Ending Human Trafficking Podcast Dr. Sandra Morgan

Sandie is joined by Matthew Soerens from World Relief to discuss a recent New York Times investigation that revealed unaccompanied children arriving at U.S. borders are being exploited for labor. They discuss the findings of the report, the U.S. process to place children, and the Department of Labor's response.

Matthew Soerens

Matthew Soerens is the US Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief, where he helps evangelical churches to understand the realities of refugees and immigration and to respond in ways guided by biblical values. He also serves as the National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition that advocates for immigration reforms consistent with biblical values. Matthew previously served as a Department of Justice-accredited legal counselor at World Relief’s local office in Wheaton, Illinois and, before that, with World Relief’s partner organization in Managua, Nicaragua. He’s also the co-author of Seeking Refuge: On the Shores of the Global Refugee Crisis.



Key Points



Immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers are vulnerable to human trafficking, especially labor trafficking, because they are in a foreign country and often come with vulnerabilities.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act provides basic protections for unaccompanied minors at the U.S. border who are identified is especially vulnerable to human trafficking.

Children are being exploited for labor in the U.S. through online enticement of vulnerable youth from other countries.

As consumers, we all have a responsibility to hold companies accountable and demand enforcement from the federal government.



Resources



World Relief

Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S. | The New York Times

More than 100 children illegally employed in hazardous jobs, federal investigation finds; food sanitation contractor pays $1.5M in penalties | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

Evangelical Immigration Table

Press Release: World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against Human Trafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children

















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Transcript

Sandra Morgan  00:00



This is episode 294, Combating Exploitative Child Labor in the U.S., with Matthew Soerens.



Production Credits  00:10



Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.



Sandra Morgan  00:30



Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast here at Vanguard University's Global Center for Women and Justice in Orange County, California. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And today, I'm really happy that my friend Matthew Soerens is with us. He is the US Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy at World Relief. He's also part of the evangelical immigration table, and so many other things. He adjunct teaches at Wheaton, and he completed an MS in international public service at DePaul University. He is also co-author of Welcoming the Stranger, and more recently, Inalienable. And one of the things that was really important to me as I put this bio together, keeping it brief, of course, is my students here at Vanguard and when I'm at other universities, often ask me, 'How did you become an advocate?' And I love mentioning our guest's paths as great examples of many options. Some people start in law enforcement,

Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by Erin Burke from Homeland Security to discuss federal investigations into child exploitation crimes. They discuss the public-private partnership between HSI and NCMEC, the difference between child exploitation and human trafficking, and the rise of sextortion amongst our youth.

Erin Burke

Erin Burke is the Unit Chief for the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit (CEIU) at Cyber Crime Center (C3) with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). CEIU is comprised of three sections, the Victim Identification Lab, Intake and Operations, and Angel Watch. As a Special Agent, Erin has worked investigations related to child exploitation, human trafficking, national security, transnational narcotics, gangs, and financial crimes for over fifteen years. Erin earned a master’s degree in Forensic Science from The George Washington University.

Key Points



The Child Exploitation Investigations Unit (CEIU) is the primary unit addressing child exploitation within HSI and partnering with other law enforcement around the world.

Sextortion is becoming a growing trend in exploiting children for sexually explicit images and money.

Kids are growing up in a digital age which requires us to understand the technology kids use and create safety barriers to protect them.

Child exploitation is sexual abuse against a child perpetrated by a trusted individual.

Child sex trafficking is the sexual exploitation of a child for monetary gain.

NCMEC is the national clearinghouse for child exploitation and partners with federal agencies to investigate child exploitation crimes.



Resources



National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

iGuardians | Home Security Investigations

NetSmartz | NCMEC

CyberTipline for Online Exploitation | NCMEC

Take It Down | NCMEC

Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic film

Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate

















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Transcript

Sandra Morgan  00:00



You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 293, Investigating Child Exploitation, with Erin Burke.



