Human Trafficking in South Carolina

Neet’s Sweets: Human trafficking survivor and Entrepreneur bakes to make a difference

Administrator — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:12:34 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC, May 23, 2012 – Meet Antonia “Neet” Childs, Founder and Executive Director of Neet’s Sweets Incorporated in Charlotte, North Carolina. Neet, a survivor of human trafficking, discusses the difficulties and rewards to being a young entrepreneur:

“[I thank] God for this day, as well as every day, that I can continue to keep fighting and pushing [for] my dream. As I embrace 27, I think about what it has [taken] for me to get to this point…I am not even supposed to be here. Just being a young black woman starting a business is tough, so I am forever grateful that I am able to use my past as my strength to inspire others to use theirs, because that’s what it’s about.”

Neet says she dreamed of having her own bakery ever since she was a little girl. Neet’s Aunt Koona owned a catering business and, as a child, Neet followed her around the kitchen.

“It fascinated me,” Neet said, “to see her so passionate about making dishes that left everyone smiling, including me.”

Neet says she was captivated not only by her aunt’s cooking and baking but also by the fact that she owned her own business. Neet and her sister lived in upstate New York where their mother struggled to provide for them.

“My mom worked hard to take care of us,” Neet said, “and I always felt like I needed to help and support her.”

Living in a low-income, single-parent family, Neet was at-risk for exploitation and abuse. After moving to North Carolina as a teenager, Neet’s vulnerability was recognized by a 38-year-old man. This man befriended Neet and began to shower her with gifts. Having grown up without a father, Neet naturally craved the attention. One day, the man asked Neet for a favor…a favor which eventually and ultimately led Neet to be recruited and trafficked through an escort service. In a recent interview, Neet said she felt “controlled and trapped.” Neet’s dreams of owning her own bakery began to fade away.

Read the complete story

Holly Smith

Holly Austin Smith is a survivor advocate, author, and speaker. She invites you to join her onFacebook or Twitter and to follow her personal blog.

Human trafficking along the Grand Strand (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Human Trafficking: One of the Fastest Growing Crimes – Blog: Walk the Talk (wilmingtonfavs.com)

Human trafficking along the Grand Strand

Administrator — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:02:21 +0000

MYRTLE BEACH — People buying and selling other people like commodities. When you think of human trafficking, you might think of a foreign country but it happens along the Grand Strand andPee Dee. Local experts reveal what really goes on.

“I was a typical American girl in a typical American neighborhood,” said Holly Smith, sex trafficking survivor. “I was 14.”

Holly was at the mall with friends when she met a man who convinced her to runaway.

He then forced her into prostitution.

What happened to Holly is called human trafficking.

“Human trafficking, simply put, is modern slavery,” said Betty Houbion, human trafficking advocate. “It’s the buying and selling of people. It’s making money off of those sales.”

“Human trafficking is the second largest illegal criminal activity,” said Gloria Davis, Family Violence Services Coordinator, Pee Dee Coalition.

The Department of Justice estimates about 17,000 people are trafficked to theU.S.every year.

Holly was one of them and remembers one of the men her trafficker sold her to.

“He told me that I reminded him of his granddaughter,” she said. “And so, after that point, a light just shut off and I turned into someone else who had to do what she had to do to survive.”

“Throughout the country, sex slavery, commercial sex is the number one form of human trafficking that we see here,” said Lieutenant Michael Hildebrad, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s kind of specific to our area because of tourism.”

Captain David Knipes with the Myrtle Beach Police Department says there are certain questions you should ask if you think someone is a victim.

“Are they being forced into prostitution or forced into some sort of labor?” he said. “Are they always being escorted by somebody? Are they in an area where they’re very rarely allowed to leave or leave by themselves?”

It’s important to recognize victims becauseDavissays they don’t normally seek help.

“Their lives are being threatened,” she said. “They’re being forced against their will. Most of them don’t speak English. So, it’s hard for them to get help.”

Even though it was hard, Holly decided she didn’t want to be a victim, she wanted to be a survivor.

“A police officer spotted me on the street,” she said. “I knew if I didn’t call out right then and there something bad was going to happen.”

That’s when she asked the officer what would happen if she wasn’t of age.

He then handcuffed her and took her to the station.

