2019 human trafficking report: U.S. has work to do

By Diana Chandler - Posted at Baptist Press:

WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. is among 33 top countries fighting human trafficking but falls short in prosecuting traffickers, aiding victims and tackling forced labor in particular, the U.S. State Department said in its latest report.

Faith communities can help countries address human trafficking, which currently victimizes an estimated 25 million adults and children worldwide in sex trafficking and forced labor, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large John Cotton Richmond said in releasing the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP).

"Traffickers continue to operate with impunity and only a small fraction of victims receive trauma-informed, victim-centered support services," said Richmond, ambassador-at-large to monitor and combat trafficking in persons. "Yet, by working together, governments, civil society organizations, survivor advocates, and faith communities can reverse this troubling pattern."

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