Top 10 Policy and Protocol Changes to Deter, Disrupt and Prosecute Sex Trafficking

Often times after a human trafficking prevention training an organization is left with the task of deciding what policies and protocols they need to incorporate into their workflow in order to best respond when a trafficking situation occurs. This is a vital step in combating this crime and cannot be overlooked. Once you train individuals to recognize the indicators of the crime the likelihood that they see those indicators increases drastically and they must be prepared with what to do next.

In the same vain there are policy changes that can be made at the state or city level to best help your community deter, disrupt and prosecute sex trafficking.

Here are the top 10 places to start:

  1. All states should mandate training to ensure that law enforcement is equipped with the knowledge necessary to identify and pursue cases of sex trafficking.
  2. All states should develop, implement and coordinate law enforcement strategies statewide.
  3. All states should include fraud and coercion in their definitions of sex trafficking, and enact statutes that invite broad interpretations of fraud and coercion that include subtle, non-physical forms used to manipulate victims.
  4. All states should allow law enforcement to use wiretaps to investigate sex trafficking offenses.
  5. Additional resources should be made available to local and state law enforcement agencies to maintain consistent and visible law enforcement attention to sex trafficking and pursue investigations.
  6. All states should mandate training to ensure that the hospitality and lodging industry are equipped with the knowledge necessary to identify and report suspected cases of sex trafficking.
  7. Cities and counties should address sex trafficking as a complex problem that requires a collaboratively to combat sex trafficking in their communities. Prevention campaigns must ensure that both boys and girls are educated about the role of force, fraud, coercion, and exploitation in sex trafficking.
  8. In coordination with prosecutors, law enforcement trainings should focus on both victim and offender interview techniques to identify signs of fraud and coercion. Local and federal prosecutors, law enforcement, and judges should be trained on the evidence necessary to prove fraud and coercion according to the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act standards and the legal standards of state human trafficking laws.
  9. Investigative techniques used to uncover organized crime, drug trafficking, and gangs should be adopted to better uncover the level of organized crime within all forms of the Underground Commercial Sex Economy.
  10. Due to constantly evolving technology, more resources should be invested in law enforcement to stay up to date on new exploitation methods and how to gather prosecutable information online.

Sex trafficking is a rapidly increasing industry! It is time for us to take a proactive approach to combating this crime. If your community is interested in starting to implement these policies and you need help navigating these changes please contact us for assistance.