Batting Up for a Cause

While my knowledge of the D.C. Nationals, or any major league baseball team for that matter, is limited, I will be cheering them on as they take on the Cardinals June 15.

For this particular game, the Nationals have teamed up with the DC Human Trafficking Task Force to bring attention to modern day slavery. People who would otherwise not be inclined to learn about the issue will have information readily accessible at the game and persons dedicated to the cause can show up and make a statement that D.C. will not tolerate human trafficking anymore.

A portion of ticket sales will go to the DC Trafficking Task Force as they continue to help the countless victims of human trafficking. I’ll be there because I care about this issue and who knows; maybe I’ll learn a thing or two about that “old ball game.”

Please see below for registration details:
To register go nationals.com/tickets
* click Individual Game Tickets
* click “T” on game of choice
* enter Coupon Code “HTAN” and click continue
After the discount, tickets are $7/each.

Freedom Network Conference

9th Annual Freedom Network Conference

Presentations and workshops by experts on human trafficking issues for Advocates, Legal Representatives, Social Service Providers, Government Officials, Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officers

Conference Registration:
Registration Fee: $295
Early Bird Registration before Feb. 5th: $265
Third person or more from same organization: $265

Registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch, and snack breaks. The Freedom Network conference is at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center located in Washington, DC. For Hotel reservations book online or call the hotel directly at 1-888-324-2111.

Questions? Please contact Stephanie Fletcher at fnusa2011@yahoo.com.

For more information on previous Freedom Network conferences, and for conference updates, please check here.

Polaris Project's Fellowship Program

Polaris Project's Fellowship Program is recognized as one of the premiere leadership development programs focused on the issues of human trafficking and modern day slavery. The program provides young adults with training and on-the-ground practical experience in the anti-trafficking movement.

Applicants range from undergraduate students to retired attorneys from around the world and throughout the United States. At the beginning of each session, Fellows receive more than 40 hours of intensive training on human trafficking as well as program-specific training related to their particular position. Once trained, Fellows are integrated into the daily operations of their program and engage in meaningful projects and continuing education activities within the anti-trafficking movement.

All fellowships are unpaid, and most are designed as full-time positions. Since the fellowship program's inception in Spring 2003, more than 400 Fellows have completed the Fellowship Program, many of whom have gone on to take prominent positions in the anti-trafficking movement.

Washington, DC
Executive Assistant Fellowship
Communications and Media Fellowship
Social Media Fellowship
Policy and Legal Fellowship
Training/Technical Assistance and Research Fellowship
National Human Trafficking Hotline Fellowship
Information Technology (IT) Fellowship
Operations and Non-Profit Management Development Fellowship
Policy Implementation and Coordination Fellowship
Japan Liaison Fellowship
Program Liaison Fellowship
Client Services Operations Fellowship
Foundation and Grants Fellowship

New Jersey
Public Outreach and Communications Fellowship
Client Services Fellowship T

he Fellowships run January 13-May 13. Early application deadline is December 10. and the final application deadline is January 10.

For answers to frequently asked questions, click here.

Final Two Days to Vote For Polaris Project in the Pepsi Refreash Contest

Currently, Polaris Project is number 6 in the September Pepsi Refreash contest, which ends in two days. The top ten organizations will receive $50,000. You can vote daily online and/or by texting your vote to Pepsi (73774) with Polaris Project’s number: 102318.

Pepsi Refresh is an online voting competition to give funds to good causes. Pepsi Refresh does a number of different voting competition each month to award different grant amounts. This month, from September 1st through September 30th, voting is open for the round of September grants. Polaris Project is part of this online voting competition, trying to raise $50K to support a number of its programs and anti-trafficking efforts, including its Fellowship program.

Polaris Project is one of the largest anti-trafficking organizations in the United States and Japan, with programs operating at international, national and local levels through our offices in Washington, DC; Newark, NJ; and Tokyo, Japan. Polaris Project is one of the few organizations working on all forms of trafficking and serving both citizen and foreign national victims of human trafficking.

Polaris Project's comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking includes conducting direct outreach and victim identification, providing social services and transitional housing to victims, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) serving as the central national hotline on human trafficking, advocating for stronger state and Federal anti-trafficking legislation, and engaging community members in local and national grassroots efforts.

Vote here.

Playground

Screening of the film PLAYGROUND Thursday, September 23, 2010 - 6:30pm Capitol Hill Visitor Center - North Orientation Theater, Washington, DC

Introductory Remarks by Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking In Persons Followed by Q&A and discussion with advocates, moderated by filmmaker Libby Spears

Directed by Libby Spears; Executive produced by George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Steven Soderbergh

This poignant documentary about the commercial sexual exploitation of children in America has been screened around the country. It has been referenced by legislators like Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) who have seen it and felt compelled by its powerful message: "Child sex trafficking happens to our children, in our country." The sexual exploitation of children is a problem that we tend to relegate to back-alley brothels in developing countries.

