Ross Childs introduced the program and Jane White, our guest speaker, the Executive Director of the Michigan Human Trafficking Task Force. No, human slavery is not dead, it is just further underground and reaches all quarters from the inner cities to suburbia and into rural areas.
Human trafficking affects individuals across the world, and right here in Michigan. It is commonly regarded as the second largest criminal enterprise after drugs. Human trafficking affects every community in Michigan across age, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. The term “severe forms of trafficking in persons” is the statement reflecting how serious it is for it to be slavery and includes both sex and labor trafficking.
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which people profit from the control and exploitation of others. This crime occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud, or coercion to control another person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or soliciting labor or services against his/her will. Victims include children and adults who are forced, deceived, or coerced into commercial sex acts and/or labor or services against their will and who often receive little to no compensation.
Sex trafficking has been found in a wide variety of venues within the commercial sex industry, including residential brothels, escort services, fake massage businesses, strip clubs, and street prostitution. Minors under the age of 18 engaging in commercial sex are considered victims of human trafficking, regardless of the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Minors engaging in “survival sex” to obtain basic necessities such as food, shelter, or transportation are also considered victims.
Labor trafficking has been found in diverse labor settings, including domestic work in hotels, massage parlors, nail salons, small businesses, large farms, and factories. Under Michigan law, minors under the age of 18 engaging in forced labor are considered victims of human trafficking, regardless of the use of force, fraud, or coercion
White’s passionate delivery demanded attention and brought the dirty little backroom secret into the light of day. Informative? Eye-opening? Yes! Uncomfortable? You bet it was. As White asks of all who will listen: Will you help break the silence?