Virtual Anti-Trafficking Town Hall July 30
By: , July 30, 2021
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Manager, Trafficking in Persons Secretariat, Ministry of National Security, Chenee Russell Robinson, speaking at a recently held Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank.The Full Story
The Ministry of National Security through its National Task Force Against Trafficking in Persons (NATFATIP) will be hosting a virtual town hall on Friday (July 30) in observance of World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2021.
The event, aimed at raising awareness among citizens about human trafficking, will be streamed on the Ministry’s social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram @mnsgovjm and YouTube) from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
“Citizens are invited to tune in, because anyone can become a victim of trafficking and public awareness is crucial in ending trafficking in persons,” Manager, Trafficking in Persons Secretariat in the Ministry, Chenee Russell-Robinson, told JIS News.
The theme for World Day against Trafficking in Persons is ‘Victims’ Voices Lead the Way’, which highlights the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), survivors of trafficking in persons are instrumental in the fight against the scourge.
Mrs. Russell-Robinson said that “the NATFATIP is consistently working on the three Ps – ‘Prevention, Protection and Prosecution’ – to reduce incidents of trafficking in persons locally. However, we need the support of citizens for this to be effective. Citizens need to be aware of the various forms of trafficking and how they can protect themselves, identify and report suspected trafficking in persons”.
The International Criminal Police Organization, of which Jamaica is a member state, identifies various forms of trafficking, including trafficking for forced labour, trafficking for forced criminal activities, trafficking for sexual exploitation and trafficking for the removal of organs.
Mrs. Russell Robinson said that speakers of the virtual town hall will address the various forms of trafficking and new trends that perpetrators use to lure victims, including online activities.
“To date, the Ministry of National Security, through NATFATIP, has rescued over 100 victims since 2010 and convicted eight traffickers within the courts, and we have won an appealed conviction,” she reported.
The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) Act articulates the Government’s commitment to ending the crime.