Sandra Morgan  00:27



Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. And for many of you in our last episode, you learned that my founding co-host, Dave Stachowiak, has sent me out of the nest solo and this is my first solo hosts to podcast. So, I am especially delighted to have such an amazing guest today. Erin Burke is unit chief for Child Exploitation Investigations at the Cyber Crime Center, Homeland Security Investigations. And she is an amazing and diligent investigator. She has, as a special agent, worked investigations related to child exploitation, human trafficking, national security, transnational narcotics, gangs, and financial crimes for over 15 years. Erin has a master's degree in forensic science from The George Washington University. Thank you so much for joining us today, Erin.



Erin Burke  01:53



Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited to be here today and to talk to you.



Sandra Morgan  01:57



So tell us, first of all, what the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit at Cyber Crime Center, also known as C3, what does it do?



Erin Burke  02:11



So the Child Exploitation Investigations Unit,

The Ending Human Trafficking podcast is moving forward. Dr. Sandie Morgan and Dave Stachowiak reflect on 12 years of the Ending Human Trafficking podcast and what lays ahead for the future of the podcast.

Key Points



The Ending Human Trafficking podcast was initially launched to share Dr. Sandie Morgan's expertise on this issue with a wide audience in an accessible and understandable way.

Dave Stachowiak, co-host of the Ending Human Trafficking podcast for 12 years, will be stepping away from the show for two reasons:



1) The show has evolved with networks, experts, and staff to be sustainable with Dr. Sandie Morgan as the single host, and

2) Dave Stachowiak's podcast, Coaching for Leaders, has grown alongside the Ending Human Trafficking podcast in such that to allow both podcasts to continue to be a resource, Dave and Sandie need to dedicate their time to develop each podcast separately.







Resources



Coaching for Leaders podcast with Dave Stachowiak

Walking Prey: How America's Youth Are Vulnerable to Sex Slavery by Holly Austin Smith

Human Trafficking Prevention Month Toolkit - Health and Human Services | Office on Trafficking in Persons

Ensure Justice Conference

















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Transcript

Dave  00:00



You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is Episode 292, The Path Forward for the Ending Human Trafficking podcast.



Dave  00:23



Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.



Sandra Morgan  00:28



And my name is Sandie Morgan.



Dave  00:31



And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Sandie, it is just you and I today. Normally we have a guest, but here we are. So many years in, 12 years in on the show almost and what fun it has been during this entire time.



Sandra Morgan  00:53



Dave, I am looking back at our first episodes and when we started, you'd just joined the Global Center for Women and Justice board. And you wanted us to start a podcast, and I trusted you. And we did in 2011. And now it's 2023. And we have just developed an awesome resource. Someone emailed me just the other day and said that the Ending Human Trafficking podcast is their go to to stay up to date on the issues around human trafficking. And that's such a rewarding feedback for what we've been doing. But do you remember when you made that suggestion that we start the podcast? What was in your mind, your heart? How did you perceive this?



Dave  01:57



I remember it vaguely. As I recall, we were in a board meeting. And I'm trying to remember even where the genesis of the idea for me came from. Certainly, I was already thinking about podcasting because I had purchased podcasting equipment because I was planning to start a show on leadership, which became Coaching for Leaders. And then right about that time, I came on the board for the Global Center for Women and Justice. My wife, Bonnie, had been on the board for a number of years, and you did a big transition of no longer having faculty and staff on the board. And so there was a big transition of a number of folks. And you were very kind to invite me on the board. And then I don't remember if you and I talked about it beforehand, or we talked about it at that board meeting in front of everyone.

Sandie Morgan is joined by Adjunct Professor for the Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate and Executive Director of PEHT in Connecticut, Jamie Manirakiza. In this episode, they discuss how coercion is used in human trafficking cases and how direct service providers and front line responders can provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered aftercare.