Her parents then came to get her and her nightmare was over.

However, it continues for thousands more, right now.

“InSouth Carolinacurrently we do not keep track of active cases or cleared cases,” said Lt. Hildebrand. “Over the last seven or eight years or so, we’ve seen a handful of cases here inSouth Carolina, maybe five or six.”

Holly made it her mission to help trafficking victims and show the world this really happens inAmerica.

“I started to keep a list of news reports about girls being trafficked underage and there are so many every week across the nation that I couldn’t keep up with it anymore,” she said.

“This is one of those topics a lot of people don’t like to talk about just because it is a dirty topic and it’s not pleasant,” said Lt. Hildebrand. “But this is something that needs to be in the forefront of everybody’s mind.”

“I haven’t had a moment yet when it really hit me,” said Holly. “I almost feel like I’m telling a different girl’s story.”

Right now,South Carolinalawmakers work to pass an updated human trafficking bill.

Supporters say it better protects victims and is less broad than current legislation.

By: WENDI REDMAN | SCNOW
Published: May 01, 2012

DOJ to focus on human trafficking at summit (channel3000.com)
Govt. maintains human trafficking not a major problem in Guyana (kaieteurnewsonline.com)
Facts about Human Trafficking (hopeforslaves.com)
The Signs Are Incontrovertible (hopeforslaves.com)
Keep human trafficking out of Iowa (thegazette.com)
UN: Human Trafficking Victims in the Millions (abcnews.go.com)

H. 3757 Passes Unanimously in South Carolina House of Representatives, on to the Senate!

Administrator — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:36:14 +0000

Hello Advocates ! Still riding the wave of the uanimous vote on Thursday? One of our advocates sent a message this morning about seeing a WIS TV report yesterday, and not just once but at least twice. It’s a good report, and mentions how now passage of H.3757 rests on the Senate’s shoulders. H.3757 has moved to the Senate, and is being linked with its twin bill S.1135.

To see the video or text report: CLICK HERE

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee will hold a hearing on S.1135 on Thursday, April 26, at 9:00 AM, in Gressette Room 209. Keep a watch on the Senate calendar and meetings, on www.scstatehouse.gov , to make sure that this meeting is still scheduled.

Rep. Nelson Hardwick

Be at the hearing if you can. Whether you can be there or not, pull out all stops. Send an email or letter or tweet or text or phone call, to the Judiciary Subcommittee and the Judiciary Committee members, to ask them if they will support this bill. Thank the sponsors of S.1135 . Send a big thank you note to Rep. Hardwick, and Rep. Bruce Bannister. He presented the bill, and really hit the points right on. My thanks goes out to you all over the past months. Four years ago, Rep Hardwick was alone among his peers, and we were too. We got the word out. Our legislators heard.

I wish the news coverage had mentioned how much you, the citizens of this state, are behind this bill, and how you through all your initiatives have raised this importance of this bill in the eyes and minds of our legislators, and how you eased Rep. Nelson Hardwick’s hard-won fight to make sure this bill kept gaining solid support among his peers. We can never, never, never ! underestimate the power of citizens politics.

Now, onward to the Senate!

Betty

April Events!

Administrator — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:27:40 +0000

Dear Advocates to End Human Trafficking: I am honored to be one of the panelists on April 9. I look forward to seeing you. You have beomce my heroes, for all that you do, to restore victims back to some normalcy in their lives and to fight for legislation which will upend hidden trafficking situations and prevent trafficking in persons ever again. I am privileged to know you. Yours, Betty

Sign up today!

Caught in the Creative Act

Sponsored by University of South Carolina, Columbia College, and Marriott Hotel of Columbia

Monday April 9

6:00 – 7:00 pm

Columbia College

Colloquium featuring a number of prominent speakers discussing the empowerment of women at global, national, and local levels.

RSVP to leadership@columbiasc.edu

Wednesday April 11

6:00 – 7:00 pm

USC ~ Gambrell Hall

Sheryl WuDunn will be speaking with a book-signing to follow.

