Nonprofits and Trafficking: Why Your Impact Matters
The truth is that human trafficking is illegal in every country. In 2003 Washington was the first to criminalize human trafficking. Soon after other states followed, implementing fines and charging felonies against businesses. Though there is work to be done to provide more protective policies for survivors of trafficking, there are some laws and protective measures in place. However, what role do nonprofits play in the fight against trafficking and why are they important?
Three important factors in the fight against trafficking include prevention, intervention and protection.
Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash
Prevention (noun):
Pre-ven-tion; the act of preventing or hindering (Merriam-Webster Definition)
Monetary donations are essential to educating marginalized populations when ghost agencies fail to educate and engage the public in matters concerning civil rights. Unfortunately, some government corporations have both a backlog of cases concerning human trafficking and a limited number of employees that restrict them from maximizing their effectiveness in the realm of prevention. The instability of such governmental systems contributes to the vulnerability of women, children, LGBTQ+ populations and racially marginalized communities. Therefore, when a monetary donation is made, nonprofits can strengthen their regulatory practices and resources used to support survivors of human trafficking, ultimately reinforcing human trafficking laws.
Intervention (noun):
In-ter-ven-tion; the act of interfering with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning) (Merriam-Webster Definition)
Mass media and community partners are critical to human trafficking law reinforcement worldwide. Tackling human trafficking in its steps requires partnerships; without a community network, it is nigh impossible to intervene, identify, and aid all individuals who have been trafficked.
Maria M. Odom, former Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman for the Department of Homeland Security and current Vice President for Legal Programs at Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), knows the significance of such collaborations. When discussing the DHS’ Blue Campaign (est. 2010) for human trafficking, Odom stated, “DHS components work every day to end human trafficking, but we cannot do this alone. Close collaboration with other federal, state, local, private sector, and community partners across the United States is key to our fight against human trafficking as they better widen our network to identify and rescue [survivors] of this crime and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Protection (noun):
Pro-tec-tion; means or method of defending (Merriam-Webster: Thesaurus Definition)
Effective human trafficking advocacy and commitment on behalf of the community involves connecting a survivor to individualized treatment and holistic resources to secure the survivors' transition to recovery.
How can the community contribute to survivors' protection? Volunteering time to educate yourself and others on the detrimental effects of human trafficking is the first step. A21— a nonprofit and member of the Dressember Networkprovides resources and protective initiatives to combat the exploitation of individuals. Additionally, A21 has a solution-based system called “Reach” intended to connect community members worldwide to the anti-trafficking movement. Nonprofits need community leaders. Join the fight against human trafficking by partnering with organizations near you. Utilize their workshops as they are there to show you ways you can effectively provide support and protection for survivors.
Ultimately, human trafficking survivors and vulnerable populations deserve the most robust resources as well as community support. This includes learning who specifically is more susceptible to human trafficking. One way to continue learning is through listening to survivors and partnering with nonprofit organizations that amplify survivor voices.
About the Author
Porsche Smith is a biracial young woman who is a rising college freshman based in North Carolina. Her mission is to couple community involvement and psychology to impact the youth internationally. She believes the socioeconomic status of an individual should not limit their ability to receive adequate resources. When Porsche isn't challenging global systems today, she enjoys diving into self-care by engaging in Bible studies, appreciating nature’s beauty and coffee dates with friends.