California Supply Chain Bill Signed into Law

Governor Schwarzenegger signs SB 657,which aims to help eliminate slavery and human trafficking from product supply chains, into law.

Part I



Part II

Exhibit: Invisble: Slavery Today

Invisible: Slavery Today

Earlier this month, the Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH opened an exhibit examining modern-day slavery. "What we hope to do, at very least, is raise awareness that this exists," said Paul Bernish, the Freedom Center executive in charge of its contemporary slavery exhibit and programs, believed to be the first such position in the American museum field said in an article by Mark Curnutte. "Secondly, we want to offer people things they can do to become engaging to ending these forms of slavery."

According to their website,the "design and "feel" of Invisible is that of a dingy warehouse in an unfamiliar city, filled with wood, metal and plastic containers -- shipping cartons for human beings. Through a variety of techinques and media, including videos, sounds and touch-screen prsentations, Invisible offers a comprehensive examination of slavery in the modern world through the life experiences of five individuals who were caught up in one of the five most common forms of exploitation: forced labor, bonded indenture, child slavery, sex trafficking and domestic servitude. The exhibition explores the causes of slavery, the economic forces that have contributed to its growth, and the response of government, the justice system and the general public to this scourge. . .

"But Invisible is not just a grim walk through degradation and mistreatment. A major concluding section is devoted to antislavery activities underway around the world, especially by the Freedom Center's partners in the exhibition: Free the Slaves, Goodweave, International Justice Mission and Polaris Project. Visitors are also asked to make a personal commitment to be 21st Century Abolitionists in the cause of freedom."

Click here to learn more about the Freedom Center and for information about the Invisible exhibit. Click here to view photos from the exhibit.

Operation to Uncover Illegal Fishing Leads to Discovery of Slavery

Slavery' uncovered on trawlers fishing for Europe

Exclusive: Violence and incarceration for months or even years found on ships off coast of west Africa
Felicity Lawrence
The Guardian, Thursday 30 September 2010

Shocking evidence of conditions akin to slavery on trawlers that provide fish for European dinner tables has been found in an investigation off the coast of west Africa. Forced labour and human rights abuses involving African crews have been uncovered on trawlers fishing illegally for the European market by investigators for an environmental campaign group.

The Environmental Justice Foundation found conditions on board including incarceration, violence, withholding of pay, confiscation of documents, confinement on board for months or even years, and lack of clean water. The EJF found hi-tech vessels operating without appropriate licences in fishing exclusion zones off the coast of Sierra Leone and Guinea over the last four years. The ships involved all carried EU numbers, indicating that they were licensed to import to Europe having theoretically passed strict hygiene standards.

"We didn't set out to look at human rights but rather to tackle the illegal fishing that's decimating fish stocks, but having been on board we have seen conditions that unquestionably meet the UN official definition of forced labour or modern-day slavery," EJF investigator Duncan Copeland said. A report on the abuses is published by the foundation today. Its photographs and film of the areas in which the crews were working and sleeping show quarters with ceilings less than a metre high where the men cannot stand up. Temperatures in the fish holds on some vessels where men were being required to sort, process and pack fish for lucrative European and Asian markets were 40 to 45 degrees, with no ventilation,

On some vessels the crews of up to 200 had little access to clean drinking water. The trawlers have mostly been identified engaging in pirate fishing off west Africa. Many of the men on board have been recruited from the area around the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Others have been recruited from rural areas of Asia, including China and Vietnam, by agents.

According to a recent estimate illegal fishing accounts for between 13% and 31% of total catches worldwide each year, but accurate figures are hard to come by.

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Investigators for an environmental group discovered slave like conditions aboard ships fishing illegally off the coast of West Africa. These conditions included violence, confinement and withholding of documents. The ships were fishing in restricted areas and while they did not have licenses to fish there, they did have licensed to sell fish in European markets. The men had little if any access to clean water and were often in confined spaces where the temperature would reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of the men were recruited from Senegal but some also came from Vietnam and China. It is still unclear what will happen from here. For example will the men be able to bring charges against the ship owners and if so where, since at this point (at least for the public) it is unclear which flag the ships were flying under? This is one interesting situation of human trafficking involving unclear legal jurisdictions.

photo from copyright-free-photos.org.uk

Job Opportunity: California Against Slavery Volunteer and Communications Coordinator

From Idealist
Volunteer and Communications Coordinator

California Against Slavery (CAS) is a 501(c)4 non-profit, non-partisan human rights organization. Founded in 2009, our mission is to strengthen California state laws to better reflect the personal and societal impact of human trafficking. Our goal is to put an initiative on the 2012 California ballot to strengthen current human trafficking laws and increase victims’ rights. We will start the signature gathering campaign in the Fall of 2011. In preparation, CAS has one year to enlist 100,000 members and raise $1 million. For more information, please visit www.californiaagainstslavery.org.

