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Trafficking Victims

Human trafficking, a grave human rights violation, refers to the sale of adults and children into both commercial sexual servitude and forced or bonded labor.

If you are being trafficked, contact The Advocates at 612-341-9845 or complete our client intake form.
 
Often referred to as modern-day slavery, human trafficking is the second largest – and fastest growing – criminal industry in the world. While specific legal definitions of human trafficking vary, international, federal, and many states' laws reflect the idea that human trafficking involves the recruiting, harboring, receipt, or transportation of persons for some exploitative purpose.

The Advocates for Human Rights has been working to promote and protect the human rights of sex trafficking victims since 2006. We have conducted fact-finding, published The Sex Trafficking Needs Assessment for the State of Minnesota, advocated for legislation and for legal reform, and presented seminars, trainings, and speeches. We have also provided written testimony to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on Human Rights and the Law, and we are members of the Human Trafficking Task Force for the state of Minnesota.

Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking involves individuals profiting from the sexual exploitation of others. It has severe physical and psychological consequences for its victims. Although anyone can become a victim of trafficking, it predominately affects women and children.
 
If you are being trafficked, contact The Advocates for Human Rights for help. Call 612-341-9845, or fill out our client intake form.

Human sex trafficking violates women and children’s basic human rights, including the right to be free from slavery and slavery-like practices; the right to equal protection under the law; the right to be free from discrimination based on race, nationality, and gender; and the rights to life, security of person and freedom from torture.

Governments also violate trafficked persons’ rights when they fail to prevent sex trafficking, prosecute perpetrators or provide trafficked persons with effective remedies for these violations, such as access to courts and legal immigration status.
 
While there has been an increased focus on human sex trafficking in recent years, no consensus exists regarding a definition of sex trafficking. This lack of consensus reflects a much deeper controversy about prostitution, women, and consent, including questions about whether women ever “voluntarily” engage in prostitution. 

The different laws that address sex trafficking all reflect some underlying policy position regarding this controversy. However, international, federal and state law all reflect the idea that sex trafficking involves the recruiting, harboring, receipt, or transportation of persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation includes the trading of sex for money, clothing, food, drugs, shelter, or favors.
Labor Trafficking
The definition of human trafficking refers to the sale of adults and children into both forced or bonded labor and commercial sexual servitude. Often referred to as modern-day slavery, human trafficking is the second largest – and fastest growing – criminal industry in the world.
 
If you are being trafficked, contact The Advocates for Human Rights for help. Call us at 612-341-9845, or complete our client intake form.
 
While specific legal definitions of human trafficking vary, international, federal, and state law all reflect the idea that human trafficking involves the recruiting, harboring, receipt, or transportation of persons for some exploitative purpose.

In Minnesota, labor trafficking's definition includes blackmail, debt bondage, forced labor or services, and labor trafficking. Minn. Stat. § 609.281
 
The crime of labor trafficking is a felony punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment and $30,000 fine for trafficking of adults and 40 years/$40,000 for trafficking of minors
 
Additionally, Minn. Stat. § 609.283 criminalized unlawful conduct with respect to documents, and Minn. Stat. § 609.284 defines defenses to labor trafficking and civil corporate liability.

Trafficking Victims Protection Act
In addition to individual state laws, The United States Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) to prohibit trafficking, punish traffickers, and protect victims.