Human Trafficking
Ending Modern Day Slavery
New Jersey is considered particularly vulnerable to the proliferation of human trafficking due to its dense population and location along the I-95 corridor.
NCJW/Essex is committed to exposing and addressing the multiple aspects of human trafficking through public awareness, education and advocacy. We have participated in the S.O.A.P. project, distributed educational posters to local businesses and distributed much needed items to Covenant House Newark, NJ to assist survivors.
We welcome new members and new ideas to expand public awareness, to fight the scourge of human trafficking, and to advocate for victims.
The fastest growing criminal industry in the world is the buying
and selling of people.
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
If you know someone who is being trafficked
or is in danger, please call the Human Trafficking Hotline
at 888-373-7888.
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Victims of human trafficking can be exploited for the purpose of sexual activity, including prostitution and pornography, as well as many types of forced labor, including domestic servitude and hospitality. Traffickers lure and control their victims through use of force, fraud or coercion; using such techniques as psychological abuse, false employment offers, document holding and isolation. Women and children are the most likely victims of trafficking — sold into dangerous and abusive situations.
NCJW/Essex is committed to exposing and addressing the multiple aspects of human trafficking through public awareness, education and advocacy.
Fighting Sex Trafficking/Our Children at Risk
Panel discussion on November 30, 2016
Our first program of this NCJW/Essex Committee, drew close to 100 participants at Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston. The purpose was to increase awareness of the sex trafficking problem, educate the attendees, and instruct them on what they could do to have an impact in the legislative arena. Attendees brought art supplies for art therapy at Covenant House New Jersey.
Lauren Hersh, Prosecutor, Director of Advocacy for Sanctuary for Families, acted as moderator for the panel; Dr. Nicole Bryan: Dr. Bryan, a professor at Montclair University, presented her research on the motivatation of “Johns;” Valerie Huttle: Assemblywoman Huttle spoke about the legislation that she sponsored and how effective it has been in fighting trafficking; Jayne Bigelson, VP and Director of Anti-Human Trafficking for Covenant House, spoke about what they are doing to help victims of trafficking and the strong connection between homelessness and trafficking.
Promoting Anti-Sex Trafficking Training at Local Police Departments
Fall, 2017
During the fall months of 2017, the Committee members fanned out across Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Union counties, visited police departments and first responders, and dropped off resource packets to them. These packets contained Red Flag signs, signaling sex trafficking victimization, how to access mandatory police training resources, and other information compiled by the Coalition. In some cases, we were able to link police departments with resources for sex trafficking victims.
The Poster Project
Fall, 2019
During the fall of 2019, the Committee produced posters in English and Spanish that highlighted the dangers of trafficking and provided tear-offs at the bottom with the National Hotline phone and text numbers to report trafficking and seek help. Committee members hung posters at businesses in over 15 towns, distributed “Red Flag Cards” explaining the signs of trafficking. They left the materials on trafficking in beauty parlors, nail salons, laundromats, and bodegas, as well as the three campuses of Union County College.
The Coalition has used our posters to successfully lobby the legislature to pass a bill that would mandate transportation centers in the State to hang posters with the hotline number.
When the Covid Pandemic hit in early 2020, the project was discontinued.
Protecting Children Online: Gaming, Social Media and the Dark Web
November 10, 2020
State Police Lieutenant Pizzurro, who headed the NJ State Police Internet Task Force, gave a Zoom presentation on child grooming and sexual exploitation on the Dark Web. There were 48 attendees, many of whom were not NCJW members. The Call to Action involved support for bill S280, – bill to mandate postering in State facilities.
NJ’s Fight to End Human Trafficking: From Busting Rings to Serving Survivors
Panel Discussion
October 18, 2021
The NCJW/Essex, Bergen and West Morris sections co-sponsored a panel discussion on Zoom. Two speakers from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Detective Walter Kumka and Katie Cobb discussed the challenges of busting a huge, Spanish-speaking sex trafficking ring that spanned several counties. Julia Einbond, from Covenant House, discussed how they provide assisted those victims and other trafficking survivors.
Future Plans for the NCJW-Essex Anti-Human Trafficking Committee
We are presently assisting the Coalition in researching two future programs that will focus on the cotton and the fast fashion industries.
Donations for Labor Trafficking Victims
August & September, 2021
We spearheaded a drive to collect gift cards for essentials for Indian victims of labor trafficking at the Hindu temple in Robbinsville. Over $500 was collected from our members.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Committee Presents:
Protecting Children Online: Gaming, Social Media and the Dark Web
Tuesday, November 10, 7:30 p.m.
The pandemic has created a perfect storm for online predators. Many schools are virtual. Kids are on devices nonstop. Social distancing is creating isolation and boredom. Online exploitation in New Jersey alone has increased more than 200% in the past few months.
The question we’ve heard again and again — How can I protect my children/grandchildren when they are online all the time?
Join us as Lt. John Pizzuro — Commander of the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – helps families better understand the subtle methods predators use to groom children for exploitation, from a simple ‘like’ on social media to future trafficking. Learn the risks as well as the solutions to protecting children now as we learn to adapt to this “new normal.”
This event is free and open to all, but pre-registration is required. Zoom information will be sent the day before the event.
Online registration is now closed. To find out if there is still space available to join this event, please email Gail at gsample@ncjwessex.org or call the office at 973.740.0588.
NCJW/Essex is a member of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking. [https://www.njhumantrafficking.org]
For more information on how you can get involved, email advocacy@ncjwessex.org.