CAS has an immediate need for a motivated, dependable, organized and articulate individual for a part-time, contract position. Reporting to Executive Director, the Volunteer and Communications Coordinator is responsible for the volunteer recruitment program. S/he will also work on various aspects of communications and help with fundraising efforts. S/he will gain expertise on the issue of human trafficking in our state and nation, the initiative process and the CAS proposed initiative.

CAS is a volunteer-based organization. This is CAS's first compensated position. The ideal candidate is someone feels a personal calling to end modern day slavery and a commitment to CAS's mission for justice.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
•Recruit, mobilize, motivate and train volunteers to form County Committees across the state and to fill specific central roles
•Provide guidance and leadership to County Committees on fundraising, volunteer recruitment, messages to educate about CAS, and strategies to enlist county resources and organizations to support and fund CAS’s mission
•Work with Core Team to create & execute plans to achieve monthly membership and fundraising targets
•Supervise volunteers and possibly interns/fellows
•Assist with planning weekly leadership meetings and special events
•Be involved in all aspects of communications:
- Maintain and update website, newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter content
- Respond to e-mail and voicemail
- Draft and edit correspondences with volunteers, members, endorsers, and others as needed
- Represent CAS at events, forums and collaborative, including being a guest speaker
- Be well informed of the latest news in human trafficking in California
- Assist the Communications Director with press releases
•Work collaboratively with law enforcement associations, attorney groups, elected officials from all political parties and other community organizations
•Keep abreast of latest thinking around volunteerism and volunteer issues
•Other duties as assigned

JOB INFORMATION
This is a contract, part-time position for 3 months. Position and hours may be extended after 3 months based on organizational needs.

Hours: 20 hours a week
Compensation: $15/hour
Location: Fremont, CA or San Diego, CA
Additional Qualifications:
•Motivated, dependable, articulate, positive, energetic self-starter who takes initiative to help create and execute the organization’s activities
•3-5 years of work experience, with 2 years coordinating community volunteers and writing/editing preferred, experience in fundraising a plus.
•Excellent writing skill, including ability to write a variety of communications ? from motivational letters to news articles, to op-eds and opinion pieces, to press releases and brochures.
•Confident public speaker
•High sense of integrity. Has good judgment, conflict resolution, and organizational skills
•Able to work in a startup environment and accept and manage rapid changes
•Ability to both take direction and to work autonomously
•Has a "COUNT ME IN" attitude regardless if the task is clerical or administrative
•Available to work half day on Saturdays and Sunday evenings for our weekly leadership meeting
•Has a reliable transportation to travel to events or meetings locally
•May require some travel to other parts of California
•Working knowledge of MS Office and comfort with navigating the internet
•Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

How to Apply:
Send resume and writing sample to jobs@CaliforniaAgainstSlavery.org. CAS's effort is mission critical and will make a real and substantial impact against the heinous crime of human trafficking in our backyard. We need an individual who has a strong record of following through on assignments, commitments and deadlines. So please…absolutely no flakes.

Canada's First Case of Forced Labor (If the Charges Remain)

Human trafficking charge laid
By TAMARA CHERRY, TORONTO SUN
Last Updated: October 11, 2010 6:25pm

The alleged head of a crime family wanted in a massive human trafficking investigation was slapped with police bracelets over the weekend.

Ferenc Domotor, 48, was arrested in the Hamilton area Saturday, a day after police announced arrest warrants for him and nine members of his family.

They’re wanted in connection with Canada’s biggest human trafficking investigation since the Criminal Code charge came into effect five years ago.

As of Monday, police had identified 19 victims, alleging they were trafficked from a small Hungarian town to Hamilton and forced to work for the Domotor family’s construction company without pay.

According to investigators, men brought from Hungary were coached on how to claim refugee status.

