laws
18 Cal. Civ Code, § 1714.43
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Answer A: Trafficking exists because current conditions allow traffickers to profit from
their crime.
According to this logic, the issue of human trafficking is one that is motivated by the
substantial profit that criminals stand to gain, and reinforced by the minor risk posed by
the criminal justice system. As Siddharth Kara from the Kennedy School explains,
“understanding the business and economic functioning of the crime can provide insights
into more effective ways to eradicate it.”19 In obtaining this understanding, the
government may be able to craft a more efficient response to the problem. Additionally,
gaps in existing trafficking law, relatively modest penalties for traffickers, and
insufficient resources do little to bolster enforcement in a way that would deter criminals.
Thus, a two pronged strategy of enacting policy that undermines the profit motive while
simultaneously strengthening law enforcement’s capacity to identify and prosecute
traffickers would serve to eradicate the issue.
Answer B: Trafficking exists because systemic poverty and marginalization make some
people vulnerable to exploitation.
Because disadvantaged groups lack the resources necessary to avoid exploitive situations
or remove themselves from them, some believe that targeting poverty and exploitation is
the most powerful means of combatting trafficking. As attorney Marissa Ram, an Equal
Justice Works fellow at Safe Horizon and NYLAG’s LGBTQ Law Project, stated: “If
you want to do anti-trafficking work go into anti-poverty lawyering.” Lawyers involved
in the anti-trafficking field often cite the intersectionality of their work with issues
pertaining to homelessness, poverty, immigration status, LGBT discrimination, gender
inequality, racial inequality, and an inadequate child welfare system. Such structural
flaws that leave certain populations more exposed to traffickers require a response that
goes beyond mere law enforcement. Whether by providing direct legal assistance to
disadvantaged populations, helping these communities access government benefits, or
supporting them in other ways, multiple lawyers have embraced this stance as both
preventative and remedial.
What is the role of the criminal justice system in fighting trafficking and aiding victims?
Answer A: Optimally, the criminal justice system serves both victims and society at
large by meting out justice in human trafficking cases.
19 https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/twenty-first-century-slaves-combating-global-sex-trafficking/
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Not only do strong enforcement and prosecution measures deter potential traffickers,
some argue, but they can also protect victims and ultimately empower them. Some
lawyers in this field also believe that a strong criminal justice system serves victims by
ending their exploitation and convicting their traffickers while protecting them from the
twin threats of witness tampering and retribution.
Lawyers in this group generally see little-to-no tension between their will to bring justice
to traffickers and their commitment to supporting the victims of these crimes. Once a
group of victims has been identified, they may argue, it is often in their best interest to
cooperate with the ensuing investigation and trial. Hilary Axam, Director of the Human
Trafficking Prosecution Unit at the US Department of Justice, notes that while a woman
may be initially afraid to testify it is “shortsighted” to close a case because a victim is
momentarily unwilling to proceed with the case. Ultimately, Axam said, it is immensely
empowering for a victim to hear the judge issue the sentence and watch the court officer
leading her trafficker away.
To help victims cope with the trauma of testifying, ensure that all their needs are met, and
protect them from the threat of future harm, lawyers in this group often argue that
governments must improve, enhance, and extend their criminal justice response to human
trafficking. Though the criminal justice system does not serve every victim adequately,
lawyers in this group may argue, such problems should be addressed by fixing the gaps in
the system as it currently operates in some locations. “When everything is working really
well,” Axam said, “you’re creating a victim-centered criminal justice process in which
victims have a voice, they have a representative, and they’re guiding the gradual process”
of confiding their experiences to the authorities.
Lawyers with these views can and do act in a number of ways. There are programs that
match advocates with victims, as well as initiatives that provide training and legal support
to government enforcement and prosecution efforts. Additionally, advocacy for certain
policy reforms – giving priority to trafficking cases in order to reduce witness tampering,
for example – is viewed by some as a necessary component in combatting this issue.
Answer B: The criminal justice system often harms trafficking victims; its role in the
government’s treatment of human trafficking should therefore be reduced.
Some lawyers contend that because the criminal justice system in the United States is
prone to discrimination and approaches sex trafficking in ways that may inconsistently
and arbitrarily criminalize victims, these individuals are often subjected to more harm as
a result of their encounters with the system. “There are some people who believe in the
centrality of the criminal justice system in anti-trafficking efforts,” said public defender
Kate Mogulescu, “and there are some people, like me, who believe that the criminal
justice system perpetuates systematic harm.” Building on this argument, Ram said that
the policing and prosecution-centric approach “shows a lack of understanding of how
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policing works in these communities.” Pointing to the police practice of sweeping up
pimps, traffickers, prostitutes, and trafficking victims in large-scale raids, as well as the
fine legal distinction between a trafficking victim and a prostitute, some lawyers in this
field argue that the justice system’s treatment of trafficking cases is not only harmful, but
can send individuals spinning between the role of criminal defendant and the role of
victim witness.
Do trafficking victims have distinct legal needs? Can these needs be better met by lawyers
who specialize in human trafficking?
Because trafficking victims have a distinct set of legal needs, some anti-trafficking
lawyers argue, lawyers in this area must have a particular skill set to be effective
advocates. Stephanie Richard, Policy and Legal Services Director at the Coalition to
Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) in Los Angeles, emphasized that lawyers on her
team must be able to handle the full range of legal issues that her clients regularly face,
ranging from immigration filings to basic civil cases to victim witness advocacy in
criminal courts. In addition, lawyers engaged in anti-trafficking work must be able to
build relationships with clients who have experienced trauma.
Richard also stated that trafficking victims greatly benefit from specialized advocacy in
criminal courts, as experts in trafficking can help fill in knowledge gaps for court
officials who may lack a background in trafficking. Furthermore, trafficking-specific
organizations can use their expertise to train pro bono attorneys and other partners on
trafficking cases.
Answer B: No, human trafficking should not be differentiated from other issues in
affected communities.
For the most part, lawyers in this group argue, ‘trafficking victims’ legal needs are
dictated by their poverty and marginalization—challenges they share with other members
of their demographic or community. According to Kate Mogulescu, Supervising Attorney
at the Legal Aid Society’s Exploitation Intervention Project, trafficking victims’ legal
needs are often indistinguishable from the needs of other members of the community. A
range of community members need their criminal records cleared, their immigration
status sorted out, and the proper restitution paid in civil cases, she said.
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Rather than seeking out trafficking cases and studying trafficking around the world, these
lawyers argue, prospective lawyers in this field should instead spend a great deal of time
working in disadvantaged communities. Consistent with her view that human trafficking
does not constitute a distinct legal specialty, Mogulescu also believes that it is best for
lawyers to enter this field “through more concrete legal services and legal practice,” such
as immigration assistance or public defense. She believes that her clients benefit more
broadly from her experience as a public defender and her understanding of the legal
issues faced by participants in the New York sex industry.
Is the sex industry inherently exploitative? Should all sex workers be considered victims of
human trafficking?
This guide will not fully address this question, as it is far broader than sex trafficking and
requires a great deal of historical background on the feminist movement and the sex trade. But
readers should be aware that, in the words of law professor Janie Chuang of American
University, there is “a struggle over whether prostitution is inherently coercive, and therefore a
form of trafficking, or whether the trafficking label should be applied only to instances of forced
prostitution.”20 Some organizations that fight trafficking also advocate against the sex industry in
general as well.
20Chuang, Janie A., Rescuing Trafficking from Ideological Capture: Prostitution Reform and Anti-Trafficking Law
and Policy (May 1, 2010). University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 158, 2010.
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Because freedom from slavery constitutes a fundamental right, without which other rights cannot
be enjoyed, civil and human rights organizations with wider mandates sometimes include strong
anti-trafficking divisions and programs. Human Rights Watch, for instance, has investigated
instances of human trafficking in order to pressure governments to clean up their human rights
records. In addition, civil rights organizations have litigated key human trafficking cases.
Lawyers and advocates can thus enter the field of anti-trafficking work through other, more
general positions at rights-based organizations or civil rights groups. Almost every federal
government agency and many state government agencies have civil rights departments that focus
on human rights and civil liberties with cases sometimes related to trafficking.
Workers’ rights organizations have taken on anti-trafficking work, sometimes in partnership with
larger anti-trafficking coalitions. In fact, grassroots workers’ associations are central players in
the anti-trafficking movement.
Taking on trafficking cases as part of a larger push to promote supply chain accountability – a
term denoting corporate responsibility for the conduct of contractors and suppliers – some
organizations have launched litigation against corporations in this area. Establishing corporate
liability for human trafficking perpetrated by subcontractors, for instance, the civil rights group
Asian Americans Advancing Justice took on a prominent case in this area in the 1990s. Other
organizations, such as the non-profit Verité, have worked with companies to promote compliance
with existing laws.
Immigration Law
Immigrants and foreign nationals make up a high proportion of human trafficking victims and
lawyers must often handle issues related to an individual’s legal status before they can address
other aspects of a case. Without the help of a lawyer, victims may face deportation before they
can even begin to rebuild their lives or testify against their trafficker.
On the other hand, organizations that previously only dealt with immigrant and refugee
assistance are beginning to take on anti-trafficking work as victims among their clients are
increasingly being identified.
Women’s Rights
It is no accident that women and girls make up the majority of human trafficking victims.
