Follow us here to stay up to date on human trafficking policy, hear about training opportunities and events, and learn more about what’s happening in the anti-trafficking field.
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Freedom Network USA supports Amnesty International’s call to Decriminalize Sex Work
Freedom Network USA released a statement today in support of Amnesty International’s recent call on states to develop policies to decriminalize consensual sex work. The Freedom Network USA believes that decriminalization would protect the rights and safety of all sex…
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Freedom Network USA releases Member Report
The Freedom Network USA released their 2016 Member Report earlier this month in conjunction the 14th Annual Freedom Network USA Conference in Chicago. The report documents services provided to human trafficking survivors across the United States by our organizational members…
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FN publishes Op-Ed on changes to guest worker program
FN Executive Director, Jean Bruggeman and Board Member, Dan Werner (SPLC) wrote an opinion piece that ran on The Hill’s website this week. They argue that Congress should reject the Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act (S. 2225) rider…
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FN Submits Amicus Brief in Support of Trafficking Survivors
The Freedom Network with pro bono counsel Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., recently submitted an amicus brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in the Adhikari v. Kellog Brown & Root, Inc. (KBR) case. We urge the Court…
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Food for Thought from FN Policy Co-Chair; Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia
Beyond the Chains: Tuning Into the Full Spectrum of Human Trafficking A pair of shackled hands. A body branded with a bar code. A woman behind bars. These are the images I have to walk audiences back from at every…
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FN Responds to National Johns Suppression Initiative
The Freedom Network (FN) released a response today to raise concerns about the National Johns Suppression Initiative.The two-month law enforcement led operation targeted individuals promoting or purchasing sexual services across the country, resulting in almost 1,000 arrests across 18 states.…
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The Freedom Network USA Welcomes Jean Bruggeman as Director, Strengthening the Coalition Combating Human Trafficking
The Freedom Network is pleased to introduce Jean Bruggeman as its first Director. Ms. Bruggeman’s deep and multifaceted experience within the anti-trafficking field is an ideal match for the human rights-based coalition of legal and social service providers that comprises…
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FN Response to Amnesty International’s Policy Decision on the Sex Industry
The Freedom Network released an official response today on Amnesty International’s recent policy decision to support decriminalization of the sex industry. FN commends Amnesty International for upholding the values of human rights, self-determination, and empowerment with this decision. Read the full…
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Freedom Network Responds to TVAP FOA.
As one of the nation’s first federally funded grants to support direct services to survivors of human trafficking, the Trafficking Victim Assistance Program (TVAP) program has assisted thousands of foreign-born survivors across the country. On June 19th, the Office of…
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FN Co-Chair Amy Fleischauer attends DHS’s Blue Campaign Anniversary Event
Freedom Network co-chair Amy Fleischauer recently attended the Blue Campaign’s 5th anniversary event, strengthening the partnerships between government and law enforcement, private and public organizations. The Blue Campaign is presented by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in efforts…
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News Flash: Freedom Network Member CIW Featured on CBS News
Freedom Network member The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and their Fair Food Program on CBS news on Sunday! Watch the segment below, and connect with the CIW on Facebook and Twitter to spread the word! About the The Coalition…
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FN Members on CNN: Advocating for FORTE Act
Labor trafficking is finally getting media coverage, as a recent New York Times exposé on labor trafficking in New York City nail salons outed illegal practices taking place in majority within the industry. Freedom Network members Griselda Vega and Shandra…
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FN Member Spotlight: Opening Doors
Freedom Network is excited to introduce new member organization Opening Doors, based in Sacramento, CA. We spoke with Elizabet Medina about the work of the organization and the incredible impact they are having in the Sacramento area. “Our mission is…
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New J/TIP Ambassador Nomination
President Obama announced his intent to nominate several key administrative posts today. The Freedom Network is happy to support Mrs. Susan Coppedge’s nomination for Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, with rank of Ambassador at Large, Department of…
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Indian Guest Workers Win $20 Million in Labor Trafficking Case
More than 200 guest workers from India settled their labor trafficking lawsuits against the Mobile, Alabama–based shipbuilder Signal International, with award of $20 million for their work after Hurricane Katrina. The federal lawsuit alleged that workers were lured to work…
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Daniel Werner of SPLC Testifies to EEOC
On June 17, 2015 Daniel Werner Senior, Supervising Attorney at Southern Poverty Law Center, was honored to testify in front of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Werner opened by addressing the issue of retaliation against immigrant and migrant workers as…
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CA Labor Commissioner Awards $138,386 to Caretaker
California labor laws are being enforced in the city of San Francisco to protect California laborers who are particularly susceptible to wage theft. These workers are often entitled to compensation exceeding backed wages due to minimum wage laws, including severance…
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Lynnette Parker is honored by the FBI
Lynnette Parker, Associate Clinical Professor at the Katherine and George Alexander Community Law Center was recognized last year by the FBI for her incredible and unwavering work with victims of human trafficking. Parker has been working in the Bay Area…
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Get to know Tapestri: A Freedom Network Member making an Impact Across the Southern USA.
The Freedom Network USA is working to strengthen the relationships between member organizations. We believe strong bonds encourage the sharing of information, and this new series of interviews on the Freedom Network blog with members will help us build those bonds and…
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New Attorney General Loretta Lynch Is Sex Traffickers’ Worst Nightmare
[Joshua Lott/Reuters] According to a recent article posted by The Daily Beast, pimps may have cheered when the GOP used a trafficking bill to block the confirmation of Loretta Lynch, America’s most successful prosecutor of pimps. But now she’ll be…