This is where filmmaker Libby Spears began her sensitive investigation into the topic. But she quickly concludes that very little thrives on this planet without American capital, and the commercial child sex industry is thriving. A meeting with Ernie Allen, President of the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, confirmed to Libby what her research was beginning to uncover: that the trafficking of children for commercial sexual exploitation is every bit as real in North America. And this is where Playground really begins.

Spears intelligently traces the epidemic to its disparate, and decidedly domestic, roots—among them the way children are educated about sex, and the problem of raising awareness about a crime that is often carefully hidden. Her cultural observations are couched in the search for Michelle, an American girl lost to the underbelly of childhood sexual exploitation who has yet to resurface a decade later. Playground documents the incredible challenges we face as a society.

Luckily, some legislators have decided to meet that challenge. The "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010" was originally introduced in December by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) as S.2925. It passed from the Senate Judiciary unanimously and awaits a vote by the Senate. The House bill, H.R. 5575, was introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) in June and awaits action in the House Judiciary Committee.

Seating is limited. Please RSVP to playground@nestfoundation.org.

Free the Slaves: Development Director

From Idealist:

Free the Slaves: Development Director

Education: Bachelor (BA, BS, etc.)
Location: Washington, District of Columbia, 20036, United States
Posted by: Free the Slaves
Job Category: Fundraising & Development
Sector: Nonprofit
Last day to apply: November 2, 2010
Last updated: September 3, 2010
Type: Full time
Language(s): English
Job posted on: September 3, 2010
Area of Focus: Economic Development, Foundations, Fundraising, and Philanthropy, Human Rights and Civil Liberties

Description:
Free the Slaves is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to ending modern slavery worldwide. Founded in 2000, Free the Slaves is a dynamic, fast-growing organization that has its headquarters in Washington, DC and satellite offices in Los Angeles, Delhi, Accra and Kathmandu. It has programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brazil, Ghana, Haiti, India, Nepal, Sudan and Uganda in addition to its work in the United States. Free the Slaves is regularly sought after by governments, civil society organizations, and national and international media to lend its expertise. The organization’s revenue has grown an average of about 40% each year over the past five years.

Free the Slaves is currently seeking a strong, creative leader to serve in the role of Development Director to lead all aspects of the development / fundraising function and take advantage of expanding opportunities. This position is ideal for an experienced development professional seeking to make a significant difference in an entrepreneurial organization. The Development Director will be able to see the tangible effect of their efforts through individuals being freed from slavery and systems being dismantled that allow slavery to exist.

In partnership with the CEO and Development Team—including the Major Gifts Director, the Development Associate and a cadre of organizational leaders and volunteers who are enthusiastic about raising funds—the Development Director will develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan which may include major gifts, annual fund, on-line fundraising, foundations, government grants, special events, product sales and other components.

The Development Director will report to the CEO and will lead and manage the Development team. He or she will also work closely with the Executive Producer/Communications Director and the Communications team to integrate consistent fundraising messaging throughout the organization’s external communications. This position will be based in the DC headquarters of Free the Slaves. Flexible scheduling is possible. Domestic and some limited international travel will be required.

Responsibilities:
- Collaborating with Development Team, build and implement a comprehensive multi-year development plan including major gifts, annual fund, online fundraising, foundations, government grants, product sales and other components
- Lead and manage Development team of staff, organizational leaders and volunteers
- Serve as a key representative of the organization
- Manage relationships with institutional donors and work closely with the Major Gifts Director to manage relationships with major individual donors
- Design and write grant proposals and reports, working closely with other staff
- Manage fundraising aspects of special events
- Keep abreast of all programmatic initiatives to effectively communicate them verbally and in writing to a wide variety of constituents

Requirements:
• Demonstrated experience in identifying the uniqueness of an organization and its culture and creating a fundraising program tailored to that organization
• Is inspired by the challenge of working in a fast-growing organization
• Strong ethical background that values long-term relationships with donors
• Ability to successfully initiate and cultivate relationships with a wide variety of constituents in a number of geographical regions and cultures
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant development experience, including at least 3 years of experience in writing grant proposals and reports
• Demonstrated success in designing and executing successful fundraising strategies
• Experience managing a team of people, staff and volunteers, from a variety backgrounds
• Passion for ending slavery
• Experience in fundraising internationally a plus
• Enthusiasm for base-building, especially incorporating internet and social media strategies into development activities
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills
• Strong computer skills; experience with Raiser’s Edge a plus
• Ability to work in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment while maintaining a sense of humor
• Bachelor’s Degree, or equivalent experience

Benefits:
In order to attract and retain professionals at the top of their fields, Free the Slaves provides a generous compensation package, including competitive salaries, vacation, personal time and employer-paid health insurance for employees.
How to Apply:
Applicants should send a cover letter, resume and two writing samples (preferably fundraising-related, each under 3pp) to careers@freetheslaves.net with ‘Development Director Search’ in the subject line.

Free the Slaves is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity.

