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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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Results for victim assistance
11 results foundAuthor: Goodman, Dara Title: Representing Victims of Human Trafficking in Massachusetts: A Guide for Attorneys Summary: This Guide provides attorneys with a general overview of human trafficking law in Massachusetts in an effort to help attorneys identify victims of human trafficking and determine how to meet their legal and non-legal needs. It provides attorneys with a foundation concerning federal and state law and refers them to more comprehensive resources, where appropriate. In particular, the Guide discusses the following topics in detail: -Identifying victims and recognizing indicators of human trafficking -An introduction to international, federal, and Massachusetts human trafficking laws -Advice on working with vulnerable and diverse populations -Immigration remedies for victims of human trafficking victims, including how to apply for and obtain T visas and U visas -Issues specific to child victims of human trafficking, including the safe harbor under Massachusetts law for minor victims involved in criminal prosecution -Issues specific to victims of human trafficking who are also criminal defendants -Aiding prosecution of traffickers -Civil remedies available to victims of human trafficking under federal and Massachusetts law -Non-legal benefits and resources available to victims of human trafficking under federal and Massachusetts law -Massachusetts resources available to victims of human trafficking Details: Boston: WilmerHale, 2013. 167p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://media.wix.com/ugd/6d5c12_e4e8c12d8ea3487fbebfa0f7d3eabdb0.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://media.wix.com/ugd/6d5c12_e4e8c12d8ea3487fbebfa0f7d3eabdb0.pdf Shelf Number: 133374 Keywords: Human Trafficking (U.S.)Legal ServicesVictim AssistanceVictims of Trafficking |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee Title: Domestic Abuse. Ninth Report of Session 2017-19. Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Summary: Nearly 2 million people a year in England and Wales experience domestic abuse, and many endure long-term harm from their experiences. Domestic abuse is traumatising for victims and their children and is unacceptable in our society. It requires legislative change and a comprehensive strategy, effective across the country, that confronts one of this country's most common and most serious crimes. Earlier this year the Government set out its strategy for tackling domestic abuse, and it has committed to bringing forward a draft Domestic Abuse Bill later this year. We decided to hold a short inquiry into the Government's proposed strategy, and to identify issues which it must address in the draft bill and in its future policies. It is very welcome that the Government has committed to developing a domestic abuse strategy and preparing a draft bill on domestic abuse, which we hope will be informed by this report. The bill has the potential to deliver measures which will provide real benefits for all victims. But we urge the Government to go further as part of its commitment to end domestic abuse. To have confined the proposed scope of the draft bill to domestic abuse rather than all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) represents a missed opportunity. We therefore recommend that the Government publishes a Violence Against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse Bill which would facilitate a more effective, joined-up and cross-Government strategy to tackle both domestic abuse and VAWG and would better demonstrate the UK's commitment to comply with international VAWG conventions. We also recommend that the bill explicitly recognises the gender inequality underlying domestic abuse, and that the disproportionate impact of domestic abuse on women and girls is explicitly highlighted in the text of the bill and the statutory guidance. We welcome the inclusion of economic abuse in the Government's proposed statutory definition of domestic abuse. Economic abuse is associated with an increased risk of homicide because victims tend to stay with abusive partners for longer when they do not have the financial means to leave. We are concerned that some of the Government's welfare reform policies are making it even more difficult for victims to leave their abusers and establish financial independence and there is evidence that the default single household payment for Universal Credit can reduce the autonomy of some women. We recommend that the UK Government should make split payments standard for all couples in England and Wales claiming Universal Credit, in line with the approach taken in Scotland. In addition the Government should analyse the potential impact of domestic abuse leave and consult on options for introducing domestic abuse leave in the UK We heard that there is a desperate shortage of refuge accommodation available for victims and their children seeking safety and access to support services. According to Women's Aid, 60% of referrals to their refuges are refused due to a lack of bed spaces. This huge gap in capacity must be filled and the spaces required must be available. It is