Women face systemic disadvantages that make them more vulnerable to both sexual and labor-
21 https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/glotip/GLOTIP_2014_full_report.pdf
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based exploitation. Viviana Waisman, President and CEO of the organization Women’s Link
Worldwide, said that the issue intersects with reproductive rights and gender-based
discrimination as well. She noted that the organization’s work on intersectional discrimination –
discrimination faced by women based on their race, immigration status, or social class as well as
their gender – is particularly relevant to the issue of human trafficking as women from
marginalized communities face heightened barriers to accessing the justice system and social
services.
Children’s Rights
Both internationally and within the United States, organizations have addressed human
trafficking as a children's rights issue. According to Jayne Bigelsen, Co-Director of Anti -Human
Trafficking Initiatives/Legal Advocacy at Covenant House New York, dysfunctional child
welfare systems are a major contributor to human trafficking. UNICEF has made this connection
as well, helping countries improve their child welfare systems to ensure that children do not fall
between the cracks. Homeless youth and children who have entered the criminal justice system
require special attention. Because homeless youth make up a substantial portion of human
trafficking victims, policy advocacy that protects youth from homelessness serves to combat the
trafficking of children. Similarly, advocacy for the proper treatment and protection of child
victims who are involved in the criminal justice system is essential. Organizations focused on
children’s rights, especially those servicing homeless youth, are finding their work to be more
intertwined with that of anti-trafficking.
LGBTQ Issues
While there are not many organizations targeting human trafficking as an LGBTQ rights issue or
providing assistance specifically for LGBTQ victims, expertise in advocacy for LGBTQ people
may be very useful within the anti-human trafficking field. Because trafficking may accompany
other incidences of abuse and rejection experienced by LGBTQ youth, a broader understanding
of these narratives can prove invaluable for those working with LGBTQ clients. Those interested
in the overlap between LGBTQ rights and human trafficking can pursue fellowship opportunities
with this focus or seek out relevant cases with a legal aid organization.
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Organized Crime
Professional traffickers sometimes organize their operations into structured syndicates, even as
established organized crime networks vie for their own share of the profits. Because international
trafficking schemes require more resources and connections than domestic ones, a higher
proportion of international trafficking cases may involve large-scale criminal networks. The UN
Office on Drugs and Crime, for instance, has largely addressed the issue of human trafficking as
a form of transnational organized crime.22
As this is an emerging field, law schools and research centers have begun to finance research to
determine the parameters of trafficking on the internet and formulate strategies to combat it24.
Experts in the field may be able to provide training and support for investigative and
prosecutorial units struggling with the role of online activity in their cases. Finally, lawyers can
engage in advocacy and policy work to ensure that all forms of cybertrafficking are covered by
state and federal laws.
22 https://www.unodc.org/unodc/human-trafficking/
23
Laterno, M. (2012) The Rise of Mobile and the Diffusion of Technology-Facilitated Trafficking, University of
Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, Center on Communication Leadership &
Policy.
24
Greiman, V. et al. (2013) The Emergence of Cyber Activity as a Gateway to Human Trafficking, International
Journal of Cyber Warfare and Terrorism (IJCWT) Vol. 12, Issue 2, p. 41-49 (refereed). First published,
International Conference on Information Warfare and Security, Denver, Colorado, March 24-26.
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cases not directly related to human trafficking. There are exceptions; the Department of Justice
has a specialized Human Trafficking Unit as part of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights
Division. It should be noted that this is a relatively small group and generally hires lawyers with
some trial experience. If an applicant takes a flexible approach, however, he or she can find
relevant positions in both federal and state government within the areas of prosecution,
enforcement, labor, foreign relations, national security, health and human services, and foreign
aid.
Before choosing a position in a government agency, applicants should also consider how it will
shape their prospects for future employment – a lawyer conducting research for the State
Department can transition to a position at an INGO or in non-profit advocacy relatively easily,
but a prosecutor with the D0J’s Civil Rights unit will have more limited options in that area.
Conversely, a State Department researcher will probably have a difficult time transitioning to a
high-level prosecutor position, despite their expertise on the dynamics of trafficking.
Anti-Trafficking Work in the United States government falls into the following categories:
Though their work is much more policy-based, other offices at the DOJ are also involved
in anti-trafficking work. These include:
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The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention within the Office of Legal
Policy has worked on community education projects on child trafficking and produced
reports on the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Operating in offices across the United States, Assistant US Attorneys also handle a
portion of all federal human trafficking cases. Barbara A. Martinez, Chief of the Special
Prosecutions Section at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of
Florida, oversees a staff of eight Assistant US Attorneys who handle human trafficking
cases, among other victim cases, in federal court within their jurisdiction. While
specialized units like the Special Prosecutions Section in Miami are rare, even US
Attorneys’ Offices in smaller, non-border cities like Memphis, Tennessee, have done a
considerable amount of anti-trafficking work.
On the state and local level, district attorneys (DAs) and attorneys general (AGs) handle a
high percentage of the trafficking cases brought to court in the United States. The
National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has also become increasingly active
in the anti-trafficking movement, pushing for stronger legislation and providing resources
for states. While there are very few positions focused specifically on human trafficking,
an attorney at an AG or DA’s office with an anti-trafficking initiative may find
opportunities to gain experience in this area.
Rather than searching for states and districts with particularly high rates of trafficking,
lawyers interested in anti-trafficking work would be well advised to seek out offices with
particularly strong anti-trafficking programs. The Office of the Attorney General in
Nebraska, for instance, has created one of the few attorney positions on the state level
dedicated exclusively to human trafficking.25 The Harris County DA’s office in Texas
has an entire section committed exclusively to anti-human trafficking efforts. Working in
a more urban setting, DAs in New York City have also done a great deal to improve their
treatment of trafficking cases. Victims of human trafficking have been identified in all
fifty states, and as awareness and funding increases, it can be predicted that there will be
some growth in state level prosecution.
Enforcement
According to Axam, there are very few opportunities to do legal anti-trafficking work
through enforcement agencies such as the FBI and US Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE). These agencies do work extensively with the DOJ on trafficking
cases, but not in a legal capacity. However, cooperation between enforcement agencies
and lawyers can and does occur. Several lawyers, including Barbara A. Martinez, Chief
of Special Prosecutions at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of
Florida, and Ann Johnson, Chief of the Human Trafficking section at the Harris County
DA’s Office, noted that a great deal of their work entails training local law enforcement
25http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/attorney-general-hires-human-trafficking-
coordinator/article_56fdcac5-81c0-5d93-ba6e-57860daff9a1.html
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on identifying potential victims of trafficking. For these lawyers, collaboration with local
law enforcement is a key aspect of facilitating the prosecution of traffickers.
Labor
Foreign Relations
Multiple offices within the US State Department work on human trafficking, addressing
the issue from a range of angles. Approaching the issue from a broad standpoint, the
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons conducts general research and
advocacy on the issue. This office’s annual report on human trafficking carries
substantial weight among anti-trafficking organizations and other government agencies.26
Though the State Department does not engage in a great deal of traditional legal work in
this area, the former US ambassador in this office was a widely respected federal
prosecutor before he came to this post, and the office may continue to hire lawyers to do
policy and advocacy work. Focused on the intersection of human trafficking and
immigration issues, the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security conducts its
own advocacy and frequently works with the DOJ on trafficking as well.
Other Areas
Immigration and Border Security: DHS
Addressing human trafficking as a matter of border security and enforcement, various
divisions within the Department of Homeland Security work together on an anti-
trafficking effort called the Blue Campaign. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
26 https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/271339.pdf
17
(ICE) investigates trafficking cases and provides some victim support, for instance, while
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) screens for possible human trafficking victims
at entry-points to the United States. The Department’s federal law enforcement training
centers also provide law enforcement officials with information on trafficking. Finally,
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides T and U visas to victims.
Some offices are particularly likely to hire lawyers with strong academic backgrounds in
comparative law and international humanitarian law:
As the only United Nations entity focusing on the criminal justice element of human
trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is central to the UN’s anti-
trafficking efforts.27 In addition to promoting awareness and putting out a prominent
annual report on human trafficking, UNODC also helps nations develop stronger legal
frameworks and conducts specialized trainings for enforcement officials.
27 http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/index.html?ref=menuside
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Other offices working on trafficking:
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has appointed a special
rapporteur on trafficking in persons several times. As part of the commission’s larger
mission to monitor human rights abuses and promote compliance with international
norms, the rapporteur has investigated complaints, conducted country visits, and written
annual reports.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) tackles human trafficking by targeting
gaps in nations’ child protection services, raising awareness in relatively wealthy
countries like the United States, and carrying out other child-focused projects. In
addition, UNICEF has worked on disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation
campaigns for child soldiers (considered victims of human trafficking under international
law).
The United Nations Action for Cooperation Against Trafficking in Persons (UN-
ACT) also works on trafficking issues, as its name suggests, though its work is generally
limited to the Greater Mekong Sub-region in Asia.
Generally in partnership with other offices and agencies, UN Women has conducted
research on human trafficking.
While the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) does not
include a targeted anti-trafficking program, its work on refugee protection intersects with
human trafficking as well.
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) sponsors forums and
conferences on human trafficking.
Outside the UN, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) addresses
trafficking through victim support, capacity building, and research.