Free the Slaves: Zimmerman Fellowship

Each year Free the Slaves recognizes various individuals and organizations who have made major contributions to the international anti-slavery movement by naming them Freedom Award recipients. Among those Freedom Awards is the Anne Templeton Zimmerman Fellowship, named for the anti-slavery pioneer and founder of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

The Zimmerman Fellowship is awarded to one or two young adults under the age of 30 who have made concrete progress in ending slavery in the United States and especially abroad. The general purpose of the fellowship is to build up young leaders in the field and introduce them to the work of Free the Slaves. In addition, the fellows partner with Georgetown University’s School of Public Policy where they obtain a certificate in Non-Profit Executive Leadership.

Betsy Bramon, a 2007 graduate of William Jewell College, was one of the 2009 Zimmerman Fellows. Bramon has exemplified what it means to be a modern day abolitionist through her work with numerous organizations like Hagar International and Polaris Project. However, her year with Free the Slaves provided her with an opportunity to explore more of where her talents and passions may lead her in the future. During her fellowship, she worked closely with FTS’ international partnership teams that are successfully combating slavery and trafficking at the local levels. FTS partners with these smaller organizations to help them become even more effective leaders in their areas.

In addition, through the educational experience at Georgetown University, Bramon learned about not only leadership development but also the practical business side of the anti-trafficking field like human relations, finance, policy and research.

Overall, Bramon found her time as a Zimmerman Fellow to be rich and worthwhile. She said, “I was able to see into a different part of the anti-slavery movement, connect with other organizations who share similar values and goals, and grow both professionally and personally."

The Zimmerman Fellowship for 2010 has been selected; however, if you are interested in interning or volunteering with Free the Slaves you can follow this link: http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=307

Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum Northeast Tour

Press Release:

The Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum consists of a cargo truck outfitted as a replica of the trucks involved in a recent slavery operation (U.S. v. Navarrete, 2008), accompanied by displays on the history and evolution of slavery in Florida agriculture. The museum's central focus is on the phenomenon of modern-day slavery – its roots, the reasons it persists, and its solutions.

The exhibits were developed in consultation with workers who have escaped from forced labor operations as well as leading academic authorities on slavery and labor history in Florida. The museum is endorsed by many leading human rights and anti-slavery organizations, including Amnesty International and Anti-Slavery International, respectively the largest human rights organization and the oldest human rights organization in the world. . .

The museum was conceived of by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the human rights award-winning farmworker organization that has aided in the prosecution by the Department of Justice of seven farm slavery operations and the liberation of well over 1,000 workers since 1997. A federal indictment for the most recent forced labor case in Florida agriculture was unsealed just last week.

The tour will also raise awareness about labor conditions in the tomato supply chains of Ahold's USA supermarket brands, including Giant, Stop & Shop, and Martin's.“

Slavery in Florida agriculture today is not separate from the past – indeed, its roots extend deep within our state’s history. Farmworkers have always been, and remain today, the state’s poorest, least powerful workers,” explains Gerardo Reyes of the CIW. “If we are to abolish slavery once and for all in Florida agriculture, we must pull it up by the roots by addressing farmworker poverty and powerlessness.”

Th exhibit will be touring the northeast, starting in Virgina on July 25th before traveling to DC, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Baltimore, and other cities. For a full touring schedule, click here.

Executive Assistant Position Open at Tahirih Justice Center

From the Tahirih Justice Center:

Job Announcement

Executive Assistant

Location: Falls Church, VA

By providing holistic legal services and engaging in national public policy advocacy, the Tahirih Justice Center (Tahirih) works to promote access to justice in the United States for immigrant women and girls who are fleeing violence. Tahirih is a Bahá’í-inspired nonprofit organization that offers pro bono representation to women and girls seeking protection from such gender-based human rights abuses as domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, honor crimes, and forced marriage. Winner of the 2007 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management, Tahirih has a staff of 28 with offices in Falls Church, VA; Houston, TX; and Baltimore, MD.

Position Summary: Tahirih is currently seeking to fill the position of Executive Assistant, which provides administrative support to the Executive Director. Additional support will be provided to the Development Department and Public Policy Director, and other areas as needed. The candidate must have superior organizational skills, excellent communication skills, a high level of maturity and sound judgment. S/he must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with highly motivated staff in a rapidly growing, mission-focused organization. The position reports to the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Respond to routine correspondence, including individual donor requests, and field variety of inquiries via e-mail and telephone

• Coordinate appointments and make travel arrangements for Executive Director

• Provide general administrative support to Executive Director

• Edit and format documents and presentations for the Executive Director, and for Development department, as needed

• Maintain contact lists for Executive Director and Public Policy Director

• Attend Board of Directors meetings and help manage Board relations

• Conduct background research and assist with preparation for presentations and media interviews

• Assist with strategic analysis of organizational goals, metrics, and growth

• Answer Tahirih’s primary phone line (2 hours per day); conduct phone-screenings of potential clients

• Process donor thank you letters and track and file donations

• Assist with maintenance of donor records and contact tracking using Convio and Salesforce’s Common Ground databases

• Work with Grants manager to draft grant requests and reports

• Assist Development Team in event execution and follow-up

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• A college degree

• Detail-oriented with superior problem-solving, decision-making, organizational, and time management skills

• Strong ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion

• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, organize work, and follow through independently

• Experience working in an office environment, preferably in a nonprofit setting

• Flexibility in adapting work capacity to the needs of the office

• Ability to establish administrative systems within the office

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher), knowledge of Internet research tools

• Candidates applying must have work authorization in the United States

• Candidates will be asked to make a two year commitment to the position

Annual salary and benefits: Salary ranges from $28,000 to $32,000, depending on experience.

