DOJ/OPDAT Trafficking in Persons
Combating Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is a top OPDAT priority. OPDAT provides substantial technical assistance throughout the world based on a holistic model encompassing the “Three Ps of TIP:” Prevention, Protection and Prosecution. OPDAT assistance includes training and developmental projects with overseas law enforcement officials geared to strengthening our international partners’ capabilities to prevent transnational trafficking; protect victim witnesses and thereby encourage their participation in investigations and prosecutions; and effectively investigate and prosecute trafficking cases. OPDAT also works with host countries on developing evidence collection techniques which can generate evidence usable in transnational prosecutions, including those brought by the Justice Department in the US. OPDAT also does legislative reform and drafting in the area of TIP to ensure that TIP law is victim assistance centered and compliant with Palermo Protocol of UN Organized Crime Convention.
OPDAT regularly calls upon the expertise of Department attorneys from the Civil Rights Division (CRT), the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and the United States Attorney's Offices (USAO) in both the design and execution of anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) technical assistance and training programs overseas. Advisors regularly furnish legislative drafting and implementation assistance with the help of Departmental experts from CRT, CEOS and USAOs, who are selected for their expertise in a specific area or their work on a successful TIP prosecution that they can present as a case study to their foreign counterparts.
In FY 2008, OPDAT conducted 49 programs involving 20 countries (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kosovo, Mexico, Moldova, Nicaragua, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and United Arab of Emirates).
Recent Activities
Human Trafficking Program in Tanzania: From December 10 – 12, in Arusha, Tanzania, the OPDAT Intermittent Legal Advisor to Tanzania conducted a program for prosecutors on how to investigate and prosecute trafficking in persons cases. It included a review of the pending Tanzanian human trafficking law, importance of investigator - prosecutor coordination, and how to interview witnesses. Assisting the Intermittent Legal Advisor were three Tanzanian prosecutors who had previously received training on how to successfully build and prosecute a human trafficking case. They were joined by a representative from the International Organization of Migration and the Chief of the Human Trafficking Unit for the police, who worked closely with the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program human trafficking program in Tanzania during FY 2008.
Gender-Based Violence Programs in Zambia: From December 10-12 and 15-17, in Lusaka, Zambia, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Zambia and an Assistant United States Attorney from the District of Columbia conducted two gender-based violence case development programs for Zambian investigators and prosecutors. The training, which is part of the Women’s Justice Empowerment Initiative in Zambia, was designed to raise awareness of gender-based violence and focus on the skills and tools required to effectively prosecute such cases.
Department Participates in World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of
Children and Adolescents: From November 25-28, a Criminal Division Deputy Assistant Attorney led the United States delegation to World Congress III Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Brazil participated on panels on domestic trafficking and challenges in enforcing laws to protect children against sexual exploitation in the virtual world, and continues to assist the Brazilian Government in its efforts to draft a new child pornography law.
Sexual Offenses Workshop in Kenya: From November 25-28, in Naivasha, Kenya, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Kenya and International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program Senior Law Enforcement Advisor to Kenya conducted a workshop on sexual offenses for approximately 30 Kenyan investigators and prosecutors. This program was co-hosted by Kenya’s Directorate of Public Prosecutions and focused on implementation of the new sexual offenses act. It is part of the Women’s Justice Empowerment Initiative in Kenya.
Child Pornography Program in Russia: From November 12-15, in Moscow, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Russia, in conjunction with the Russian Duma (parliament), conducted a program on combating child pornography for Russian police, prosecutors, and government officials. The program focused on effective legislation and close bi-lateral cooperation between the U.S. and Russia. It is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s on-going anti-child pornography assistance efforts in Russia. Assisting the Resident Legal Advisor were a Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Chief, Computer Forensic Specialist, and Assistant United States Attorney (Eastern District, PA).
Trafficking in Persons Program in Ghana: From November 6-20, in Accra, Ghana, an Assistant United States Attorney (Southern District, Florida) conducted training seminars
for Ghanaian investigators and prosecutors handling human trafficking cases. These are a follow-up to the assistance she initially provided to them from November 2007-June 2008, when she served as the OPDAT Intermittent Legal Advisor for Trafficking in Persons in Ghana. Her assistance led to the establishment of an anti-trafficking in persons unit within the Ghanaian Police Service, which is responsible for opening several human trafficking investigations. The current training seminars will give the unit the opportunity to practice and refresh the investigative and prosecutorial skills they were exposed to earlier.
Resident Legal Advisor to Brazil Holds First Ever International Conference on Child Pornography: From October 30-31, in Vitoria, Brazil, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Brazil conducted the first-ever program on child pornography in Brazil, to familiarize judges, prosecutors, and police with the specifics of a new child pornography law about to be enacted. In the past, new Brazilian laws were quietly ratified by Congress without notifying justice sector officials. As a result, many Brazilian laws went unnoticed and unenforced. The Resident Legal Advisor has been assisting the Brazilian Government in drafting the child pornography law.