Approaching human trafficking as a human rights issue, trade issue, and security issue, regional
entities have created anti-trafficking initiatives as well. General regional bodies like the
Organization of American States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the African
Union have anti-trafficking programs, as does the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe.
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B. Opportunities at Non-Governmental Organizations
Though anti-trafficking work can be found in any part of the United States, New York City and
Los Angeles have particularly high concentrations of anti-trafficking organizations and positions.
Due in part to human trafficking in the agricultural industry, organizations in more rural settings
can take a leading role in combatting trafficking as well.
Trafficking-Focused Organizations
Particularly when hiring for leadership positions, organizations in this category may seek
out candidates who are willing and qualified to work on several of these projects at the
same time.
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issues. Varying in size, location, and practice setting, organizations in this category
include (but are not limited to):
General legal services agencies (e.g. the Legal Aid Society in New York)
Immigration services and immigrants’ rights groups (e.g. Ayuda)
Labor coalitions (e.g. the Coalition of Immokalee Workers)
Non-profits serving women victims of violence (e.g. Sanctuary for Families)
Shelters for homeless youth (e.g. Covenant House NY)
Litigation-focused civil rights groups (e.g. Asian Americans Advancing
Justice)
This is not to say that litigation in an international forum is beyond the scope of what is available
to an American lawyer. According to Dr. Jill Coster van Voorhout, Senior Researcher in the
Rule of Law Program at The Hague Institute for Global Justice, it is possible for graduates of
American law schools to work at any of the tribunals or courts established at the Hague. While
she admits that the complexity of human trafficking cases translates to a slight
underdevelopment of the litigation surrounding this issue, the law and policy surrounding the
21
trafficking of persons is being increasingly developed. Thus, international tribunals are likely to
undertake such cases with increasing frequency.
A lawyer interested in human trafficking can live almost anywhere in the world, but some places
have more opportunities than others. As headquarters for the United Nations, Geneva and New
York are good options. London has quite a bit of anti-trafficking activity as well. Beyond the
Western world, South and Southeast Asia have become centers for anti-trafficking research and
advocacy. According to Rebecca Rittenhouse, an attorney at ECPAT International, Bangkok in
particular is “quite a bit of a hub” for international non-governmental organizations.
There is no simple way to correlate practice settings and work types in the field of anti-
trafficking work, as most organizations undertake a wide range of projects and campaigns. As a
result, positions at some organizations can involve unexpected work types. Lawyers at
designated public defender organizations carry out trainings for enforcement officers, as do
representatives from trafficking-focused organizations. Immigration clinics, workers’ rights
organizations, and victims’ support organizations all file for T-Visas on behalf of clients. Even if
an applicant wants to work primarily in one area, he or she should be aware of the full range of
responsibilities given to lawyers in this field.
Because American lawyers are not able to practice law in some countries, and because
international advocacy differs in some respects from its domestic counterpart, this guide makes
a distinction between domestic and international work types.
Client-Based Work
Criminal Law
Lawyers can advocate for trafficking victims in the criminal justice system by serving
as public defenders or victim witness advocates. Charged with prostitution and other
offenses, trafficking victims frequently interact with the criminal justice system
primarily as defendants. According to public defender Kate Mogulescu, public
defenders stand at the “forefront” of national efforts to protect and support people
22
who have been trafficked precisely because they take on these criminal cases and
represent clients who may have never before spoken with a lawyer. Once a trafficking
victim is sitting in his or her office, a public defender can begin to assess the client’s
situation and identify further legal needs. Lawyers may go to court when their client
has a warrant pending against him or her, or use state vacatur statutes to ensure that
previous convictions are cleared from a trafficking victim’s criminal record. As it
stands, there are very few public defender programs with targeted human trafficking
initiatives. But according to Mogulescu, public defenders who take on a high volume
of prostitution cases often see clients who have been trafficked. And, Mogulescu
noted, public defenders across the nation are beginning to think about how they can
better serve these clients.
In addition to public defense work, lawyers can advocate for trafficking victims by
encouraging their clients to serve as witnesses in cases against their traffickers.
Lawyers also fight to ensure that restitution orders are in victims’ favor and can
provide expert testimony on human trafficking.
Several lawyers have noted that once a victim of trafficking has passed through an
initial period of crisis, basic needs and civil legal issues often appear much higher on
the client’s list of priorities than anything that goes before a criminal court.
Mogulescu, Jayne Bigelsen, and Marissa Ram – attorneys in New York City who
have worked closely with trafficking victims – agree that many of their clients are
primarily concerned with where they will be able to sleep that night. Others are
concerned about the imminent threat of deportation or eager to win custody of their
children. According to Mogulescu, trafficking itself often fades away to the “least
important” issue that a client faces. For this reason, lawyers working with this client
base may benefit from a solid grasp of basic civil legal skills.
28 https://www.state.gov/j/tip/laws/61124.htm
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Promoting Systemic Change
Policy and Advocacy Work
In order to draw direct links between individual cases and broad policy changes,
advocates must rely on their understanding of the structure of relevant laws.
Because of the level of legal knowledge required, Stephanie Richard, Policy and
Legal Services Director at the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking in Los
Angeles, notes: “People who do policy work should have direct legal experience.”
Impact litigation has helped reinforce corporate liability for human trafficking.
The case Bureerong v. Uvawas, for instance, established corporate responsibility
for labor trafficking carried out by subcontractors.29 Taking advantage of this
precedent, a variety of organizations now use litigation as a tool against labor
trafficking: both private plaintiffs’ firms and farm workers’ coalitions have
pursued cases along these lines. Meanwhile, through their pro bono work, private
firms may partner with legal services NGOs to assist in such cases. Alan Howard,
a Partner at the private firm Crowell & Moring, worked with the nonprofit
Southern Poverty Law Center through his firm’s pro bono practice to win the
largest settlement to date for hundreds of victims of labor trafficking. Howard
views the firm’s substantial resources and familiarity with complex cases, coupled
with the anti-trafficking expertise of the lawyers at the Southern Poverty Law
Center, as essential to the outcome of the case. Organizations working on civil
rights for minority groups have also worked on impact litigation in this area, as
have trafficking-focused organizations such as the Human Trafficking Pro Bono
Legal Center in Washington, DC.
29 http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/959/1231/2367335/
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Anti-trafficking organizations conduct trainings for professionals working within
affected communities. In some instances, these trainings are simply intended to
help various actors identify trafficking cases and refer them appropriately.
Trainings for teachers and doctors, for example, generally fall into this category.
Other curricula are more in-depth, providing trainees with the tools they need to
take on trafficking cases themselves. While some of these trainings take place
locally, leaders in the field have been known to conduct trainings nationwide;
some organizations have also conducted trainings for attorneys abroad.
Domestic Research
Anti-trafficking lawyers in the United States carry out both legal and non-legal
research. Even when this work is not directly related to the law, attorneys find
their legal training to be useful and relevant. Bigelsen, for instance, said that she
employed the problem-solving and analytical aspects of her legal training while
writing a report on the dynamics of trafficking among homeless youth. Martina
Vandenberg, Founder and President of The Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal
Center, describes legal research as an important aspect of her organization’s
mission. Her firm has assembled a database of all domestic civil human
trafficking cases for the purposes of providing research and assistance to other
lawyers. With this resource in place, lawyers have the ability to find and address
what may be hidden system failures in the carriage of justice for victims of
trafficking.
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B. International Work Types
International Research
Because American attorneys usually cannot practice law overseas, research makes up a high
proportion of their work. This research varies widely, from statistical analysis to assessments
of national child welfare systems to background reading on labor law in Southeast Asia.
Some of it is legal and some of it is not.
Research on this topic can fuel a vast array of projects: a Human Rights Watch report can
become a key advocacy tool, while close analysis of European child protection law can help
a litigation team win a case. Because research on this topic varies so widely based on its
purpose and the institution where it is carried out, specifics will be covered in the sections
below.
Lobbying/Relationship-Based Advocacy
Taking more direct roles in policy change, other organizations bring their cases directly to
national governments. Campaigners at the International Justice Mission (IJM) routinely
consult with members of the Filipino congress and their staff as a bill goes through the
system. Sometimes IJM even drafts the bill or the relevant statutes.
This type of advocacy may not be the most natural choice for a lawyer working abroad, as it
relies on local connections and a close understanding of national law and government. But
according to Reynaldo Bicol, Deputy Director at IJM’s office in Pampanga, Philippines,
American lawyers can certainly help strategize and can even draft legislation in collaboration
with lawyers from the country in question.
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Building Government Capacity
So that national governments can benefit from others’ experience and expertise as they
improve their response to human trafficking, intergovernmental organizations sometimes
send training and assistance teams into a particular country. For the most part, these capacity-
building efforts focus on two areas: helping governments improve their legal framework and
ensuring that they have the capacity to implement the laws on the books. Projects in the latter
category generally include trainings for enforcement personnel. With their knowledge of
international law and experience in criminal justice, lawyers can play a prominent role in this
type of capacity-building project. For example, Dr. Jill Coster van Voorhout of The Hague
Institute for Global Justice researches government accountability and civic trust as they
pertain to the litigation of human trafficking cases. From this research, she is able to
facilitate exchanges of best practices among various governmental regimes.
