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[ Coalition activities ]
TO
HELP! !
! !
Other
Things That Should Be Done.
In
addition to passing along and around any information that may aid in
rescuing David and other victims,
people
can help in doing and/or helping facilitate some
of the other things below
NEEDED
IMMEDIATELY:
Action
Enlisting
law enforcement & other authorities in efforts
If
you have information
Hotline
and protocol
Coalitions
Teachers,
Sex Assault Crisis Counselors, Police, etc.
Government
reform needed to fight U.S. modern-day slavery
Tremendous
Gaps and Obstacles
OTHER:
Also
see
Coalition
recruitment by U.S. Campaign to Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/coalition/index.html
Coalition
activities
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WORK
ON THIS PAGE IS IN PROGRESS
NEEDED
IMMEDIATELY: Action
Those
of us community members in SE CT who are
trying to fight the growing abduction and
sex slavery problem in our area
desperately need your help. In our area,
many of the victims are local people who
have been taken under the control of
traffickers here, in our local area.
Please learn to identify such victims.
They desperately need help in rescue.
Help
enlist law enforcement and other
government officials in these efforts
We
also need help in enlisting law
enforcement and other government officials
in these efforts, which they are refusing
to take seriously even as more victims are
being taken and are suffering and as the
criminal operations behind these schemes
are growing in power and control over our
community. It's important to recognize
that, no matter if the victims are
children or adults, their situation is all
linked as one and that, even though an
effort may be made in fighting the crime
as it relates to adult victims, because it
may be easier for their testimony to stand
up in prosecution, etc., such efforts will
most probably target perpetrators of these
adult victims who have, most probably,
also offered the "services" of
children to round out the range of
"products" they offer to
patrons. Such marketing strategy is
evident in reports of other countries of
the world who are evidently much more
advanced in researching this phenomena
than the U.S. appears to even be striving
to be.
Recently,
the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services' Administration for Children and
Families (U.S. ADF-DHHS) has set up a web
site devoted to human trafficking, asking
community members to become active, and to
form coalitions in activities to fight
this crime such as publicizing it. Like
most efforts in the U.S., you will find
that, so far, it still appears to focus
primarily on victims who are from other
countries and whose migration to this
country was part of the activity that led
to them becoming victims of
"modern-day slavery." That U.S.
ADF-DHHS web site is www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking
Please
help direct law enforcement to, for
example, some of the information that is
available to them on web sites such as
this:
Additional
material relating to efforts needed in
this include the following:
If
you have information
Hotline
and protocol > > >
As
of 3/26/04, a U.S. non government agency
(NGO) "recently began another
national hotline service called the Human
Trafficking Information and Referral
Hotline, 888 373-7888, as part of the
efforts of The Campaign to Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking.
(See 03/09/2004
AGENCY LAUNCHES SLAVERY HOT-LINE) Through this line,
the NGO hopes to take calls from
trafficking victims and advocates of
victims in order to help victims reach
safety." The agency already had a
more general hotline, but this one was set
up within the last few weeks to deal
specifically with human
trafficking/slavery. In working with them,
it has agreed to collect and document
calls of information possibly relating to
the slavery problem that we may have here
in SE CT. It's
888-373-7888.
This
is a national 24 hour 7 day a week
hotline. Yes, it can be reached
from anywhere in the country. Enough of
such documentation, if only if it is used
in crime mapping, may also actually be
able to push efforts in law enforcement's
willingness to investigate situations such
as these, willingness that has been so
lacking, particularly in our local area.
Calls
can be anonymous, although, to ensure that
they can later possibly carry more weight,
etc., and also to help link the bits of
information that may be received to other
calls that may come in about the situation
we have here, the following guidelines
should be followed:
Help
connect the dots > > >
-
If
a code name is used, the interviewer
should be told that it is a code name
being used. Their training calls for
recording that statement, as well as
the code name used.
-
If
you feel the information you may have
is possibly linked to the
"possible" ring in SE CT,
"Southeastern Connecticut"
should be indicated and possibly even
emphasized. This will be the key that
links together different information
received about this operation or one
that is possibly associated with it.
So, even if the call relates to
information of something happening
elsewhere, if it is part of, or if
there is reason to suspect that it is
linked to, this or another ring
operating out of our area, that needs
to be said, as well as the reason it
is suspected, so that it can be
considered with information regarding
the situation in SE CT. This
documentation is fed into their own
national database to help in such
analysis, and hopefully they will be
doing this required analysis.
-
Even
a bit of information that isn't
enough, in itself, to generate an
investigation, should be reported so
that it can be documented and
considered against other information.
It may be a much needed link in
finding and/or rescuing victims and/or
activities and/or investigating
perpetrators. Every crumb, including
"possible"
signs/communications deciphered, can
be helpful when pieced together with
other information that may come
in.
