National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Still recovering from the unprecedented health, economic and social crises caused by COVID 19, the US and the world are now facing inflation and recession. As expected, the global crisis will further worsen the Philippine economy, and drive more Filipinos out of the country in search of work to support their families. Due to the chronic poverty and unemployment in the Philippines, over 6,200 Filipinos leave the country every day, and about 80% are women. Around 60% of them aim to go to the US, specifically to New York City where the majority of them become undocumented and vulnerable to labor and human trafficking. In particular, those who work for diplomats are likely to become victims of labor and human trafficking.
How big is the problem of human trafficking? President Biden proclaimed January as “Human Trafficking Prevention Month” reaffirming the urgency of the fight against human trafficking. Forced labor, also known as involuntary servitude, is the biggest sector of trafficking in the world and migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to forced labor. At present, 21 million people globally are victims of forced labor and traffickers make $51 billion a year from the exploitation.
Damayan is at the frontline in the fight against labor trafficking and modern day slavery of Filipino low wage workers, particularly of women domestic workers. We started this in 2008 when we launched our campaign “Baklas”, meaning break free, against labor trafficking. Through services, comprehensive case management, survivors’ leadership development and partnership with progressive anti- trafficking attorneys , we have helped 71 survivors get humanitarian trafficking visas and helped 33 of them reunify their families on US soil. Collectively, these Filipino trafficking survivors successfully brought 67 children and 24 spouses to the US. Celebrate our victories against labor and human trafficking! If we fight together, we can win!
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