Elgin resident advocates for human trafficking victims

Washington DC (June 10 2014) - Elgin resident, Colleen Anderson, returned home late Tuesday evening from Washington D.C. after meetings with the Illinois Congressional delegation. Anderson was among nearly 300 individuals from 45 states who took part in a day of advocacy organized by human rights agency International Justice Mission (IJM). Participants met with more than 250 Congressional offices to build support for targeted U.S. investments to combat child slavery abroad.

In 2013, Congress authorized the State Department to secure "Child Protection Compacts" with individual governments for the purpose of supporting successful models for eradicating child trafficking. Earlier this year, Congress appropriated $5 million to kick-start the program. Anderson and fellow advocates from Illinois advocated for the selection of Ghana and the Philippines as the first two recipients of this new pilot program.

Both Ghana and the Philippines face a significant problem of children trafficked into sexual or labor exploitation. An IJM investigation into the fishing industry on Lake Volta in Ghana confirmed widespread use of child slaves; interviews with nearly 800 children revealed that an estimated 60% of children interviewed on the fishing boats were actual slaves. In the Philippines, specialized anti-trafficking police units have made strides in the effort to crack down on child sex trafficking, but the Philippines needs technical help in addressing the growing problem of on-line child sexual exploitation.

Though all government agencies have faced budget cuts in recent years, U.S. citizens' interest in eradicating slavery has kept the issue high on the political agenda in Washington for the past decade. "The message from the American people is clear: Congress needs to strengthen U.S. leadership in eradicating global slavery. There is strong public support for a much more robust foreign aid budget to fund victim rescue and law enforcement to put human traffickers behind bars," said IJM Vice President Holly Burkhalter. "The nearly 300 abolitionist advocates from across the U.S. who joined us in Washington, D.C. are just the tip of the iceberg."

"I know that people in Illinois care about modern-day slavery, but we often feel overwhelmed by the problem. Knowing that it is possible to combat the crime has given me the confidence to advocate for strong policies and funding with our elected leaders in government," said Anderson.

IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals secure justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. In 2013, IJM and IJM-trained partners brought relief to 3,555 victims of violence around the world. For more information about International Justice Mission visit www.ijm.org.