-
Information
about some of the associated dynamics
is probably just as important to
report, if only for those who may be
trying to analyze the information
coming in about the situation and
understand aspects that may impede
victim rescue, etc., and how such a
community terrorist driven
"dilemma" may be growing so
rapidly.
-
If
there is an incident that took place
at a particular address or location,
its identity will also be asked.
Although I imagine they may sometimes
receive calls in which someone is not
willing to provide that information,
providing information as specific and
complete as possible will make a
tremendous difference, if used later.
But don't assumed that if you indicate
a place in Stonington, say, that the
interviewer will automatically tie
that to SE CT and record it as such.
And it's important to specify
"Southeastern Connecticut"
(SE CT) in order for anyone looking at
this documentation to possibly connect
all of the dots.
Please
spider this out to other members of the
community and to community groups,
including law enforcement, particularly
those in our area. Despite the fact that
this is the fastest growing crime in the
world and in the U.S., the U.S. appears to
be far behind other countries in it's
capability to deal with this nightmare of
a crime. Again, in the meantime, many of
us have loved ones who have fallen victim
and who are suffering some of the worst
horrors of this crime.
So
far, the coordinators of that hotline are
saying that no analysis, or anything else,
will be done with the information so
received unless law enforcement requests
the information. The exception to
this is that they claim to be ready to
take action to bring law enforcement to
the scene in the case of certain
events. However, it is very likely
that this is not yet a well-thought out
statement.
Please
try to get groups to participate in this
effort against human trafficking,
particularly in SE CT
Please
also try to encourage the creation of
coalitions against this crime. What
follows is an example of some of the
resources available in such efforts.
from:
www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/coalition/index.html#partner
Coalition
Information
Overview
A
critical element of the Rescue &
Restore campaign is the development of
national and local coalitions who will
help to implement the campaign on the
ground in communities across the
country. Coalition partners include:
- Local
government
- Civic
groups
- Churches
- Ethnic/Immigrant
groups
- Women's
organizations
- Labor
organizations
- Immigration
organizations
- Community
health providers
- Faith-based
organizations and other
non-profits
- Social
service organizations
Coalition
partners will disseminate campaign
information and resources to
intermediaries who may come in contact
with victims of trafficking to inform
them of the services available to
victims in their communities. Rescue
& Restore coalition partners also
have access to effective communications
and outreach strategies for identifying
and interacting with victims of human
trafficking.
Action
Steps for Coalition Partners
The
primary goal of the Rescue & Restore
campaign is to raise public awareness of
the issue of human trafficking. Victims
of human trafficking are camouflaged --
by sophisticated and often
innocent-seeming techniques – from
people they may encounter on a daily or
random basis. In the weeks and months
ahead, new and better methods of
detecting, reassuring and rescuing these
victims will be developed. For now,
partners of the Rescue & Restore
campaign coalition can help us achieve
this goal by implementing any or all of
the following action steps:
-
Include
information about trafficking, its
victims and perpetrators in
organization newsletters, on
websites and through other
communication vehicles
-
Provide
orientation and training sessions,
or join with other organizations,
including nonprofits, in hosting
information forums on the
trafficking problem and the fresh
national resolve to counter it
-
Request
and disseminate, both internally and
in appropriate public places,
posters, brochures and other
materials now being produced and
distributed by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services
-
Take
part in a new national network that
has been established by Capital City
Partners to keep local organizations
and their members abreast of
developments in the awareness
campaign as well as ways to address
the trafficking challenge
-
Encourage
other organizations, and health and
law enforcement officials with whom
you come in contact, to access the
growing body of information and
resources available to rescue and
restore the victims of this hideous
trade in human beings
A
useful link is www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/campaign_kits/index.html
Please
help in this. I have received word and
have personally witnessed indication of
even more victims taken in our local
community recently. We are so far behind
in our effort and, in the meantime, the
criminal operation(s) behind this are
expanding at lightning speed. All of our
involvement is needed in this in order to
halt the growth of this horror in our
midst.
RETURN
TO TOP OF PAGE
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Government
reform needed to fight U.S. modern-day slavery
[Note, in what follows, "web site*" refers to this web
site.]
Tremendous
Gaps and Obstacles
A
s more and more effort is made to fight
modern-day slavery in the U.S.,
significant gaps are still being
perpetuated that impede the road to
success in helping today's victims get
freed, even as they are suffering so
horribly, as criminal enterprise is
expanding and as additional victims are
being taken. Measures are needed to
overcome the following issues:
-
VICTIM
RESCUE
-
CORRUPTION
-
ASSOCIATED
ORGANIZED CRIME
-
ASSOCIATED
TERRORISM
-
INTER
JURISDICTION ACTIVITIES
-
COMMUNITIES
PARALYZED BY COMBINED DYNAMICS
-
NARROW
SCOPE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS
VICTIM
RESCUE
One
gap that is being perpetuated is that
slavery victims are still being required
to contact authorities, or other otherwise
service providers, and report that they
are, indeed, victims. By the nature of the
conditions which make them slaves, most
often this is not possible. Instead,
efforts need to primarily focus on rescue
and prevention. It will be important to
provide these victims with needed medical
attention, protection and other services
once they are freed, but victims need to
be rescued first for it to be possible for
them to benefit from those services.