Coordination/Leadership
In some cases, American or European organizations employ local legal staff to carry out anti-
trafficking projects. These supervisors provide resources, set agendas, and give feedback and
support for lawyers on the ground. The local lawyers under their purview may provide legal
services to trafficking victims, work on impact litigation, or conduct legal research in their
native language. Such management positions are not for entry-level job-seekers, but they
may be attainable later in one’s career.
US-educated lawyers, particularly law students and young attorneys who are not yet looking
for leadership roles, can support attorneys in other countries in a variety of ways. The
organization Women’s Link Worldwide, for instance, works with US-trained attorneys and
law students. Part of this work may be carrying out research in support of impact litigation
cases.
Similarly, Reynaldo Bicol said that American interns and lawyers provide valuable assistance
on his office’s prosecution cases in the Philippines. American interns on his staff assist the
lead lawyer on cases and sometimes even help draft legislation for the organization’s
advocacy campaigns. Americans bring a different perspective, he said, and sometimes have
greater skills in certain areas, such as oral advocacy.
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V. Career Advice
Organizations seeking this background: For the most part, advocacy-based organizations and
organizations dedicated exclusively to the issue of human trafficking are more likely to fall into
this category. Most international organizations fall into this category as well.
The takeaway: According to Stephanie Richard, Policy and Legal Services Director at the
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST), “the competition is getting fiercer” for
lawyers interested in pursuing work at these organizations. Richard said that her organization
used to hire attorneys with general relevant experience – her last two hires, by contrast,
possessed extensive experience specifically in anti-trafficking work. A combination of
international and domestic experience might set a candidate apart, as might experience in a range
of practice settings or legal areas. Given the complexity of trafficking cases, Dr. Jill Coster van
Voorhout, Senior Researcher in the Rule of Law Program at The Hague Institute for Global
Justice, advises students to develop a knowledge outside of a purely legal character. Having a
social science background, whether acquired through a higher degree or personal affinity, only
enhances a candidate’s ability to approach this issue in the interdisciplinary way necessary. Law
students with a particular interest in working internationally should also tailor their coursework
to include international law classes, participate in an internationally focused clinic, and intern
abroad during a summer.
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develop an understanding of trafficking through taking on cases and learning more about the
organization’s work.
Organizations seeking this background: Prosecutor’s offices, legal services agencies, and
public defense programs are more likely to take this position. Applicants may not handle
trafficking cases exclusively at first, but will gain a broad set of lawyering skills that will prove
beneficial for handling the complexity of human trafficking cases.
The takeaway: Organizations in this category are simply not interested in hiring candidates who
have sought out anti-trafficking positions in a range of settings without building a particularly
strong skillset in any one area or developing close ties to an affected community. To the
contrary, multiple lawyers have said that it raises a red flag when an applicant has taken on only
trafficking-related cases or says that they are very passionate about youth sex trafficking as an
issue. According to Ram, this type of interest may suggest that the candidate is more interested in
the sensationalism of trafficking cases than in the stated needs of the affected communities or the
basis of this form of exploitation in marginalization and economic injustice.
When describing how she selects lawyers and interns for the Covenant House NY’s Legal
Advocacy Center, Jayne Bigelson said she wants “to see the broader commitment” to battling the
poverty and oppression that make victims vulnerable in the first place.
Axam and Marissa Ram, an attorney at the New York Legal Assistance Group, agreed that
lawyers working with trafficked people must be willing and able to take a genuinely non-
judgmental approach. Sometimes victims have done things out of line with an attorney’s values
or made ill-advised decisions that increased their vulnerability to trafficking. An anti-trafficking
lawyer who cannot see past this kind of history will not only sacrifice strong client relationships
but will also fail to make their case in court.
Axam said that her team scours applications for evidence that candidates have left their comfort
zones, navigated tense situations, and built relationships with people from very different
backgrounds.
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Build cultural competence in a marginalized community by working there over a
sustained period.
Learn about racial justice and intersectionality to understand how trafficking fits into the
larger collection of challenges faced by the community.
Coalition-Building
Whether they work in legal services, advocacy, or prosecution, lawyers in this field must be able
to build strong relationships with community members, service providers, and various actors in
the criminal justice system. Particularly for lawyers working at offices that are not explicitly
focused on human trafficking, developing relationships within the community may also be the
best way to get referrals and build up a strong trafficking-centered caseload. This may involve
reaching out to organizations with more of an explicit focus on anti-trafficking work.
Alternately, lawyers can work with educators, doctors, community leaders, and other
stakeholders in marginalized communities to make sure that trafficking cases are directed to the
appropriate authorities or service providers.
Legal service providers and prosecutors are not the only ones who must work with coalitions.
Policy makers rely on connections with legal services agencies to provide feedback and updates
on the situation “on the ground.” And within the government, almost every trafficking initiative
is an inter-agency effort.
Community Education/Training
Lawyers who work in this field should be prepared to conduct trainings no matter where they
work. This focus on training spans trafficking-specific organizations, anti-trafficking programs at
legal services’ agencies, and human trafficking prosecution units. Note, however, that the
training itself varies widely: one attorney team might educate immigrants on basic labor rights,
while a second might train doctors to identify and refer potential trafficking cases, and a third
might train prosecutors or police in other countries to handle such cases appropriately.
Specialized training is so central to the work of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
(CAST), a prominent anti-trafficking organization in Los Angeles, that the policy and legal
services director looks specifically among prospective hires for the ability to develop curricula
and implement them.
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Consider including training experience in your resume, even if the experience was prior
to law school or it feels as though it might not be directly related to the positions you’re
applying to.
Obtain experience in community leadership by serving on local boards of community
organizations.
Seek out positions that include an element of training and/or curriculum development.
Advocacy Techniques
Outside of prosecutors’ offices, positions and programs related to human trafficking generally
include an advocacy or policy-based component. This is equally true at local victim-support
programs in American cities and at anti-trafficking initiatives within large-scale INGOs. That
being said, advocacy work differs greatly across practice settings. Will you need to know how to
develop a joint policy agenda in a coalition? What about building ties with employees at local
government agencies, or working with legal service attorneys to identify systemic problems? Or
would you rather learn how to use international conventions to pressure national governments
into action?
Because human trafficking is such a broad field, lawyers who want to work on this issue must
make a series of choices to narrow their focus. These are not the only relevant questions and
decisions, but they are a good starting point.
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Decision 2: How do you want to apply your legal training?
Decision 3: Does a prospective employer match your values?
For lawyers willing to consider options beyond casework and litigation, there are a range of
international opportunities in the field of human trafficking. American lawyers can contribute to
global advocacy efforts, share their skills and experience with national governments, and support
foreign lawyers in impact litigation cases. And they can do this work at prominent organizations
with a global reach, such as the ILO or Human Rights Watch.
Some lawyers, however, may ultimately prefer domestic work. This is partly because there are
limits on what American attorneys can do abroad. American lawyers cannot practice law in some
other countries. They cannot present a case before a judge or provide legal services to victims.
Further, they may be hampered in their research and advocacy by language barriers and cultural
differences. Marissa Ram, an attorney at the LGBTQ Law Project at the New York Legal
Assistance Group, advised young lawyers not to pursue opportunities abroad unless they feel that
they have cultural competency and a particular skillset to offer. If you do decide to pursue an
international track, you may need to take additional steps to gain and demonstrate the necessary
qualifications.
In order to serve trafficking victims most effectively, some lawyers argue, it is essential
to have a sense of each major area of law that these cases encompass. As attorney
Stephanie Richard of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking put it: “Someone
who just does immigration—that’s the type of attorney that I don’t want.” At CAST,
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desirable attorneys are those who can handle a basic civil case, go to court to get warrants
lifted, or help with basic immigration issues. Other organizations take this tack as well.
To pursue this option:
Make sure you have well-rounded legal experience, incorporating work in civil,
criminal, and immigration law. Relevant legal areas include:
Immigration Law
Family Law
Wage and Hour Law
Housing Discrimination
Victim Witness Advocacy
Choose a particular type of legal practice that can be useful in fighting trafficking or
supporting victims. Potential choices include:
Prosecution
Public Defense
Employment Law
Immigration
Impact Litigation
Gain direct experience in this area. Clinical experience and skill-building internships
are the most important elements of law school for students on this path.
Plan to work in a general position in your chosen legal area for some period of time
before zeroing in on trafficking. If you want to be an anti-trafficking prosecutor, for
instance, you should focus on finding work as a prosecutor after graduation.
33
Consider developing a relevant specialty or focus such as a strong background in
organized crime cases or a history of engagement with a particular community.
This is a good option for students who are not sold on the notion of traditional legal work
in a litigation–based non-profit, a public defender program, or a prosecutor’s office.
Further, this is a much more viable path for students who intend to work internationally,
as it can be difficult to find opportunities to work on litigation or direct client services
abroad.
Consider going abroad. International positions may allow you to see the issue of
human trafficking from multiple angles and give you skills related to international
law and advocacy. Carefully assess whether an international opportunity would
provide you with the specific kinds of advocacy skills you plan to use in your career.
Consider academic career opportunities, such as a fellowship at a university’s human
trafficking research initiative or human rights program. This will likely not involve
working with clients, but it may establish you as an expert in the field.
Consider positions in human rights advocacy and other forms of non-legal work. This
will be particularly useful if you envision yourself working at the State Department or
at an anti-trafficking organization with a global reach. Because the skills gained at a
general human rights organization transfer reasonably well to anti-trafficking
advocacy, it is not the end of the world if your first position does not address human
trafficking specifically.