Sheryl WuDunn, the first Asian-American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, is the author of Half the Sky, co-written with husband Nicholas Kristoff, a New York Times op-ed columnist. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, is a bestseller about the challenges facing women around the globe. It has been featured on Oprah Winfrey, The Colbert Report, and many other network television shows. Currently WuDunn is a senior managing director at Mid-Market Securities, an investment banking boutique serving growth companies in the middle market, including companies founded and run by women. She is also president of TripleEdge, a social investing consultancy, and a Senior Fellow at Yale University, co-teaching a course on global affairs.

“Caught in the Creative Act” Women’s Panel Discussion (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
H3757 The Next Step! (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Sheryl WuDunn – Keynote Speaker for Atlas Week! (sluphojo.wordpress.com)
Pulitzer-winning NYT columnist partners for humanitarian social game (gamasutra.com)
“Half the Sky” By Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn (finallyreading.wordpress.com)

H3757 The Next Step!

Administrator — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:02:38 +0000

Dear Advocates,

Last Thursday went by so fast! If any of you watched the proceedings in the House, you might have asked, as I did, “What happened?!” Indeed, some of you called and sent emails asking that question.

Our bill’s champion, Rep. Nelson Hardwick, called during the proceedings, to let us know that the House applied the 24-hr Rule to HB 3757, and went on a two-week break, and that’s a good thing.

For you who have gone through the legislative process, you are shaking your heads with “right!” Every step is a learning moment. Since Thursday, I’ve been inquiring about that rule, and how best we can use this time before the House reconvenes on Tuesday, April 17, at Noon. Rep. Hardwick is right. This action gives us time to educate and advocate, and to engage more citizens across this State. You can find the bill listed on the House Calendar, for April 17, Page 10, on www.scstatehouse.gov The session will start at Noon.

We have two weeks to engage our friends, neighbors, colleagues, local politicians (for example, City Council Presidents and City Mayors), Police Chiefs, Sheriffs, Firefighter Chiefs, and anyone we encounter, to call or visit their respective Representative in person.

What do we need to do? We need at least one constituent from each district to talk with that district’s Representative directly, and to ask if he or she will support H.3757-Human Trafficking. These calls can be used not only for advocacy but also to continue to educate our legislators about human trafficking.

Call me or email me, if you need more information. The Lobby Day information is good to use for talking points. More will be forthcoming. Let me know if you have more ideas about how to reach the citizens of this state. As another advocate said: “Emails, phone calls, petitions, victim stories, stats, blogs, tweets, news articles, letters to the Editor, Op Eds (especially by a Mayor or University President or Hospital President), Facebook…whatever people comfortable with …”

Some of our advocates are holding an all day Freedom Day event at College of Charleston on Saturday, April 14. Others are pulling together PSAs placed on YouTube. Others will be distributing flyers all over their counties. Others will hold film screenings at their university, such as Pee Dee Coalition & Francis Marion University on April 17. I will be one of five panelists at a discussion on leadership, economic development and human trafficking at The Leadership Institute, Columbia College, on April 9, preceding the presentation by S. WuDunn, co-author of Half the Sky, at University of South Carolina, Grambrell Hall, on April 11.

Most important is the direct person-to-person talk with each SC Representative by a constituent. This is a time of renewal. Keep the faces and voices of victims of human trafficking in mind, so that no other person will ever experience this horrendous, egregious — I can’t find the word for it — crime ever, ever again. No more. No more buying and selling of people and no making money from the buying and selling of people – our daughters, sons, husbands, nieces, friends — boys, girls, women and men. No More.

Yours,

Betty

What is more just than the justice of freedom?

Betty J. Houbion
843.357.7010 [H]

847.373.4158 [C]
South Carolina

ADVOCATE ALERT: BREAKING NEWS: H.3757 Full Judicairy Committee Meeting (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
ALERT: Second H.3757 Human Trafficking Hearing, Wednesday 21, 9:00 am, Blatt 516 (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
UPDATE on H.3757 the Bill is Good! (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Activists Join South Carolina Officials to Combat Human Trafficking (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
South Carolina Human Trafficking Lobby Day (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)

UPDATE on H.3757 the Bill is Good!

Administrator — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:46:30 +0000

At midnight, the notice alighted my mobile’s screen: H.3757 will be read today ! You will find the notice on the House Calendar for today, on Page 18, under SECOND READING STATEWIDE UNCONTESTED BILLS. The following link should take you to the Calendar, and if you click on INDEX, you will see a listing of all bills being read in numerical order, and you can go to the page via that page, or click on Full Text.

