Human Trafficking Workshop Opens Eyes to Growing Problem

It's happening all around us, and a group of crime victim advocates, legislators, and concerned residents are fighting back against the growing problem of human trafficking and the global crime of exploitation. They came together at the YMCA in Patchogue and pledged to get the public involved in protecting their friends and neighbors, and let them know help is available.

State Senator Dean Murray and Suffolk Legislator Dominick Thorne organized the workshop, which featured the Crime Victims Center's new presentation, "Human Trafficking: Look Beneath the Surface."

"Human Trafficking is a global crime of exploitation," Senator Murray said. "It is when a person uses force, fraud, or coercion to exploit the labor or services of another person. The human traffickers prey upon people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities for their own profit." Victims include women forced into the sex trade, domestic employees, farm laborers, family members, and people internationally, including convicts and children, pressed into military service.

According to the U.S. Department of State, there are an estimated 27.6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide at any given time. "Unfortunately, this crime is happening in our own backyard," Legislator Thorne said. "We organized this workshop to shed light on this horrific crime and offer our communities ways to identify such acts and steps to help prevent this crime from happening right here at home."

Focusing attention on the problem of human trafficking at a recent Patchogue workshop were, from left, Legislator Dominick Thorne, Jennifer Capezza, the associate director of LI Against Domestic Violence, Elizabeth Dysart, the CVC’s Prevention College Coordinator, Senator Dean Murray, and CVC Prevention Program Manager Amanda Jesser-Pena Robert Chartuk

The workshop referenced a recent film, “The Sound of Freedom,” which exposed a global child trafficking network, exacerbated by the open U.S. southern border. The movie, which was ignored by Hollywood and the mainstream media because it took Washington policies to task, was a huge underground success grossing more than $184 million as viewers took great interest in the issue. The problem is expected to get worse as migrants continue to flood into the country with limited job prospects and means to legally support themselves.

Speaking at the workshop was Jennifer Capezza, the associate director of LI Against Domestic Violence, who keyed in on the signs friends and family should look for in detecting a problem, including changes in behavior, withdrawal from everyday activities, and indications of physical abuse. "Forty years ago, we never would have had this conversation," Capezza said. "The state senator and the county legislator would not have been here. But now we're bringing it out into the open," she said, noting that her organization's 24-hour hotline, (631) 666-8833, has the ability to field calls in 144 languages.

"Many people recognize human trafficking as a problem, but they think it's a problem that happens 'somewhere else.' That's simply not true; it's a horrific problem that's happening more and more in communities all across Long Island," Murray said. "That's why it's imperative that we educate people on what to look for and what to do to protect their loved ones."

To help raise awareness, Thorne said the county is creating a program to train EMTs and other emergency service workers to recognize the signs of abuse and know what steps to take to assist potential victims. "We need to make sure people know someone is out there to help them," he said. "There are many services out there; doing nothing is worse. We need to pull them from the wreckage and help them rebuild their lives."

Presenting the workshop was Elizabeth Dysart, the Crime Victim Center's Prevention College Coordinator, who pointed out that most cases of abuse involve people who know each other, with 80% of intimate partner victims being female. However, only about 48% of violent victimizations are reported to police. Joining her was Amanda Jesser-Pena, the CVC’s Prevention Program Manager, who noted that teams of advocates at the center are available to help.

According to a recent report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the number of domestic violence victims in New York has increased by 8.7% over the last few years. "With increased numbers of victims, it's important to know how to get help and how to identify signs of trouble. State and local agencies also must redouble their efforts to make seeking help and receiving services as easy as possible for victims," DiNapoli said.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Residents are encouraged to keep an eye open to the problem and step in to help people who may be victims of human trafficking and the resulting violence that can come from it. For more information, visit www.parentsformeganslaw.org or www.liadv.org. Other services can be found at www.suffolkcountyny.gov.