One
of the aspects of the terrorism associated
with the presence of this crime, and one
of the many gaps that need to be
surmounted, is that, in such an
environment, members of the community
often have directly or indirectly been
warned or threatened against exposing
these operations. Because of this, and the
complex and sophisticated criminal
networking that appears to be inherent in
this crime, possible informers, i.e.,
witnesses and others with the information
needed to fight this crime, are concerned
about phone tapping, email intrusion, web
site hacking, etc.. But, for traffickers,
one of the major easily monitored avenues
of communication is evidently the U.S.
postal service and/or similar non
electronic modes of communication. Despite
this, many entities, particularly
governmental, require the use of such
modes, even after being advised of
considerable danger to the safety of
informers in this requirement.
Steps
that are necessary for rescue:
-
Gathering
information on victims, slavery
operations and schemes through
clandestine surveillance, which
requires grassroots/community
involvement as well as close
coordination and cooperation with and
of law enforcement (See 02/13/04 - It takes a lot of people
[modified)
-
Assuring
that effective "possible"
victim identification, investigation,
reporting, including tracking and
monitoring systems for reports, and
protection protocol is in place, and
is being followed, at every possible
point of contact. These include local
and state law enforcement, other
authorities and government officials,
health care providers, counselors,
transportation areas, religious
organizations, embassy offices,
schools, non government service
providers, emergency personnel,
drinking establishments, employers,
building inspection officials, etc.
(See SUPPORT
AND PROTECTION OF POSSIBLE HUMAN
TRAFFICKING VICTIMS)
-
Identifying
possible victims and/or slavery rings
by enabling members of the community
to submit information through
hotlines, email, online forms that
allow attachments, etc.
-
Promoting
and facilitating education in all
aspects of this phenomenon,
particularly education of law
enforcement, through public service
announcements, training, media
coverage, literature, and
presentations (See Dispeling
the Myths/Facts on the web site*
for some examples of information that
may need to be communicated.)
-
Publicizing
of formal commitments of law
enforcement to investigate slavery
situations and rescue victims and a
means to enable public scrutiny that
can ensure this is actually being
done
-
Establishing
measures that ensure that
investigation protocol and rescue
plans are appropriate for this
particular crime and the environments
in which it may exist
-
Developing
specific, detailed rescue plans that
can't be thwarted by leaks to
perpetuators
-
Demanding
inter jurisdiction cooperation in
efforts, including other jurisdictions
within U.S. boundaries, such as
American Indian Reservations
-
Freeing
victims in a timely manner, so that
their suffering is not needlessly
prolonged
Signs
of "uncharacteristic behavior"
is one way in which victims or slavery
operations, etc., may be deciphered,
particularly by those who know the victim.
An example is that relayed in 01/05/03
- Uncharacteristic behavior and other illogics
. Other examples may be
found in 01/31/04 - Tell those who still don't "see" it.
CORRUPTION
Other
otherwise seemingly unconnected efforts
need to focus on eliminating corruption
and organized crime, including the
monitoring, accuracy and completeness of
police reporting about this crime, the
entry point of crime statistics that drive
federal law enforcement budgets and
resource allocation. The same must be done
of requests and appeals, relating to this
and other issues, made to other
authorities, including federal and state
representatives. This mechanism would
increase accountability and allow needed
public scrutiny. Until efforts are made in
these areas, they will continue to impede
efforts made to fight human trafficking
activities in the U.S., particularly
efforts to free victims.
There
have been numerous indications that, not
only are U.S. authorities often refusing
to investigate possible slavery
situations, they are also failing to
record that requests have even been made,
therefore perpetuating the
"invisibility" of this crime, in
that the result is that these even
"possible" indications will not
even appear in any crime mapping or
statistics database. This, thus, also
perpetuates another gap reported in Trafficking
in Human Beings on a web site of the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, www.unodc.org/unodc/en/trafficking_human_beings.html:
"...a lack of systematic research
means that reliable data on the
trafficking of human beings that would
allow comparative analyses and the design
of countermeasures is scarce..."
Specific
examples of such thwarting of the personal
efforts I've made to authorities, relating
to David's situation, are relayed in an
email on the web site, 01/19/04
- Regarding S 1830 – the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Trafficking Reauthorization
Act,
a different version of which is also
included in 02/03/04 -
2004 Hygienic > on exhibit to 2/15/04 (?)
that also includes definitions from some
of the U.S. Codes relating to these
crimes. Attempts to further follow-up on
these situations are relayed in 03/11/04 - there are mountains to be moved [modified].
Possibly
because the "credibility" of
stories of abduction and/or slavery is
impacted as a result of a lack of
"official reports," up until
recently the media appears to have also
been hesitant to publish any stories of
possible instances of, let alone
widespread, abduction for slavery purposes
occurring in the U.S., although it is
possible that we may begin to see stories
now.
