Challenges Faced by Labor Trafficking Victims, Their Support Practitioners, and Solutions to Combat Them

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Victimization

Abstract

A discussion of findings from qualitative interviews of practitioners and a program client survey from the Human Trafficking Justice Project (HTJP) run by Gulf Coast Legal Services (GLS), funded by the OVC. Findings suggest that although labor trafficking victims benefit greatly from the legal services they are provided from the program, the practitioners and victims face challenges outside the scope of the program’s current ability. Program participants face self-victim-blaming and an inability to recognize themselves as victims, face deportation during their lengthy immigration court proceedings, and a lack of financial assistance while receiving legal services. Practitioners face challenges due to the everchanging political attitudes towards immigration, large caseloads, burnout, and an inability to accept all cases. Which ultimately leads to internalized ethical dilemmas in having to refer victims to other programs when at capacity. A discussion of practitioner-suggested solutions includes additional victim services such as medical, housing, and financial assistance, criminal record expungement, and counseling. Solutions to practitioner challenges include increased funding for the HTJP which will allow, more vacations, staff such as paralegals, and the systematic encouragement for attorneys to contact the bar hotline when faced with ethical dilemmas.

Authors

• Rebecca Angela Ruiz, University of California, Irvine

• Colby Valentine, University of South Florida

• Fawn Ngo, University of South Florida