Civil Society - Content

Thanks to the receipt of a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, United States Department of Justice, Civil Society, a Minnesota non-profit, can now launch the long awaited Minnesota Human Trafficking Watch. The Minnesota Human Trafficking Watch is a group of people and agencies who are concerned about the horrific sex and labor trafficking going on in the State of Minnesota. The Watch coordinate trainings, conduct public education and outreach, and provide comprehensive services to victims of trafficking in the State of Minnesota. The Watch collaborate with law enforcement to make sure that trafficking victims receive resources they need to be safe.

Minnesota has become one of the 13 most heavily sex and slavery trafficked states in the nation. The 2003 Innocence Lost National Initiative targeted the Twin Cities as one of he 13 cities targeted as a high intensity trafficking area. The U.S. government estimates that approximately 20,000 foreign nationals are trafficked into the U.S. each year. Minnesota is particularly affected by trafficking because we are a border state.

Victims of human trafficking are forced into labor and sexual exploitation. Approximately 50% of all victims of trafficking are children. Sex trafficking is the most lucrative sector of the trade in people. It involves forced, fraud or coercion for the purposes of commercial sex. Trafficking victims are often involved in industries where they are "invisible", including domestic servitude, sweatshops, restaurant and hotel businesses, farm work, construction, begging and peddling, the sex industry and servile marriage.

Crisis Line for human trafficking victims and
Tip Line for those who are concerned about trafficking:
1-888-7-SAFE-24 (1-888-772-3324)
or 651-291-8810

Trafficked Victims Reported to Civil Society
by Country of Origin

Register to join the Minnesota Human Trafficking Watch!

When you become part of the Minnesota Human Trafficking Watch, you will be contacted about trainings and resources for trafficking victims, Advisory Committee meetings, other educational events about trafficking, and opportunities for volunteers.

Download Registration Form, fill it out then email, mail or fax to Civil Society.

Services, including medical, dental, psychological, legal, shelter, ESL, vocational counseling, transportation, translation, food, incidentals for precertified international trafficking victims are provided under a grant from the United States Department of Justice.

The same services for certified trafficking victims are covered on a very time limited basis by a subcontract with the United States Counsel Of Catholic Bishops.

We have a subgrant from Breaking Free to provide outreach to international trafficking victims; that grant has been received by Breaking Free from the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Cicil Society has a contract with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for outreach to human trafficking victims; 60% of these funds are subcontracted to six diverse ethnic groups.

We have a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice programs for ten trafficking screening clinics throughout the State.

Civil Society has a grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs for the Language Line Assisted Trafficking Victim Crisis and Tip Line, 1-888-7-SAVE-24

Our Advisory Council Members:

Kathleen Anderson, GOP Caucus (State of Minnesota), Committee Legislative Assistant
Gus P. Avenido, Refuge State Coordinator, Resettlement Programs Supervisor
Sgt. John Bandener, Saint Paul Police Department, Sergeant
Rebecca L. Brune, Wells Fargo Institutional Trust Services, Mutual Funds Trade Operations Manager
Cyndi Cook, Minnesota Battered Women's Coalition, Executive Director
Jamie Cork, Hennepin County
Diane Cushman, State of MN Office of Economic Status of Women, Director
Gail Emerson, Sexual Violence Center (SVC), Executive Director, SVC
Jane Evans, Minnesota Justice Foundation, William Mitchell College of Law Staff Attorney
Patricia Fenrick, World Relief Minnesota, Executive Director
Barbara Frye, University of Minnesota Human Rights Center, Professor, Director
Lauren Gilchrist, Deborah Powell Center for Women's Health, U of MN, Outreach Coordinator
Sonseree Goldenberg, Goldenberg Law Firm, P.A., Immigration Attorney
Susan Hartman, US Russia Connect, Executive Director
Nicole Matthews, MN Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition
Betty McCollum, United States House of Representatives, Congresswoman
Jill Radman, Connect US-Russia, Program Manager
Kate Richtman, Ramsey County Attorneys Office
Victoria Salas, LA MANO, Executive Director
Carol Sandberg, Volunteer
Lupe Serrano, Casa de Esparanza, Executive Director
Melani Suarez, Asian Women United, Executive Director
Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, Minnesota State House of Representatives, State Representative (Dist. 94B)
Tamara Uselman, Perham Public Schools, Superintendent
Kim Walsh, University of Minnesota Center for Human Rights
Dot Wolking, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet
Al Zdrazil, Minnesota Attorney General Office, Assistant Attorney General of Minnesota
Mary Hasbrouck, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Director of Candidates
Andre Heuer, Storyteller, Psychotherapist
Velma Korbel, Minnesota Human Rights Department, Commissioner

Published on: 2007-07-17 (21176 reads)

[ Go Back ]