At
least in David's situation, this, in turn,
appears to impact, or at least
"justify," the response of
authorities. Similar experience in
response of authorities is reported by
other loved ones of "missing"
victims of abduction that, in many cases,
may be for purposes of sex slavery. (See 02/21/04
- oTHer "mISSnG PEopLE"
[modified]) These loved ones are, thus, often
left without the support and protection of
authorities, and sometimes even the
community, in attempts to get victims
rescued.
This
cycle appears to be reflected in some of
the wording of S
1830 – the Paul and Sheila Wellstone
Trafficking Reauthorization Act (www.theorator.com/bills108/s1830.html)
The
operation holding David illustrates to
what extent traffickers may abuse law
enforcement and the legal system, or work
those into their schemes, to protect and
support their operations. That this may be
a possible tendency of many traffickers
appears to be reflected in the wording of 18
USC Sec. 1589 - Forced Labor and 18
USC Sec. 1591. Sex trafficking of children
or by force, fraud or coercion under 18
USC CHAPTER 77 - PEONAGE AND SLAVERY,
which can be found at www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title18/parti_chapter77_.html,
i.e.,
Whoever
knowingly provides or obtains the labor
or services of a person -
(1)
by threats of serious harm to, or
physical restraint against, that
person or another person;
2)
by means of any scheme, plan, or
pattern intended to cause the person
to believe that, if the person did not
perform such labor or services, that
person or another person would suffer
serious harm or physical restraint;
or
(3)
by means of the abuse or threatened
abuse of law or the legal process,
shall be...
or
if the violation includes kidnapping
or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated
sexual abuse or the attempt to commit
aggravated sexual abuse...
As
said in the 12/23/03
- Yes! Who IS minding the store? [modified]
email, as well as a few others:
How
many routine oversights of police and
the legal system have perpetrators found
in searching out for them? . . . How
many things are they aware will go
unchecked or even unquestioned? How much
of this have they worked into their
schemes, particularly the tactics that
include abuse of laws and the legal
system to intimidate or coerce a
civilian population to "go
along" with activities that will
support and facilitate crimes of forced
labor (slavery), particularly sex
services, trafficking, and/or to hinder
detection and prevent investigation or,
in other words, to obstruct justice?
Drastic
improvements need to be realized in the
following areas:
-
Better
monitoring and audit of police
training and certification, including
subject matter content, that ensures
awareness and training in activities
relating to abduction, slavery and
tactics used by perpetrators to mask
activity, prevent investigation and
force a local population to support
and protect their operation
-
Improving
accountability of law enforcement and
officials
-
Establishing
mandatory effective management and
supervision practices for federal
agencies, law enforcement and other
authorities
-
Improving
avenues of public scrutiny and audit
of federal agencies, law enforcement
and other authorities
-
On
threat of heavy criminal charges such
as obstruction of justice,
establishing a mandatory protocol for
reporting and/or investigation in
every entity to which human
trafficking may be reported and/or
observed. This includes all law
enforcement entities, health care
providers, religious organizations,
counselors, educational facilities,
etc. This should include prohibiting
possible reports of human trafficking
from being handled as a "missing
person" report
-
Centralized
monitoring and audit, at the federal
level, of training and certification,
management and supervision practices,
etc. of all law enforcement, etc.,
within U.S. boundaries
09/30/03
- Beaming up the infrastructure
provides some other ways to help close the
gap in this area.
ASSOCIATED
ORGANIZED CRIME
Often,
intricate coordination of a number of
individuals is required to carry out the
clandestine operations surrounding
abduction for the purpose of slavery as
well as the subsequent slavery activities.
In this way, such operations fall under
the definition of organized crime, and,
depending on various aspects of that
operation, may also often fall under that
of racketeering, as well as the many other
federal and state laws these activities
violate. The overly simplistic approach in
the U.S. that appears to fail to take the
aspects of possible organized crime into
consideration in response to information
of abduction and slavery activities within
it's boundaries, is another gap that needs
to be closed.
One
of the traits of traffickers, of which
this aspect may be a result, is the
cruelty and arrogance with which they
operate.
In
addition, criminal operations involving
abduction and slavery often join national
syndicates, of which there appears to be
suspicion in the criminal operation
holding David. If nothing else, there
doesn't seem any other logical explanation
of the widespread lack of response to this
situation, and in apparently many other
similar situations, at even federal
headquarter level. One possible scenario
that may be sometimes impacting what may
appear to be the lack of responsiveness of
authorities is illustrated in the first
portion of 06/21/03
- You don't HAVE to bribe officials! plus more of part 1, etc. [proofread].
Better tracking and public accountability
of information of abduction and slavery
activities within it's boundaries would
help it be better addressed.