unacceptable that women fleeing violence and other forms of abuse are often unable to access any form of emergency accommodation, and it is clear that a sustainable model for the long-term funding of refuge services is urgently required. Given the interdependency of network provision we recommend the Government analyses the operation of refuges as a national network. We recommend a new statutory responsibility upon local authorities for refuge places to be available, supported by ring-fenced funding for local authorities from central Government at a level which meets demand and fills the capacity gap. We also recommend that the Government facilitates a comprehensive review of funding across all aspects of support for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, to be carried out by the proposed new Commissioner. The Government should commit to the introduction of a new national funding mechanism, informed by the outcomes of a comprehensive review, to provide sufficient and sustainable funding for all necessary support services. We are particularly concerned about the provision of specialist domestic abuse services for protected, vulnerable or minority groups, and for people with additional needs such as debts or drug or alcohol dependency. We recommend that the Government's review of refuge and other domestic abuse support services should document and report what specialist provision is currently available, and where there are gaps which need to be addressed. We are concerned that the Government's proposed strategy makes no explicit additional provision for children who have experienced domestic abuse, as abuse within a family can cause children and young people to suffer a range of long-term negative consequences as a result of their experiences. We recommend that the devastating effect of domestic abuse on children is explicitly recognised in the legislation and that the Government develops a clear strategy to ensure that children experiencing domestic abuse are protected and given the support necessary to help them recover. Despite efforts to introduce national guidance for all police forces on responding to reports of domestic abuse, there continue to be instances where victims' claims are not taken seriously or where there is an inadequate police response. These failings can have catastrophic consequences for victims of abuse. We are particularly concerned to hear that many police forces continue to share details of victims with the Home Office for the purposes of immigration control. This practice is contrary to national police guidance, makes it harder for particularly vulnerable victims to seek protection and access justice, and conflicts with the Government's stated objective that all vulnerable migrants, including those in the UK illegally, receive the support and assistance they need regardless of their immigration status. Witnesses described family court proceedings for victims of domestic abuse as traumatising and harrowing. It is unacceptable that navigating the justice system can be as distressing for some victims as the abusive behaviour which they are seeking to escape, and that children may be placed in danger because of a lack of coherence between different parts of the justice system. We recommend that the new Commissioner should have, as a priority in the first year of office, to review the impact upon children of the interaction between the family courts, children's services, CAFCASS and the police, with particular reference to contact arrangements in domestic violence cases. The Government must, without further delay, make provision in the draft bill to prohibit the cross-examination of a victim by a perpetrator of domestic abuse in the family court. We support the creation of a new Commissioner but recommend that this new post is established as a Violence Against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse Commissioner and that the remit of the new Commissioner reflects the scope of both the domestic abuse and the VAWG strategies. Confining the scope of the new Commissioner to domestic abuse would fail to recognise the gendered nature of domestic abuse, and its links to other forms of gender-based abuse in the lives of many women and girls. Recognising the challenges highlighted by the first holder of the role of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, we also recommend that the Government review its proposals with a view to strengthening the remit and increasing the resources of the proposed Commissioner. It is essential that the Commissioner is fully independent, reports directly to Parliament rather than to Government, and is independently accommodated and resourced. Details: London: House of Commons, 2018. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: HC 1015: Accessed October 24, 2018 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmhaff/1015/1015.