Florida

Called the “Sunshine State,” Florida is known for its balmy, sunny weather and beautiful beaches. Ponce de Leon, in search of the elusive fountain of youth, was the first European to explore Florida. St. Augustine, founded by the Spanish in 1565, is the oldest permanent European settlement in the continental United States. Statehood for Florida came in 1845. Florida’s state flower is the orange blossom, which is particularly fitting because oranges are a main export of the state. Because of its shape and location, a long peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida attracts millions of visitors each year to its many seaside resort areas. Its capital is Tallahassee.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all around the world, including in Florida. It is a form of modern slavery in which individuals are exploited for labor, sexual exploitation, or other purposes.

In Florida, human trafficking can take many forms, including forced labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation. It often affects vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, children, and people who are homeless or in poverty.

Florida has been identified as a hub for human trafficking, due in part to its large immigrant population, international airports, and tourist industry. The state has taken steps to address the issue, including passing legislation to strengthen penalties for traffickers and to provide support and services to victims.

If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, there are steps you can take to help. You can report the situation to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by text at 233733. You can also contact local law enforcement or a trusted organization that provides services to victims of human trafficking. It is important to remember that the safety of the victim should be the top priority and to handle the situation with care and sensitivity.

 

 

Trafficking survivor comes out of the shadows to get hotels to curb crime
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Trafficking survivor comes out of the shadows to get hotels to curb crime

The first time Anneke Lucas heard about legislation designed to rescue human trafficking victims in hotels, she couldn’t help but think about how something like that could have helped her as a child. “If I had seen the definition that said I was not a prostitute, that would have made a difference for me,” Lucas…

‘America’s Darkest Secret’: Sex Trafficking, Child Abuse and the Biden Administration
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‘America’s Darkest Secret’: Sex Trafficking, Child Abuse and the Biden Administration

The criminal practice of trafficking and abusing hundreds of thousands of migrant children who cross the southern border is now, thanks to the open-border policy of the Biden Administration, apparently “normal” inside the US: “According to Customs and Border Protection, since January 2021 when Biden took the oath of office, there have been 5,118,661 encounters…

LISTEN: Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos on advocating for migrant farmworkers’ rights
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LISTEN: Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos on advocating for migrant farmworkers’ rights

Dr. Lisbeth Iglesias-Ríos joins the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice podcast to discuss why we must advocate for better workplace conditions for the people who grow our food.  Iglesias-Ríos, researcher at the University of Michigan and a co-investigator of the Michigan Farmworker Project, also talks about being raised by two strong women, her winding…

Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
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Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement

Editor’s note: We are non-partisan. Children are being hurt. Please, watch, read, learn, and act accordingly. Hearing Date: Wednesday 04/26/2023 – 3:00 PM Hearing Location: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building The hearing, “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,” will examine the unprecedented surge of unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border and…

Arizona changed how it sells prisoners to companies. The state raked in millions, but workers were neglected
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Arizona changed how it sells prisoners to companies. The state raked in millions, but workers were neglected

Clothed in orange with elbow-high rubber gloves and large black masks, a line of workers along a conveyor belt pull lead from cathode-ray tubes. At a construction warehouse, more workers in orange jumpsuits piece together wall frames for single-family homes until one shoots a nail into his knee with a nail gun. At a canning…

USF designated as first academic institution for statewide human trafficking data repository
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USF designated as first academic institution for statewide human trafficking data repository

Housed at the St. Pete campus, the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Risk to Resilience and Research Lab is now the statewide repository for anonymous human trafficking data due to a new bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/USF The USF Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Risk to Resilience and Research Lab was recently…

Immigrant health workers fear they can’t escape contracts
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Immigrant health workers fear they can’t escape contracts

Immigrants hired to yearslong contracts to fill thousands of U.S. healthcare roles said they are paid less than their co-workers, deceived about benefits such as free housing and, if they try to leave, threatened with tens of thousands in debt, NBC News reported June 4. More than a dozen immigrant healthcare employees told the news…

Prevention Cohort LIVE Ep 1: TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story basics
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Prevention Cohort LIVE Ep 1: TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story basics

https://youtu.be/yHpg6nglElQ?t=110 EDITOR’S NOTE: We were asked to remove the video due to a personal concern and we completely support that. We’re sorry for the content removal, but personal comfort is far too important!  Our inaugural episode was spurred into action by one of our newest licensees. She is very excited to get started performing live…

FMCSA launches human trafficking awareness campaign
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FMCSA launches human trafficking awareness campaign

Through its new human trafficking awareness campaign, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration seeks to give commercial motor vehicle drivers the information to identify and report incidents of human trafficking. Called,“Your Roads, Their Freedom,” the FMCSA campaign will be a nationwide effort with an emphasis in California, Florida, Michigan, New York and North Carolina. According…

FMCSA Launches Program to Combat Human Trafficking
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FMCSA Launches Program to Combat Human Trafficking

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently launched its new human trafficking awareness campaign, “Your Roads, Their Freedom.” The campaign seeks to give the nation’s 8.7 million commercial motor vehicle drivers the information needed to identify and report suspected human trafficking. “Human trafficking is a heinous crime, and it has no place in the transportation…