Legislating and Combating Human Trafficking

Legislating and Combating Human Trafficking

The United States is a principal destination for victims of the human trafficking industry (U.S. Department of State, 2006). The U.S. is responding to the problem with anti-trafficking laws for prosecution of offenders, various organizations that are charged with the responsibility of prosecution, the Obama Administration is focused on anti-trafficking goals, and states, such as Maryland, are also attempting to address the problem.

Anti-trafficking laws in the United States are not just geared at the domestic aspect of human trafficking, but also aim to combat it globally (U.S. Department of State). These laws include the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Acts of 2003, 2005, and 2008 (U.S. Department of State). The Act is divided into multiple parts, the first of which is Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (U.S. Congress, 2000, Division a) and it includes provisions to strengthen prosecution and punishment of traffickers (U.S. Congress, 2000, Section 112) and sets minimum standards to eliminate trafficking (U.S. Congress, 2000, Section 108).

The Act is focused on goals of prevention, assisting victims of trafficking, prosecution of traffickers, and global cooperation to address the problem of human trafficking (U.S. Congress, 2000, Division a). This Act was the first recognition of government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income from the Social Security Administration for victims regardless of their immigration status (Social Security Administration, 2000). The Reauthorization Acts reaffirmed the provisions of the 2000 Act and added other aspects of prevention, protection, and prosecution by considering other problematic areas of this issue such as aiming to combat international sex tourism, as was addressed in the 2003 Reauthorization (U.S. Congress, 2003, Section 3). The 2000 Act and the subsequent Reauthorization Acts are the laws in force for anti-trafficking measures in the U.S.

To help carry out anti-trafficking goals, a number of government agencies are involved, including the FBI, law enforcement agencies at all levels, the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney's Offices, and the Department of Justice (National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, 2010). The 2000 Act also sets out an interagency task force comprised of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Labor, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Attorney General, the Health and Human Services Secretary, and the CIA Director to combat human trafficking (U.S. Congress, 2000, Section 105). The task force serves as a coordinating body and gathers data, liaises with others, and supports various anti-trafficking efforts (U.S. Congress, 2000, Section 105). Each of the bodies involved plays a role in the anti-trafficking goals.

The Obama Administration has also commented on the need to fight human trafficking crimes. President Obama created National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in an effort to raise awareness and draw focus to the need to combat this problem (Obama, 2010). When making the announcement, the President called for anti-trafficking support through public education, medical and social services, and protection and justice for the victims (Obama, 2010). Additionally, it has been observed that the Obama Administration's approach differs from the Bush Administration in that the latter was more short-sighted in its anti-trafficking goals (Ditmore, 2009). The Bush Administration was focused primarily on combating sex trafficking, while the Obama Administration aims to address a wider array of abusive labor practices (Ditmore, 2009). The aims of the Obama Administration reach for wider public support and attempting to deal with the problem more effectively by addressing important, related abusive practices.