Benefits include: 15 days of paid accrued vacation during the first year (20 days of vacation after thefirst year), additional week of vacation between Christmas and New Years, fully-paid health and dentalinsurance coverage, 403(b) plan, flex-spending account, in-house training programs, professionaldevelopment opportunities, and staff enrichment retreats.

Submissions:

Please email a cover letter, resume, and a list of 3 references to:

Human Resources Department

Tahirih Justice Center

6402 Arlington Blvd., Ste. 300

Falls Church, VA 22042

justice@tahirih.org

Fax: 571-282-6162

Please note: Candidates applying must have work authorization in the United States.

The Tahirih Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability or veteran's status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations. Tahirih’s policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

Stop Modern Slavery: Human Trafficking Training

Stop Modern Slavery DC's Training Team will host a human trafficking training at the Cleveland Park Police Station on Tuesday, June 15th at 7:30 pm.

The training will cover what human trafficking is, how you can spot a trafficked victim--often described by experts as "hidden in plain sight"--and what you can do to help put an end to these unthinkable crimes. The training is open to the public.

The training is targeted to groups that may come into contact with trafficking victims, including emergency medical personnel, taxi drivers, police officers, hotel workers, etc. Stop Modern Day Slavery DC urges people to forward information about the event to anyone who may be interested in the event, particular the populations listed above. Contact organizers@stopmodernslavery.org for more information.

When:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
7:30pm - 9:30pm

Where:
Cleveland Park police station
3320 Idaho Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20016

Who:
Open to the public

To RSVP, go to one of these links:
Meetup.com

Facebook

Other

State Trafficking Laws

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was the first piece of federal legislation to address modern-day slavery specifically. It has been reauthorized multiple times, most recently in 2008. Since its enactment, states have implemented their own anti-trafficking legislation, that has been varied in timeliness, scope, and focus; some states have implemented innovative anti-trafficking laws; others have yet to take any concrete action. This month, the writers of HTP report on their own state's legislative efforts.

Meg: Oregon has two different trafficking-related offenses: involuntary servitude and trafficking in persons. "Involuntary servitude" involves forcing another to perform services by means of some kind of threat, and "trafficking" involves involuntary servitude with the addition of financial or other gain by the trafficker as a result of the forced services. Trafficking in persons is a Class B felony, and involuntary servitude can either be a Class B or Class C felony, depending on the severity of the threat or coercion by the offender. Victims of trafficking or involuntary servitude may claim the defense of duress if they are prosecuted for acts performed as a result of the coercion (presumably this refers to prostitution), but apparently they are not immune from prosecution altogether. Engaging in prostitution is a lesser crime (a misdemeanor) than inducing prostitution (a felony). It does not appear that there is an exception for minors. One interesting fact: Oregon passed a law this year that requires the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to distribute information on human trafficking (provided by the Polaris Project) to the establishments it licenses, including stickers with a hotline number that owners will be encouraged to post in a prominent location.

Jenn: Despite being the headquarters of federal government anti-trafficking efforts and numerous national and international anti-trafficking NGOs, the District of Columbia currently lacks an anti-trafficking law. Today, June 1st 2010, though, legislation will go before the City Council of D.C. to address this deficiency. According to Polaris Project, if passed the proposed legislation would "create the crime of human trafficking, covering both labor and sex trafficking, with appropriately severe penalties. It would provide crucial assistance to victims, including access to a victim advocate to develop a safety plan and it would allow civil cases to be brought by a victim against his/her trafficker." Such legislation is an important first step to additional anti-trafficking policy in D.C. to address the realities of slavery in the Nation's Capital.

Ayuda Seeks New Executive Director

From Ayuda:

Organization Description

Ayuda is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the legal and human rights of the immigrant community in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area by providing direct legal and social services, referrals, education, and advocacy. Ayuda has a 36 year history of providing critical services on a wide range of issues. The organization has nationally recognized expertise in immigration law, domestic violence, and human trafficking.

Ayuda’s core services include comprehensive legal and social services to foreign-born victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, as well as a general immigration practice. In addition, Ayuda continues to update and develop special programs to serve especially vulnerable populations, including unaccompanied immigrant children and asylum-seekers. Ayuda’s programs are designed to help its clients obtain lawful immigration status, including residency or U.S. citizenship, reunite with family members, and create a safe home for themselves and their children.

Ayuda has staff and offices in Washington D.C. and Sterling, VA. The annual budget for FY2010 ending September 30, 2010, is $1.6 million.

