Hidden Traffic with Gwen Hassan Gwen Hassan

Have you ever considered the impact of basic necessities on vulnerability to human trafficking? Kelsey Hill, the founder of Beyond Beauty for Survivors, shares her eye-opening journey and the crucial work her organization is doing to prevent human trafficking in Uganda. Through her experiences, Kelsey highlights the importance of providing resources like food, water, and education to vulnerable populations to reduce the risk of exploitation. It's incredible to see how simple resources like reusable pads and soap production machines can make a significant difference in the lives of those at risk.

Kelsey's story sheds light on the harsh realities faced by women and children in Uganda, where poverty and lack of resources contribute to their vulnerability to trafficking. By focusing on prevention and long-term job sustainability, Beyond Beauty aims to empower survivors and offer them opportunities for a better future. The organization's efforts to provide essential resources like food, water, and medical care, as well as job opportunities through soap production and other initiatives, are truly inspiring.

The impact of Beyond Beauty's work goes beyond just providing immediate aid. By creating sustainable solutions and empowering women and children with skills and resources, the organization is helping to break the cycle of vulnerability and exploitation. Kelsey's dedication to making a difference in the lives of survivors and at-risk individuals is a testament to the power of grassroots initiatives and community support in combating human trafficking.

As we reflect on Kelsey's journey and the work of Beyond Beauty for Survivors, it's a reminder that even small actions can have a significant impact on those in need. By supporting organizations like Beyond Beauty and getting involved in prevention efforts, we can all play a role in ending human trafficking and creating a safer, more equitable world for everyone. Let's join Kelsey in her mission to empower survivors and prevent exploitation, one life at a time.

Resources

Kelsey Hill on LinkedIn | Beyond Beauty for Survivors

Human trafficking lurks in unexpected corners, revealing its grim presence even in seemingly ordinary spaces. Sandy Biback, a meetings professional with over four decades of experience, discovered this sobering truth firsthand. In response, she established Meeting Professionals Against Human Trafficking (MPAHT), taking proactive steps to address the issue. In this episode of Hidden Traffic Podcast, Sandy and host Gwen Hassan uncover the surprising prevalence of human trafficking in the hotel and meetings industry and what we can do about it.  

After a trip overseas opened her eyes, Sandy started investigating human trafficking in her hometown of Toronto. She soon discovered how widespread it is, including the shocking statistic that 90% of those trafficked in Canada are Canadian-born. Sandy decided to leverage her industry connections and founded MPAHT to raise awareness and promote training. Hotels and planners now recognize they have a duty to combat exploitation that could be enabling trafficking.  

This issue needs more than a one-time training, Sandy explains; have ongoing conversations and check-ins to ensure it remains top of mind. She also suggests saving the National Human Trafficking Hotline number on your phone. However, you should not directly intervene if you witness anything suspicious, for both your safety and the victims’. Instead, "phone to the front desk and make a noise complaint, and they’ll send somebody right away," she advises.

On a corporate level, Sandy urges meeting planners and procurement teams to query venues and suppliers about their anti-trafficking policies before booking. Vote with your wallets to inspire change. She remarks, “If I’m a meeting planner, and I’m coming in with half a million dollars worth of business, and you can’t tell me about your hotel’s training or awareness, but this hotel can, and it’s the same price, guess where I’m taking my business?”  

Rather than reinvent the wheel, Sandy says, use the resources that already exist to help combat human trafficking. For example, PACT offers free resources, including best practices and training. Our collective responsibility is to remain vigilant, educate others, and affect positive change in the industry to protect vulnerable people from exploitation.

Resources
Sandy Biback on LinkedIn | X (Twitter) 
Meeting Professionals Against Human Trafficking
PACT

Online scammers prey on vulnerable individuals using insidious psychological tactics, often forcing them to work under deplorable conditions in gated compounds. In this episode of the Hidden Traffic Podcast, Gwen Lee Hassan sits down with Valentina Casulli and MD Abdus Salam from Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC) to expose the sinister world of human trafficking. Together, they and Gwen highlight the urgency of exposing and addressing this hidden aspect of human trafficking and explore how HRC is creating a comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking in all its forms.