Even after a great deal of thought and research, recent law school graduates should not expect
their first position to be a perfect fit. You will learn what you want to do through trial and error,
34
public defender Kate Mogulescu noted, and it may take a few tries before you find a position
where you feel comfortable. Perhaps you will start your first position and realize that you love
working directly with clients but don’t like going to court every day. Jayne Bigelsen, Co-
Director of Anti -Human Trafficking Initiatives/Legal Advocacy at Covenant House New York,
worked in both direct client services and policy advocacy before she found what she describes as
“the perfect job” at her current organization.
Ultimately, however, lawyers who were able to push through these initial obstacles managed to
reach substantial leadership positions and reported great satisfaction with their work. Leaders in
the field often said that after an initial period of uncertainty, false starts, less glamorous work,
and nuts-and-bolts skill building, they were able to find their ideal position, start their own
projects, and make a significant impact in an area they were passionate about.
So when Southern Migrant Legal Services (SMLS) managing attorney and former Wasserstein
Fellow Doug Stevick contacted me out of the blue during my 1L year of law school to pitch a
summer law clerk position with him in Nashville, Tennessee, I was initially unconvinced. At the
time, I was deciding whether to spend my summer at the International Criminal Court or the
Council of Europe. Doug was persistent, though. He talked to me about his own prior
experiences working abroad, he sent me articles about the work that SMLS was doing, and his
passion for the work was contagious. I decided to spend part of the summer working with
migrant farmworkers in the South.
I was greeted my first day in Tennessee by a monument honoring William Walker, a Nashville
native who, in 1856, declared himself the President of Nicaragua and attempted to annex the
country as a slave state. Although Walker’s scheme to obtain a steady stream of free Latin
American labor was short-lived, my outreach trips to migrant farmworker camps and work with
day laborers in downtown Nashville convinced me that the region had secured the next best
thing: a large population of easily exploitable immigrant workers.
That summer, I met with dozens of Latino migrant farmworkers who toiled in tomato and
tobacco fields without access to water or bathroom breaks, returning after fourteen-hour days to
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the absolute squalor of grower-provided housing. Often lured to the region by the false promises
of a recruiter in Mexico or Texas, many of the workers were not paid for the hours they worked
or were required to deduct an array of costs from their paychecks, resulting in pay that fell far
below the minimum wage. Isolated in rural communities, speaking little to no English, and easy
targets for retaliation should they complain, the migrant farmworkers were hardly well-
positioned to demand the protections of federal laws enacted to prevent exactly such abuses. A
growing group of day laborers that congregated each morning outside a gas station in downtown
Nashville was equally vulnerable. The men told stories of contractors that paid much less than
had been agreed or simply failed to pay them altogether. They faced backlash from a
neighborhood association and city council more concerned with passing an ordinance preventing
them from soliciting work than wage theft.
Witnessing the incredible need for legal services, advocacy and organizing on behalf of
immigrant communities in the South led me to realize that a different, compelling option to work
on transnational human rights issues was available right here at home. So instead of heading off
to The Hague or back to DC after graduation from law school, I returned to SMLS.
At that time, SMLS attorneys, including Spring Miller, HLS ’07, had begun to realize that the
abuses our clients were enduring could be considered trafficking and forced labor under the new
federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). The importance of this discovery was
quickly apparently. First, the TVPA created a civil cause of action for a number of trafficking
violations allowing, among other things, for greater damages and a way to focus on aspects of
employers’ coercive schemes that were not easy to address through wage and hour claims. The
TVPA also authorized special visas and work permits for trafficking survivors, and these
immigration remedies were even more critical. Workers were often afraid to speak out due to
their immigration status, especially if their employer had threatened to report them to
immigration when they dared to complain about their working conditions. Not only did these
visas provide an incredible long-term benefit to the workers, rendering them less vulnerable to
exploitation in the future, they also protected them from immigration status-related retaliation by
their employer, alleviating some of their greatest fears about participating in the legal process.
Moreover, the TVPA excepted trafficking survivors from the restrictions that often precluded
SMLS, which is funded by the Legal Services Corporation, from representing many
undocumented workers. In the SMLS service area, this restriction had previously meant that
many severely exploited workers lacked access to lawyers and the courts, allowing many
workplace abuses to continue unchecked.
I litigated a number of civil trafficking cases at SMLS, providing related immigration legal
services to the workers, as well. One case stands out as an example of the impact the TVPA had
on our work. Nineteen forestry workers had been defrauded and coerced to perform dangerous
work for extremely low pay in Mississippi. We first assisted them in providing testimony and
evidence to a federal criminal investigation. Then, we negotiated a settlement of their civil
claims with the company that had trafficked and exploited them. At the same time, we helped
36
them apply for T- visas. I will never forget the reactions when we gave the workers the news
that their visas had been granted—adult men, crying, asking us to say it again, because they
couldn’t believe it was true. We later helped several of them bring family members to the United
States. Several years after the case began, I was honored to represent most of them in obtaining
lawful permanent residency. I was thrilled to discover that, by that point, some were no longer
financially eligible for our services.
I eventually moved to Austin, Texas, where I became the manager of Texas RioGrande Legal
Aid’s overall anti-trafficking work, expanding my practice to include a wider range of clients
and issues, including not only labor trafficking, but sex trafficking, as well. My work in Texas
has exposed me to additional challenges of representing trafficking survivors along the US-
Mexico border, some of whom are detained by immigration authorities or are effectively trapped
near their traffickers—unable to travel further into the United States due to Border Patrol
checkpoints, but afraid to return to Mexico where they fear retaliation as well. This role has also
led to collaboration with a wide range of partners in Texas and nationwide, including other legal
service providers, workers’ centers, domestic violence shelters, refugee services providers, faith-
based organizations, local, state and federal law enforcement, administrative agencies like the
Department of Labor and EEOC, researchers, and even medical personnel.
When I began law school, I had no idea that a career like the one I have now was possible, much
less at a legal services organization in the South. While not the international human rights law
career I had envisioned, I grapple almost daily with transnational issues ranging from the
extraterritorial application of federal anti-trafficking laws to how to get someone to pick up the
phone at the US consulate in Guatemala. This position allows me to combine work in different
practice areas, including employment, immigration, and even family law. Although it can be
challenging to work with such a wide range of stakeholders, many of whom come to anti-
trafficking work from very different perspectives, having such a diverse group committed to
eradicating trafficking creates opportunities that otherwise do not exist, especially when it comes
to advocating for immigrant workers’ rights. While providing direct legal services to poor, often
traumatized individuals, many of whom have no ties to the communities in which they have
managed to escape their trafficking, is not always easy, it is a meaningful, compelling way to
work on behalf of the public interest, particularly outside the traditional hubs of DC, New York,
and California.
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Barbara A. Martinez, University of Texas School of Law, 1997
Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section
Human Trafficking & Project Safe Childhood Coordinator
United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida
Career paths are often full of surprises, even when you think you know exactly what you want to
do with your law degree. My career as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice has
been so much more rewarding than I ever anticipated. My gratification is mainly due to the
many wonderful colleagues and people I have met as well as the many unexpected experiences
throughout my career.
My career goal in law school was to become a prosecutor. I knew that I wanted to help victims of
crimes and ensure that justice was served, and I was excited about trial work. I was willing to
work hard and get whatever experience was necessary to meet that goal. I interned with a district
attorney’s office and a U.S. Attorney’s Office, and I clerked for state criminal judges while in
law school. In my third year of law school, I interviewed with several state attorney’s offices
and the Department of Justice. Despite my hesitation to apply for a job with the Department of
Justice because of the competitive application process, I was astounded to be hired as a Trial
Attorney through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Also unexpected, I was hired to work
for the Fraud Section in the Criminal Division. I had always envisioned myself prosecuting
violent crime and narcotics cases. Nonetheless, from 1997 until 2000, I worked exclusively on
white collar cases and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida in Miami in
2000. I served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Major Crimes Section as part of the
mandatory training rotation. However, after the rotation, I was assigned to the Economic Crimes
Section because of my prior work experience at the Fraud Section. I primarily worked on health
care fraud matters and handled some very interesting cases.
In 2006, I was promoted to a supervisory position in the Major Crimes Section. It was in this job
that I began to learn more about human trafficking cases. In 2007, I had the opportunity to serve
as a Deputy Chief in a newly created unit, the Special Prosecutions Section. At the time, the
section was focused solely on cases involving firearms and child exploitation involving the
internet. After I was promoted to Chief of Special Prosecutions in 2009, I advocated that the
section could play an integral role in the office’s mission by concentrating on more complex
cases involving vulnerable victims, especially human trafficking matters. Dedicating a section to
focus on victim cases had never been done in our office before and predated the Department of
Justice’s announcement that vulnerable victim and violent crime cases are a high priority.
38
Thankfully, my supervisors agreed to allow the section to expand its core mission and focus
more on victim cases.
With an outstanding team of prosecutors and administrative staff, the Special Prosecutions
Section has been much more successful than I ever expected. The section now focuses on more
complex proactive investigations involving human trafficking, sex tourism, production of child
pornography, gang-affiliated crimes, sextortion and threat matters, serial robberies, and
international kidnapping cases. We utilize a victim-centered approach that aims to identify and
assist in the of rescue victims. More importantly, throughout the criminal justice process, we
strive to help empower survivors with the assistance of our many community partners. Most
surprisingly, my background in handling fraud cases has greatly enhanced my work on human
trafficking matters because traffickers commonly use fraud as a means to commit human
trafficking.
