Fight Against Virginia Human Trafficking

By Rosella Campbell


The present-day slavery reveals an exceptional crime eroding the human dignity of thousands of victims every year. Law enforcement officers in Virginia encounter a mounting task in an attempt of identifying, investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of Virginia human trafficking. This challenge arises from the masking of this activity blended with related-crime activities such as human smuggling. In addition, the trafficking victims encounter communication barriers therefore hindering the conveyance of information to the investigating officers.

Although often confused with human smuggling, trafficking involves forceful, coercion or fraudulent recruiting, harboring or obtaining an individual for labor services or commercial sex actions. The former entails willing participants who are moved across international borders. This proves the distinguishing feature as inhuman activity may arise in the home country when one is forced into servitude. Considering that human trafficking may stretch from local to international scenes, this demands of the jurisdictions involved to cooperate during the investigation, prosecution and sentencing criminals, alongside rehabilitating the victims.

The scaring report on the fast growth in these dehumanizing activities elevates the vice to the second spot in the criminal industry. The global statistics reflects in the states with slowing eradication rates owing to their toothless legislative framework. Contrary to the vigor manifested during the inhuman activity owing to the easy platforms of moving their victims, the weakness of their modern laws offers little deterrent to the unpunished criminals.

Unlike the usual images of helpless victims abducted at dark corners and forcefully moved to unknown land, the traffickers devise new platforms of pouncing on their unknowing victims. In tandem with the business shift to electronic commerce, trafficking rings have moved their recruitment to utilize the online marketplace. Since the discovery of this masked outlet, the implementation of justice encounters challenges navigating the multiple layers of logistics required.

The complementary process offered by the office of attorney general to the policies implemented by the federal government, seeks to initiate progressive crackdown in the state. Initially, the office seeks to attain a declined rate by increasing the penalties levied on prosecuted perpetrators. Moreover, the office assumed a forefront campaign by engaging awareness work groups and training sessions. For example, the 2011 coordinated training with the criminal justice services aimed to attain a speedy prosecution process.

The call for public participation to address the issue leaves whistle-blowing and secretive informers integral agents of ending the activity rings in the region. While this shows the attention of enforcing justice to the victims, the attorney has designated a special fund to rehabilitate the victims. The financial assistance is meant to cater for shelter and counseling of rescued victims.

Unlike the preliminary beliefs that human trafficking targets specific region or race, it has emerged an increasing threat to public safety across the state. Today, the activity happens at any place. This suggests that this activity may emerge in the small towns, populated neighborhoods across varying socioeconomic and diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Public awareness and involvement of task forces should constitute the initial process of eradicating the contemporary slavery at its source. For that reason, organizations dedicated to safeguard the dignity of the victims have owned the fight by highlighting the issues to speed public consciousness through training. Furthermore, this has facilitated sharing of resources through awareness programs to end the activities right at the backyard.




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