Go to : http://www.scstatehouse.gov/hcal/20120329.htm

Please note that two more legislators have signed on as co-sponsors — Patrick and J.R. Smith. Rep Smith is the Chairman of the House Ethics Committee. We have a strong, solidly good bill.

Whoever can be present, go. Nothing like hearing the debate and proceedings in person. If you didn’t have a chance to sit in the House or Senate on Lobby Day or have never been to the Statehouse while in session, you have something to look forward to doing, and why not when we have our bill being read,. Nevertheless, some of us cannot drop our work and family schedules, and some of us live at quite a distance from Columbia. So…. watch the proceedings via computer.

When the session begins at noon, go to www.scstatehouse.gov , and you will see a box to the left of the page, where you can click on Live Streaming Video for either the House or the Senate.

When the House approves the bill today, the bill will crossover to the Senate. The Judiciary Subcommittee will merge it with S.1135, and move it through the process to the Senate floor for approval. At that point, we will have one bill, to go to the Governor for signing into law.

We have one clause which needs to be reinstated, the Asset Forfeiture clause. If it isn’t reinstated by the House today, and most likely it will not be reinstated today, then we will ask the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee to do so. Currently, we are rewording the clause. More about asset forfeiture is forthcoming.

If you attend in person, please say Hello to Rep Nelson Hardwick, and to your District Representative. They might introduce you. Let them know you support this bill, to put an end to modern-day slavery, and what they are about to do, this bill will do it. One of our advocates, and I apologize, I cannot remember her name, noted how appropriate this bill, for the full legislature to pass it into law the year before the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

What a day this will be. It’s been a longtime coming, but it would not be here at all, if you had not stepped up and spoke out. Thank you.

Betty

Betty J. Houbion
843.357.7010 [H]

847.373.4158 [C]
South Carolina

“Caught in the Creative Act” Women’s Panel Discussion

Administrator — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:41:10 +0000

Spring 2012 “Caught in the Creative Act” Women’s Panel Discussion on issues of economic development, health, human trafficking and political involvement

6:00 pm, Monday April 9

Breed Leadership Center on the Columbia College campus.

This panel precedes Sheryl WuDunn’s event on Wednesday April 11 co-sponsored by Columbia College and USC at USC’s Gambrel Hall. WuDunn will speak about her book, Half the Sky.

The panel, moderated by Janette Turner Hospital, will focus on each panelist’s expertise in women’s issues- internationally, nationally and in South Carolina. The five panelists bring a wealth of experience and knowledge that will set the stage for WuDunn’s insights.

Panelists:

· Henri Baskins: international experience in assisting women address and reset community norms in areas of domestic abuse, prostitution, political involvement and economic development; national and state-wide expertise in women’s economic autonomy.

· Heather Brant: national, international and state-wide expertise in women’s health

· Betty Houbion: international and state-wide expertise in the realities of trafficking; national and international expertise in women’s economic development

· Mickey Layden: international expertise in realities of trafficking; national and international expertise in women’s economic development

· Carolyn Sawyer: national and state-wide expertise in women’s economic development

ADVOCATE ALERT: BREAKING NEWS: H.3757 Full Judicairy Committee Meeting

Administrator — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:03:31 +0000

H.3757 moved out of the House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee to Full Judiciary Committee, with Favorable with Amendment. The notice was posted this morning. The Judiciary Committee will debate the bill on Tuesday, March 27 (tomorrow! ), at 2:30 pm or 1 1/2 hrs after close of House Session, Blatt Building, Room 516 (see attachment and go to www.scstatehouse.gov ).

If you can be present, the Committee will see the support, and seeing is believing. The Committee members will know first-hand about our commitment to South Carolina’s need to end human trafficking in our state and to prevent it from arising again.

If you cannot be there, please call your Representative, as a constituent, and ask for his or her support for this bill. We need to do this today, no later than tomorrow morning, before the meeting. Best to call. Emails sent via the Statehouse web site will not arrive in time.

If you can, please also contact the Judiciary Committee members, to call for their support. Again, we need to do this before the meeting tomorrow afternoon.