The Position
Ayuda is seeking an Executive Director to report to the Board of Directors, lead a staff of 19 full-time members and numerous volunteers and interns, and to seek, identify, and nurture relationships with the organization's donors and stakeholders. The Executive Director is charged with implementing the organization’s strategic vision; overseeing Ayuda's direct services, advocacy, and other programs; leading the fundraising process and donor relations; managing internal operations in collaboration with the management team; meeting the organization’s financial goals and assuring fiscal integrity; providing leadership in community affairs and collaborative initiatives; and serving as the public voice of the organization.

Key Responsibilities of the Executive Director
• Provide leadership on collaborative efforts in the legal, social service and immigrant communities
• Assure the financial integrity of the organization and work closely with the Finance Committee to monitor financial achievement against financial goals
• Work collaboratively with the Board of Directors and its committees: advise and report on the status of the organization’s activities, particularly on issues of strategic importance; cultivate positive relationships between the Board and staff; and assure support for the operations and development of the Board
• Sustain current and leverage new funding opportunities (national and local, private and public) through relationship-building, networking and increased public visibility
• Provide support to the management team (including the Legal Director, Social Service Director, Development Associate, and Interpreter Bank Director), including assisting them in the development of performance goals, setting benchmarks, and conducting evaluations
• Assess key needs of the organization such as facilities and technology infrastructure in partnership with the management team to promote highest levels of efficiency
• Develop an annual budget in conjunction with key staff and the Board, including mapping out projected expenses and revenue sources

Qualifications/Skills:

• Significant knowledge and experience in immigration, domestic violence, or human trafficking and related public policy issues
• Strong background in non-profit leadership and management
• Success in fundraising, including knowledge and experience with government funding
• Demonstrated success in driving growth and change
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking skills
• Demonstrated skills in advocacy, coalition-building and media relations
• Excellent reputation for integrity and high ethical standards
• Proven background in fiscal management and budgeting
• At least 5 years of relevant experience and 3 years of non-profit management experience
• Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred

Salary/Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits package.

To Apply

Send cover letter (including salary requirements) and resume as attached Word or PDF documents to search@ayuda.com with "Executive Director Search" in the subject line.

Please direct all inquiries related to this position to the same email address.

Review of resumes will begin immediately upon receipt.

Job Opportunity: Department of Justice Trial Attorneys

The Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice is seeking experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney in the Criminal Section. The Criminal Section prosecutes criminal civil rights cases, including Hate Crimes,deprivation of rights under color of law, and Human Trafficking offenses.

Attorneys in this position would have substantial opportunities to do Human Trafficking cases along with other Criminal Civil Rights cases, and attorneys for the specialized Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit within the Criminal Section are generally selected from within the Criminal Section. These positions are based in Washington, DC and require significant travel.

Job Description: The core duties of a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Section include investigating alleged violations of federal criminal civil rights statutes (including statutes prohibiting official misconduct, hate crimes, involuntary servitude, and violent interference with abortion rights) and conducting grand jury investigations and trials in federal district courts around the country. The complexity of the matters assigned, and the level of supervision required, varies depending on the Trial Attorney's years of specialized experience.

Requirements: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), have a minimum of three years post-J.D. experience. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills (including strong advocacy skills), possess excellent academic and professional credentials, and [have] outstanding professional references. Applicants must also demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills and professional judgment, and be able to excel in a fast-paced, highly demanding environment.

Necessary Experience: The Criminal Section seeks candidates with significant litigation experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service and/or civil rights. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: 1) first-chair criminal defense experience; 2) criminal or civil jury trial experience; 3) federal criminal or civil litigation experience; 4) experience with complex investigations, especially in utilizing investigative grand juries; 5) demonstrated commitment to public service through employment or volunteering; 6) demonstrated commitment to civil rights and/or human rights issues; 7) substantial knowledge of federal constitutional law; 8) fluency in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, or South East Asian or South Asian languages; or 9) judicial clerkship experience.

Salary: Within the GS-14 to GS-15 range ($105,211 through $153,200 per annum).

How to Apply: Applications for this position are being processed through an on-line application assessment system that has been specifically configured for Department of Justice applicants. Deadline to apply: 2/18/2010.

Click here to obtain more information and to apply.

Courtney's House Volunteer Opportunities

Courtney's House has two upcoming trainings for volunteers. According to its website, the organization was founded by Tina Frundt, a survivor of of domestic child sex trafficking. Courtney's House is projected to be a six-bed long-term group home for sex trafficked girls between the ages of 12 and 17. It will be the only group home of its kind in the Washington, DC area to cater specifically to this vital population segment. Courtney's House also offers mentoring, support groups and other programs for survivors, and conducts a street outreach program.

Volunteers interested in helping with direct services or street outreach can apply to attend training sessions.

Mentor Training/Direct Service Training Feb. 20th 10am-3pm, Location TBA.
This training is for people interested in mentoring, art therapy, dance therapy, sewing classes, etc. You must be 21 years or over; male or female. Email jkimball@courtneyshouse.org for information.

Street Outreach Training March 22-March 28 6:30pm-8pm Mon-Thurs. Special Training Friday, Marcy 27. Location TBA. March 28 Self-Defense Class 3pm-6pm.
Requires at least a three-month commitment. You must be 21 years or over; female volunteers only. If you are interested in applying for the training, please email jkimball@courtneyshouse.org.

For information about other volunteer opportunities with Courtney's House, visit their website.

Luis CdeBaca, America's Anti-Trafficking Czar

What is one of the most welcomed developments in the fight to end human bondage in 2009? Activists across the anti-trafficking spectrum welcomed the news in May of 2009 that Luis CdeBaca was appointed by President Obama as the Ambassador-at-Large of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Frequently referred to as Lou by friends and admirers alike, deBaca faces enormous challenges in his work to spearhead the US effort to pressure and monitor foreign governments in their efforts to free slaves. There are an estimated 12-17,000 people trafficked into the United States each year and as many as 27 million people living in slavery worldwide.

A Mexican-American who grew up in Iowa, deBaca has long experience both prosecuting traffickers and rescuing and rehabilitating trafficking survivors. Mr. deBaca was a trial attorney for over 14 years, then became a special litigator in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and, subsequently, served as Majority Counsel at the House Judiciary Committee. A highly decorated prosecutor, he has convicted over a hundred human traffickers, updated US anti-slavery laws to help police prosecute traffickers, and received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for his service as lead trial counsel in a case involving the enslavement of over 300 workers in American Samoa, the biggest slavery case ever prosecuted in the US.

Mr. deBaca’s tireless fight to prosecute traffickers is matched by his determination to rescue and rehabilitate trafficking survivors. According to Benjamin Skinner in a great piece in the Huffington Post in May of this year, Most meaningful to de Baca, however, are his successful rescues and rehabilitations of over six-hundred slaves. That is a record unmatched by any law enforcement official at any level since Reconstruction. And central to his approach has been his deeply felt compassion for the victims. "I always felt safe when Lou was working on our case and I knew we would be okay," said "Katya," a survivor of brutal sex traffickers who Lou helped put behind bars for a total of 21 years. "He is a good man." Too often in the past, law enforcement has dealt with slaves as if they were the perpetrators of a crime against the state, rather than victims of a crime against humanity. But for de Baca, fighting slavery is personal. Those of us who have met slaves, survivors and traffickers know de Baca's passion well, because we feel it ourselves.

Mr. deBaca is keenly aware that the other ally governments have in the anti-trafficking fight is the advocacy community, be they church groups, human rights groups, mission groups, unions or engaged individuals. During the release of the 2009 TIP Report, deBaca stated that he wanted to add a fourth “P” to the anti-trafficking categories: prevention, prosecution, protection, and (now) partnership. This was a move widely heralded by activists as a step forward and showed the US government was making a real effort to work in partnership with others around the world engaged in anti-trafficking efforts. In conjunction with the first ever release of a review of US efforts to fight trafficking that was promised for next year, it helped to lessen the impression that the US was less interested in pointing fingers at others and more interested in joint efforts and engagement.

I believe it’s also important that Mr. deBaca is committed to fighting slavery in all of its forms, from slave labor to sexual exploitation. The previous administration focused its evangelically influenced campaign a bit too much on sexual exploitation to the exclusion of other forms of trafficking. While human trafficking for sexual exploitation is deplorable and an abomination, the ILO estimates it represents about ten percent of those in slavery globally and our approach should be as multifaceted and proportionate as the phenomenon, addressing all types of human bondage.

Mr. deBaca has also shown his ability to contextualize human trafficking within the wider geo-political context. The US-Mexico border has a long history of transnational crime, including drug and human trafficking. The rampant criminality, along with the difficulty the long, porous border represents for law enforcement, has been highlighted by recent events, such as the Mexican sex trafficking ring that was broken up in November of last year by Brooklyn police and the murders of Juarez women. In May of 2009, Mr. deBaca has stated that human trafficking is a area where the US and Mexican governments can cooperate and is hopeful that sharing information on human trafficking cases will strengthen relationships between US and Mexican officials that would in turn strengthen transnational relations that help fight narcotrafficking.

What is also refreshing is that Mr. deBaca’s drive to fight trafficking is holistic. In November of last year, Mr. deBaca stated that "A phenomenal job of fighting trafficking still means that there’s trafficking. Having the best homicide detectives in your city doesn’t mean there’s not going to be murders. The fight against trafficking means that you try to keep it from happening, but also you’ve got cutting-edge tools to address it when it does. And to treat the victims the way they should be, but also to investigate and prosecute cases."

Mr. deBaca is welcome addition as the Ambassador-at-Large of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. While his approach is noteworthy and signs so far have been promising, he has to contend with a wafer-thin budget, which could shrink further under the weight of the current economic recession. Additionally, Mr. deBaca will need to build a constituency with the American and international public, as well as with key senators on the Foreign Relations Committee. I look forward to more positive developments in the fight against human trafficking this coming year and I believe Mr. deBaca is up for the challenges inherent in his position.

Urge Secretary Clinton to End Child Trafficking

Plan International USA, Inc. has created a petition urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to work to end child trafficking in 2010. The petition thanks Secretary Clinton for her support of anti-trafficking work to date, and aims to encourage her to continue to make ending slavery a priority. The petition, which has already gathered over 20,000 signatures, will close on January 31st.