The best part of my job is undoubtedly the people. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to
serve as a federal prosecutor who helps survivors of human trafficking and other violent crimes.
These survivors have been a remarkable source of inspiration and motivation for me. Frankly, I
always believed that it would be very satisfying to be able to help others as a prosecutor, and this
assumption was absolutely correct. What I did not anticipate about my job was the significant
amount of collaboration and teamwork that would go into assisting victims of crimes.
Looking back at my career path, I am reminded of how important it is to remain open to new
challenges and experiences. I cannot imagine what my career would be like if I had let fear or
negativity keep me from applying to the Department of Justice. I am also thankful that I began
my career as a white collar prosecutor despite my initial desire to work on violent crime cases. I
never could have envisioned how useful my white collar experience would be in later handling
human trafficking cases. For me, the unexpected experiences have led to unbelievably fulfilling
work and interaction with the most extraordinary people.
39
VII. Selected Resources
Programs at Harvard University:
Harvard Law School Gender Violence Program
The mission of the Gender Violence Program is to engage students in changing laws and policies that
have allowed violence against women to continue unabated. To this end, the research and law reform
program develops transformative legal policy that has implementable and practical solutions to combat
gender violence, holds conferences and generates legal scholarship that advances our understanding of
gender violence, and works with law enforcement to promote better protection for vulnerable populations.
Projects have included training the Middlesex Police chiefs on investigation and prosecution techniques
to combat sex trafficking. If you are interested in learning more about the Gender Violence Program,
please email [email protected].
Rethinking human rights has never been more critical. The threats to life and livelihood that millions face
– war, mass atrocities, genocide, lawlessness, environmental disaster, human trafficking, and historic
levels of income inequality—all cross borders. At the same time, human rights law, institutions and
movements are succeeding in improving human rights and global justice around the world.
The Carr Center's mission is to realize global justice through theory, policy, and practice. The Center
brings together theorists, policy makers, and practitioners in a vital mission: to enhance global
justice. The Carr Center accomplishes this through research, teaching, training, and convenings focused
on a more strategic and outcome-oriented human rights practice.
The International Human Rights Clinic works to protect the human rights of clients and communities
around the world. Through supervised practice, students learn the responsibilities and skills of human
rights lawyering.
40
Related Courses:
Below are some courses at Harvard Law School and across Harvard University that
could be a good foundation for work in combatting human trafficking.
HLS:
Advanced Skills Training for Human Rights Advocacy-Taken in conjunction with
International Human Rights Clinic
Professor Tyler Giannini
2 classroom credits
This seminar offers advanced training on a variety of skills relevant to the work of human rights
advocates. It is designed for students who already have at least one semester of experience in the
International Human Rights Clinic. Students will work intensively on a skills module of their choice. Past
skills modules have focused on media work, fact-finding and interviewing, negotiation and coalition-
building, and community-based advocacy. Through these modules, students build experience and
leadership skills crucial for a career in human rights, exploring ways to set and advance human rights
agendas, mobilize constituencies, work in partnership and collaboration with affected communities, and
manage projects. The seminar also examines professional ethics and responsibilities by drawing from
scenarios based on human rights practitioners own experiences in the field. Finally, the seminar considers
organizational questions, including the effect of organizational mandates on research and advocacy
tactics, different institutional cultures, and how to build human rights organizations. Students will have an
opportunity to workshop clinical projects and undertake in-depth participatory evaluation of advocacy and
litigation strategies.
This seminar is required for students enrolled in the fall International Human Rights Clinic - Advanced or
fall Semester in Human Rights. Once a student enrolls in either of these clinics, the Office of Clinical and
Pro Bono Programs will enroll them in this required course component.
41
wide range of skills, as well as thematic and geographic knowledge, exposes students to a variety of
strategies and innovative techniques for promoting and protecting human rights.
Fall clinic students must take either Human Rights Advocacy (2 fall classroom credits) OR The Promises
and Challenges of Disarmament Clinical Seminar (2 fall classroom credits). While each course is focused
on a particular subject matter, both teach the key skills of human rights practitioners and include
simulations related to fact-finding and field investigations, media work, and/or negotiation and legislative
work. Clinical seminar selection and enrollment occurs once a student has enrolled in the fall clinic and is
orchestrated by the Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs.
42
Employment Law
Professor Benjamin Sachs
4 classroom credits
In this 4-credit course, we will examine the laws that govern and structure the employment relationship in
nonunion workplaces. As such, the course will provide students an understanding of the law of work for
the vast majority of U.S. firms. We will discuss the doctrine of employment at will, along with exceptions
to that rule. We will cover the basic principles of employment discrimination law; the constitutional rights
(including the free speech rights) of public employees; mandatory arbitration of workplace disputes and
employment rights; post-employment issues including covenants not to compete; workplace safety and
health; and the laws governing wages and hours.
A more general goal of the course is to develop the ability (1) to identify what skills make a lawyer
effective, and (2) to implement strategies for independently identifying and improving those critical skills.
Because this goal is advanced by exposure to actual lawyering, all students will have a clinical placement
with the Employment Law Clinic. The workshop will require completion of an individual or group
project that will connect clinical placements with course topics.
43
2 classroom credits
This course will provide an opportunity for students interested in anticorruption (from legal, social
scientific, or policy perspectives) to work on independent research projects in a collaborative, interactive
setting. There is not a conventional syllabus or assigned readings. Instead, students will select one or
more topics of interest (on the general subject of corruption and anticorruption) to explore independently
during the semester.
This seminar is for participants in the fall Immigration and Refugee Clinic and addresses substantive
national and international refugee law, as well as advocacy skills relevant to students' work at the clinic.
The substantive portion of the seminar will provide an overview of international and domestic refugee
law. It will examine selected topics typically encountered in the course of students' casework in greater
detail. Specific topics may include: The Refugee Convention and U.S. Law, 'Persecution' and the Human
Rights Paradigm, Issues of Credibility and Proof, and Gender-Based Asylum Claims. The skills
component of the seminar will cover such areas as effective client interviewing, affidavit writing, cross-
cultural lawyering, conducting immigration and human rights research, and preparation of cases and
client testimony. In order to cultivate best practices in student advocacy and deepen the clinical
experience, this seminar draws heavily for instructional examples on current clinical experiences of
44
students (their actual cases and clients). It will also allow students to connect their understanding of
refugee law and lawyering skills to actual casework through consideration of specific issues of doctrine
and policy implicated by students' cases. Students will have the opportunity to critically reflect on their
experiences, models of advocacy, and social change. A clinical practice component is required of all
students.
HIRC students take the lead in representing clients from all over the world who are seeking protection
from being returned to human rights abuses in their country of origin, protection from exile after years of
living in the United States, or reunification with their families. About forty students are placed each year
with HIRC either at Harvard or at its partner clinic, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston's oldest legal
services organization (located in downtown Boston). Students typically work between sixteen and twenty
hours per week (4-5 clinical credits).
Litigating in the Family Courts: Domestic Violence and Family Law Clinical Seminar-
Taken In Conjunction with Litigating in the Family Courts: Domestic Violence and Family
Law Clinic
Ms. Nnena Odim
2 classroom credits
The Domestic Violence and Family Law clinical course provides students who are concurrently enrolled
in the Legal Services Center Domestic Violence and Family Law Clinic, with the practical skills and
substantive knowledge necessary to effectively advocate for their clients in and out of the courtroom.
Objectives of the course include: developing practical lawyering skills to be applied in the clinical
component and beyond; understanding the statutory and case law applicable in family law litigation;
enhancing student understanding of the professional roles, values, and ethics involved in the practice of
law; gaining insight into the unique challenges of low-income clients and victims of domestic violence; as
well as analyzing and proposing legal advocacy approaches to contemporary family law issues. The
course emphasizes a collaborative health-law approach to advocating for our client populations.
Litigating in the Family Courts: Domestic Violence and Family Law Clinic
Ms. Nnena Odim
3, 4, or 5 clinical credits
Students in the Domestic Violence and Family Law Clinic work directly with clients in matters of
divorce, custody and visitation, abuse prevention, paternity, child support, guardianship, and second
parent adoptions. Under close supervision of the clinical instructor, students manage all aspects of a
family law case, including counseling clients, conducting factual investigation and legal research,
45
developing case strategies, conducting and analyzing discovery, and drafting pleadings. In addition,
students may have multiple court appearances in both Family and District Courts for motion hearings,
restraining orders, pretrial conferences, and/or status conferences. In addition, students negotiate directly
with opposing attorneys, pro se opponents, and in court-mandated "dispute resolution" sessions. In cases
scheduled for full trial, students conduct depositions, develop witness and exhibit lists, trial strategies and
trial notebook, prepare and conduct direct- and cross-examinations of witnesses, make opening statements
and closing arguments, and/or draft post-trial briefs and memoranda. Students may also have the
opportunity to prepare and present trainings and workshops on relevant legal issues to health care
providers and domestic violence advocates.
