Workshop: Victims Narratives from the World's Leading Hub for Human Trafficking Ms. Brittany Lee Foutz, RCE Greater Atlanta 11th Global RCE Conference 7-9 December, 2018 Cebu, the Philippines

1. Victims Narratives from the
World’s Leading Hub for Human
Trafficking
University of the Philippines, United Nations University
Brittany Foutz, Ph.D. Candidate of International Conflict
Management, School of Conflict Management,
Peacebuilding, and Development, Kennesaw State
University, United Nations CIFAL Division

2. Introduction
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpebw
_yBoZg
• “Trafficking in persons is the acquisition of
people by improper means such as force,
fraud, or deception, with the aim of
exploiting them” (UNODC)
• United Nations Convention on Transitional
Organized Crime and its protocols in
persons and migrant smuggling

3. The numbers in Atlanta, Georgia...
• 12-14 years is the average year for human trafficking (The
Facing Project, 2018)
• 90% of minor trafficking victims are enrolled in school at the
time of exploitation (Emory University, 2016)
• Expected to live 7 years after that (The Facing Project, 2018)
• Estimated that between 70-80% of all runaways are at risk of
being forced into prostitution (The Facing Project, 2018)
• There are 12,400 human trafficking transactions each month
(The Facing Project, 2018)
• Atlanta ranked #1 city for human trafficking with revenue of
$290 million. This is more than illegal drug and gun trade
combined (Urban Institute of the U.S. Justice Dept., 2014)
• Fastest growing criminal activity in the world (The Facing
Project, 2018)
• The lack of numbers... for others

4. The Project
• I addressed how does the implementation of the use of
transitional justice mechanisms affect the satisfaction of human
trafficking victims in the Atlanta metro area
• Interviews with victims of human trafficking in the Atlanta
metro area, and experts in human trafficking. Content analysis of
all possible press releases available
• International Rescue Committee, Center for Victims of Torture
• January 2017-Present
• 40 Victims of human trafficking ages 13+, 8 Experts
• Purpose of this research is so structures and their stakeholders
can assess the progress made in terms of the effectiveness and
quality of its work regarding human trafficking and transitional
justice mechanisms

5. Methodology
• Research question:
– How does the implementation of the use of transitional justice
mechanisms affect the satisfaction of human trafficking victims in the
Atlanta metro area?
• Hypotheses:
– Victims that have received individual transitional justice mechanisms are
likely to be associated with a higher level of satisfaction as compared to
victims that have received collective transitional justice mechanisms
– Victims with individual and collective transitional justice mechanisms are
likely to be associated with a higher level of satisfaction from victims than
those cases that have not awarded transitional justice mechanisms.
• This is a qualitative measure, cross sectional
• Interviews:
– Victims: 10 close-ended demographic questions, 13 open-ended questions
– Experts: 20 open-ended questions

6. Ethical Considerations
• I refrained from mentioning the impetus of the
study, namely my hypothesis of a higher measure of
satisfaction regarding individual transitional justice
mechanisms over collective transitional justice
mechanisms.
• In the Consent Form, I only state to participants that
I am examining the implementation of the use of
transitional justice mechanisms and how such
affects the satisfaction of human trafficking victims.
The opinion of the researcher is that the inclusion of
this disclosure in data collection of victim
participants is that such would unnecessarily bias or
skew the resulting responses from the participants.

7. Results and Conclusion
• The main findings have concluded among victims
and experts of a preference of individual
transitional justice mechanisms in contrast to
collective transitional justice mechanisms and an
overall negative satisfaction of transitional justice
mechanisms from their individual interviews. The
content analysis from the press releases reflects
the same consistency.
• Victims spoke of many other cases in rural areas
• Low results for Stockholm Syndrome. However,
not all victims go through the same experiences.

8. Quotations
“I will never forget that day. I still hurt every day. I hurt. My
children hurt. My people hurt. We are called prostitutes. I
have seen women rejected by their families. Where is our
peace?”
“People do not understand the consequences of our
victimization. We will have long-term consequences such as
on our physical health. I cannot sleep in my bed due to the
pain I experienced. I have poor health today. My day - my
night is trauma.”
“There is more of a focus of prosecution of a perpetrator.
What about the victims?”

9. Sustainable Development Goals

10. Further Research
• International Criminal Court and the DRC
• Yazidis and Nadia Murad
• One Young World Summit in The Hague

11. References
“Gateway to the South: Tackling Sex Trafficking in Atlanta”. (2016). The Emory Global
Health Institute Case Writing Team, Emory University. Available at
http://globalhealth.emory.edu/resources/pdfs/2016_intramural_cc_case.pdf.
The Facing Project Archives, Available at http://facingproject.com/tag/human-
trafficking/.
United Nations Convention on Transitional Organized Crime and its protocols in
persons and migrant smuggling. Signed December 2000. Digital copy available at
https://www.unodc.org/documents/middleeastandnorthafrica/organised-
crime/UNITED_NATIONS_CONVENTION_AGAINST_TRANSNATIONAL_ORGANIZED_CRI
ME_AND_THE_PROTOCOLS_THERETO.pdf.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. “UNODC on Trafficking in Persons and
Smuggling of Migrants”. Available at https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-
trafficking/index.html.
Urban Institute of the U.S. Justice Dept. (2014) “Crime and Justice: Human Trafficking”.
Available at https://www.urban.org/research-area/human-trafficking.