Texas and Tennessee- problem of child prostitution and human trafficking

Legislation seeks to attack growing problem of child prostitution and human trafficking
In November, federal authorities broke up a human trafficking ring that provided underage prostitutes involving 29 Somali men and women with ties to outlaw gangs. According to the indictment, one of the intentions of those involved was to identify, recruit and obtain girls under age 14 for prostitution. The ring operated in Nashville, Minneapolis and Columbus, Ohio. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that one in four children who run away are approached for commercial sexual exploitation within 48 hours of leaving home.
January has been declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month to spotlight the problem. The legislation, Senate Bill 64 / House Bill 35, will be scheduled for a hearing upon the legislature’s return to Capitol Hill on February

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Human Trafficking

What is Human Trafficking?
Within these web pages you will be able to locate facts about human trafficking, a fact sheet on Identifying Trafficking Victims, sample questions for identifying trafficking victims, 2-1-1 Texas Service Centers for resource assistance across Texas, safety tips and safety plans, foreign language resources, information on the Foreign Consulates located in Texas, other organizations that serve as resources on human trafficking, plus contact information for local human trafficking coalitions across Texas (link to page 7).

What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings and is considered a form of modern-day slavery. Men, women and children in every country are bought and sold for labor, domestic, commercial and sexual exploitation. Human trafficking occurs through force, fraud or coercion: victims may be recruited from their home country to fill falsely advertised jobs or apprenticeship positions. Human trafficking does not require the crossing of international borders; it is about the dynamics of the relationship, not the distance traveled.

Trafficking and smuggling are not the same phenomena: trafficking victims are generally isolated and their documents confiscated by the trafficker. Smuggling is an agreement with a third party to assist in the illegal crossing of an international border. The smuggled person is complicit in the crime and upon crossing the border is free to leave, change jobs, etc.

Traffickers use various techniques (e.g., physical violence, torture, threats) to instill fear in victims and to keep them enslaved. Some traffickers keep their victims under lock and key. Frequently less obvious techniques are used, including:

Debt bondage - financial obligations, honor-bound to satisfy debt
Isolation from the public - limiting contact with outsiders and making sure that any contact is monitored or superficial in nature
Isolation from family members and members of their ethnic and religious community
Confiscation of passports, visas and/or identification documents
Use or threat of violence toward victims and/or families of victims
The threat of shaming victims by exposing circumstances to family
Telling victims they will be imprisoned or deported for immigration violations if they contact authorities
Control of the victim’s money (e.g., holding their money for "safe-keeping")1
Each year:
approximately 600,00 to 800,00 people are trafficked worldwide
profits are estimated at $9 - $32 billion2
Impacts every nation

Trafficking Coalitions in Texas

Texas Anti-Trafficking Coalition/Task Force Contacts

Austin
Central TX Coalition Against Human Trafficking

Kate Rocke, MSW, Chairperson of the Central TX Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Refugee Services of Texas, (512) 472-9472

Kathi West, MSW, Coordinator for the Austin Human Trafficking Task Force & Victim/Witness Coordinator for U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District, (512) 916-5858

Todd Harrison, Sergeant, Austin Police Department Human Trafficking Unit, (512) 974-6905

Dallas/Fort Worth
North Texas Anti-Trafficking Task Force

Lt. Christina Smith, VICE—Dallas Police Department, 214-671-3240

Daniel Meza #2095, SOD/Vice, Ft. Worth Police Department, 817-378-1553

Kathleen Murray, LMSW, North Texas Anti-Trafficking Task Force, 817- 378-1531

Bill Bernstein, Mosaic Family Services, 214- 821-5393
Mosaic 24/hour hotline 214-823-4434

El Paso
El Paso Human Trafficking Task Force

Jennifer R. Romero, MCJ & FBI Victim Specialist, 915-832-5086

Virginia McCrimmon, Salvation Army, 915-487-7546

Houston
Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance

Caren A. W. Thomas, Law Enforcement Coordinator, U.S. Attorney's Office - Southern District, 713-567-9336

Edwin Chapuseaux, Investigator & Law Enforcement Liaison for the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance & Deputy for Harris County Sheriff's Office Covert Operations Division, 713-316-7816

Constance Rossiter, YMCA Houston, International Center, 713-339-9015 ext. 312

Stephanie Webber, Director, Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, 713-306-0583

San Antonio
South TX Coalition Against Human Trafficking/Slavery

Catholic Charities - (210) 242-3134

Fred Hollenbeck, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 210-967-7083

Chris Burchell, Sergeant, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, 210-335-0133

Waco
Heart of Texas – Stop Trafficking of Persons (HOTSTOP)

Kim Kotrla, Ph.D., LCSW, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Baylor University, 254-710-4434

More Information