U.S. Selects Covenant House To Operate National Hotline for Trafficking Victims

U.S. Selects Covenant House To Operate National Hotline for Trafficking Victims

Covenant House - February 26, 2004

Through a competitive contracting process, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has selected Covenant House to operate a national hotline for Human Trafficking Victims. "We are thrilled to provide this much needed service," Sister Patricia Cruise, President of Covenant House, responded to the news. "It is outrageous that so many women and children are brought, sold or trafficked into this country for purposes of sexual exploitation and domestic slavery. We will do everything in our power to provide them with the resources necessary to gain them their freedom."

 

"Each year as many as 700,000 people around the world, primarily women and children, are bought, sold, transported and held for the purpose of forced commercial sex or labor."

In granting this award, the Department of Health and Human Services is relying on Covenant House's NINELINE, which has 16 years of experience in the field of telephone crisis intervention and information/referral. The NINELINE began in 1988 as a hotline for homeless, runaway and throwaway youth in an effort to provide emergency services, especially shelter and on-going residential services, to that population. Over the years, the NINELINE has evolved into a crisis line providing a range of counseling services to young people in general. The NINELINE has assisted youth regarding suicide, domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse and mental health issues to name a few.

 

Trafficking in persons is a modern form of slavery. Traffickers use threats, intimidation and violence to force victims to engage in commercial sex or to labor under slave-like conditions for the traffickers' financial gain. Each year as many as 700,000 people around the world, primarily women and children, are bought, sold, transported and held for the purpose of forced commercial sex or labor. This illicit practice has not eluded the United States, where thousands of non-citizens struggle behind closed doors against their will as prostitutes, factory workers, domestic servants, and migrant agricultural laborers. Traffickers may threaten physical harm to the victim or to a loved one left behind in their country of origin. Many victims are raped, beaten or otherwise brutalized into terrified submission to their traffickers. In addition to sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse and exploitation, victims may be vulnerable to other health concerns, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

 

Covenant House's sites in Central America, Mexico, the United States, and Canada have been dealing with transient youth for many years. Before coming to Covenant House, many youth have been involved in the commercial sex industry. Covenant House and Casa Alianza, our Latin American program, have worked with this population both in rescuing the victims and stopping those who victimize and exploit innocent and vulnerable youth.

 

The NINELINE has also been involved in an international network of child help lines. This group is dedicated to assisting children worldwide who are being exploited in various countries. Many children are being trafficked in and out of countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America for purposes of commercial sex and forced labor. In some countries, child soldiers are a significant problem. These are youngsters, some as young as 13 years old, that are conscripted to fight in an army.

 

The Department of Health and Human Services believes that NINELINE possesses the experience and professionalism to deal with the complex problem of Human Trafficking, and to fulfill the goals of the project among which are:

• Explaining to a potential victim of trafficking or to persons calling on behalf of a potential victim of trafficking how to recognize that an individual has been subjected to an act of trafficking;
• Describing to potential victims of trafficking or to persons calling on behalf of a potential victim of trafficking the programs available to assist trafficking victims and providing practical advice on how to access these benefits;
• Contributing to the safety and rescue of trafficking victims by providing potential victims of trafficking or persons calling on behalf of a potential victim of trafficking real-time referrals to local organizations willing to provide emergency, case management and other services to victims of trafficking within their community.

 

The Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Federal agency managing the contract with Covenant House, recently initiated a public awareness campaign to broaden the current scope of outreach to access and educate the public with priorities on victims of trafficking and the populations most likely to encounter victims. As a result of this campaign, it is expected that many more victims of this modern form of slavery will be able to be rescued. Covenant House looks forward to this challenge and the opportunity to help these victims attain their freedom.