Melinda Smith |
Womankind: Impacts of Criminalization and Advocacy at Work
A conversation with Aya Tasaki from Womankind, Freedom Network USA member. Tell us about the anti-trafficking work that Womankind does? Womankind supports survivors of human trafficking through our anti-trafficking program, Project Free, in addition to supporting survivors of domestic…
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Melinda Smith |
A Quick Look at the Public Health Approach to Human Trafficking
A human trafficking conversation with Hanni Stoklosa from HEAL Trafficking, Freedom Network USA Individual member. As an emergency department doctor, how did you find yourself working in the anti-trafficking field? The majority of human trafficking survivors in the US…
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Melinda Smith |
Housing As a Human Right
A conversation with Daniella Cameron from Preble Street, Freedom Network USA member. You say that housing shouldn’t be conditional. How can organizations ensure that the housing they provide or refer survivors to maintains that value? Organizations can ensure the…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Releases White Paper on Survivor Leadership in the US
Today, Freedom Network USA released a white paper surveying survivor leadership development opportunities in the United States. Our founders were committed to lifting the voices of those with lived experience and working as partners in the fight to end human…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Submits Comments to the US State Department
Yesterday, Freedom Network USA (FNUSA) submitted comments to the US State Department to inform the 2019 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Released annually by the Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons (JTIP), this report ranks countries around the world…
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Melinda Smith |
A Step in the Right Direction: Trafficking Victims Protection Act Reauthorized
In the final days of 2018, the House passed a package of four bills to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), after the Senate did the same on December 17. Today, the President signed the package that reauthorizes critical…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Release Joint Statement on President’s Address on Border Crisis
Today, Freedom Network USA joins the Human Trafficking Legal Center to issue a joint statement on President’s Trump Oval Office address on January 8, 2019. As the largest coalition of human trafficking experts in the United States, we are intimately…
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Melinda Smith |
Freedom Network Training Institute Housing Project
Safe and stable housing is a critical resource for survivors of human trafficking as they exit their trafficking situation and continue their journey towards healing and reintegration. As service providers, we often rely on emergency housing resources such as domestic…
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Melinda Smith |
FNTI Housing Webinar Announced!
The Freedom Network Training Institute (FNTI) invites you to join a webinar on Understanding Housing Needs and Opportunities for Survivors of Human Trafficking. The webinar will focus on the importance of assessing the ongoing housing needs of survivors, as well…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Releases Biannual Member Report
Freedom Network USA (FNUSA) is proud to release the 2018 Member Report. Every other year, we survey our members to learn more about the clients they serve, trends on the ground, and challenges they face. Our 57 members include attorneys,…
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Melinda Smith |
Notice Clarifies Law Enforcement Use of Victim Assistance Funding
In a huge win for survivors of all forms of human trafficking, a notice went out last week to all law enforcement grantees receiving funding under the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking program. The Office of Victims of…
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Melinda Smith |
Freedom Network USA Submits Input for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report
Freedom Network USA (FNUSA) submitted input for the 2018 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report to the Department of State yesterday. Every year the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons releases the report, which is used as the primary tool…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Releases Results on Immigration Enforcement Survey
Freedom Network USA released their findings from an informal survey exploring the impact of increased immigration enforcement on trafficking victims. In collaboration with Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) and Polaris, we surveyed 147 service providers in 39 states, the…
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Melinda Smith |
Freedom Network USA Supports Visa Transparency Legislation To Combat Human Trafficking
Each year, a half a million low-wage guest workers enter the U.S. on a myriad of temporary work visas. Many of these guest workers are at the mercy of a single employer for both their job and their legal status…
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Melinda Smith |
At Risk Youth: The Importance of Accessible Housing
Homeless youth are at increased risk of being victims of human trafficking. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Loyola University, in collaboration with Covenant House, completed the most comprehensive study to investigate the linkage. The report, released this year, found that…
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Melinda Smith |
Fighting the Assault on Immigrant Children
The anti-immigrant rhetoric that has dominated the national narrative over the past year has not just created negative consequence for adults, but also in policies with devastating consequences for children. Freedom Network USA (FNUSA) has addressed several attempts over the…
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Melinda Smith |
Reproductive Rights and Human Trafficking
Freedom Network USA continues to vehemently oppose both legislation and policies that undermine a survivor’s ability to access the full range of reproductive health care. Last week, we joined our allies to submit comments to the Department of Health and…
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Melinda Smith |
Standing Tall: A Vision of Freedom in Times of Change
Across the country people are living in fear. Immigrants are afraid to come forward to report crimes committed against them. They are afraid to cooperate with law enforcement, which only decreases the likelihood that their traffickers will be brought to…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Welcomes Maria M. Odom to Board
Freedom Network USA is thrilled to welcome Maria Odom to its board. The entire FNUSA community is grateful for her service and looks forward to her contributions. Maria M. Odom recently served as the DHS Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman…
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Melinda Smith |
FNUSA Receives Grant to Increase Access to Housing for Human Trafficking Survivors
Freedom Network USA has been awarded $849,980 to improve access to housing for trafficking survivors. The three-year grant will support the Freedom Network Training Institute Housing Training and Technical Assistance Project. The Freedom Network Training Institute (FNTI), the training arm…