September 20, 2008 Sex Trafficking Summit presented by Voices of Women in partnership with The Thomas Jefferson School of Law's Center for Global Studies and the International Law Society/Amnesty International Student Group.
100 audience members listened intently to six speakers who outlined the state of the global Sex Trafficking trade, in this first Summit staged by Voices of Women. Professor Sue Tiefenbrun of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law spoke of the 800,000 victims trafficked per year throughout the world. It is believed that some 17,000 of these are trafficked through the US. The only solution to this pandemic is to provide education for these women (and men and boys) to lift them out of poverty so they are not vulnerable to the trafficking cult.
Marisa Ugarte, Executive Director of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition (BSCC) delivered graphic and tragic stories of the victims. BSCC is part of an alliance of 60 government and non-profit agencies in the US and Latin America. 90% of trafficked women are prostitutes. It takes the work of 27 people to get one victim rehabilitated and returned to society.
Lilia Velasquez, Immigration Attorney and Law Professor spoke about the law in regard to trafficked victims. Velazquez has been the defense attorney on three major cases which last approximately two years. Visas for victims can take 7 years to obtain. Victims are often documented incorrectly, causing hours of extra work.
Assistant US Attorney, Chris Tenorio described his work in prosecuting indicted traffickers. In the Civil Rights Division of Federal Law there are 11 sections and only one for Criminal activities. Sexual orientation is not yet protected. Young Mexican girls are moved to Florida, ostensibly to become nannies but instead are forced into sexual slavery and moved from place to place. 56% of the 17,000 trafficked through the US are used for sexual exploitation.
Linda Oberlies, Vice Department Officer of the San Diego Police Department explained the Department's role in identifying and protecting trafficked victims.
Christie Edwards, Adjunct Law Professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law presented research on global sex-trafficking in China and North Korea.
