Human Trafficking: It is a problem that takes place right under our noses, hides in broad daylight yet relies on us to end it.
In lieu of the highly publicized Jeffrey Epstein story, which upon hitting the headlines felt like the story of the century- brought human trafficking to the forefront as an issue plaguing our communities.
Human trafficking is defined by experts as modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. And it can happen to anyone, anywhere.
Despite the commonly held belief that slavery is a thing of the past, there are more people in slavery today than at any other point in history and it is the most profitable form of transnational crime - second only to drug trafficking which often goes hand in hand with its human cohort.
There are currently an estimated 40.3 million people who are victims of human trafficking. It’s revenue is estimated at a $150 billion worldwide, with the vast majority made from sexual exploitation.
Though despite being prolific, it remains one of the most under-reported crimes. KSFR is committed to turning that around.
New Mexico remains vulnerable to human trafficking due to its close proximity to highways, interstates as well as the border. High rates of poverty and domestic violence also increase our vulnerability. In our Native American communities, it often goes entirely undetected.
The New Mexico Attorney General‘s Office in partnership with Life Link has created the Human Trafficking Task Force consisting of law enforcement agencies, prosecutorial agencies, and service providers that now utilize “trauma informed care”-a victim-centered approach that identifies victims, addresses their personal needs through quality services, while investigating and prosecuting the buyers and decriminalizing the victims.
The goal of these conversations is to bring this issue out from the shadows that exist in broad daylight to understand how to recognize and report it. The paradigm is shifting in how we perceive the many suffering on the streets right under our nose. By speaking with survivors who recount the hidden lives they lived while seemingly wandering the streets or panhandling, to recognizing its existence in even domestic violence relationships -we gain greater understanding of what it looks like and what we can do to stop it.
Part One: On the Front Lines
Guests include-Lynn Sanchez,Co-Chair of the Human Trafficking Taskforce and Program Director of Outreach and After Care for Human Trafficking At Life Link and her team of Peer Advocates: Dallas Grassbaugh, a Peer Support Specialist and Heather Atsye who is a Victim Service Advocate.
Part Two: Holding The Criminal Accountable, Arresting Buyers; Decriminalizing Victims with Anthony Maez-Special Agent in Charge and Commander of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children and Co-Chair of The New Mexico Human Trafficking Taskforce
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