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmhaff/1015/1015.pdf Shelf Number: 1530770 Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Domestic Abuse Domestic Violence Economic Abuse Intimate Partner Violence Victim AssistanceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Koskenoja, Maija Title: An Unknown Future: A Report on the Effectiveness of Legislation Concerning Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking Conclusions and Recommendations Summary: Abstract The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman and the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI) jointly implemented an assessment of legislation that applies to assistance for victims of human trafficking in Finland (Act on the reception of persons seeking international protection and on the identification of and assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings, (746/2011). The report is based on extensive document and interview material including, for example, the entries in client records concerning assistance provided to 66 victims of human trafficking. In addition, a total of 83 specialists working in the field of counteracting human trafficking across Finland were interviewed for the report. The report shows that the social and health administration in municipalities is not familiar with the act that applies to the reception of and assistance to victims of human trafficking and that the special status of victims of human trafficking as recipients of services is not realised in municipalities. Victims of human trafficking do not always receive the statutory services they would be entitled to. There are also Finnish citizens among these victims. The report also reveals that there are people in Finland who, in spite of their need for assistance for reasons related to human trafficking, do not get sufficient help from the system of assistance for victims of human trafficking, or who do not find their way to or are not within the scope of the assistance provided by the authorities. According to the report, a central reason for this is the strong link between the provision of assistance and the process of bringing perpetrators to justice (the criminal process) that results from legislation and its application. This link seems to have become stronger as a result of the legislative amendment that entered into force in 2015. All in all, the system of assistance for victims of human trafficking, which is managed by the reception centre in Joutseno, carries out good work with its clients as well as good cooperation with other authorities. Based on the report, the most important recommendations are: 1. Enacting a special act that applies to assistance for victims of human trafficking, 2. Issuing instructions to municipalities for the application of legislation concerning assistance for victims of human trafficking and, 3. Improving the operational capacities of non-governmental organisations. Details: Valtioneuvoston: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 9, 2019 at: https://tietokayttoon.fi/documents/1927382/2158283/An+unknown+future.pdf/de58c765-d4f7-4ddf-b23c-345ec1c65686/An+unknown+future.pdf.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Finland URL: https://tietokayttoon.fi/documents/1927382/2158283/An+unknown+future.pdf/de58c765-d4f7-4ddf-b23c-345ec1c65686/An+unknown+future.pdf.pdf Shelf Number: 154050 Keywords: European Institute for Crime Prevention and ControFinlandHEUNIHuman TraffickingInternational ProtectionLegislation ApplicationNon-Discrimination OmbudsmanVictim AssistanceVictims |
Author: Trajano, Julius Cesar Title: Combatting Human Trafficking in East Asia: Mind the Gaps Summary: ABSTRACT Despite the ratification of global and regional anti-trafficking frameworks and enactment of relevant national laws, human trafficking remains an endemic security problem in East Asia, threatening states and societies. Two-thirds or 25 million of global trafficking victims were identified to be in the region. This NTS Insight briefly reviews the current regional trends and patterns of human trafficking in East Asia. It demonstrates that robust legal frameworks, while absolutely important, are not sufficient to eradicate and prevent human trafficking. It primarily analyses three fundamental issues that impede effective law enforcement and the eradication of human trafficking in East Asia: (1) weak law enforcement capacity of states; (2) the persistent corruption-trafficking nexus; and (3) limited support services and protection assistance for victims. It highlights the importance of developing and adopting a victim-centered approach in order to make anti-trafficking efforts more holistic and effective. Details: Singapore: Nanyang Technological University, Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, 2018. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 9, 2019 at: https://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/nts/combatting-human-trafficking-in-east-asia-mind-the-gaps/#.XDZrNlVKjcs Year: 2018 Country: Asia URL: https://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NTS-insight-Human-trafficking-july2018.pdf Shelf Number: 154047 Keywords: Anti-Trafficking Corruption East Asia Human Trafficking Law Enforcement Capacity Legal Frameworks Support Services Victim Assistance |