Plan International is a child-centered NGO that operates in 48 countries around the world. According to Plan International, "This year 1.2 million girls and boys were victims of child trafficking. That means they were taken from their families. Sold into slavery. Forced to work 7 days a week with dangerous equipment. They endured beatings, malnutrition, and other abuse. Girls are especially exploited: sold as “mail order brides,” forced into prostitution, and brutalized and raped by their “employers.”

As Plan International notes, Secretary Clinton has expressed support for anti-trafficking work. The petition urges Secretary Clinton to "continue [her] important work to protect children from human trafficking by; spreading awareness of human trafficking by including it as a key part of upcoming speeches and responding to tragedies in the news, encouraging the work of organizations and countries that are making progress in ending human trafficking, discussing this issue with key leaders of countries who are known for human trafficking violations and insisting that these leaders follow the recommendations in the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report."

Upon the release of the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report, Secretary Clinton wrote in a piece published by the Washington Post, "Human trafficking flourishes in the shadows and demands attention, commitment and passion from all of us. We are determined to build on our past success and advance progress in the weeks, months and years ahead. Together, we must hold a light to every corner of the globe and help build a world in which no one is enslaved." Plan International's petition aims to encourage Secretary Clinton to continue her commitment and strengthen her leadership in shining this light.

House and Senate Appropriate Money to Fight Slavery

Late last week, the House and Senate passed an omnibus appropriations bill that will, among other things, provide funding to fight human trafficking. The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 will provide money to both the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services for anti-slavery work, including services for survivors.

Despite federal anti-trafficking laws, such as the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization Act of 2008, funding for anti-trafficking work has always lagged behind, making this funding development particularly welcome. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law.

The bill includes a 25% increase in funding to the Department of Justice to assist victims of trafficking. This funding pool has been used to establish task forces in the past. Moreover, this will be the "first time since the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed in 2000, the spending bill provides that this funding is available for both foreign national and U.S. citizen survivors in need of assistance," according to Polaris Project. The bill will also provide funding for prosecuting traffickers through the Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.

In addition to increasing the DOJ's anti-trafficking funding, the bill also provides funding for the Department of Health and Human Services work on behalf of foreign national victims and survivors. Additionally, according to Polaris Project, the bill "is accompanied by report language that urges the Administration to request funds for assistance to all survivors, including U.S. citizens, in next year’s budget request."

You can contact the legislators who played an important role in this effort to provide additional, extremely needed funding for victims and survivors of slavery:

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chair, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Ranking Member, Senate Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Chair, and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-WV), Ranking Member, House Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-chairs, House Human Trafficking Caucus.

As we approach the new year, many state legislatures will be going into session, making this a prime opportunity to also contact your state-level representatives and urge them to support state-level anti-trafficking legislation.

Not For Sale Global Advocacy Days

Join Not For Sale this spring in Washington D.C., and Ottawa, Canada, to ask legislators to re-Abolish modern-day slavery.

Global Advocacy Days from David Hepburn on Vimeo.

According to Not For Sale, "Being a modern-day Abolitionist means advocating for stronger legislation against human trafficking, as well as protection and care for survivors. These two-day events will combine advocacy training, networking, and meetings with your elected representatives as you give voice to those in captivity."

Registration for the two visits is now open.

Washington, D.C
March 1-2, 2010
Day 1: Breakout Sessions; Advocacy Training
Day 2: Capitol Hill; Meet with your elected representatives
General Admission: $49; Students and Military: $39

Ottawa, Canada
Day 1: Training
Day 2: Meet with members of Parliament
General Admission: $49; Students and Military: $39

Space is limited.

Rally to STOP Forced Child Labor in Uzbekistan’s Cotton Fields

On Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Child Labor Coalition, International Labor Rights Forum, Not for Sale Campaign, SEIU, Workers United are hosting a rally at the Embassy of Uzbekistan to protest forced child labor in Uzbekistan.

According to The Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor, released in September of 2009, the cotton industry in Uzbekistan continues to use child labor and forced labor. The International Labor Rights Forum states that Uzbekistan is the second largest exporter of cotton around the world. While this industry is profitable for some, "Thousands of children as young as seven work in the cotton fields instead of attending school in order to meet government-imposed cotton production quota. . . Some children are conscripted to work in remote areas where they are forced to stay in dormitories while they pick cotton."

In 2007 the BBC released a story about reporter Simon Ostrovsky who investigated the path cotton takes from "the clothes rack to the factory and back to the fields where the cotton has been harvested." While retailers were disturbed to learn that products that they sell were made with forced labor, the practice continues. The articles recounts the story of a "nine-year-old girl who has to work from eight in the morning until sunset, [who] said: 'They have closed the school - that's why I'm picking cotton.'" According to the article, each year the schools are closed during the cotton harvest.

