“PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT:” HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ITS (DIS)CONTENTS

KATHERINE NASOL

THE PLAN

What is Human Trafficking?

How does it relate to the API Community?

A Case Study: The Trafficking of Filipino Migrant Workers

Role Play Activity

Next Steps and Solutions

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

The trade and commodification of human beings.

Act Means Purpose

• Recruitment• Transportation• Transfer• Harbouring• Receipt of persons

• Threats• Deception• Physical and Verbal

Abuse• Other abuses of

power

• Slavery• Forced labor• Prostitution• Sexual exploitation

HOW DOES HUMAN TRAFFICKING RELATE TO THE API COMMUNITY?

Learning from the experiences of Filipino Migrant Workers

HEARING THE UNHEARD

WITHIN THE PHILIPPINE CONTEXT: LABOR EXPORT POLICY

The Philippines’ Labor Export Policy is a set of laws and regulations set

by the Philippine government to encourage its citizens to migrate out

of the country and to find work in foreign nations.

CONNECTING LEP TO TRAFFICKING

US AND RACIALIZED LABORHow US labor and immigration policies intersects with human trafficking.

ROLE PLAYING ACTIVITY

1. Act out your group scene!

2. Performing group will discuss how it connects to LEP and forced migration!

3. Audience will identify how 3 elements of trafficking are in this situation!

RESEARCH TOPIC“People Before Profit” discusses how and why Filipino migrant

workers have become subject to human trafficking during their migration journeys.

Through collecting stories from workers and anti-trafficking advocates across the nation, I explore how and why Filipino

migrant workers journey from the Philippines to the United States and analyze what factors facilitate trafficking and

exploitation throughout their journey.

After assessing the role of trafficking in migration, I shed light on community-based solutions to combatting human trafficking,

from the local level to the global level.

FINDINGS

“It hurt. I cannot accept it…I am more than a slave”

- Lorena

MAJOR FINDINGS

The human trafficking of Filipino migrant workers is a result of unjust global and national policies in both the Philippines and the United States that discriminate and abuse migrant

workers.

These policies affect every part of their migration journey staring from their home country, to their recruitment, exploitation in their

workplace, and their treatment and access to services in the United States.

Because trafficking is facilitated by large scale policies, the solutions are found and best led by Filipino migrant workers

themselves in their local communities.

HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

SERVICES AND ORGANIZATIONALLY

Build partnerships between social service agencies and grassroots organizations.

Involve migrant workers as leaders for mobilizations and campaigns against recruiters and employers

Build support networks amongst migrant workers

LOCALLY

Educate the broader public on human trafficking

Train local law Enforcement on human trafficking and cultural sensitivity

Enforce current labor protection laws like the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights

NATIONALLYPromote genuine immigration reform.

Enforce labor protections for all workers

Legalize migrant workers so that they may find their own job opportunities

End guest worker and temporary worker programs that bound workers to recruiters and employers

GLOBALLY

Educate Migrant Workers About Rights and Dangers Before Leaving Home Country

End Foreign Labor Recruitment Schemes.

Increase social services and job opportunities in the Philippines to end forced migration