Intercultural Human Rights Law Review
First Page
239
Abstract
Nothing drives the passion and stirs the emotion, especially in the U.S., more than the horrendous stories of modem-day human slavery. Whether sexual, domestic, or labor, the terror and horror that human trafficking victims have endured defies the scope of our sensitivities. Most who work in human service fields have heard many stories of these survivors. The dedication of the practitioners and law enforcement officers who are involved in the apprehending and prosecution of offenders, and advocate for victims in these very complex cases, is evident in this symposium alone. As a nation, the stain of slavery has tarnished the idealism of freedom that this country cites as its foundation. In response to the concerns about rising human trafficking in the U.S., Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Since Congress first acted on this, the federal government has supplied more than 150 million dollars to establish task forces to fight human trafficking in the U.S. alone. However, the most recent data suggests that there are tens of thousands fewer victims than originally cited. The gap between the original number of victims trafficked and the data that currently exists is of concern to these authors. The purpose of this article is to: (1) examine the gaps between the numbers originally presented and those currently reported; (2) identify the language commonly used when discussing human trafficking that may undermine credibility related to victims; and (3) provide suggestions for action that would strengthen future arguments for federal funds to serve victims of human trafficking.
Recommended Citation
Johnny E. McGaha & Amanda Evans,
Where Are the Victims? The Credibility Gap in Human Trafficking Research,
4
Intercultural Hum. Rts. L. Rev.
239
(2009).
Available at:
https://scholarship.stu.edu/ihrlr/vol4/iss1/16