World Day Against Trafficking in Persons “Leaves No One Behind” – July 30

BRIGHTON, MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ 

— Cristian Eduardo was 24 years old when he was trafficked after a false promise of a job and a better life.

He escaped his trafficking situation in Canada and fled to the United States, where he was exploited once more. Eduardo is originally from Mexico, where despite his best efforts to go to school and work, he was not able to make a sustainable living. He then was recruited and lured to Canada. And trafficked. Eduardo was among three webinar panelists who recently shared stories on human trafficking and migration.

The webinar is part of an 18-month journey for the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT) and the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (NAC) to raise awareness of human trafficking and forced migration, particularly on the nexus between them. The U.S. State Department estimates that more than 70 percent of the persons trafficked in the United States each year are immigrants.

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons July 30, human trafficking organizations will raise awareness of trends and help combat trafficking by calling on governments, law enforcement, and society to strengthen efforts to prevent, provide and protect victims of human trafficking.

“This year’s theme, ‘Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind,’ is an important reminder that anyone can be targeted by traffickers, but we must not forget the most vulnerable,” said AEHT Executive Director Katie Boller-Gosewisch. “Migrants are especially vulnerable to trafficking since they don’t know the language, often fear the police, don’t know their rights, and fear deportation as well as receive threats to their safety and their loved ones.”

Eduardo said he feared for his life throughout his trafficking situation, where he was exploited for both labor and sex. His goal is to prevent people from being trafficked, but more policies and better legislation are needed to prevent the paths that traffickers use to exploit immigrants who are looking for a better life.

“We need to remind ourselves on who is being trafficked. We are talking about human beings. We are talking about children. We are talking about people just like us,” Eduardo said. “People like me are pending on decisions of all of you. We can do better. We are the United States.”

Read the full story on Newswires.

Category: The Alliance to End Human Trafficking