Salam shares a chilling personal experience of being trapped in a scam compound, detailing the manipulative tactics used by scammers. Scam mills often create fake personas to deceive individuals into thinking they can make money through trading or other activities. These fake characters are designed to appear trustworthy, exploiting the victim's trust and leading them into the scam. Additionally, the scammers also use sophisticated psychological tactics to exploit vulnerable individuals. This manipulation can take various forms, such as emotional manipulation in romance scams or creating a false sense of urgency in cryptocurrency scams. 

Valentina describes scam compounds as having a physical appearance that resembles apartment blocks. These structures often house rows of computers where individuals work on various online scams. Scam workers endure extraordinarily long working hours, confined in a small space with little freedom of movement. 

Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC) adopts a comprehensive and localized approach to tackle the issue of human trafficking within online scams and scam compounds. HRC focuses on using local consultants and talent to gain insight into the root causes of human trafficking, Valentina explains. By leveraging local expertise, HRC ensures a nuanced understanding of the cultural and social dynamics contributing to trafficking. Survivor voices play a central role in HRC's work. They collaborate closely with survivor organizations to provide support and empowerment. Salam, as a survivor empowerment officer, is actively involved in counseling, advocacy, and consultancy to empower other survivors.

Resources
Valentina Casulli on LinkedIn 
Abdus Salam on LinkedIn
Humanity Research Consultancy

Human trafficking and exploitation are dark undercurrents flowing beneath our modern society, often hidden from view but with implications touching every industry and community. In this episode of the Hidden Traffic Podcast, Gwen Hassan sits down with Ian Mitchell, founder of The Knoble. Ian sheds light on the pivotal role banks play in leading the global fight against child sexual exploitation and related crimes. Together, he and Gwen explore the involvement of various sectors and the ways businesses and individuals can contribute to curbing these heinous acts.

Ian founded the nonprofit organization, The Knoble, when he recognized a potential overlap between his expertise in identifying fraudulent financial patterns and the fight against human trafficking. The Knoble aims to create a coalition across the financial industry to recognize and address "human crimes." This term reflects The Knoble's holistic approach to understanding and combating different types of exploitation by placing the human experience at the center of their mission. Their mission encompasses fighting various forms of human exploitation, including human trafficking, modern slavery, child exploitation, scams, and elder exploitation. 

The vast majority of human crimes, including child sexual exploitation and human trafficking, are financially motivated. Ian emphasizes the importance of uniting the financial services industry in the fight against human crimes. The idea is to harness the resources, expertise, and techniques traditionally used to combat financial fraud for the broader purpose of tackling various forms of exploitation. Financial institutions play a significant role in combating these crimes due to their robust programs against fraud and money laundering. Ian highlights the consistency in banking ecosystems across more than 14 countries. The similarities in transactional processes across these countries offer an advantage in setting up countermeasures against human trafficking and related crimes. 

The fight against human trafficking isn't just reliant on institutions, but also on individuals. Corporations support through various project initiatives related to their business interests, while individuals are trained to identify and act against potential trafficking situations. Moreover, corporations play a pivotal role in addressing human crimes through corporate social responsibility. 

Mission Omega, co-founded by Ian, donates a portion of its revenue to The Knoble. This company's objective includes training and employing survivors of human trafficking in fraud detection roles. The idea stemmed from understanding that many survivors couldn't secure good jobs, leading to a high recidivism rate. By training them and offering them respectable jobs, they can not only deter them from returning to trafficking but also provide them with a new lease on life.

Resources
Ian Mitchell on the Web | LinkedIn | The Knoble
Email: ian@theknoble.com

The global landscape of human trafficking and forced labor is evolving, and no country is immune. In this episode of Hidden Traffic, Gwen Hassan sits down with Sean Stephenson, an accomplished attorney based in Toronto. Sean works for the multinational law firm Dentons and has extensive experience in trade and investment. The growing concern for supply chain integrity forms a significant part of his work, with particular emphasis on human trafficking, forced labor, and child labor. Together, he and Gwen delve into the new Canadian law aimed at preventing human trafficking, forced labor, and child labor within supply chains. Their conversation also provides insights into the practices of various multinational companies and explores the need for coherence in the anti-slavery reporting and measures across different jurisdictions.

