Children’s Ark (TCA) president Simone de la Bastide is on a mission to raise $600,000 to sensitise the public about human trafficking. So far, De La Bastide has received some funding from the Royal Bank Foundation and bpTT, but she is appealing to other businesses to come on board to help with the initiative.
“We need funds from corporate T&T to make this a successful initiative,” De La Bastide told the T&T Guardian. In August, the TCA joined forces with the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) and the head of the Victims and Witness Support Unit of the T&T Police Service, Margaret Sampson-Browne, to start the ball rolling on the project in a bid to reduce human trafficking of children and young girls to our shores.
The TCA is a registered non-profit organisation catering to the needs or marginalised and at-risk children. De La Bastide said there was a need to care for, guide and save the nation’s children, particularly the ones who broke away from the weave of society. Last Thursday, De La Bastide meet with the CTU deputy director Alana Wheeler and Sampson-Browne to tackle the problem, which has been growing.
De La Bastide described human trafficking as a “clandestine” operation, noting that the way traffickers operated, it was difficult to obtain proper statistics. She said for example, that there was no data on children who beg on the streets. “This is what makes it extremely difficult. What has happened to all those missing girls from way back...to 2004?” she asked.
She said legislation was also required to clamp down on businesses who advertise jobs in the print media to lure young girls. In the coming weeks, the three organisations will distribute flyers, brochures and advertise on billboards on how to detect human trafficking and when should one raise a red flag about the crime.
De L a Bastide will also bring to Trinidad next May women’s right advocate Anuradha Koirala, who formed a non-profit organisation called Maiti Nepal that rescued thousands of girls and women from human trafficking in impoverished India. The CTU will provide TCA expertise and technical knowledge about trafficking in children.
Traffickers must go to jail
Sampson-Browne praised TCA for teaming up with them.
“Human trafficking is so deep and wide that we will be grandmothers and grandfathers and we still would not get to the depth of it. We have to understand the role each of us has to play in respect to bringing this social disgrace that is depriving citizens the right to exist in the world. Where there is a beginning we want to bring it to an end,” Sampson-Browne said.
While children are protected under the Sexual Offences Act, Sampson-Browne said trafficking of children was not only of deep concern, but worrying.
“I am gravely and extremely concerned...and that concern must spread throughout the country. It has to be holistic because we are dealing with the most precious commodity, our children, our youth, our young. We need all hands on desk. Of course cases fall through the cracks because of lack of evidence. The evidence is there, we need to find it.”
She said there needs to be an aggressive approach to bringing human traffickers to justice, especially those who prey on innocent girls for sexual activities. “We have to get someone before the magistrate where they must pay $1 million dollars, their property ceased and they must stop driving their fancy cars. They must be able to go to jail.
“I don’t hold no brief for that. Hurting people, hurt people. You know how many hurting children are in the country and they can’t reach out? People are dropping children to school in their BMWs and they (children) are being trafficked and they can’t say anything.” She said when officers in her unit interview victims other offences also crop up.
Questioned why several cases of missing girls and women have gone cold, Browne said the police through the television programme Beyond the Tape has been trying to keep these outstanding matters on the front burner. “There is no perfect crime. Somebody see, hear and know and that is what we are attempting as a team... to get information. To open our eyes and ears.”
Sampson-Browne added that she believes one ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Anyone wishing to make an anonymous report on human trafficking can contact CTU 800-4288
Fines, imprisonment and penalties for human trafficking
•Trafficking adults-$500,000 and 15 years.
•Trafficking children under the age of 18-$1,000,000 and 20 years.
•Penalty for public officers and officials–such as police officer, customs officer, immigration officer, member of the Defence Force and Prison Service 25 years.
•Penalty for withholding travel documents-$350,000 and 12 years.
•Penalty for disclosing identify of victims–$100,000.
More info
Fines, imprisonment and penalties for human trafficking
• Trafficking adults-$500,000 and 15 years.
• Trafficking children under the age of 18-$1,000,000 and 20 years.
• Penalty for public officers and officials–such as police officer, customs officer, immigration officer, member of the Defence Force and Prison Service 25 years.
• Penalty for withholding travel documents-$350,000 and 12 years.
•Penalty for disclosing identify of victims–$100,000.