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Trafficking of persons

Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Collaborative (ATC): 

In 2012, MUA, APILO, SAGE, Asian Women's Shelterand Narika They came together to form the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Collaborative. As part of this coalition we have the opportunity to support and advocate for survivors of trafficking. The cases we focus on are highly variable, from sex trafficking to labor exploitation with a primary focus on immigrant Latina survivors who work as domestic workers. We believe in the importance of supporting survivors to psychologically overcome the trauma they have experienced, with great attention and care, connecting them with essential services, growing their community of support, ensuring they have access to legal remedies, and taking leadership in the movement to end human trafficking. Since April 2017 MUA has taken a break from this coalition given the need to focus on other issues impacting our community.

«Beyond Survival»

In 2016, MUA was proudly a partner organization and anchor of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) “Beyond Survival” campaign. Beyond Survival, a campaign launched in 2013, builds the capacity of affiliated organizations like MUA and their communities to respond to human trafficking of domestic workers. We are working to create a trafficking-free world through organizing and advocacy that connects trafficking to labor rights, immigrant rights, gender justice, and racial justice.

Beyond Survival has the focus of lifting up the experiences and vision of domestic workers who have been victims of trafficking. Instead of telling their stories of abuse and survival, our campaign tells stories of leadership and legislative change that are made possible by the leadership of the worker herself. To learn more about this campaign visit their page.

How to Identify Survivors

If you are evaluating whether someone is a trafficking survivor please ask them these questions.

Recruitment

  • How did you get to the US?
  • Who organized your trip?
  • Did someone help you organize your papers?
  • Did someone help you falsify documents or lie to a US immigration or consular officer?
  • Did someone promise you a job? How much? How often?
  • What was the living arrangement you were promised?
  • Did you know you had to pay a debt?
  • Did you sign a contract or any other document?

Living and Working Conditions

  • Where do you work?
  • Is your job what you expected?
  • Are you able to leave your workplace?
  • Do they pay you for your work?
  • How much? How often?
  • Do they allow you to keep the money you earn?
  • How many hours you work?
  • Where do you live when you are not working?
  • Where do you live?
  • Had they told you that you owe money that you had to pay?
  • Have you been told that you have to pay money or something to obtain legal status?
  • Are you allowed to take breaks?
  • Where do you sleep at night?

Physical and Psychological Coercion

  • Are you afraid of your employer?
  • Does anyone have your ID or passport?
  • What happens when you are sick or injured?
  • Have you ever tried to leave your job?
  • What do you think would happen if you quit your job?
  • Have you ever been threatened or hurt?
  • Were you insulted or called names regularly?
  • Are you afraid that your family could be in danger or hurt in some way? Because?
  • How often are you allowed to go out?
  • Has anyone ever threatened to deport you or “get you in trouble”?
  • How often were you allowed to leave the house?
  • Are you allowed to talk to other people or call your family?
  • Did they let you talk to someone alone without anyone near you?
  • Did someone touch you in a way you didn't like?
  • What did they tell you that could happen if you left the house or workplace on your own?

If based on these questions you have a potential trafficking case, please contact Maria Jimenez at maria@mujeresunidas.net.