The Subcommittee struck the Asset Forfeiture clause. This is now being reconsidered and reworded, to re-enter into the bill. This clause is vital to this bill, to any human trafficking bill. The clause that we propose is congruent with those of other states, such as that of Maryland and Florida, and with the South Carolina asset forfeiture law for trafficking in drugs. The asset forfeiture clause would make sure that traffickers assets, such as boats, planes, trucks, residential brothel houses and cash, would be forfeited and placed in a fund to go to victims of human trafficking and service providers to human trafficking victims, and to reimbursement of law enforcement and court-related expenses. It also sends a loud, clear message to traffickers that the money they make off the sale of women, men and children will be at risk of loss and that they will be out of business.

Please call the Judiciary Committee members, and your district Representative, to ask for support. We need to enable this Committee to move the bill to the House Assembly for its approval, and send it to the Senate for its review and approval. We’re halfway there, and still moving.

Thank you.

Betty

Betty J. Houbion
843.357.7010 [H]

847.373.4158 [C]
South Carolina

ALERT: Second H.3757 Human Trafficking Hearing, Wednesday 21, 9:00 am, Blatt 516

Administrator — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:12:27 +0000

Citizen advocates from all over the State of South Carolina convened at the Statehouse on January 24 to bring alive SC Lobby Day to End Human Trafficking. By the end of the day, they turned the world upside down, and a bill was introduced in the Senate – S.1135, the twin bill of H.3757 – a day of historical magnitude in the deep rich annuals of South Carolina.

This week, the House Judiciary Criminal Laws Subcommittee will hold a second hearing on H.3757. Our legislators are now listening, and see and hear and understand how important this bill is to the people of South Carolina. At the hearing on February 22, Subcommittee member Rep.Todd Rutherford asked, to paraphrase, “Isn’t there already a law against human trafficking?” He, like many of our legislators, knows that a law exists but they have not refreshed their memories about the law. Yes, Rep. Rutherford, there is a law on the books. It is a penalty law first passed in 2007. Last session, the legislature amended that law, making the crime of human trafficking a class A felony with a maximum prison sentence of 30 years.
This law is fantastic. So why do we need another law? This law on the books can ONLY be applied when a trafficker has been convicted.

Furthermore, this law applies to labor trafficking while skimming sex trafficking as “services.” The laws now pending in the House and Senate
are comprehensive laws, which will enable South Carolina law enforcement and government agencies to investigate, prosecute and convict traffickers, and work collaboratively with federal and cross-jurisdictional law enforcement and with NGOs or victim service providers. The piece
de resistance is that it makes sure that victim services will be reimbursed out of assets forfeited, and that portions of the proceeds will also go toward paying costs incurred by state and local law enforcement and courts. We currently are at the mercy of only federal law. This law will
reinforce and complement federal law, add incentives and form a solid unified front against human trafficking to end this crime against humanity, rip revenues out of it and prevent it from arising again. Below is a letter to the editor by one of the January 24 advocates, Lucy Hoffman
of Soroptimists International –Greenville: Hear her impassioned plea for this Legislature to stand up along the side of the other 42 states with strong up front state laws, to no longer be one of the states lagging behind when South Carolina was one of the first states to pass any law
against human trafficking:

“Slavery is alive and well in South Carolina. If that got your attention, then trust me, it got mine as well. Human trafficking is a part of our every day lives. Last year, there were 163 phone calls to the hotline from South Carolina. Amazing, don’t you agree? Because we have major
interstates, private boating, and private planes, human trafficking can exist here within our borders quite easily. Additionally, we have limited resources for the counties in our state where the most activity takes place. Specifically, the southern part of Greenville County is a hotbed of
activity. Without more deputies and laws that allow them the power to arrest the criminals, we will continue to struggle with this hidden crime.

Do you know what Human Trafficking is? If not, you may want to do some research. You can start with www.polarisproject.org. When most Americans hear of this brutal and destructive crime, we think “immigrants” and other countries. Over 100,000 Americans are forced into
Human Trafficking each year. Staggering. What makes it more unbelievable is that it could be the woman working next to you, or the girl who rides the bus beside of you, or a friend of your child. This unspeakable crime exists through threats, coercion, and blackmail. Along with a healthy dose of brainwashing.