Author: Kezelman, Cathy Title: The Cost of Unresolved Childhood Trauma and Abuse in Adults in Australia Summary: Executive Summary Childhood trauma including abuse affects an estimated five million Australian adults. It is a substantial public health issue with significant individual and community health, welfare and economic repercussions. Unresolved childhood trauma has short-term and life-long impacts which substantially erode both national productivity and national well-being. It needs to be seen as a mainstream public health policy issue and responded to accordingly. Pegasus Economics estimates that if the impacts of child abuse (sexual, emotional and physical) on an estimated 3.7 million adults are adequately addressed through active timely and comprehensive intervention, the combined budget position of Federal, State and Territory Governments could be improved by a minimum of $6.8 billion annually. In the population of adult survivors of childhood trauma more broadly i.e. a figure of 5 million adults, this estimate rises to $9.1 billion. These figures represent a combined effect of higher Government expenditure and foregone tax revenue. If adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse experienced the same life outcomes as nontraumatised adults, the collective budget deficits of Australian governments would be improved, at a minimum, by an amount roughly equivalent to the entire Government outlay on tertiary education. These estimates, based on a conservative set of assumptions, indicate extraordinary cost savings. On different, but still plausible assumptions, the annual budgetary cost of unresolved childhood trauma could be as high as $24 billion. While child abuse includes sexual, physical and emotional abuse, childhood trauma is a broader more comprehensive category. For each, the common element is the powerlessness of the child, due to age and dependency, to prevent or minimise it. Early life trauma and abuse affect the developing brain and have many possible impacts on daily adult life. These include the coping strategies children adopt to minimise overwhelm. Such strategies, highly creative and potentially effective in the short-term, may still be used in adult life. Perpetuated when the underlying trauma is not resolved, these coping strategies are associated with health risks in adulthood. Reducing costs of childhood trauma -- Addressing child sexual, emotional and physical abuse alone could lead to a potential minimum gain of $6.8 billion for the combined Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. The minimum gain from addressing the problem of childhood trauma more generally is $9.1 billion. Active timely and comprehensive intervention, with appropriate support, resources, services and treatment enables adult survivors to participate more fully and productively in the Australian community. Governments are currently exploring a range of revenue measures and expenditure cuts to restore the budget position. As Australia's population ages the long-term prognosis for the budget is for continuing strain; the main driver of deteriorating finances is forecast health expenditures. The Commonwealth Government's most recent inter-generational report (Swan, 2012) showed the major future stress on government expenditures to be in health outlays. As a percentage of GDP, health expenditure is forecast to rise from 3.9% in this current year to 7.1% in 2049-50 (an almost doubling in proportional expenditure). Progress in reducing the impact of childhood trauma and abuse in adults can make a positive contribution not only to the health budget challenges that lie ahead but also to those related to the welfare and criminal justice systems and the lower taxation revenue associated with the impact. Active timely comprehensive intervention will help address childhood trauma and abuse in adults Active investment in specialist services Specialist services are needed to spearhead policy and practice responses to adult childhood trauma and abuse survivors. Active investment to support a coordinated comprehensive model of care, including continued and increased access to effective help lines and online services, is needed. Timely active comprehensive intervention including appropriate support, counselling, resources and services promotes recovery. When survivors comprehensively overcome their trauma they and their children are freed to live productive, healthy and constructive lives. A key by-product of addressing the impacts of childhood trauma in adults is a financial benefit to Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. People affected by unresolved childhood trauma incur significant costs on taxpayers. This occurs through higher Government expenditure on health spending, welfare support and criminal justice costs, as well as via lower taxation revenue. More and better trained treating practitioners - counsellors/therapists Unfortunately our public health system has evolved in a way which means that adult mental health services focus on addressing immediate health issues (such as depression and alcoholism) rather than identifying and addressing underlying causes (such as prior childhood trauma and abuse). A convenient and failsafe pathway to treatment - No wrong door Frontline practitioners: General Practitioners and nurse practitioners will inevitably see people who have been impacted by childhood trauma including abuse, on a daily basis. These contacts provide an opportunity to facilitate a process whereby the person who presents can start receiving the right support, either directly or through targeted referral including specialist counselling, ideally from an accredited practitioner. Training is needed to enable primary care practitioners to identify trauma