Julianne Duncan is the Associate Director for Children's Services, with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration and Refugee Services. This Q&A is to follow-up with yesterdays posting, and bring you more from my interview with Ms. Duncan. If you have not read yesterdays post, please do so, Ms. Duncan has a great deal of information and knowledge to share on the subject of child trafficking.
What do you think is the biggest misnomer or confusion about human trafficking?
"One of the biggest confusions, well there are two, on one side there is confusion and complexity as to if it is smuggling or trafficking. It may not actually be trafficking, but there are circumstances where they children look like they are participating in something looking like the sex trade". "The nexus between smuggling and trafficking is complex, there is great confusion on to what level of proof they need. There has been progress, but needs to be much more".
Does USCCB work with both domestic and international victims of trafficking?
Yes
Do you find you have more hurdles to face with domestic or international victims?/What is the difference in domestic victims and international victims?
"Internal to the US and not thinking about immigration when thinking of trafficking, but US children trafficked within the United Statesthere is lots of discussion and confusion, with some people in the United states thinking that U.S. born children not getting benefits that foreign born children have gotten. This mired in a lack of knowledge as really few children are cared for that are foreign. However US children are also facing huge barriers though very different than foreign born children. For domestic children, they do not necessarily have to say "yes, I did work in a brothel", as most have been picked up for prostitution, therefore they are faced with being treated as juvenile delinquents, not as trafficking victims." "For foreign born children who are trafficked, the biggest obstacle is being identified, and therefore cared for. They are not easily able to articulate their situation, they are afraid and ashamed to say, "yes, I was working in a brothel", but if they do not say it they cannot be cared for." "So often foreign born children are treated as illegal aliens and not trafficking victims".
The one thing that Ms. Duncan, stated was the most important consensus with children, regardless of their nationality or immigration status, is that "children cannot consent! For children if they are actively participating in the sex trade, they are defacto victims"
When asked what needs to be done to ensure that both foreign and US born children receive more adequate care and protection, Ms. Duncan stated,
"Continuing to raise awareness is quite important and continuing to improve the laws. The biggest issue is to improve our administration of the law with all the agencies involved. All three U.S. federal government agencies who have responsibilities for trafficking have different goals and objectives in mindvictims are touched by all three and it is easy for them to fall through the cracks".
According to Ms. Duncan it is "easy to fall through some big gapping cracks", and it is a problem for everyone involved in any aspect of trafficking work, but it is an even bigger problem with children. "Though it would seem to easier in theory, however in practice it is harder as they do not need the children to testify, and therefore children quickly drop off the radar screenas they focus on prosecution". According to Ms. Duncan, this problem is completely "unintentional, but the biggest problem in the US", and she stated that there needs to be a seamless effort, consensus and way forward within in all three agencies.
When placing children who have been victimized by trafficking, what is the most difficult hurdle that the children face in their resettlement?
For foreign born children who have been trafficked into the United States, they have many adjustments to make when they are removed from the trafficking situation and stabilized in foster care if they do not have families to care for them. Being among unfamiliar people, even when they speak the language and have familiar food or customs is the initial hurdle. It takes the child a while to begin trusting anyone. Since they have been betrayed by their traffickers and sometimes by their family of origin, establishing trust is the most difficult hurdle.
What programs are most in need when it comes to the placement and rehabilitation of child victims of trafficking?
Getting a child through the system of referrals and barriers is really the biggest problem right now. The system of identification and referral is simply not as seamless as we all wish it would be. Developing adequate program response to assist the government and potential providers is the greatest lack right now. Once children are identified and referred for foster care or for care in local areas, programs need adequate trained staff and enough skilled foster parents to assist the child victims.
"Since the Victims of Trafficking Act was passed in 2000, the number of victims of children identified are less than 100, and if estimates are correct then there should have been 47,000". Ms. Duncan stated, "Its amazing how poorly we are doing as a country. It's a hard problem all the way around, for the government, and for us as NGOs". "There isn't a lot of dissension that children should not be trafficking", yet there are a great many strides that still need to be accomplished if we are going to be able to truly protect, assist and rehabilitate child trafficking victims.
The last thing we in the public remember or think is, that there was a raid and then it slips off the radar of our minds.and when the topic of trafficking falls from our minds, we need to aware that is when children are beginning to fight once again, as they fall through the cracks. It is after a raid and the publicity of a raid or law enforcement action that we need to be offering care to the children who have been caught up in the trafficking situation. We must realize not only that the issue of child trafficking is a problem that does not end with the recovery of victims. There are many people and organizations working hard every day to provide the victims of trafficking a bright future, but they too struggle in the fight. The USCCB continues to work tirelessly on behalf of child victims of human trafficking, and continuously works to advocate and lobby for stronger laws, enforcement and support services.
Links:
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking
Guidance for Identifying a Child Victim of Trafficking
Frequently Asked Questions About Services to Trafficked Children
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 Fact Sheet
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) of the US Department of Health and Family Services – Administration for Children and Families
The Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking
