Stop Trafficking Louisiana

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Stop Trafficking Louisiana

A statewide campaign by First Lady of Louisiana Donna Edwards to bring awareness to human trafficking

11/16/2023

Did you know that 88% of human trafficking victims seek medical care during their trafficking experience? Earlier this week, First Lady Donna Edwards and the Governor’s Office of Human Trafficking Prevention hosted a Healthcare Systems’ Response to Human Trafficking meeting. The meeting brought together healthcare professionals from healthcare systems across Louisiana to discuss best practice response and strategies. We look forward to sharing out our next steps very soon!

If you’re a healthcare professional and interested in adapting a human trafficking badge buddy for your center (see an example on the last slide), please email the OHTP at [email protected].

10/27/2023

Have you watched the new WYES documentary TURNING THE TIDE: A STORY OF HELL, HEALING, AND HOPE? The film features a growing team of perhaps unlikely warriors that has mobilized to fight human trafficking in Louisiana, including First Lady Donna Edwards, a group of Catholic nuns running a secret healing center, and three heroic survivors turned advocates. The program is produced, written and narrated by Emmy Award-winning journalist Karen Swensen and directed, photographed and edited by Peabody Award-winning photojournalist Aaron Brownlee.

Watch the film and learn more by visiting www.wyes.org/turning-the-tide-a-story-of-hell-healing-and-hope/. Tune into WYES on Monday, October 30, 2023 at 9pm to watch it in prime time!

10/19/2023

The Louisiana Child and Youth Trafficking Collaborative Accessibility Initiative, a project of OHTP and LACACs, launched the state’s first standardized labor trafficking and exploitation training curriculum! Over 30 partners from around the state came together to be trained as trainers of the new curriculum in their communities. Trainings will begin rolling out across the state over the next few months. To request a training, please reach out to humantrafficking.la.gov.

09/27/2023

The Office of Human Trafficking Prevention and Office of the First Lady Edwards hosted the 1st Annual Louisiana Survivor Retreat yesterday at the Governor’s Mansion! Survivor Leaders gathered to discuss unleashing their survivor leadership potential with presentations from national and international experts. Survivor experts shared key insights on compensating survivor leaders, ethical storytelling, public advocacy, leveraging survivor skillsets, and more! Information learned will be used to develop a guide of best practices when engaging and collaborating with survivors and other lived experience experts.

09/12/2023

Did you know that Louisiana has an interactive dashboard for human trafficking data? Each year, the Office of Human Trafficking Prevention (OHTP) collects annual service provider data on victims served and publishes a report. This past year, the OHTP worked with Allies Against Slavery to visualize the data findings in a public-facing dashboard for easy access. View the data and report at www.alliesagainstslavery.org/lighthouse-data-louisiana or by visiting humantrafficking.la.gov!

09/05/2023

Louisiana continues to be a leader in anti-trafficking legislation! This year, Louisiana was recognized by Polaris as one of the top states in the nation for criminal record relief for trafficking survivors! In 2022, the Legislature passed Act 130, also known as the Michelle Johnson Act, to provide survivors with broad criminal record relief for offenses committed as a result of their trafficking. Visit https://polarisproject.org/criminal-records-relief/ to learn more!

08/24/2023

Last week, the Louisiana Human Trafficking Prevention Commission and Advisory Board was joined by researchers from RTI International to discuss research on the human trafficking-natural disaster nexus in Louisiana. Members also learned about new advocacy services available statewide to minor victims of human trafficking, which is rolling out over the next few months!

Interested to learn more about disaster response, victim services, or research into human trafficking? Visit our online resource library at humantrafficking.la.gov!

07/30/2023

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. This year, we join with the United Nations to Leave No One Behind. We are committed to working to end exploitation, to reach every victim-survivor of trafficking, and to protect vulnerable groups.

According to the United Nation’s estimates, globally responses to human trafficking, particularly in developing countries, appear to be deteriorating. Detection rates fell by 11% in 2020 and convictions fell by 27%, illustrating a worldwide slowdown in the criminal justice response to trafficking. The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the characteristics of trafficking, pushing it further underground and potentially increasing the dangers to victims by making the crime less likely to come to attention of authorities.

Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind. Join the 2023 campaign by going to https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/endht/get-involved.html.

This annual campaign aims to raise awareness of disturbing developments and trends identified by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and calls on governments, law enforcement, public services, and civil society to assess and enhance their efforts to strengthen prevention, identify and support victims, and end impunity.

07/28/2023

The Governor's Office of Human Trafficking Prevention attended the Louisiana Alliance of Children's Advocacy Centers (LACAC) Open House last month as they moved into their new offices in Slidell.

A special thank you to St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce for hosting the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. This new office location provides LACAC with the opportunity to host training events for Children's Advocacy Staff across the state!

We are excited for the new opportunities that LACAC's new office will provide.

07/25/2023

A U Visa, also called the U Nonimmigrant status, is another form of immigration relief available to victims of human trafficking. U Visas are granted to people who have suffered physical abuse or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of certain qualifying criminal activity, including human trafficking, and who meet other eligibility requirements.

The U Visa was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of noncitizens and other crimes. The U nonimmigrant status, once granted, is valid for four years.

To apply for the U nonimmigrant status, should seek the advice of a qualified immigration attorney to aid in the forms and submission process. Learn more on the U Nonimmigrant Status and how to apply by going to https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-of-criminal-activity-u-nonimmigrant-status.

07/21/2023

A T Visa, also called T nonimmigrant status, provides temporary immigration status to noncitizen victims to remain in the United States for an initial period of up to four years. T nonimmigrant status is also available to certain qualifying family members of trafficking victims.

T nonimmigrants are eligible for employment authorization, certain federal and state benefits and services, and those who qualify may also qualify to become lawful permanent resident. T Visas offer protection to victims and strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute human trafficking.

To apply for the T nonimmigrant status, should seek the advice of a qualified immigration attorney to aid in the forms and submission process. Learn more on the T Nonimmigrant Status and how to apply by going to https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-of-human-trafficking-t-nonimmigrant-status.

07/18/2023

There are three forms of immigration relief available to human trafficking victims. Today, we are highlighting Continued Presence. Stay tuned for a post about the other two forms of relief!

Continued Presence (CP) is a temporary immigration designation provided to individuals identified by law enforcement as victims of a “severe form of trafficking in persons.” CP allows trafficking victims to lawfully remain and work in the U.S. during the ongoing investigation and prosecution of their traffickers. CP recipients also receive federal benefits and services. CP is initially granted for two years and may be renewed in up to two-year increments. Trafficking victims with CP certification may also qualify to apply for a T Visa.

Learn more at https://www.ice.gov/doclib/human-trafficking/pdf/continued-presence.pdf.

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900 N 3rd St
Baton Rouge, LA
70802

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http://stoptraffickingla.com/

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