survivors and to respond appropriately. System, service and institutional improvements - Trauma-informed practice Benefits can also be achieved by raising awareness around the possibility of unresolved trauma in people who seek diverse services across health and human service systems, agencies, organisations and institutions. Adults who experience the ongoing impacts of unresolved childhood trauma will necessarily need to access various services. Broad-based implementation of trauma-informed practice and responses will help minimise the impact of trauma and the risk of re-traumatisation of people who have experienced childhood trauma including abuse. Details: Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia: Blue Knot Foundation, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2019 at: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Portals/2/Economic%20Report/The%20cost%20of%20unresolved%20trauma_budget%20report%20fnl.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Portals/2/Economic%20Report/The%20cost%20of%20unresolved%20trauma_budget%20report%20fnl.pdf Shelf Number: 154214 Keywords: AbuseAdult SurvivorsChild AbuseChildhood TraumaCounsellingEmotional AbusePhysical AbusePublic HealthSexual AbuseSurvivorsTraumaVictim AssistanceVictim Services |
Author: Strickland, Pat Title: Rights of Victims of Crime Summary: A Westminster Hall debate on Rights of victims of crime is scheduled for Tuesday 13 March 2018 at 2.30pm. The Member leading the debate is Alex Sobel MP. Currently victims’ rights are set out in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime. This sets out what victims should expect from various criminal justice agencies. Although the Code is a statutory one, provided for in the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004, failure to comply with it does not of itself make a person liable to criminal or civil proceedings. Courts can take such failure into account in other proceedings however. Some argue that the "rights" in the code are not sufficiently enforceable. The Victims Commissioner and Victim Support have pointed to problems with victims being given their rights under the Code. In the run up to the 2015 and the 2017 General Elections, various political parties including the Conservatives promised legislation on victims’ rights. The Government has said it will publish a strategy for victims "by the summer". Details: London, UK: Parliament, House of Commons, 2018. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 21, 2019 at: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CDP-2018-0066#fullreport Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CDP-2018-0066#fullreport Shelf Number: 154333 Keywords: Code of PracticeDomestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004Rights of VictimsUnited KingdomVictim AssistanceVictim SupportVictims of Crime |
Author: Karsna, Kairika Title: Improving Understanding of the Scale and Nature of Child Sexual Abuse: Characteristics and Experiences of Children and Young People Attending Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Greater Manchester Summary: This report brings together evidence collected from the case files of children and young people aged 0-17 attending Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Greater Manchester for a forensic medical examination following disclosure or suspicion of sexual abuse. The data relates to all 986 forensic medical examinations of under-18s living in the Greater Manchester area who accessed the service between April 2012 and March 2015. Data was retrospectively extracted from the paper case file of each 'service user', including background and demographic data about them, the route by which they were referred to the SARC, the nature of the child sexual abuse (CSA) reported to have taken place, and the people suspected of committing it. The choice of data extracted was based on the 'data collection template', a core dataset developed by the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) to standardise and improve agencies' recording of data about CSA. This case study formed part of the pilot of the data collection template; its aim was to explore the value and practicability for agencies of collecting core data systematically about the nature of CSA, the people involved in and affected by it, and associated services. Although the data here was collected from existing records, the study serves to demonstrate what other agencies could collect and report if they adopted the data collection template as part of routine practice. Established in 1986, Saint Mary's SARC is the UK's largest single-centre SARC. It was the first of its kind, developed to provide high-quality medical examinations in a designated and specialised space for men, women and children who had experienced sexual assault. The findings generated through the study have wider relevance because they represent the experiences of a large number of children for whom there were concerns about sexual abuse. It is important to emphasise, however, that they are not representative of CSA in other settings or locations. The vast majority of victims of CSA do not disclose their abuse and are not identified by professionals, and many of those who are identified do not attend a SARC. Furthermore, medical examinations of children at a SARC are provided following disclosure or suspicion of contact sexual abuse; experiences of non-contact CSA are, therefore, not represented in the study. Details: S.L.: Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, 2019. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2019 at: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-publications/scale-and-nature-of-child-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/ Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-publications/scale-and-nature-of-child-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation/st-marys-case-file-review/ Shelf Number: 156127 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseSexual AssaultVictim AssistanceVictim ServicesVictimization |
