PBCBA BAR BULLETINS pbcba_bulletin_april 2018 | Seite 4

PRESIDENT’S M e s s a g e
What Exactly is Human Trafficking?
With social media and other forms of Sources:
direct communication, attempts at human The Florida Department of Children &
trafficking can take place anywhere.
Families
The Palm Beach Post
The key to preventing it, the experts say, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security
is education. Success human trafficking
operations thrive on vulnerability, and by
educating our children, we can hopefully
provide tools to raise awareness on how to
protect themselves and avoid falling victim
to these crimes.
LAW DAY
LUNCHEON:
Many local schools have formed human
trafficking awareness clubs, and several
local agencies including the State Attorney’s
Office, the FBI and the Palm Beach County
Sheriff’s Office have formed task forces
designed to combat human trafficking.
In just one year, 12 men were arrested in
Palm Beach County for human trafficking
offenses. Human trafficking operations are
often found in local hotels and motels, and
Rosalyn Sia Baker-Barnes
some of the signs may include payment
2017-18 PBCBA President
for the room in cash or with a prepaid
card, excessive foot traffic in and out of
Human Trafficking. By now, we have all
the rooms, constant monitoring of people
heard these words, but what does human
in the rooms, significantly older men with
trafficking really mean, and, just how
younger women, and short stays with very
often is it occurring right here in Palm
few possessions, if any.
Beach County? Human trafficking is often
described as modern-day slavery. Florida
In addition to education and task forces,
law defines human trafficking as the use of
our members can also help to fight human
fraud, force or coercion to exploit another
trafficking, both in criminal and civil
person for sex, labor or domestic servitude.
cases, and through community service.
Visit the U.S. Department of Homeland
Law Day 2018 will focus on just that. Our
Security’s website, and you will find several
law day luncheon will feature a renowned
true stories of victims of human trafficking-
human trafficking prosecutor and a victim
victimization that often begins with people
of human trafficking. Both will give our
the victim knows. One example is a 13 year-
members insight about the many forms
old girl, who was trafficked by the step-
of human trafficking, and how we can
parent of a school classmate. He gained
combat it. A portion of the luncheon
her trust through what she thought was a
proceeds will benefit The Place of Hope, a
“normal” arrangement where she babysat
local organization providing safe housing,
his younger children, and slowly took
support, and care for human trafficking
advantage of her, resulting in years of drug
victims and their families. We invite you
and alcohol addiction, and years of being
to join us on May 4, 2018 for our Law Day
trafficked to men all over the country.
luncheon, and learn more about human
trafficking, and how we can help as lawyers
Those at highest risk of becoming victims
to fight it.
of human trafficking are middle and
high school students. Here in Florida, the
statistics are sobering. Florida is the third-
largest state in the country for human
trafficking.
Many experts in the field believe students
are being targeted both at school, and after
school, and even during their lunch breaks.
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN
4
A DISCUSSION ON
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Friday, May 4th
11:45am - 1:00pm
Embassy Suites Hotel