The
lucrativeness of the crimes associated
with abduction and slavery also allow for
possible major lobbying efforts by crime
syndicates that also need to be taken into
consideration, in the closing of gaps.
Political "concern" may mask
efforts by traffickers to further their
own welfare while hiding it under the name
of the welfare of others. The slyness of
these operations make public attention to
and scrutiny of proposals more important
than ever.
Some
of how organized the operation is that is
holding David is reflected in 07/31/03
- yeah, nice - but this is the reality.
ASSOCIATED
TERRORISM
Another
gap is the apparent failure to recognize
the terror that results to a community in
which possible rampant abduction and sex
slavery is being possibly openly carried
out and in a very organized way. Anyone
attempting to conduct the surveillance
activities often necessary to get the
required information to succeed in these
efforts should be aware of both the signs
of the possible presence of such
terrorism, as well the type of community
behavior that would result from that
presence.
It
would seem that in any area of the country
in which abduction and sex slavery is
being carried out on a large scale, the
community would be terrorized into
supporting and protecting trafficking
operations, as they are here, on implied
or open threat of abduction or other harm
to them if they do not cooperate. Such
threats carry a heavy weight due to the
poor response to requests for
investigation into such abductions,
combined with the highly complex schemes
of traffickers to mask abduction and
slavery situations and to prevent
investigation. Incidents illustrating some
of this are included in emails listed in
the Index
of emails relaying examples of actions of
people possibly involved on either side,
and of terminology used here portion
on the Quick
Reference page under items such as
community terrorism, uncharacteristic
behavior and "weapons, witch death
star and other warnings and/or
threats."
Here,
there is a cryptic and/or indirect
"language," which may often
materialize in such an environment. It may
be from this type of communication that
possible information about slavery
activities must be extracted. Traffickers
may also have their own way of
communicating threats and warnings to the
community. Examples of such "cryptic
and/or indirect language" are
illustrated in 10/05/03
- Guns & Roses.
"Uncharacteristic
behavior" of possibly even officials,
are reflected in emails such as 06/11/03
- Rally,
09/14/03
- If Guns Are Outlawed . .[modified],
11/07/03
- More refusals by "authorities" to investigate [modified],
12/09/03
- Should "hearts" be banned? > Totally Dysfunctional Infrastructure,
with that information supplemented by 02/17/04 - crazy > integrity - Pt 1
[modified & reformated].
10/09/03
- Redefining Romance and other things,
11/26/03
- Mass psychology
and 03/14/04 - ooh, the smell! Can you smell that smell?
provides some idea of what it is
like to live in such an environment.
INTER
JURISDICTION ACTIVITIES
Traffickers
often move victims from one area of the
country to another, as well as from place
to place. Although the U.S. government is
currently recognizing that better inter
jurisdiction coordination of law
enforcement is needed, governmental
efforts are still needing to be developed
in other areas, as well, before this can
even be possible.
While
some areas of the country are reporting
that information is being shared with
neighboring jurisdictions, it is not
widespread nor consistent. In addition,
there doesn't appear to be any centralized
managing of the development of inter
jurisdiction databases of local level
activities at a national level. There are
also reports of heated controversy
relating to the various systems being
proposed for various levels. Reports of
resistance to information sharing between
local level jurisdictions as well as
between local, state and federal levels,
are numerous. An emerging school of
thought is for the need for more
centralization of law enforcement
entities, and appears to be what will be
needed to be implemented before law
enforcement makes any real progress in
this area.
This
is one other gap that keeps current
victims from rescue.
COMMUNITIES
PARALYZED BY COMBINED DYNAMICS
Gang
terrorization of a community, combined
with the unresponsiveness of law
enforcement and other authorities, the
fear that all of this creates in the
community, the ease it creates in the
taking of victims, and many other aspects,
including those listed above, result in a
community being unable to help itself
overcome these dynamics, let alone begin
to challenge traffickers themselves. Until
these other problems are resolved,
traffickers are able to thwart any
attempts of the community to challenge
them.
I
was told, soon after David's abduction,
when I just thought that David was the
only victim, that, in our local area,
there are agencies and attorneys who could
get David freed for a considerable amount
of money. I was told to avoid them, that
they are, basically, ransom agents. I
immediately realized that such agents are
just additional exploiters of victims and
help drive the demand for abduction and
slavery.
Other
than such agents, there are no non profit
organizations nor other entities in the
local area that offer the services needed
to get David, nor other victims, freed,
although there are evidently therapists
who offer counseling services to former
victims of abduction. This situation, in
itself, just adds to implications of the
dynamics at play in this local area.
People
from outside the local area are needed to
help in the efforts here. However, most
law enforcement agencies and other service
providers are restricted from providing
services to victims and communities in
other geographical areas.