The US State Department placed Uzbekistan on the Tier Two Watch List of the latest Trafficking in Persons Report for the second year in a row, up from Tier Three in 2006 and 2007. The report states that Uzbekistan is a source country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation in "UAE, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Israel." Men are trafficked to Russia and Kazakhstan for forced labor. People are also trafficked internally in Uzbekistan for forced labor and sexual exploitation, including "Many school-age children, college students, and faculty [who] are forced to pick cotton during the annual harvest."

The TIP report states that Uzbekistan has issued a formal ban on forced child labor and created an action plan to address trafficking. However, the report also states that "Uzbekistan did not make significant efforts to eliminate the use of forced labor of adults and children in the cotton harvest and did not make efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict government officials complicit in the use of forced labor during the harvest." Moreover, the state-enforced quota system for the cotton harvest has remained in place.

Cotton products that people buy may be tainted with forced labor, including forced child labor, particularly given that Uzbekistan is the second largest exporter of cotton.

What: Rally to STOP Forced Child Labor in Uzbekistan’s Cotton Fields

When: Wednesday, October 14th, Noon – 1 PM
Where:
Embassy of Uzbekistan
1746 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC
(Near Dupont Circle)

Sponsored by AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Child Labor Coalition, International Labor Rights Forum, Not for Sale Campaign, SEIU, Workers United.

For more information and to RSVP, visit http://www.unionvoice.org/laborrights/events/stopuzbekchildlabor/details.tcl

You can also sign a petition urging the Uzbek Government to stop forced child labor.

Image taken from the Rally to STOP Forced Child Labor in Uzbekistan’s Cotton Fields' flyer.

Courtney's House

In the US, the average age of entry into the commercial sex industry is 12 years old, according to the US Department of Justice.Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, commercial sex with anyone under the age of 18 is automatically trafficking, since minors are not of age to give meaningful consent; had no money changed hands, these would be cases of statutory rape.

Unfortunately, many survivors of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor (CSEC) are either treated as criminals or lack access to services. Courtney's House in the DC metro area is working to address this issue.

"I remember being 10 years old and my mother putting makeup on me and telling me she loved me, then opening her bedroom door where a man sat there waiting for me. My mother then put me in the room and closed the door. She told me it wouldn't take long."
-- Kelly, 17 years old. Survivor Testimonial (Courtney's House Fundraising Letter).

According to Courtney's House, "One of the largest forms of domestic sex trafficking in the U.S. involves traffickers who coerce children to enter the commercial sex industry through the use of a variety of recruitment and control mechanisms in strip clubs, street-based prostitution, escort services and brothels." Pimps and other child traffickers tend to prey on runaways and homeless youth, because these children are particularly vulnerable. However, traffickers do not only target these populations.

Courtney's House defines the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) as consisting of "sexual abuse by adults and payment in cash or kind to the child, or a third person or persons, and is a fundamental violation of children’s rights. Commercial sexual exploitation is a contemporary form of child slavery."

"I'm not sure if I was 5 or when my mother started selling me to men. Usually, she sold me for small amounts of drugs. When I was 13 years old, I ran away and met a man 20 years my senior, who told me he would take care of me. However, it wasn't long before he made me work on the street I had to bring a quota of $800 every night.
- Beth, 17 years old. Survivor Testimonial (Courtney's House Fundraising Letter)

The Courtney's House Initiative started in August 2008 to comprehensively address the needs of CSEC survivors and to end domestic sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of all children. Founded by Tina Fundt, a survivor of domestic minor sex trafficking, the organization focuses on providing long-term shelter for sex trafficked girls between the ages of 11 and 17.

Courtney's House also works to raise awareness and conducts street outreach to connect with current CSEC victims. In addition to providing shelter, Courtney's House includes counseling and educational services, and aftercare services for participants as they transition out of Courtney's House.

Currently, Courtney's House is preparing to open its doors in January, 2010. In the interim, they "remain committed. . . to providing girls with the skills and safe environment required to get them out of their trafficking situations so that they can go on to live healthy, happy lives."

"When I was 14 years old, my mom asked me to get some things from the store. I took a little longer than I thought. When I came out of the store it was getting dark. A man approached me in a car and asked me if I needed a ride. I said 'no'and crossed the street. He followed me for about 3 or 4 blocks, and then he got out of the car. I ran but he caught me and threw me into the trunk of the car. I never knew what a pimp was before that day."
- Tammy, 16 years old. Survivor Testimony (Courtney's House Fundraising Letter)

As Courtney's House prepares to open its doors and to build on the service it is already providing to survivors, it needs assistance. Currently, Courtney's House is looking for volunteers to help with fundraising, events, and awareness. Women 21+ can also help with their street outreach program.

Courtney's House will host a Youth Rally on September 19th, and Courtney's House is involved in the September 26th Stop Child Trafficking Now Walk.

Courtney's House is also seeking giftcard donations to stores like Target and Old Navy to help provide clothing for program participants and to restaurants to cover meals before and after medical appointments. Any giftcard amount would be greatly appreciated:

Courtney's House
P.O. Box 12054
Washington, DC 20005
info@courtneyshouse.org
If you would like to volunteer or donate contact:
Natasha Adams
Development Coordinator
nadams@courtneyshouse.org