An anti-human trafficking organization has launched a pilot program with the goal of helping health care professionals identify human trafficking cases, and hopefully get victims out of their trafficking situation.

The initiative was launched by Global Strategic Operations, an organization founded in 2018 and whose goal is to stop human trafficking. Global Strategic Operations teamed up with Selah Way Foundation’s Selah Freedom organization, whose mission is to end sex trafficking — a form of human trafficking.

Global Strategic Operations’ founder, Deb O’Hara-Rusckowski, is a critical care nurse who sees health care as a way of stopping human trafficking. She says that according to recent research, 88 percent of human trafficking victims seek medical care or treatment while they are being trafficked, which she believes gives health care providers an opportunity to intervene.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 10,949 human trafficking cases were reported in 2018, but because many cases go unreported each year, the number of people trafficked each year may be much higher.

In O’Hara’s eyes, health care professionals need training to know how to identify victims of human trafficking and how to help them. The new pilot program aims to provide such training. At a Washington press conference, members of six health care systems nationwide discussed the program and the way health care workers can help prevent human trafficking. 

Four of the six of these medical centers have already had staff complete training to help victims — according to The Daily Signal, a total of 1,368 people had been trained in detecting and responding to human trafficking cases by the end of January. Reportedly, an additional 240,000 people, including staff from the other two health care centers present at the conference, were slated to receive the training.

The goal after the pilot program is to expand the training further, says O’Hara-Rusckowski. 

In addition to the pilot program, The Daily Signal noted that the program’s leaders believe that legislation plays an important role in hiding human trafficking. According to the news source, some lawmakers believe that certain laws prevent victims of human trafficking from healing from trafficking and establishing themselves once they exit human trafficking. 

Florida Representative Ross Spano argues that some laws requiring criminal convictions for sex work to remain on a person’s record can prevent victims of human trafficking, specifically of sex trafficking, from seeking employment and other opportunities.

The Daily Signal explains that human trafficking can take a number of forms. Sex trafficking is just one form of human trafficking, though it is perhaps the most widely identified. According to The Daily Signal, human trafficking can also include organ harvesting and forced labor, among other forms.

The Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as the use of fraud, force, or coercion to get someone to perform labor or a sex act. The Department of Homeland Security elaborates, explaining that human trafficking also includes any case in which a person under the age of 18 is “induced to perform commercial sex acts,” even if this was done without the use of coercion or force. 

If you were a victim of sex trafficking and forced to work at a truck stop, hotel or motel, night club or other hotel venue, you may be eligible to move forward with a civil investigation against these businesses. This investigation involves a civil case, and is not a criminal case against you or your loved ones.

Top Class Actions is working with experienced human trafficking attorneys who will be informed and sensitive to your situation. Join the fight by filling out the short form on this page. 

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