Washington D.C. – In recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are intensifying their efforts to combat human trafficking, an insidious crime that involves the exploitation of individuals for forced labor or sex through means such as force, fraud, or coercion. This multifaceted issue affects victims across diverse demographics, making it a pervasive and challenging problem.
It is difficult to measure the magnitude of human trafficking in the United States. Victims and survivors of human trafficking are diverse in race, national origin, religion, age, gender, education level, and citizenship status. Human trafficking victims can be anyone.
A recent report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) underscores the severity of the situation. In fiscal year 2021, 2,027 individuals were referred to U.S. attorneys for human trafficking offenses, reflecting a 49% increase from 2011. Prosecutions for human trafficking cases in federal court more than doubled during the same period, rising from 729 persons in 2011 to 1,672 persons in 2021. This data, although revealing, is acknowledged as an incomplete representation due to the hidden nature of these crimes.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a significant number of human trafficking cases go undetected by law enforcement agencies at various levels. A study funded by the National Institute of Justice highlighted the challenge of inadequate victim identification, affecting both law enforcement and victim service providers.
The OJP is taking proactive measures to address the complexity of human trafficking by fostering community capacity and stakeholder involvement. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), managing the largest federal funding dedicated to human trafficking victims, has allocated over $320 million through almost 500 awards as of January 2023. This funding supports services to victims, multidisciplinary teams, statewide responses to child and youth trafficking, and training and technical assistance.
OVC’s training and technical assistance (TTA) providers offer evidence-based support for victim services, multidisciplinary task forces, and cross-sector collaboration. Through the “Building a Human Trafficking Program Resource Guide,” OJP outlines resources for organizations developing human trafficking programs.
In 2022, OVC released “Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials,” aiding young survivors of human trafficking aged 12-18 in understanding the justice system, their rights, and more. OVC also initiated a partnership with the Office on Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish standards of care for service providers assisting survivors of human trafficking.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) contributes to the cause by supporting programs that provide direct support services for children and youth who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation. This includes facilitating outreach efforts and enhancing organizations’ capacities to identify and respond to this vulnerable population.
Through program funding, research projects, and more, the Office of Justice Programs and its program offices are working to provide information and resources related to human trafficking. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), through rigorous research and evaluation, plays a vital role in supporting OJP’s human trafficking efforts. Projects funded by NIJ focus on strengthening the science of measuring the prevalence of human trafficking, preventing trafficking, improving the identification, investigation, and prosecution of traffickers, and uncovering best practices for supporting victims.
OJP remains committed to upholding the intent of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, ensuring that all trafficking victims, regardless of immigration status, gender, or form of trafficking, receive the necessary services to heal in the aftermath of victimization. As January marks Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the DOJ and OJP encourage communities to join in the fight against human trafficking by raising awareness and supporting initiatives that combat this heinous crime.