Author: 28 Too Many Title: Country Profile: FGM in Somalia and Somaliland Summary: In a region where 98% of women and girls have been subjected to the most severe Type III (Pharaonic) FGM, the challenges to ending the practice remain huge. We are all shocked and deeply saddened when we read that young girls are still dying from FGM in Somalia and Somaliland. Difficult issues still need to be overcome, including the ongoing support, particularly from influential religious leaders, of FGM labelled as 'sunna', the dangers of increasing medicalisation, the continuing absence of national laws banning FGM and the lack of new data to inform programmes. But in this Country Profile we also want to bring attention to the progress that is being made in the face of these challenges, including the increased collaboration between government departments and civil society, more open discussion, particularly with religious leaders and men, the use of media as an advocacy tool, the move away from the most severe form of cutting, and the amazing growth of youth activism across the region. I am constantly inspired by the passion and commitment to this campaign of so many Somali FGM survivors and activists of all ages, from Ifrah Ahmed in Somalia and Dr Edna Adan Ismail in Somaliland, to so many friends and colleagues across the diaspora. We have had the honour of connecting with some of the amazing community organisations in the region while working on this report, and their determination to address these difficult issues is humbling. There are some very important activities taking place, such as those around community dialogue, and these need to continue and receive adequate funding to reach right across the region until a position of zero tolerance to FGM is achieved. The drafting of new national laws banning FGM in both Somalia and Somaliland is welcomed, and 28 Too Many's recent research on the law and FGM has shown the importance of any new legislation being comprehensive, accessible to all and easy to understand. Adequate training must be put in place to successfully implement and enforce the new laws, and communities must be appropriately sensitised both before and after enactment. Details: London: 28 Too Many, 2019. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2019 at: https://www.28toomany.org/static/media/uploads/CountryResearchandResources/SomaliaSomaliland/country_profile_somalia_and_somaliland_v1_(march_2019).pdf Year: 2019 Country: Africa URL: https://www.28toomany.org/country/somalia/ Shelf Number: 156173 Keywords: Community Engagement Female Circumcision Female Cutting Female Genital Mutilation Somalia Somaliland Survivors Victim Assistance |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "There is Enormous Suffering": Serious Abuses Against Talibe Children in Senegal, 2017-2018 Summary: Nearly 10 years after Human Rights Watch's first report documenting abuses against talibe children in Senegal, the scale of ongoing abuse remains staggering. Over 100,000 talibe children living in unregulated, traditional Quranic boarding schools, known as daaras, are forced to beg daily by their Quranic teachers. Thousands live in squalor, subject to various forms of neglect or abuse. "There Is Enormous Suffering" documents scores of serious abuses committed against talibe children in 2017 and 2018 by Quranic teachers or their assistants. The abuses took place in eight of Senegal's 14 regions, and include forced begging, beatings, sexual abuse, chaining, imprisonment, and the deaths of 16 talibe children due to abuse, neglect or endangerment. The report also documents human trafficking and dangers linked to talibe migration, including talibes abandoned in distant cities and children who end up in the streets after fleeing abusive daaras. Some parents perpetuate the abuse by repeatedly returning runaway children to abusive or exploitative daaras. This report calls on the Senegalese government to take urgent action to inspect and regulate daaras, protect talibes from abuse and forced begging, crack down on the trafficking of talibé children, and bring perpetrators to justice. Senegal should also make funding available to daaras that respect children's rights, and take steps to strengthen the under-resourced regional child protection services providing aid to runaway talibes and abuse victims. Details: S.L.: Human Rights Watch, 2019. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2019 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/senegal0619_web2_2.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Senegal URL: https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/06/11/there-enormous-suffering/serious-abuses-against-talibe-children-senegal-2017-2018 Shelf Number: 156430 Keywords: Child Exploitation Child Trafficking Corporal Punishment Forced Begging Human Trafficking Migration Physical Abuse Runaway Children Senegal Sexual Abuse Victim Assistance |
