United States of America (USA) - West Coast
The USA is a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation.
Prevention:
The US State Department publishes the Trafficking
In Persons (TIP) Report each year. OasisUSA, under the banner of STOP THE TRAFFIK, provides training on identifying human trafficking and how to get involved with the issue. It also runs
outreach teams who raise awareness within the local community through poster campaigns and awareness events. There is a strong emphasis on the Chinese community, who are under-reached on
the issue of trafficking. Oasis USA also offers trainings in schools and yout groups about the risks of domestic sex trafficking.
Prosecution:
STOP THE TRAFFIK is working to map and disrupt
local human trafficking through Active Communities against Trafficking (ACT), the information from which will be given to local authorities and police forces. Oasis USA, the West Coast
Office for Stop the Traffik, is a member of the Los Angeles Metro Task Force. The task force is a collaboration of stakeholders working to prosecute traffickers as well as protect victims.
Additionally, Oasis USA trains local police departments in how to identify situations of trafficking in their line of work.
Protection:
Victims of human trafficking are protected under
the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) 2008.
The US Department of Health and Human Service run The Rescue and Restore Campaign which identifies and assists victims of human trafficking. Oasis USA is a member of the Rescue and
Restore Campaign and actively promotes the National Referral Hotline which points victims and other callers to available protection services in their local area.
Developments:
California has, like in many other areas, taken the
lead by passing Assembly Bill 22 (Lieber, 2005) to provide for multiple protections at the state level, designed to coordinate and compliment federal legislation.
At the national level, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was Reauthorized in 2008 providing greater protection to victims of trafficking.