Background Human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry driven by trafficking profit. It’s the fastest growing and second largest criminal activity in the world, tied with arms and after drug dealing. Ten years ago, the United Nations negotiated the international standards against trafficking in persons, and the US enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Background In 2010, 177 countries—including the US—for the first time were reported in the Trafficking in Persons Report. The report estimated 12.3 million adults and children are trafficked across international borders into forced labor and sexual exploitation. Between 100,000 and 300,000 children are at risk for sexual exploitation in the US with an average age of 11 to 14 years old. It is estimated that 76 percent of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the Internet, which triggered a rash of activity by Attorneys General and public outcry against organizations such as Craigslist and Backpage.

Pillar #1: Making the Case Although data exist on human trafficking cases tried by federal authorities, state-specific data on human trafficking are severely lacking. No uniform database exists to capture an increasing number of cases being tried under state human trafficking statutes, or cases where traffickers are charged with related charges such as pimping, kidnapping, physical assault, sexual assault etc.

Pillar #1: Making the Case GOALS Prepare an analytically sound assessment of the problem of modern slavery in the U.S. including labor and sex trafficking, and victims both foreign and domestic. Analyze existing state laws and model criminal and civil statutes, as well as tools for evaluating the effectiveness of prevention strategies, law enforcement and victim services at the state level.

Pillar #2: Holding Traffickers Accountable Not all states have adopted a comprehensive menu of anti-human trafficking laws that provide all the tools necessary for local law enforcement to prosecute traffickers. Furthermore, it’s estimated only 20 states are actually using the laws that exist.

Pillar #2: Holding Traffickers Accountable GOALS Implement effective criminal justice strategies to identify individuals and organizations engaged in the trafficking of human beings for profit Support the launch of the new FBI business and training plan to include human trafficking as a part of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Encourage state program managers responsible for criminal justice statistics to participate in the FBI’s UCR and NIBRS effort to map and code trafficking offenses, and collect data regarding trafficking incidents for entry to state reporting repositories. Ensure full implementation of and compliance with anti-human trafficking statutes, and drive trafficking prosecutions in all 50 states.

Pillar #3: Mobilizing Communities to Care for Victims Coordination among service providers and law enforcement has increased the number of victims identified. Good models exist that can be disseminated and implemented in states throughout the country, while respecting existing local efforts through DOJ-funded task forces. Resources are severely lacking. While NAAG is not in the business of service delivery, information regarding available services could be provided, so that individual attorneys general may take advantage of these resources as a part of their state-level strategies.

Pillar #3: Mobilizing Communities to Care for Victims GOALS Promote the use of restitution provisions of existing human trafficking codes to create resources for long-term care. Identify service provider networks or “portals” in every state, to ensure that all identified victims of human trafficking have access to food, shelter, culturally appropriate services and legal advocacy. Create an inventory of grass-roots advocacy organizations that are available to assist with community awareness strategies at the state and local levels, and in establishing partnerships between service providers, victim advocates and law enforcement.

Pillar #4: Public Awareness and Issue Advocacy Although numerous public awareness campaigns exist, few use proven metrics that demonstrate a campaign’s effectiveness.

Pillar #4: Public Awareness and Issue Advocacy GOALS Reduce demand for trafficking victims through public awareness campaigns, and promote community awareness to identify victims.

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