Author: Luminais, Misty Title: Process and Outcome Evaluation of Cuyahoga County's Safe Harbor Project Summary: In August of 2016, Rachel Lovell, PhD, and Misty Luminais, PhD, researchers at the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), began working with the Safe Harbor Project at the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division (Juvenile Court). They proposed to investigate how the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Safe Harbor Project has been planned and implemented through a process evaluation and to investigate the impact that the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Safe Harbor Project has had in achieving its goals of improving the lives of involved youth through an outcome evaluation. In this research brief, we present the evaluation's key findings and recommendations to inform and improve the Safe Harbor Project's practices and policies and to better serve Cuyahoga County youth who are victims of human trafficking. Background of the Safe Harbor Project: The Safe Harbor Project began in May of 2015 in the court of Judge Denise Rini to address youth who have been or are at-risk of being trafficked and have a pending criminal charge. In Ohio, there are several courts experimenting with the application of Ohio's Safe Harbor law (ORC Statute 2905.32), including juvenile courts in Summit County (Restore Court) and Franklin County (Empowerment Program), since the law's adoption in June of 2012. Ohio has followed the lead of the federal government in strengthening penalties against traffickers and allowing some leeway for victims of trafficking accused of crimes. Under the federal statute (22 USC Chapter 78 - Trafficking Victims Protection Act [TVPT]), anyone selling sex under the age of 18 is immediately considered a trafficking victim; no coercion, force, or fraud has to be proved. This means states must grapple with how to apply the TVPA to their legal frameworks. Ohio's Safe Harbor legislation offers a diversion from court prosecution for crimes tied to a youth's victimization as a victim of trafficking. Youth who are under the age of 16 who are involved in selling sex are automatically classified as trafficked, while 16 and 17-year olds may require some proof of fraud, force, or coercion. When the researchers began this evaluation, the Safe Harbor Project had been functioning for a little over a year. Over the course of twelve months, we attended advisory board meetings, court hearings, and interviewed key staff involved in the project. Because there are few models of juvenile Safe Harbor courts, each is finding its way forward. In Cuyahoga County, stakeholders in the Safe Harbor Project at the time of this research deliberately decided to forgo state certification through the Ohio Supreme Court as a specialized diversion docket. Details: Cleveland, Ohio: Case Western Reserve University, 2018. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2019 at: https://case.edu/socialwork/begun/sites/case.edu.begun/files/2018-09/Safe-Harbor-Report-Final-5-22-18-FINAL.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://case.edu/socialwork/begun/resources/reports Shelf Number: 156482 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Human Trafficking Juvenile Court Juvenile Justice Program Evaluation Sex Work Sex Workers Trafficking Victim Victim Assistance |
Author: Bejinariu, Alexa Title: Human Trafficking: A Comparison of National and Nevada Trends Summary: Research suggests that human trafficking is a global issue with victims being reported in 124 countries around the world (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2014). Nationally, there have been over 40,000 human trafficking cases reported and over 170,000 human trafficking calls made since 2007. Both of these numbers have increased over time (National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC), 2017). Nevada tied for 9th in the nation (with Pennsylvania) for human trafficking cases reported in 2017, with 199 cases (NHTRC, 2017). The most common form of trafficking in Nevada is sex trafficking. The proportion of sex trafficking victims in Nevada (89%) is higher than the national average (71%). Both the Nevada Legislature and other organizations have implemented programs for the prevention of human trafficking. These include the passage of several laws and the creation of the Southern Nevada Sex Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team, which aims to put an end to sex trafficking and aid victims throughout the Las Vegas valley by providing them much needed assistance. Details: Las Vegas, Nevada: University of Nevada, Center for Crime and Justice Policy, 2019. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27/HumanTrafficking-ComparisonNationalNevadaTrends.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://www.unlv.edu/ccjp/publications Shelf Number: 156570 Keywords: Human Trafficking Prostitution Sex Trafficking Sex Workers Victim Assistance |