Human trafficking, a business that raises about 152 billion dollars a year

Analyze what has been achieved and reveal the challenges that remain in eradicating human trafficking This is the objective of the first summit on the subject, which is taking place these days in Washington DC.

On Monday, former US Anti-Trafficking Ambassador John Richmond said human trafficking grosses around $152 billion.

In addition, he pointed out that “there is an urgency regarding this issue. Between the battle between the traffickers and the government, the traffickers are winning … We are going after the victims, instead of the traffickers.”

The lawyer and diplomat also assured that “no victim should be persecuted, in the kind of behavior for trying to survive.”

Richmond affirmed that, since 2015, the persecution of human trafficking has fallen by 40% and assured that this problem is not due to the pandemic, but rather that it was already present.

The former ambassador also pointed out that in countries such as Chile, South Korea, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Belgium, Japan, Kosovo, Malta, Slovakia, Ukraine, among others, most human traffickers are allowed to operate with some impunity. Therefore, he said, it is necessary for governments to address this issue.

The event, which took place on Monday at The Tower Club Tyson Corner, in Washington DC, and will be held on Tuesday at the facilities of the Organization of American States (OAS), also in the US capital, is organized by victims of human trafficking.

“This type of action seems extremely important to me. Although it seems like a problem that is foreign to us, it is not foreign to us,” said Carola, one of the victims of this crime, at the beginning of the event. “My companions and I passed in front of so many eyes that could have done something.”

Among the issues being developed at the summit are effective collaboration between civil society and authorities to prosecute traffickers and reintegrate victims into society.

Throughout the meeting, the Guatemalan government will be honored in a special way, for its fight to eradicate this crime. An analysis of 1,008 sentences and amparos found in the File Integration and Follow-up System (SISE) of the Federal Judiciary Council will also be presented.

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