The new Canadian legislation is known as the Modern Slavery Act, but is officially titled "Fighting Against Forced Labor and Child Labor in Supply Chains Act." This law is set to come into effect on January 1, 2024. Sean underscores the legislation's scope, noting that it will apply to a wide range of entities and industries that produce, sell, or distribute goods in or import goods into Canada. Sean clarifies, "The legislation is roughly based on another piece of legislation we have in Canada that was adopted a few years ago called the Extractive Sector Transparency Act, that's focused specifically on the extractive sector, …But it's much broader in nature. It's not specific to the extractive sector. It applies to essentially any business formation."

Despite the legislation's primarily reporting nature, Sean distinguishes it from an actual diligence standard. He emphasizes the need for convergence in anti-slavery laws globally, which calls for a balance between compliance and alignment in disclosure across jurisdictions. However, he points out some unique features of the Canadian Act, such as its focus on child labor and specific liabilities for companies and directors for false and misleading statements.

Both Gwen and Sean believe in the Act’s potential to drive meaningful change in business practices related to human trafficking, forced labor, and child labor. 

Sean sheds light on the operations and mandate of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). CORE is an arm of the Canadian federal government, focusing on promoting the implementation of the UN and the OECD guidelines on multinational enterprises. The organization targets three specific areas: garment business, mining, and oil and gas. "Anyone can submit complaints to the CORE about business activities of Canadian businesses, either inside Canada or abroad", Sean explains. He distinguishes CORE's investigative powers, which are funded by the Canadian government, from those of a non-governmental organization. Gwen likens its investigative powers to those of a regulatory authority.

Sean points out that CORE cannot force document production but can accept and facilitate discussions around complaints. While CORE can't directly impose penalties, they can recommend fines and referrals to law enforcement. Gwen highlights the potential reputational damage these investigations can pose for companies, and they both agree on the importance of proactive measures in mitigating these risks.

Resources
Sean Stephenson on LinkedIn | Twitter
Dentons 
Canada’s Forced Labour and Child Labour Reporting Legislation: What You Need to Know  
The CORE of the matter: An overview of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) and its relevance to Canadian businesses operating abroad

It’s an indictment of this modern era that exploitation remains alarmingly prevalent. Indeed, the journey towards human trafficking and forced labor prevention is laden with complexities. In this episode of Hidden Traffic, host Gwen Hassan discusses current events and valuable resources to propel the fight against human trafficking. She emphasizes the interplay between corporate compliance, survivor advocacy, and global cooperation in the quest to eradicate human trafficking and forced labor from global supply chains.

Follow Money Fight Slavery is a not-for-profit consortium specializing in human trafficking prevention. During their third annual summit, the group unveiled valuable materials, including survivor-led sessions and a keynote address by a survivor turned advocate. These first-hand narratives are key in combating trafficking, Gwen points out..

Unseen UK has launched a petition to urge the UK government to fill the vacant Independent Antislavery Commissioner role. Gwen is concerned about the year-long vacancy in this crucial role, and urges listeners to sign the petition. Strong leadership is crucial in the prevention of human trafficking.

The Mekong Club is an organization that has partnered with CNN to raise awareness about human trafficking among students worldwide. This effort is encapsulated in the 'Sweatshop Challenge', an immersive educational experience providing students with a simulated understanding of forced labor conditions. Gwen lauds this creative approach: "Could you do a similar type of sweatshop challenge for your supply chain workers? For people that are out there in your corporate purchasing departments who are buying from foreign suppliers so they have a real personal understanding of what human trafficking does and how injurious it is…?"

The recently published white paper by the Mekong Club about modern slavery risks in shipping takes a deep dive into the often-overlooked logistics portion of supply chains, highlighting its susceptibility to human trafficking. 

Gwen elaborates on a recent US congressional hearing on the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and its implications on the US supply chain. It hints towards an expansion of the act, potentially encompassing electric vehicle components and eliminating the inspection exemption for shipments worth less than $800. She warns listeners, "If your supply chain touches electric vehicle production or for that matter, batteries or battery production, this could be an early warning signal that there may be additional enforcement focus coming for your supply chain."

Resources:
Follow Money Fight Slavery
Unseen UK
The Mekong Club | Modern Slavery in Shipping Supply Chains