Jamie Manirakiza, LMSW

Jamie Manirakiza, has over 10 years of experience in the field of anti-human trafficking. As the Executive Director of Partnership to End Human Trafficking, she brings her experience working in various roles throughout the Northeast. Prior to joining PEHT, Jamie, held several key roles with The Salvation Army. Her longest position was in Greater Philadelphia as Director of Anti Trafficking for the New Day to Stop Trafficking Program. Most notably, Jamie helped to start a drop-in center for women victimized by the commercial sex industry in 2010, incorporating models of harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and the Sanctuary Model ® for trauma-informed care. Jamie was also part of the founding team to open up a residential program for survivors of sex or labor trafficking in the Greater Philadelphia region. In 2018, Jamie transitioned to work as the Territorial Anti Human Trafficking Program Coordinator for The Salvation Army Eastern Territorial Headquarters in New York. As Territorial Anti Human Trafficking Program Coordinator, she developed, implemented, evaluated, and supported the ongoing growth of direct survivor service programs and coalition building on a regional scale. She has managed numerous Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crimes grants to provide comprehensive victim services in various States across the Northeast. Jamie has consulted for Tahirih Justice Center, and provided training as a consultant for OVC-TTAC.  Jamie continues to serve as an adjunct professor for Vanguard University’s Human Trafficking Certificate Program and has consulted on crime victim services for a number of national organizations on promising practices and trauma-informed care. Jamie is a founding Board of Advisor member for the Villanova University School of Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation. Jamie received her MSW degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is a licensed social worker.

Key Points



Trauma-informed, survivor centered care and services is built on understanding power dynamics between caregivers and victim-survivors.

Coercion in based on psychological and non-physical tactics used by traffickers/abusers against an individual.

Self-identification from trafficking victims is difficult due to the coercion experienced and trauma-bonding.

When providing any type of service, it is important to not overpromise or under-deliver.



Resources



Partnership to End Human Trafficking

Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate

Biderman's Chart of Coercion

Ensure Justice Conference

















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Transcript

Dave [00:00:00] You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode number 291 Unpacking the Complexities of Coercion, with Jamie Manirakiza. 



Production Credits [00:00:11] Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential. 



Dave [00:00:30] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak. 



Sandie [00:00:35] And my name is Sandie Morgan. 



Dave [00:00:38] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues,

Sandie Morgan is joined by Derek Marsh, Associate Director of the Global Center for Women and Justice. They discuss Derek's BJA Fellowship on human trafficking and how law enforcement and task forces can be more proactive in investigating and assisting labor trafficking.

Derek Marsh, MA, MPA









Derek Marsh retired from the Westminster PD, CA, after more than 26 years of service. In 2004, Marsh helped start the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF). He served as the co-chair of the OCHFFT from 2004-12. During that time, he developed and taught courses in human trafficking across the state of California, provided oversight to human trafficking investigations, assisted in creating HT DVDs, wrote multiple grants, and provided Congressional testimony twice as a HT expert witness. He has presented anti-HT trainings across California and the United States, Saipan, Italy, and Argentina. He taught HT as an undergraduate course at Vanguard University, CA, from 2009 to present. He develops and teaches criminal justice and human trafficking courses. He has served with the United Nations to train Rwandan immigration officials, law enforcement, prosecutors, and NGOs over four intensive seminars in 2017. He has an MA in Human Behavior, an MPA in Police Management & Leadership, and graduated from FBINA Class #224. Currently, D.C. Marsh works as the Assistant Director at the Global Center for Women and Justice. He is researching how human trafficking task forces identify, investigate, and prosecute labor trafficking cases throughout the United States through on-site visits and review of historical task force and federal performance documents. He is helping to develop and provide training and technical assistance through the BIA, TTAC, and OVC-TTAC agencies. His expertise in Criminal Justice will contribute to the research, education, and advocacy mission of the Global Center for Women and Justice.













Key Points



From 2015-2018, Derek Marsh was a visiting fellow with the Bureau of Justice Assistance to conduct research on human trafficking.