NARROW
SCOPE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS
It
is inhumane, and a violation of human
rights, to allow slavery victims to
continue to be subjected to the conditions
of their situation until all of these
other complexities are resolved. Merely
allocating effective resources for
services if a victim has the freedom to
approach a service provider, and/or after
a victim is freed, does
not address the U.S. slavery problem and
is a sham! Slavery
victims have to be rescued, need
assistance in getting freed, in order to
be able to benefit from the funds and
resources that are currently being
allocated for their welfare.
Efforts
of non government agencies and of the
community have to focus on offsetting,
even while addressing, these gaps and
obstacles, some of which have been
outlined here. Only then can it be
considered that attempts are being made to
free victims, apprehend perpetrators,
prevent further victimization through
abduction and slavery and obliterate
slavery activities in the U.S.. This may
require an expansion of the current scope
of NGO and community efforts.
NGOs
need to include in the scope of providing
benefits to slavery activities such as:
-
Coordination
of the necessary community
surveillance activity and networking
with other communities and NGO's in
that same activity
-
Advocacy
and coordination of investigation and
rescue appeals to authorities and
other entities
-
Activism
in police and government reform
-
Assistance
to other communities too terrorized to
be able to act on their own and/or in
which corruption may be too prevalent
to enable an appropriate
response
-
Proactive
media relations
-
Publicizing
these many aspects of the complexity
of this problem to help motivate the
change, and possibly the public
outcry, necessary to effectively
address them
|
Teachers,
Sex
Assault Crisis Counselors, Police,
etc., also see information under Be alert to signs within patterns
on the Facts page.
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|
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OTHER:
Excerpts
from 09/30/03
- Beaming up the infrastructure:
Get with the
progrom, mon!
Under the
current state of technology and knowledge, how can
the primitiveness of the U.S. infrastructure,
which is so critical to the survival of our
people, ever be excused:
Same as what
is being done in health care, to a certain extent,
why isn't there a centralized national crime
fighting reporting system, that is used to take
immediate action to ensure the integrity and
effectiveness of our infrastructure, that includes
such information, monitoring and reporting
mechanisms for complaints, requests, permits,
licenses, etc.. of all law
enforcement/investigation departments and
agencies, covering local law enforcement,
including local private security departments, up
to federal agency headquarters as well as other
components of the infrastructure, such as
communications? Perhaps it can even tie in the
issuance of non driver license ID's including
photos and fingerprints. (Perhaps fingerprints
should be taken in ALL issuance's of official
ID's, including driver's licenses. )
NO! The
administrative feasibility line WON'T WORK as a
response. The public is not, or at least no
longer, as stupid as some would like it to be.
How can it
be allowed that mail going to or from certain
government agencies is getting lost in transit?
And what's happening with the information that the
lost mail holds, be it in content or just mere
existence? There is no reason why the U.S. Postal
Service can't have an automated inventory of mail,
perhaps with a unique identifying number added
when it is stamped. With such a system, reports
can be automatically generated of mail
"shortages." Yes, it may possibly also
require that an extension be added to the bar and
zip code of government agencies to identify the
sender or recipient. The effort and expense to
establish and maintain such monitoring and
reporting would be so minor compared to the
savings in the cost to fight crime. Having it as a
sub-system of the centralized national crime
fighting reporting system would probably make it
less expensive.
... Yeeaa!!!!!!!!!
FBI now has a way to submit complaints and tips
via the internet that aren't necessarily
associated with Sept. 11, 2001 type terrorism: https://tips.fbi.gov/
And, if the
FBI has something like this, why doesn't the U.S.
Connecticut District State's Attorney's office? Or
the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division,
the self-proclaimed champion in the fight against
Human Trafficking? ...
... Yes, what
has been revealed in efforts to get David freed is
that our infrastructure is in critical need of
renovation. Part of that includes the
restructuring of laws, the maintenance of which
help determine how critical resources are used.
For example:
Legalizing
prostitution
There
is no longer a real basis for prohibition of
prostitution. If it's not illegal to marry for
money, what basis is there for prostitution to
be illegal? If it's that it is fornication out
of wedlock, other laws have been updated to
reflect that such prohibition is passé, why not
the laws regarding prostitution? Pros of
legalization: Health checks, licensing that may
help screen against sex slavery, employee
benefits, including the ability to monitor that
the prostitute gets paid and is the one who
keeps the money, rather than a sex trafficker.
Monitoring of this can be enhanced by a
traceable payment system of both patrons and
prostitutes. More openness can make the even
less legitimate prostitution activities more
obvious. Cons of prohibition: Abuse of
prostitutes can't be reported to authorities.
Keeping prostitution "underground"
makes human trafficking that may be tied to it
more difficult to decipher, so helps to mask it
and hinders investigation and prosecution.
Studies of countries in which prostitution is
legal would probably produce a great many more
advantages, as well as a study of the
disadvantages, and the pitfalls that may be able
to be avoided in drafting legislation.
