2013 Trafficking in Persons Report

On June 19th the 2013 Trafficking in Person Report was released by US Secretary of State John Kerry.  In releasing this report Secretary Kerry said, “Human trafficking undermines the rule of law and creates instability. It tears apart families and communities. It damages the environment and corrupts the global supply chains and labor markets that keep the world’s economies thriving. We also have a moral obligation to meet this challenge head-on. Human trafficking is an assault on our most dearly held values of freedom and basic human dignity.”

The report affirms steps taken by the Australian Governments to improve its legal framework for combating trafficking—particularly labour trafficking—through the enactment of amendments to the criminal code.  Recommendations to Australia include improving “the access of trafficking victims to opportunities to seek financial compensation and civil remedies; consider additional ways to streamline and expedite visa processes for trafficking victims; increase availability of shelter services for victims, perhaps through additional funding to NGOs; continue funding NGOs to conduct campaigns to raise public awareness of all forms of trafficking, particularly among rural communities and migrant populations that are not easily accessed through mainstream media.”  ACRATH would support this recommendation and has been advocating the Australian Government for this over a number of years.

Click here to access this report.