National Survivor Network

‘Sound of Freedom’ film is a good conversation starter, but there is more to say
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‘Sound of Freedom’ film is a good conversation starter, but there is more to say

Earlier this month, the movie Sound of Freedom was released and brought human trafficking to the forefront of many viewers’ minds. As an organization deeply committed to meeting the needs of survivors, Mosaic Family Services is glad to see that this movie has grown attention and sparked concern for human trafficking, but it’s important we…

A trafficking hotline could be forced to report to police. Victims may stop calling, advocates say.
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A trafficking hotline could be forced to report to police. Victims may stop calling, advocates say.

The first few times she made the call, Aubree Alles hung up without saying a word. She learned the number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline sometime in the decade she calls “hell” — the years she was sold for sex by a woman who had promised her friendship and a place to stay. From…

Human trafficking survivor shares story after receiving pardon from Michigan governor
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Human trafficking survivor shares story after receiving pardon from Michigan governor

Her story is one of second chances. A 58-year-old woman who served time for crimes she committed while being human trafficked was pardoned by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Leslie King’s attorney believes she may be the first human trafficking survivor to receive a pardon from the governor. Her story is important because there are many…

Racism and Human Trafficking
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Racism and Human Trafficking

As I commemorated Martin Luther King, Jr. this week and thought about racial justice, one area we don’t talk enough about is the racialized reality of human trafficking. According to the Congressional Black Caucus, 57.5 percent of all juvenile detention prostitution arrests were of Black children, and 40 percent of sex trafficking victims identified as…

Warner helps secure gubernatorial pardon for human trafficking survivor – Grand Rapids …
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Warner helps secure gubernatorial pardon for human trafficking survivor – Grand Rapids …

Leslie King. Courtesy Warner Norcross + Judd Thanks to the work of a Warner partner, Sacred Beginnings founder Leslie King’s record has been expunged, setting her free to pursue higher education. A pro bono team of Warner Norcross + Judd attorneys helped secure what is believed to be Michigan’s first gubernatorial pardon of a survivor…

Survivors work to prevent human trafficking, aid victims – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy
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Survivors work to prevent human trafficking, aid victims – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy

Victims of human trafficking come from every region of the globe. Increasingly, survivors are taking the lead in the fight against the crime and in helping its victims to heal. To understand the scope of the problem, caused primarily by criminals subjecting victims to forced labor or sex trafficking, one need only see the International Labour Organization estimates, which…

Michigan governor grants pardon to woman who survived human trafficking, served time in prison
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Michigan governor grants pardon to woman who survived human trafficking, served time in prison

A woman who served time in prison for crimes she committed while being human trafficked has been pardoned by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Leslie King spoke to Local 4 Investigator Karen Drew earlier this year and shared her story. She had tried to get her record expunged several times, but had no luck. She was…

CNN op-ed: Five reasons I’m optimistic despite grim new statistics on forced labor
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CNN op-ed: Five reasons I’m optimistic despite grim new statistics on forced labor

Editor’s note: there are multiple videos on the original post’s page here. Terry FitzPatrick is director of the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking, a coalition of US-based organizations working to prevent and combat forced labor and human trafficking in more than 100 countries. He is writing in his personal capacity as an expert with…

FTS and Partners Urge G7 to Take Action Against Forced Labor in Supply Chains
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FTS and Partners Urge G7 to Take Action Against Forced Labor in Supply Chains

On June 13, 2022, Free the Slaves joined 20 civil society organizations, survivors, and academics in urging the G7 to adopt new measures in ensuring forced labor is eradicated from the global supply chain. The leaders of these prosperous countries have the resources and collective voice necessary to enact concrete steps that would protect those…

Conducting Anti-Trafficking Work Using a Racial Equity Lens
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Conducting Anti-Trafficking Work Using a Racial Equity Lens

Recently, there was a request for information made by the US State Department’s Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG) asked for input from key stakeholders and community members on how it can advance racial justice and equity in work combatting human trafficking. We’re glad this request was made, and…