Legalizing
Marijuana
The
expresso tax that was just vetoed in
California(?) would not have been
appropriate/justified, but the effect of
caffeine abuse on work, social and family
environments is probably a LOT worse than that
of marijuana. And, there's the articles in the
Day, 9/27/03 and 9/28/03, relating to the Moosup
woman who had been drinking all afternoon,
forgot where she'd left her 4 year old daughter,
and ended up reporting to Norwich police that
the 4 year old was missing from the mother's
car, when actually it was just that the mother
had forgotten to pick her up from nursery school
in Plainfield. Yet alcohol is legal!
Updating our
laws to cut down on unnecessary prohibitions can
facilitate the freeing of resources, including
police time, court time and jail space, and allow
us to devote more of those resources to actual and
severe threats to the public. Human trafficking is
an excellent example of where the shortage of
those resources is having a critical impact. From Human
Trafficking: A Growing Criminal Market in the U.S.,
by James O. Finckenauer and Jennifer Schrock,
International Center, National Institute of
Justice, The Research, Development and Evaluation
Agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, United
Nations Activities:
Trafficking
cases are often difficult to prosecute in the
U.S., because the trafficking victims are the only
witnesses to the crime, and are unwilling to come
forward. In addition, if convicted, traffickers
rarely spend much time in U.S. prisons (Kane,
1999). Because of a law enforcement tendency to
view trafficking as a "victimless"
crime, adequate resources are generally not
devoted to investigating trafficking cases
(Williams, 1997) . . . . . .
Other
restructuring/re prioritizing of laws can actually
help prevent associated crimes and help in the
fight against atrocities. For example:
-
Eliminating
the times when no alcohol can be served in
public. Such laws just help drive crimes that
are associated with activities that compensate
for this further underground.
-
Legalizing
after hours parties, i.e., those being conducted
as "businesses" open to the a screened
public, and include sale of alcohol or, at
least, requirement of drinks poured being done
by someone other than the people who will
consume them. Along those lines, something is
needed, that allows and facilitates the
patrolling of activities of "private
clubs," private social events, etc., that
are now often related to human trafficking
crimes, including marketing, abuse and abduction
and are often "sex parties." (Sex
parties can be legalized if after hours parties
and prostitution is legalized.) This will be needed
even more in Connecticut after 10/1/03 when
smoking will be prohibited in bars. In addition,
that new prohibition will also make it easier
for drinks to be tampered with as patrons go
outside for a smoke, but are not permitted to
bring their drink with them.
In both
these cases, it may be possibly done by requiring
a permit that also allows/requires attendance by
law enforcement.
As lurking
evils grow, there needs to be a means of some
protection and patrol of the safety of workers
working at someone's house, some protection
against the possible scenario described in 09/14/03
- If Guns Are Outlawed . .[modified]:
Or it
could be someone being contracted to work at
someone's house and the woman making more and
more despicable sexual advances, possibly, early
on, offering some medication for a "sinus
infection" or "bronchial
infection" or some other infliction that
the intended victim may just so happened to have
acquired while working there. Or perhaps it was
only a matter of having some "friends"
of the woman stop by while the person was
working, and these "friends" sexually
and/or physically assaulting him. I know I
mentioned it in an email recently, although
don't recall where just now, but having some of
these possible victims, particularly Dave, do
some of the work of his legitimate trade in the
place where he is being held may help mask why
he is actually there. Plus, they get the
opportunity of exploiting him even more.
A more
enforceable very inexpensive flat fee permit,
visibly posted outside the premises and of a size
visible to neighbors as well as vehicles driving
by, for example, should be required which also
allows/requires periodic randomly timed patrol by
law enforcement. Reports on these required
periodic checks should also be part of the
centralized national crime fighting reporting
system. I realize that, if it means losing the
job, some workers may not do it, but, they
shouldn't even enter the premises if a current
permit isn't visibly posted outside. If such a
system were in place for their protection, and as
the prevalence of this human trafficking problem
becomes better known, many workers probably would
heed the warning. Perhaps there's even a way to
help enforce this through the cooperation of
establishments that sell building materials.
Sounds like an overly extreme measure? We have an
overly extreme problem on our hands! Yes,
criminals will find some way around this, but it
may make their activity at least a tiny bit more
difficult. The idea is to help eliminate
situations in which human trafficking victims can
be taken.
Requiring
that all police investigative divisions, as well
as federal agency "hot lines," be
manned, or rather, peopled, round that clock -
YES, that means nights and weekends as well (How
many are aware that investigative divisions are
usually closed on weekends and at night, which are
the times they are often needed the most?) - and
that "hot lines" and "tip
lines" not only be answered (What good are
they if the phone isn't even answered?) , not only
have at least a voice mail, but that there be a
category code, ID number and ID of person assigned
to review that information provided to the caller
to allow follow up and tracking.