Across the board, we are missing labor trafficking cases due to a lack proactive investigations.

The history of trafficking investigations in the U.S. shows a striking shift from labor to sex trafficking in 2009.

To successfully address labor trafficking, we need to redefine what success means.

The goal for law enforcement and prosecution should be to seek justice and closure for victims, whether it be via a criminal or civil case.

Building a task force that is equipped to address labor trafficking looks different than a task force to address sex trafficking.



Resources



2022 Trafficking in Persons Report

Ep. 187 - Why  is Labor Trafficking so Hard to Find?

Human Trafficking Institute - Federal Reports

Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate Program

















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Transcript

Dave [00:00:00] You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode 290, BJA Fellowship Review, with Derek Marsh.



Production Credits [00:00:09] Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.



Dave [00:00:29] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.



Sandie [00:00:35] And my name is Sandie Morgan.



Dave [00:00:37] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice,

Dr. Sandie Morgan is joined by survivor, author, and advocate, Keeya Vawar. Together they discuss partnership between allies and survivors, survivors redesigning their life, and much more!

Keeya Vawar

Keeya Vawar advocates for victims of sex trafficking globally. She is a lived experience survivor expert, mentor, speaker and author of “One Thousand Elsewhere: A True Survivor Story.” A powerful voice of hope in a growing ecosystem of despair, her motivation and passion for youth and women of all ages is inextricably linked to her own story of hardship and survival against insurmountable odds.





info@keeyavawar.com  |  Instagram: @keeyasays  |  Facebook Page: Keep Encouraging Everyone Young At Heart



Key Points



Healing is a lifelong journey that requires lifelong assistance.

Inadequate services and unrealistic expectations can lead victims back into the life.

Survivor mentors and non-survivor mentors both play a significant role in the healing process as allies to survivors.

Redesigning your life



Resources



Keeya Vawar

One Thousand Elsewhere: A True Survivor Story by Keeya Vawar

275 – Reflections on Human Trafficking from a Community Leader

Bochy's Place

Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate Program

Ensure Justice Conference - March 3-4, 2023

















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Transcript

Dave [00:00:00] You're listening to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. This is episode number 289 Survivor Led Advocacy, with Keeya Vawar.



Production Credits [00:00:09] Produced by Innovate Learning, maximizing human potential.



Dave [00:00:29] Welcome to the Ending Human Trafficking podcast. My name is Dave Stachowiak.



Sandie [00:00:34] And my name is Sandie Morgan.



Dave [00:00:37] And this is the show where we empower you to study the issues, be a voice, and make a difference in ending human trafficking. Sandie, of course, one of the most important voices we always have as part of these conversations is the voice and the experience of survivors. I'm so glad to welcome today Keeya Vawar. She is an advocate for victims of sex trafficking globally. She has the lived experience as a survivor expert, mentor, and speaker and author of One Thousand Elsewhere: A True Survivor Story. Keeya, we're so glad to have you with us today.



Keeya [00:01:13] It's my honor to be here.



Sandie [00:01:14] I'm really excited to meet you because Antipas Harris, Dr. Antipas Harris is the one who introduced us. So big shout out. And he was on Episode 275 Reflections on Human Trafficking from a Community Leader. And he told me that you are a powerful advocacy leader, your voice, your story, and you're just a beacon of light. So let's dig in and tell me a little bit, first of all, about your lifetime goals.



Keeya [00:01:56] I've ten goals. You know, pretty simple. I want to make impact in the space against human trafficking. Simply put, I use my story to do that right now. But really, to continue on this journey of training and directly being involved in the lives of survivors. And so that's it's simply put, I could do this for the rest of my life.



Sandie [00:02:24] And you told your story in a book called One Thousand Elsewhere: A True Survivor Story. How did you choose the title One Thousand Elsewhere?



Keeya [00:02:39] Well, I chose the title based on my faith.