News Round-up – National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
ATEST and our member organizations took advantage of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month to raise awareness of modern slavery in the United States. We also had the privilege to work with five survivors of human trafficking to amplify their critical voices in a call for stronger U.S. policies to prevent and end modern slavery, stop treating trafficking victims as criminals, and provide critical survivor services. Here are just some of the news stories, op-eds, radio interviews and events from the month – we are hopeful that the attention paid to this issue during January will continue throughout the year and support stronger policy leadership at local, state and national levels.
Op-Eds, Blogs and News Stories
Kentucky can do more to help trafficking victims recover, op-ed in the Louisville Courier-Journal. Margeaux Gray, survivor advocate and artist challenges Kentucky policymakers to improve the state’s response to human trafficking victims. (Jan. 30, 2014)
I was kidnapped into the sex trade, opinion in The Hill’s Congress Blog. Shandra Woworuntu, survivor leader, Voices of Hope calls on Congress to support legislation to strengthen regulation of foreign labor recruiters. (Jan. 30, 2014)
Child welfare system must work better to help stop trafficking of children, opinion in Roll Call. Ima Matul, survivor coordinator for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) challenges lawmakers to support legislation to strengthen the child welfare response to trafficking. (Jan. 23, 2014)
Arizona can do more to stop abuse: Don’t treat human-trafficking victims like criminals, opinion in Arizona Republic. Beth Jacobs, founder of Willow Way calls on Arizona legislature to enact provisions supported by the state’s Human Trafficking Task Force to end criminalization of human trafficking victims. (Jan. 22, 2014)
The Shadowy world of sex trafficking on US Shores by Jo Biddle, L’Agence France-Presse (AFP) (Jan. 31, 2014)
Broadcast
“Arizona Raises Awareness of Human Trafficking Ahead of 2015 Super Bowl,” KAWC public radio interview with Brittany Vanderhoof, Polaris Project and Beth Jacobs, survivor advocate (Jan. 26, 2014)
“Tucson victim of human trafficking shares story, message in Capitol,” Cronkite News Service interview with survivor advocate Beth Jacobs and ATEST director Melysa Sperber (Jan. 27, 2014)
“Governor Jan Brewer addresses state of the State in Arizona,” KVOA News4 (Tucson) mentions Beth Jacobs, survivor advocate and founder of Willow Way.
The Shadowy world of sex trafficking on US Shores – by Jo Biddle, L’Agence France-Presse (AFP) News Agency – an interview with survivor advocate Shandra Woworuntu and ATEST Director Melysa Sperber (Jan. 31, 2014)
Congressional Briefing: A conversation with survivors of human trafficking about policy priorities to prevent and end modern slavery (highlights below; click here to view full briefing. (Jan 27, 2014)
Radio Interviews
American Urban Radio Network, interviewed Melysa Sperber (ATEST)
Fox Radio News Network, interviewed Bradley Myles (Polaris)
Viewpoints, a MediaTracks Communications program, interviewed Melysa Sperber (ATEST) and Avaloy Lanning (Safe Horizon)
Bev Smith Show, interviewed interviewed Melysa Sperber (ATEST) and Beth Jacobs (survivor advocate, Willow Way)
KZYK (Mendocino, CA), interviewed Kay Buck and Ima Matul (Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, CAST)
KNX/CBS Radio (Los Angeles, CA) interviewed Kay Buck and Ima Matul (CAST)
Lotus Bakersfield (Los Angeles, CA) interviewed Flor Molina (CAST National Survivor Network)
HOT 92.3 (Los Angeles, CA) interviewed Melysa Sperber (ATEST)
KSCO News Talk Radio, Good Morning Monterey Bay (CA) interviewed Angela Guanzon (CAST National Survivor Network) and Melysa Sperber (ATEST)
KSKY 660 AM (Dallas, TX) interviewed Avaloy Lanning (Safe Horizons)