There are
also the suggested ordinances outlined in 08/08/03
- counterfeit freedom:
Ordinance
regarding "banning" of individuals
from places of public accommodation:
Re-establish
the right to assemble and the right to free
speech, which is so arbitrarily being effected
by these "banning" by requiring that:
-
Such
"bannings" be administered through
the local police department, possibly first by
a police officer called to the scene
-
Requires
request
to have someone banned from an establishment
be signed personally by the owner/permittee of
that establishment, proof of that identity
required
-
Establishes justifiable criteria be
met to do so
-
Requires
request that
include, in addition to information that would
ordinarily be expected: reason for banning,
the name of the bartender(s)/employees
involved and/or on duty at the time the
"incident" occurred, the length of
time that the banning would be in effect, a
possible "reconsideration" date, and
signed statements by each of the employees
involved, the owner, the person being banned,
and any other person or persons involved,
which are not to be made/written in the
presence of the others
-
An
appeal process
-
Records
of current and prior "banning
request" whether or not approved, be
available as public records, possibly through
the town's internet site
-
All
current bannings in effect prior to the
ordinance be voided
-
Police
be required to honor and defend an
individual's right to be in an establishment
if such "banning request" has not
been filed and approved
-
Violation
may subject establishment to possible lose of
license to operate establishment
-
Again
NOTE: this is a very different issue than
refusing to serve someone liquor
The banning
from four establishments that has been done of me
appears to have been orchestrated and maintained
by the spg to keep me from finding out more about
David's situation and prevent the contact want
between us that we both want and need. In so
doing, the bannings have been arranged to help
mask human trafficking activities, hinder
investigation and help prevent David from escaping
or being rescued.
Ordinance
regarding local licensing of bartenders,
possibly reciprocal with certain towns, as well,
that provides:
-
Background
check, to possibly require a character
reference check
-
Uniformity
in how laws are to be interpreted by
bartenders
-
Establishment
of ethical standards, protocol, for
bartenders
-
Complaint
process for patrons
-
Requirement
that even those working at the time ordinance
takes effect become licensed within a certain
period
-
Issuing of interim
"temporary" licenses
-
Requirement
that all bartenders have temporary license or
current license with them at all times while
bartending
-
Patrons
be shown license, upon request
Ordinance
regarding accountability of owners/permittees of
places of public accommodation, that provides:
-
Publicly
posting of their contact information, to
include, at least, a telephone number and
address ( Due to activity in which the spg has
engaged, merely using the telephone number and
address is not sufficient.) OR
-
That
they be reachable to members of the public,
within a reasonable amount of time and at a
feasible time, through the local police
department
Okay,
perhaps some of these suggestions may not be the
answers to the aspect they are trying to
address,
But we have to
come up with ones that are!! !
... Again, of
course, there still appears to be a drastic
shortage of awareness and training of law
enforcement, emergency and investigative personnel
in aspects of human trafficking. Again, something
that evidently cannot be repeated enough:
SUPPORT
AND PROTECTION OF VICTIMS – AND OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY - WHO GIVE EVIDENCE
Victims
- Police
need to understand the importance of not
questioning a suspected victim in the
presence of other people and/or in a
location that may be somehow under the
control of those holding him.
- Even
if a victim were to trust someone, even a
law enforcer, that victim most likely will
not admit the actual situation unless he is
absolutely sure that he will not be turned
back over to those holding him, nor to a
situation in which he may easily fall back
into their hands.
- Questions
need to be phrased in a way that keeps in
mind that Sodium Pentothal may have been
used on the victim or that he may be aware
that it may still be administered to him
later by his captors, depending on, or
possibly even regardless, of the outcome of
the interview with authorities.
- Police
and other emergency personnel need to be
alert to signs of a possible trafficking
situation and should possibly use those as
justification for further questioning,
possibly even holding the person in custody
as protection. These may include:
- No
proof of identification or someone else
“holding” it for him
- Unwillingness
to, or prevention of, receiving medical
treatment
- Someone
trying to prevent the possible victim
from being questioned alone
- Evidence
of possibly unreasonable control over
the possible victim, such as someone
telling him what he may or may not do,
possibly even speaking for him
Possibly
adding to that that there may be varying levels of
"voluntariness" which accounts for
varying levels of custody/force.
Every
opportunity should be taken to make people other
than authorities aware of these aspects, as well.
This can possibly even be done at group meetings.
If nothing else, feel free to hand out the
mykindredspirit.home.att.net card:
COMMUNITY
ALERT
Info:
mykindredspirit.home.att.net
Email:
marianne-lbrqu@att.net
Find
out what's going on, and DO something about it!
Let people
in other geographical areas know of this, as well.
Our locale is not alone in suffering from this
horrible blight. It's epidemic through the world,
as well as throughout the United States. It would
be the needed counterpart of that said in 06/25/03
- Each person's part.
Beam us ALL up,
Scottie!
Also
see
Coalition
activities
02/13/04 - It takes a lot of people [modified]
05/29/04 - draziw > take?
06/11/04 - Another alert or, actually, signs of change?
and also
10/26/04 - Steps toward a civilized, more sensible U.S.
gvmt: What must be done in preparation for this election 1) 2) 3)
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