Poverty Law
Professor Lucie White
3 classroom credits
A growing portion of the US population is living in poverty. Historically and today, groups such as racial
and ethnic minorities, Native Americans, immigrants, people with disabilities, and single parent
households have borne the brunt of US poverty. "Poverty law," which has its roots in the old English
"Poor Laws," can be viewed as both a cause of these groups' economic marginalization and a tool that
activists use to promote their social rights. In the course, we will consider this "double-edged" character
of US poverty law through a close examination of that law's intersections, both historical and
contemporary, with the socioeconomic status and lived experience of America's most resource-limited
groups.
We will begin with an overview of federal programs that provide a "safety net" for all citizens. We will
then turn to the groups enumerated above, and consider where they have stood with respect to the
distribution of the nation's wealth, its "universal" safety net, and the particular laws and policies that have
been directed at them. The course will be taught as a workshop with the objective of giving students a
solid grounding in both the content and differential impact of US "poverty law." In addition to readings,
short response papers, and oral exercises, the course will require each student to do a longer paper or
group presentation on a course theme.
This seminar begins with an analysis of health systems in other countries. Next, we discuss the key policy
decisions made over the past century that have shaped the current patchwork of public and private
insurance coverage options in this country. After providing this international and historical context, we
analyze in detail the key elements of the current U.S. health and public health care systems through the
lens of its impact on vulnerable populations. We look at the components of the federal approach to
reform, including the national health care reform law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. We
46
also consider several state initiatives that highlight how states are acting as laboratories of innovation to
implement sweeping health reforms. Finally, we discuss the forces at play that favor the health policy
status quo in this country and discuss the many opportunities for health policy solutions focusing on
increasing access to care and addressing public health concerns. This seminar is open to students
interested in health and public health law and policy; no background or prerequisites are required. The
reading materials include various book chapters, cases, news reports, and scholarly articles that present
diverse viewpoints on the topics presented. The course is intended to spark debate between different sides
of these often controversial issues, and students participate in different in-class role plays and debates.
47
including access to basic education and health care. These gains are not matched by corresponding
advances for older children, particularly girls, minorities, and migrants: in many developing societies,
secondary and tertiary education remains widely inaccessible, maternal mortality remains the largest
cause of female teenage death, and youth unemployment and violence have reached epidemic
proportions. What explains this differential performance, and how can the gap in realization of adolescent
and youth human rights be addressed? The course will explore legal and other strategies for
understanding and advancing the human rights of children, adolescents, and youth globally.
The reading group will focus on the growing body of law governing procedural protections and related
rights for children in asylum hearings, as well as the application of substantive law to the particular
circumstances of children. We will draw on examples from the Clinic’s experience successfully preparing
and presenting children’s asylum claims, including the First Circuit case, Mejilla-Romero V. Holder. We
will explore the historical background to the current conflict in Central America and examine questions
related to credibility and corroboration in children’s asylum claims, including the use of country
conditions evidence to support the testimony presented. We will also consider comparative perspectives,
studying other conflicts in which children have become particular targets. Students enrolled in the reading
group will analyze treaties, regulations and secondary sources as well the experiences of child migrants
through their narratives and case affidavits.
48
consist of primary and secondary materials drawn from several disciplines: law, social science, political
science, psychology, evolutionary biology and women’s studies.
The first part of the course draws on foundational readings from law, development economics, political
science, moral philosophy, and social anthropology to introduce historically and normatively situated
approaches to development and human rights. The second part explores key themes and current policy
debates in the field as they play out at the levels of international financial institutions, national level
development strategies, and the private sector. The third part focuses on how human rights to food, health,
housing, and a decent livelihood, for instance, can be advanced in developing countries. In this final
section of the course, student groups will design and teach workshops about bringing social rights,
poverty alleviation, and equitable development together in grounded ways. In addition to readings,
49
response papers, and class exercises, the course will require each student either to write a final paper or
take part in teaching an in-class student workshop.
HKS:
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aimed at solving social or environmental challenges. CSR has also become a tool for investors, to
mitigate emerging social, environmental and governance risks and to identify opportunities for aligning
financial performance with social, environmental and governance (ESG) performance. In addition, CSR
has become a lever for civil society organizations to influence corporate practice and public policy. The
course focuses on large multinational corporations and examines tools used to improve corporate social
risk management, accountability and transparency and tools used to enhance corporate social innovation
and shared value. What has worked, what hasn't, and why? What are CSR's limits? What is the future of
CSR? The module surveys the literature and examines topical examples drawn from today's U.S. and
global experiences.
BGP-235M: Private Capital for Public Purpose: Impact Investing and Its Siblings
Faculty: David Wood
Credit: 0.5
This module will introduce and critically analyze efforts to direct private sector financial investments to
public purpose. These efforts-falling under the headings of impact, responsible, mission, social, and
sustainable investing-looks for ways to maximize the social utility of private investment. We will
examine the: 1) types of investors engaged in these efforts (e.g. individuals, pension funds, endowments,
foundations); 2) social goals they hope to achieve through their investments; 3) investment strategies and
vehicles through which they hope to achieve these goals; 4) intersections of impact investing and public
policy; 5) ways that stakeholders assess the impact of these investments. The class will balance U.S.
domestic and global examples of investment, policymaking, and advocacy.
51
("CICIG") and the European Union requirements for prospective members including Ukraine, will also be
studied. In addition, initiatives to promote the extraterritorial prosecution of grand corruption, such as
applying principles of universal jurisdiction to grand corruption and the creation of an International Anti-
Corruption Court, will be explored. The module will be taught by Senior United States District Judge
Mark L. Wolf. It will draw on Judge Wolf's experiences: as a Special Assistant to the Attorney General of
the United States after Watergate; as a prosecutor of corrupt public officials in Massachusetts; as a judge
who has presided in cases that demonstrated corruption in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
Massachusetts Legislature; as a contributor to anti-corruption programs in many countries, including
Russia, China, and Turkey; and as the founder of an emerging movement for the creation of an
International Anti-Corruption Court, and as the Chair of Integrity Initiatives International.
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IGA-342M: Human Rights Dilemmas in Child Protection
Faculty: Jacqueline Bhabha
Credit: 0.5
A growing number of children and adolescents around the world are subjected to violence, exploitation
and other forms of abuse. These harms persist despite the proliferation of international norms and
structures designed to protect this population and promote its wellbeing. In many cases global
transformations exacerbate rather than reduce the risks of abuse and increase the protection challenges
these risks give rise to. Though each category of child protection deficit has its own characteristics and its
attendant normative framework, they all share common and definable elements. An investigation of the
human rights dilemmas that arise in child protection on a global scale presents, in a microcosm, a
perspective on the social and political dynamics affecting some of the world's most vulnerable
populations. One focus of the course is the child protection issues themselves, their genesis and impact.
The other is the human rights strategies and dilemmas relevant to those (at both the individual and
societal levels) charged with responding to rights violations affecting children and fulfilling public child
protection obligations. In the midst of historic technological advances and significant progress in the
realm of international human rights, the strategic choices and responsibilities facing leaders and others
concerned with child protection are of increasing complexity and scope. A key concern of the course will
be to integrate legal approaches with those developed in the health and social sciences. A recurring theme
will be the evaluation of how international obligations map onto policy outcomes and how human rights
mechanisms affect problems facing vulnerable children on the ground. The course will begin with a brief
review of the theory and literature relating to child protection and international human rights. It will
proceed with an in-depth discussion of case studies covering central aspects of child protection-child
labor, child trafficking, child soldiering and child persecution. Analytic points will be derived from an
investigation of specific problems, the legal frameworks relating to them, and the solutions that have been
advanced to address them.
Divinity:
53
Leila Ahmed and Ann Braude
4 Credits
The course follows key themes in religion and gender as these were shaped and reshaped through the
colonial and post-colonial eras. In particular, the religious history of American women and the history of
women in Islam primarily in relation to the Middle East (professors Braude's and Ahmed's fields
respectively) are intertwined and brought into conversation. The interaction of religion, gender and
sexuality and the turns and complexities imparted to these by the politics of imperialism, race, resistance,
and the politics of class, are examined in the context of the emergence of modernity, nationalism,
feminism and the globalization of religions in the wake of empire and Christian mission.
Extension:
55
2.5 Credits
Designed for physicians, public health officers, or others who may be charged with responsibility for
intervention during crisis situations. The focus will be on societal response to disasters and war as well as
decision-making under stress. The course will examine U.S. and international case studies within the
established research and policy frameworks for disaster response and humanitarian action.
Embodying Gender
Nancy Krieger
2.5 Credits
This course will focus on the social and biological processes and relationships from interpersonal to
institutional involved in embodying gender, as part of shaping and changing societal distributions of,
including inequities in, health, disease, and well-being. It will consider how different frameworks of
conceptualizing and addressing gender, biological sex, and sexuality (that is, the lived experience of being
sexual beings, in relation to self, other people, and institutions) shape questions people ask about and
explanations and interventions they offer for a variety of health outcomes. Examples span the lifecourse
and historical generations and include chronic non-communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS, occupational
injuries, reproductive health, mental health, and mortality, each analyzed in relation to societal and
ecological context, global health policy and human rights, work, and the behaviors of people and
institutions. In all these cases, issues of gender and sexuality will be related to other societal determinants
of health, including social class, racism, and other forms of inequality. The objective is to improve praxis
for research, teaching, policy, and action, so as to advance knowledge and action needed for producing
sound public health policy and health equity, including in relation to gender and sexuality.
