Human Trafficking
Women Graduates–USA is a nonprofit organization whose members are college and university graduates, graduate students, doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers. As members of WG–USA, our members are also members of Graduate Women International; WG–USA is the US Affiliate of GWI.
Women Graduates–USA members have an international perspective for social and economic justice for all women and girls.
Women Graduates-USA advocates for the eradication of human trafficking in all forms.
What is trafficking? In the United States and around the globe, trafficking of women and girls takes many forms.
Sex trafficking
This is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act, in which the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion. When the person is induced to perform such acts has not attained 18 years of age, this inducement is trafficking.Labor Trafficking
This is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.
WG-USA recommends taking action against trafficking:
Identify existing national laws and policies including those that support the “UN Protocol Against Trafficking in Persons”. Evaluate the effectiveness of these laws at the national, state and local level.
Review “The US Trafficking Victims Protection Act” (TVPA) present the three P’s: Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention.
Research the US State Department resources for information about trafficking available to advocates seeking action. Three words are key to this issue: Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention.
Determine how serious the problem is at the community level, and partner with local and state agencies and organizations responsible for enforcing anti-trafficking laws.
Publicize the issue through the local media and public forums such as parent, education and business groups.
If you suspect a case of human trafficking or need help and support, call the HOTLINE:
TALK about trafficking with friends, family and co-workers to raise awareness
LEARN from organizations, government agencies, and media focused on human trafficking to become better informed
BE a knowledgeable consumer and check what you use and consume is slavery free
GIVE your business to companies with robust anti-trafficking policies and programs
ENCOURAGE TRAVEL and TOURISM AGENTS to SUPPORT hotels and businesses that have signed “The Code of Conduct” and share info with non-Code hotels.
VISIT the websites of your favorite companies for evidence of anti-trafficking programs. If none, encourage them to develop and report on them. If they do, applaud their efforts
DOWNLOAD helpful apps, including those that rate items based on corporate anti-trafficking policies
ENCOURAGE legislators to sponsor and vote in favor of anti-trafficking legislation