Like many others in rural New Hampshire, I grew up believing that human trafficking is a crisis experienced in faraway lands, by forgotten families I would never encounter and was not sure how to help. Although I began learning more about the impact of human trafficking in high school, my conversations about this global crisis were infrequent and often discouraging. The need to support survivors was evident, but the solutions seemed beyond my grasp. I certainly did not think there was much I could do to combat trafficking from the comfort of my rural hometown. You can imagine my excitement when given the opportunity to learn more about responding to this crisis several years later through my involvement with the NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force.
I discovered my passion for learning about other languages and cultures as an undergraduate social work student at the University of New Hampshire. This growing passion led me to the International Institute of New England, a nonprofit serving refugees and immigrants, where I have been working for almost three years. IINE creates opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship. In my current role, I provide intensive case management services for our most vulnerable families who were forcibly displaced from their home countries. These refugee families escaped unspeakable violence and endured great danger or risk of exploitation as they journeyed to safety.
Learn: Intersection of forced migration and human trafficking
Through my involvement with the Task Force, I have developed a deeper understanding of the relationship between trafficking and forced migration. At its core, human trafficking thrives on the exploitation of vulnerability. Forcibly displaced migrants and refugees are among the most vulnerable populations around the world. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are currently 70.8 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Of these people, 25.9 million are refugees who have fled their home countries in search of safety, often to arrive in unstable host countries or camps with limited access to food, healthcare, education, or citizenship. Most families are forced to remain in these unstable environments unless chosen for legal resettlement to a third country, where they would be awarded permanent residence status and access to the same basic rights as nationals of that country. Unfortunately, less than one percent of refugees will ever have the opportunity of third country resettlement.
Refugee families may be exploited by traffickers while living abroad or after resettlement due to their increased vulnerability. Within the U.S., traffickers target immigrant communities and exploit their victims’ lack of familiarity with the language, laws, individual rights, or culture of the region. Furthermore, the National Human Trafficking Hotline states that “individuals who have experienced violence and trauma in the past are more vulnerable to future exploitation.” Refugees experience and witness unimaginable horrors that force them to flee from their home countries and seek safety elsewhere.
I have met refugees from many countries through my work with the IINE, and I am convinced that these individuals are some of the most resilient people in the world. I hold the stories they have shared with me heavily in my heart. A man who watched in anguish as his child was brutally killed. A women separated from her husband during their escape from religious persecution, never to see him again. A woman coerced to sell her body in a refugee camp to feed her children. Despite the horrors and loss of their journeys, still they rise to greet another day. Still they persevere through great pain for their families and children. I have learned much from their unrelenting resilience, and yet, due to past trauma and exposure to violence, they are among the most vulnerable people in the world. For these reasons, when we think of protecting survivors of trafficking in New Hampshire, we must also consider how to enhance protections for our newest refugee and immigrant neighbors.
Build: How New Hampshire is responding to this crisis
We are fighting for survivors of trafficking every day, and we would like you to join us. For many years, the NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force has led the fight against trafficking in our state by educating the community on this crisis, advocating for stronger legislation to address these crimes, and employing case managers to help survivors overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. IINE, along with many other agencies, has partnered with the Task Force to protect those at risk of exploitation.
Respond: How you can support the movement
Hopefully by now the need to support survivors of trafficking and protect forcibly displaced migrants is evident. Please do not feel overwhelmed by the weight of this crisis, as there is plenty you can do to help! Consider assessing your habits as a consumer and choose to support fair trade companies. You can learn more about becoming a conscious consumer through the Freedom Cafe’s website. Contribute your time and resources to organizations like the Task Force or IINE, that are providing lifesaving care for survivors of trafficking and forcibly displaced families in New Hampshire. Above all, continue to listen and learn and seek opportunities to support the movement. With your help, New Hampshire can grow to be a state that forcefully expels traffickers, warmly welcomes survivors, and supports our newest neighbors who are often the most vulnerable to exploitation.
Respectfully,
Megan Clark
International Institute of New England
Learn more:
International Institute of New England: https://iine.org/
NH Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force: https://www.nhhumantraffickingtaskforce.com/
UNHCR Figures at a Glance: https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html
UNHCR Resettlement: www.unhcr.org/information-on-unhcr-resettlement.html
National Human Trafficking Hotline: humantraffickinghotline.org/what-human-trafficking/human-trafficking/victims