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of health from a human rights perspective. Issues to be explored include: mother-to-child transmission of
HIV and ARV drug pricing in Africa; traditional practices, such as female genital cutting (FGC); forced
sterilization and rights of indigenous people in Latin America; accountability for mass violations of
human rights; health of child workers; and international tobacco control. Among the international
institutions to be examined are the WHO, UNAIDS, the World Trade Organization (WTO), UNESCO,
the Council of Europe, the Organization of American States, the World Bank, and the International
Criminal Court (ICC). The principal teaching method is simulation of actual cases, in which students
prepare and present positions of various protagonists, based on research into those positions. The ultimate
aim of the course is to prepare students to work for and interact professionally with international
institutions to advance the health and human rights objectives, whether through governmental,
intergovernmental or nongovernmental processes.
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begin with a brief review of the theory and literature relating to child protection and international human
rights. It will proceed with an in depth discussion of case studies covering central aspects of child
protection a child labor, child trafficking, child soldiering and child persecution. Analytic points will be
derived from an investigation of specific problems, the legal frameworks relating to them and the
solutions that have been advanced to address them.
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between civil society and democracy; the complex roles of civil society in developed democracies, in
democratic transitions, under conditions of repression, and in transborder advocacy and development.
Cases include: Europe, U.S., Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China.
59
US Department of Homeland Security US Department of Justice
Blue Campaign Office of Justice Programs
http://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign Office of Victims for Crime
Washington, DC http://ojp.gov/ovc/
Washington, DC
60
INTERGOVERNMENTAL United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees
ORGANIZATIONS http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
Geneva, Switzerland
Australia-Asia Program to Combat
Trafficking in Persons (AAPTIP)
United Nations
www.aaptip.org
Interagency Project on Human
Various Country Office
Trafficking (UN-ACT)
http://www.no-trafficking.org
International Labour Organization (ILO)
Bangkok, Thailand
http://www.ilo.org
Geneva, Switzerland
United Nations
Office of the High Commissioner for
International Organization for Migration
Human Rights (OHCHR)
(IOM)
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Trafficking
http://www.iom.int
/Pages/TraffickingIndex.aspx
Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
INTERPOL
United Nations
Office of Human Trafficking
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
http://www.interpol.int/Crime-
http://www.unodc.org/
areas/Trafficking-in-human-beings/
Vienna, Austria
Lyon, France
United Nations
Organisation for Economic Cooperation
Economic and Social Council
and Development
https://www.un.org/ecosoc/en/home
http://www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/human-
New York, NY
trafficking.htm
Paris, France
United Nations Women
www.unwomen.org
Organization for Security and
New York, NY
Cooperation in Europe
http://www.osce.org/
Vienna, Austria DOMESTIC NON-PROFITS
AND LAW FIRMS
United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) Amara Legal Center
http://www.unicef.org/protection/57929_580 http://www.amaralegal.org/
05.html Washington, DC
Various Locations
American Gateways
61
http://www.americangateways.org http://www2.nycbar.org/citybarjusticecenter/
Austin, TX index.php
New York, NY
Ascentria Care Alliance
http://www.ascentria.org/our-services Coalition to Abolish Slavery and
Worcester, MA Trafficking
www.castla.org
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles, CA
http://advancingjustice-la.org/
Los Angeles, CA Coalition of Immokalee Workers
http://ciw-online.org
Ayuda Immokalee, FL
http://ayuda.com/wp/
Falls Church, VA Courtney’s House
http://www.courtneyshouse.org/
Bet Tzedek Washington, DC
http://www.bettzedek.org/
Los Angeles, CA Covenant House
https://www.covenanthouse.org/
Break the Chain Campaign New York, NY
Institute for Policy Studies
http://www.breakthechaincampaigndc.org/ Damayan Migrant Rights Association
http://www.damayanmigrants.org/
Breaking Free New York, NY
http://www.breakingfree.net/default.aspx
St. Paul, MN The Door
www.door.org
Casa Ruby New York, NY
http://casaruby.org/
Washington, DC FAIR Girls
www.fairgirls.org
Catholic Charities USA Washington, DC
http://catholiccharitiesusa.org
Alexandria, VA Girls Educational and Mentoring Services
http://www.gems-girls.org/
Center for Court Innovation New York, NY
http://www.courtinnovation.org/contact
New York, Syracuse, and London HIPS
http://hips.org/contact-us/
City Bar Justice Center Washington, DC
62
Chicago, IL
Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal
Center Mississippi Workers’ Center for Human
http://www.htprobono.org/ Rights
Washington, DC https://helios.law.harvard.edu/YourPublicSe
rvice/Organization/?id=2068
International Institute of Buffalo Greenville, MS
http://www.iibuff.org
Buffalo, NY My Life My Choice
http://www.fightingexploitation.org/about
International Institute of New England Boston, MA
http://iine.us
Boston, MA My Sister’s Place
http://mspny.org/human-trafficking/human-
Justice First, LLP trafficking-initiative/
http://www.justicefirst.net/ White Plains, NY
Oakland, CA
National Center for Missing and
Legal Aid Society Exploited Children
https://www.legal-aid.org/en/home.aspx www.missingkids.com
New York, NY Alexandria, VA
63
Washington, DC http://www.warn-trafficking.org/
Seattle, WA
Safe Horizon
http://www.safehorizon.org/ WEAVE
New York, NY http://www.weaveinc.org/human-trafficking
Sacramento, CA
Sanctuary for Families
https://www.sanctuaryforfamilies.org/ Women’s Law Center of Maryland
New York, NY http://www.wlcmd.org/
Baltimore, MD
Sex Workers Project
Urban Justice Center Youth Represent
http://swp.urbanjustice.org/ http://youthrepresent.org/
New York, NY New York, NY
64
MAITI Nepal
Hotline for Migrant Workers (HMW) http://www.maitinepal.org/
Tel Aviv, Israel Kathmandu, Nepal
http://hotline.org.il/en/main/
Salvation Army
Human Rights First http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/antitraffic
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/ king
New York, NY London, UK
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ACADEMIC INSTUTIONS
European Network Against Trafficking in
Human Beings
University of Michigan http://lastradainternational.org/
Human Trafficking Clinic Amsterdam, Netherlands
https://www.law.umich.edu/clinical/humantr
affickingclinicalprogram/Pages/humantraffic Global Alliance Against Traffic in
kingclinic.aspx Women
Ann Arbor, MI http://www.gaatw.org/
Bangkok, Thailand
Boston University Law School
Human Trafficking Clinic
http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/clinic Freedom Network USA
s/human-trafficking/ http://freedomnetworkusa.org
Boston, MA
New York State Anti-Trafficking
Harvard J.F.K. School of Government Coalition
Carr Center, Program on Human https://stophumantraffickingny.wordpress.co
Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery m/
http://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/program-
human-trafficking-and-modern-slavery New York Anti-Trafficking Network
Cambridge, MA http://nyatn.org/
RECOMMENDED
ANTI-TRAFFICKING
COALITIONS READINGS AND
REFERENCES
Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking
(ATEST) Trafficking in Persons Report, U.S.
https://endslaveryandtrafficking.org/about- Department of State, June 2016
atest/
California Transparency in Supply
Washington, DC
Chains Act: A Resource Guide, 2015,
Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General,
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-
California Department of Justice,
International (CATW)
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/s
http://www.catwinternational.org/
b657/resource-guide.pdf.
66
Multinational Enterprises, 25 May 2011, International Conference on Information
OECD, http://www.oecd.org/corporate/mne/ Warfare and Security, Denver, Colorado,
March 24-26 (refereed).
United Nations High Commissioner For
Human Rights Principles and Guidelines RFP on Using Technology to Combat
on Human Rights and Trafficking Human Trafficking , December 7, 2011 |
Posted by Microsoft Research Blog
http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/instree/traffickingG
available at:
uidelinesHCHR.html https://www.microsoft.com/en-
Siddarth Kara, 2012, Bonded Labor: us/research/rfp-on-using-technology-to-
Tackling the System of Slavery in South combat-human-trafficking/
Asia, New York: Columbia University Laterno, M. (2012) The Rise of Mobile
Press and the Diffusion of Technology-
Siddarth Kara, 2009, Sex Trafficking: Facilitated Trafficking, University of
Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, Southern California, Annenberg School
New York: Columbia University Press for Communication & Journalism,
Center on Communication Leadership &
Louise Shelly, 2010, Human Trafficking: Policy
A Global Perspective, Cambridge
University Press Trafficking Victims Protection
Reauthorization Act of 2011, S. 1301,
Leary, M. G. (2014) Fighting Fire with 112th Cong.
Fire: Technology in Child Sex
Trafficking, 21 Duke J. Gender L. & Anne T. Gallagher, The International
Pol’y 289, Duke University School of Law. Law of Human Trafficking 12 Cambridge
Univ. Press 2010.
Massachusetts Statutes, (2011) Chapter
178 of the Acts of 2011, An Act Relative to Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
the Commercial Exploitation of People; Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 265, § 26D. and Children, supplementing the United
Enticement of child under age 18 to Nations Convention Against
engage in prostitution, human trafficking Transnational Organized Crime, opened
or commercial sexual activity [Effective for signature Dec. 12, 2000, 2237 U.N.T.S.
Feb. 19, 2012]. 319, (entered into force Dec. 25 2003).
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