The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of the U.S. people and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health,safety,and well-being of America". Before the separate federal Department of Education was created in 1979,it was called the Department of Health,Education,and Welfare (HEW).
Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It has been called a form of modern slavery because of the way victims are forced into sexual acts non-consensually,in a form of sexual slavery. Perpetrators of the crime are called sex traffickers or pimps—people who manipulate victims to engage in various forms of commercial sex with paying customers. Sex traffickers use force,fraud,and coercion as they recruit,transport,and provide their victims as prostitutes. Sometimes victims are brought into a situation of dependency on their trafficker(s),financially or emotionally. Every aspect of sex trafficking is considered a crime,from acquisition to transportation and exploitation of victims. This includes any sexual exploitation of adults or minors,including child sex tourism (CST) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST).
Cynthia Dyer is an American attorney who has served as Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons since January 2023. She formerly served as director of the Office on Violence Against Women from 2007 to 2009.
Virginia Mary Kendall is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. President George W. Bush appointed her to the bench on January 3,2006. In addition to serving on the bench,Judge Kendall is also a noted expert on child exploitation and human trafficking,as well as an adjunct professor and author.
The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) is an agency within the United States Department of State charged with investigating and creating programs to prevent human trafficking both within the United States and internationally. The office also presents the Trafficking in Persons Report annually to Congress,concerning human trafficking in the U.S. and other nations. This report aims to raise awareness about human exploitation and trafficking,and to prevent it. The office's goals are to make the public aware,protect victims,take legal action against violators,establish necessary and just sentences for criminals,and train law enforcement individuals. The office is led by the United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) is a Los Angeles-based anti-human trafficking organization. Through legal,social,and advocacy services,CAST helps rehabilitate survivors of human trafficking,raises awareness,and affects legislation and public policy surrounding human trafficking.
The Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism is an office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security,Democracy,and Human Rights at the United States Department of State. The office "advances U.S. foreign policy on antisemitism" by developing and implementing policies and projects to support efforts to combat antisemitism.
In the United States,human trafficking tends to occur around international travel hubs with large immigrant populations,notably in California,Texas,and Georgia. Those trafficked include young children,teenagers,men,and women;victims can be domestic citizens or foreign nationals.
Ireland is one of many destination countries for women,men,and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. In its 2018 and 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report,the United States Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons noted that Ireland had been downgraded from a tier 1 to a tier 2 country,meaning it was no longer meeting "the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but [..] making significant efforts to do so". The 2018 report highlighted "only three prosecutions" and "deficiencies in victim identification and referral" as reasons for the downgrading.
Nancy Halliday Ely-Raphel is an American diplomat. She was the United States Ambassador to Slovenia from 1998 to 2001. From 2001 to 2003,she was the first Director of the U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
Susan Lynn Brooks is an American prosecutor and politician. She is a Republican and the former U.S. Representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. She was elected in 2012. The district includes the northern fifth of Indianapolis,as well as many of the city's affluent northern and eastern suburbs. Brooks served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana from 2001 to 2007.
Dalton High School is a public high school located in Dalton,Georgia,United States. It is one of three high schools operated by Dalton Public Schools.
Benjamin Perrin is a law professor and former legal advisor to the Prime Minister's Office under Stephen Harper. Currently,he is a professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. Perrin,who was supporter that shaped Harper's tough on crime policies during his time as advisor,has now become a supporter of transformative justice.
Leslie Abrams Gardner is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Prior to being appointed to the bench,she was an assistant United States attorney.
John J. Easton Jr. is an American attorney who served as Vermont Attorney General and in several senior positions with the United States Department of Energy.
The United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons is the head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons in the United States Department of State. The ambassador-at-large advises the United States Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security,Democracy,and Human Rights directly and formulates U.S. policy on human trafficking. As the head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons,this Ambassador also has the rank of Assistant Secretary.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 is an Act of Congress introduced in the Senate on January 13,2015,and signed into law by United States President Barack Obama on May 29,2015. It is also known as the JVTA. Broadly speaking,it aimed to increase services for survivors of human trafficking as well as to strengthen and empower law enforcement and first responders.
Erica Hinkle MacDonald is an American lawyer who served as the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota from 2018 to 2021. She served as a judge of the District Court for the First Judicial District of the State of Minnesota from 2010 to 2018;as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2000 to 2009;a litigation associate in 2000;and a federal judicial law clerk from 1997 to 1999.
John Cotton Richmond is an American attorney and diplomat. From 2018 to 2021,Richmond served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. He currently works as Chief Impact Officer at Atlas Free. He also serves as president of the Libertas Council,a leadership community focused on combating human trafficking,advancing democracy,and affirming human dignity.