U.S.-Based Study Tour on Organized Crime and Human Trafficking for Bosnian Delegation: From October 11-25, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Bosnia and Herzegovina led a delegation of 16 Bosnian judges, prosecutors, and legal officials on a U.S.-based study tour in Pittsburgh and Boston focused on organized crime and human trafficking. In Pittsburgh, the delegation visited the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss how to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate such cases; they also had the opportunity to observe pre trial services, probation hearings, jury selection, arraignments, motions to suppress, and criminal trials. A U.S. Attorney made a presentation on how to investigate and prosecute child pornography cases. In Boston, they spent a day at the appellate court where they observed arguments in criminal cases. They also had the opportunity to meet judges and prosecutors from the state court and to observe a murder trial.
Human Trafficking Legal Advisor Arrives in Tanzania: On September 5, an Assistant United States Attorney from the Eastern District of New York arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to begin her six- to eight-month assignment as the OPDAT Intermittent Legal Advisor on human trafficking issues to Tanzania. She will provide advice and technical assistance to the Tanzanian prosecution service to strengthen its capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate human trafficking offenses under the new human trafficking law, that is currently in its last stage of approval.
Trafficking in Persons Program in Mexico: From July 15-18, OPDAT conducted a workshop on investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons cases in Mexico City, Mexico, for 21 Mexican prosecutors. The program covered the following: the distinction between trafficking and smuggling; Mexico’s new trafficking laws; techniques for interviewing victims, particularly underage ones; victim assistance and witness protection; and task force development. This was the second in a series of three workshops; the first took place from June 17-20. The final program is tentatively scheduled for September 2008. DOJ instructors included three Assistant US Attorneys from the District of Arizona.
US-Based Study tour on Human Trafficking for Prosecutors from Tajikistan: From July 14 - 18, OPDAT conducted a US-based study tour for four Tajik prosecutors specializing in human trafficking cases. During meetings with attorneys from the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, and the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia, the group explored how human trafficking cases are investigated and prosecuted in the United States. They also met with agents from Immigration Customs Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department. The State Department recently placed Tajikistan on the Tier Two Watch List because of its less than aggressive efforts to prosecute traffickers. The purpose of this study tour is to encourage the Tajiks to pursue these cases and to equip them with the skills needed to enhance their prosecutorial efforts.
Trafficking in Persons Program in Russia: From July 7-9, the OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Russia conducted a program on human trafficking in Irkutsk, Russia. It provided an overview of the trafficking-in-persons situation in the United States as well as efforts by governmental and non-governmental agencies to provide assistance, protection and benefits to trafficking victims. This conference is part of DOJ’s and Embassy Moscow’s strategy to heighten public awareness of the crime of human trafficking and to enhance Russian law enforcement’s capacity to investigate and prosecute human traffickers and protect victims.
Program on Combating Child Pornography for Russian Delegation:From June 23 - 27, an OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor to Russia led a US-based study tour on combating child pornography for a delegation of 13 Russian Duma deputies (lower house of Parliament), prosecutors, investigators, and non-governmental organization personnel. The program, which took place in Washington, DC, familiarized the participants with the laws the US uses to prosecute the production, possession, receipt, and distribution of child pornography; the registration of sexual offenders in the US and the proposed Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act; and the regulations and restrictions governing the Internet service provider industry in the US. The program is part of DOJ’s ongoing efforts to assist Russia in its fight against the production, distribution, possession, and receipt of child pornography in Russia. The delegation met with experts from both government and private organizations. These include the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cyber Crime Center in the Department of Homeland Security, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons in the Department of State, National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse in the National District Attorney’s Association, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and United States Internet Service Providers Association.
Border Crime and Human Trafficking Workshops in Bulgaria: From June 18 - 20, OPDAT conducted a workshop in Sofia, Bulgaria, on human trafficking and cross border crime for 26 Bulgarian prosecutors, police officials from the Ministry of Interior, and judges. The workshop was the second in a series of training programs jointly organized with the National Institute of Justice, Bulgaria's training institution for prosecutors and judges, and the Bulgarian Police Academy. The trainers at the workshop were primarily from a "core group" of Bulgarian officials whom OPDAT has empowered to become leading anti-trafficking experts in Bulgaria. Representing DOJ was the Director of the Professional Development Office, Civil Rights Division.
Trafficking in Persons Program in Mexico: From June 17 - 20, OPDAT conducted a workshop on investigating and prosecuting trafficking in persons cases in Mexico City, Mexico, for 20 Mexican prosecutors. The agenda included the distinction between trafficking and smuggling; a discussion of Mexico’s new trafficking laws; techniques for interviewing victims, particularly underage ones; victim assistance and witness protection; and task force development. The workshop will be offered again in July. Representing DOJ were two Assistant US Attorneys from the District of Arizona.
Trafficking in Persons Program in Tanzania: From June 9 - 12, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, OPDAT and the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) conducted a program on human trafficking cases for Tanzanian prosecutors and investigators. It reviewed the pending human trafficking law and examined investigative and prosecutive techniques and practices, such as conducting raids and surveillance, interviewing witnesses, securing evidence, victim protection, preparation for trial, and overall coordination between prosecutors and investigators. Representing DOJ were the OPDAT Intermittent Legal Advisor Designate to Tanzania; a Special Litigation Counsel from the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division; and two ICITAP Technical Advisors.
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