On Tuesday, January 24, 2012, I went with a group of women to Columbia for my first ever lobbying experience. I was curious. This was an historic day. One woman spearheaded this event – Betty Houbion. Together with Patricia Ravenhorst – an attorney who specializes in victim abuse – they put together this lobbying effort. Attorney General Alan Wilson spoke passionately about the cause. Representative Nelson Hardwick and Senator Hutto stood up against this horrendous crime. Senator Tom Davis has committed to helping get this bill through the statehouse. Before we left that day, the bill had received a number. We did not expect that. Those who had initiated this event were stunned. With absolute delight.

This is what we are after. At this point in time, South Carolina does not have a bill outlawing Human Trafficking. All we can respond to is the federal law. We need more. For a state who claims that their rights often champion the federal laws, we need to ensure that all law enforcers know what they can do to punish the law breakers. We need South Carolina laws along with awareness and education. A lot to ask, but less than what is needed.

Thanks to all who have worked to get this bill into our house and now through it. We must stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves. It is not a choice – it is a crime.”

[NOTE: Big thanks goes to Polaris Project. They gave us the technical assistance at every step to make Lobby Day successful, and to make sure that our bills are congruent with federal law and aligned with laws of other states. ]

Take action now to help stomp out slavery in South Carolina. (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Activists Join South Carolina Officials to Combat Human Trafficking (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
We now have House Bill 3757 and Senate Bill 1135 (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Update on Judiciary Subcommittee Debate (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
South Carolina Human Trafficking Lobby Day (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
Polaris Project Supports South Carolina Lobby Day to End Human Trafficking! (imaginepublicity.com)
Sex Trafficking (jeanebaker.wordpress.com)
Police Officer arrested for participating in Human Trafficking after attending Anti-Human Trafficking Conference (thesummitaht.wordpress.com)

Uncovering Human Trafficking in Supply Chains with LexisNexis Due Diligence Dashboard

Administrator — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:29:05 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Respectfully reprinted from: Lexis Nexis Government Info

A special thanks to Samir Goswami, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Rule of Law at LexisNexis, for today’s Government Info Pro post.

Read on…

When I used to visit my father at the Indian Embassy in Tripoli, Libya, the office compound was often flooded with desperate looking men in tattered clothing. They were sprawled out on the Embassy lawn, sleeping on the couches in the public areas, and showering in the bathrooms next to the receptionist’s desk. My father was a Diplomat and he told me that these were workers who were brought to Libya with promises of good jobs in the oil fields. However, once they got there they were often forced to work for long hours with minimal pay in brutal conditions. Those camped out at the Embassy were able to get away and were awaiting repatriation to their villages in India.

The oil they were forced to extract and process was headed to consumers in Western markets.

This was in 1985 and I was ten years old. Although at the time there were international labor conventions that recognized this form of deception and harm, it was not until fifteen years later in 2000 that the U.S. Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The international community didn’t enact the landmark “Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons” until 2003. Both of these measures define such elements of exploited labor as human trafficking and created comprehensive legislative frameworks to address the issue.

GROWING INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS AND LAWS:

The International Labor Organization estimates that out of 12.3 million forced labor victims worldwide, around 2.4 million are trafficked and that as many as 1.2 million are children. Much of this labor goes to produce goods that we commonly consume. U.S. Department of Labor research indicates that forced and child labor is found in a variety of sectors including agriculture, textiles, manufacturing, food processing, fisheries and commodities such as cotton, rubber and in the extraction and processing of rare earth minerals that are found in modern day electronics.

Thus, U.S. and foreign governments have created a regulatory framework to ensure that we recognize and assist victims, punish traffickers and don’t inadvertently support human trafficking by utilizing forced and child labor in the production of goods we consume. A few examples include:

U.S. FAR Subpar 22.15: prohibition on federal procurement officials purchasing goods made with child labor.
International Labor Organization Conventions 29, 105, 138 & 182: Provisions ratified by up to 175 countries towards the elimination of forced and child labor.
U.S. FRAGO 06-188: Pentagon issued directive ensuring that the U.S. Department of Defense to eradicate human trafficking in labor recruiting practices.
European Union Council Decision 2006/618/EC: Requires each EU member state to adopt measures to prevent and combat trafficking in persons.
SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia: Calls on all seven members of countries in South Asia to “eliminate the evil of child labor from the SAARC region”.

CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE:

In the U.S. this year, California enacted a “Supply Chain Transparency Act” that mandates corporations of a certain size doing business in the state to publicly disclose what steps they are taking to ensure that their supply chains are free of trafficked and slave labor. Supporters of the measure estimate that over 3,200 multinational corporations are impacted by this law and subsequently many law firms are now establishing practices to advise these multi-national corporations to become compliant. A federal version of this act was introduced in Congress last year to expand nationally the provisions enacted by California.

LEXISNEXIS DUE DILIGENCE DASHBOARD:

These laws were passed and multi-lateral agreements signed because of the global public’s heightened awareness about human trafficking, often referred to as a form of modern day slavery, and our desire to not buy such tainted goods. What limits our diligence, however, is a lack of credible information that procurement officials can access to ensure that their supply chains are free of goods produced through such exploitation. Increasingly, corporate and government procurement officials are in need of information from trusted sources to help them uncover and manage potential risks and comply with legislative frameworks and international conventions. However, supply chains are complicated, and often times it is difficult to expose the last tier in a process that may span the globe.

Due Diligence Dashboard, a LexisNexis product can assist. DDD synthesizes data from more than 20 global databases including public records and news and company filing information to uncover risks in supply chains. For example, a DDD search of Foxconn, the contractor utilized by Apple to produce its products in China uncovered 1,500 negative news articles dating back to 1997. As the Apple example indicates, there are many benefits to accessing this type of information: DDD allows for a company to make better decisions about its contractors by uncovering crucial information to avoid devastating and costly risks to the company’s brand.

CREATING A “FREEDOM DIVIDEND”

Most importantly, preemptive access to such information can allow a company to work with a potential supplier to improve working conditions in their factories and incentivize the manufacturing plants of their sub-contractors to make positive changes. Inspiring such action through access to information can provide a monetary incentive for a dubious sub-contractor to improve wages and enhance working conditions and safety. By doing so, entire communities can be uplifted through the better treatment of workers.

Over the long term, such improvements can unlock human potential and create business enabling environments that foster further and legitimate economic growth. Kevin Bales, renowned author and founder of Free the Slaves, describes such action as opportunities to create a “freedom dividend”. “You get people out of slavery and they begin to work for themselves, they generate incomes, they buy things, they build schools, it changes the whole community in which they live.”

As LexisNexis actively seeks to expand the depth and viability of our due diligence products, we embed good governance and social responsibility into our business development strategy. This has a positive impact on our own growth and a tremendous impact on society, allowing us to satisfy our business objective of returning value to our shareholders and customers, and fulfilling our underlying purpose to advance the rule of law.

*More about Samir Goswami:

Samir has spent the last 15 years building various collaborations and coalitions around social justice issues. He is the recipient of numerous awards including, “40 Who Have Made a Difference” by Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, the “2010 Impact Award” by Chicago Foundation for Women, and he was awarded a 2010 Chicago Community Trust Fellowship in recognition of his work on human trafficking issues.

Remarks at President Lincoln’s Cottage (traffickinginsc.wordpress.com)
More DoD Investigations of Allegations of U.S. Contractor-Fueled Human Trafficking (pogoblog.typepad.com)
City police to lead investigation into human trafficking (humantrafficwatch.wordpress.com)
Human trafficking law seeks corporate transparency (sfgate.com)

Human Trafficking in South Carolina

Neet’s Sweets: Human trafficking survivor and Entrepreneur bakes to make a difference

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Human trafficking along the Grand Strand

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H. 3757 Passes Unanimously in South Carolina House of Representatives, on to the Senate!

To see the video or text report: CLICK HERE

April Events!

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H3757 The Next Step!

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UPDATE on H.3757 the Bill is Good!

“Caught in the Creative Act” Women’s Panel Discussion

6:00 pm, Monday April 9

Breed Leadership Center on the Columbia College campus.

ADVOCATE ALERT: BREAKING NEWS: H.3757 Full Judicairy Committee Meeting

ALERT: Second H.3757 Human Trafficking Hearing, Wednesday 21, 9:00 am, Blatt 516

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Uncovering Human Trafficking in Supply Chains with LexisNexis Due Diligence Dashboard

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