They also alleged traffickers made the victims file for social assistance and stole their payments.

The victims were kept in basements, restricted in where they could go or speak with and had threats made against them and their families in Hungary, police alleged.

Domotor is charged with human trafficking and fraud.

“We believe they are in the Hamilton area but we fear some may have left the country,” a police source said Monday of the outstanding family members.

Explaining why the investigation took 10 months before the arrest warrants were announced for human trafficking charges, the source said: “It’s not an investigation of a bag of coke. It’s an investigation of human beings. And these people have fears, they have families and they have threats. And you really as a police officer have to ensure these people that they’re safe or else they’re not going to come forward...

“We need our justice system on board, that’s huge. The justice system needs to learn what human trafficking’s about.”

Also wanted on charges of trafficking in persons and fraud are: Ferenc Domotor Jr., 20, Gyongyi Kolompar, 40, Gizella Kolompar, 41, Lajos Domotor, 42, Ferenc Karadi, 47, Gizella Domotor, 42, Attila Kolompar, 35, and Gyula Domotor, 32.

Zsanett Karadi, 24, is wanted for theft.

Not only is this the biggest human trafficking bust in Canada, but if the charges stick, they will be Canada’s first involving forced labour. The country has seen several human trafficking cases involving sex trafficking, mostly of Canadian women and girls.

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This could be the first case brought to the courts on forced labor in Canada and it is the largest human trafficking case to date in the country. Ten people are being charged in the case and at this point, 19 victims have been identified. They came from a small village in Hungary and were forced to work in the family's construction firm. They were restricted in who they were allowed to talk to, they were kept in basements and the Social Service money they received from the state was confiscated by the traffickers. The victims families were also threatened should the victims not comply. The investigation took 10 months and it seems that unfortunately some of the family members may have already fled the country. Despite these setbacks, this case is sure to be monumental in the fight against human trafficking and forced labor in Canada.

Michigan Law School to open Sex Trafficking Clinic in Mexico

From Spero News
By Jared Wadley

The Law School's Human Trafficking Clinic, of the University of Michigan, has received a $300,000 federal grant to open a similar clinic in Mexico in 2011.

This U.S. Department of State grant means the new clinic in Zacatecas, Mexico, will help victims of human trafficking, also known as modern-day slavery. This crime involves the recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of people for the purposes of slavery, forced labor and servitude.

Human trafficking exists nationwide and across the world. It can be found in many industries: agriculture, spas and massage parlors, hotel work and domestic service, as well as prostitution.

“By awarding us the grant, the State Department acknowledged that the success of our clinic could be replicated elsewhere,” says clinic director Bridgette Carr, a visiting clinical assistant professor of law. “We’re excited about this new venture and look forward to helping victims in Mexico.”

Read the full article here.

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I was excited to see this announcement. Bridette Carr has led amazing work in the U.S. to use the law to protect victims and punish traffickers; she also helped start a similar clinic in Egypt. This collaboration with Mexico will be an important step to assisting victims and building multinational efforts to address slavery. Just as traffickers do not pay attention to borders, efforts to end trafficking need to cross borders and build partnerships across borders.

From Idealist

Program Assistant/Case Aide U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a nongovernmental, not-for-profit national organization dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of refugees and immigrants, seeks a Program Assistant/Case Aide for its Raleigh, North Carolina field office. This field office operates as a refugee resettlement program and employment program for refugees, asylees and victims of trafficking, and community education programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: USCRI’s North Carolina field office has an immediate job vacancy for one part time Bilingual Case Aide. Essential job duties include providing translation, interpretation and case management and employment services to clients. Prepare and maintain case files, records and correspondence.

REQUIREMENTS: Excellent interpersonal skills, bilingual English and Spanish, the candidate must have valid Driver’s License, clean driving record and personal transportation. Prior experience with social services provision, employment services or refugee resettlement is preferred and the candidate must have dedication to the human rights of refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers and displaced people. J

OB SITE LOCATION: Work will be performed at the Triangle region of North Carolina and Eastern NC 3801 Lake Boone Trail Suite 200 Raleigh, North Carolina

How to Apply: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Please submit via email a resume that includes salary history with a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications to:
Human Resources U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 350 Arlington, VA 22202
humanresources@uscridc.org(for email submission, please include the position and your name in the subject line)