OVC Removes Limits on Legal Representation
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Last month, the US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) released their human trafficking program grant solicitations with a notable change. The office has dropped the funding restriction on criminal record relief representation for FY2020 grants. This is a significant policy change from the past two years and paves the way for survivors to become fully independent of their trafficking experience.
Thank you to the advocates who worked tirelessly on this effort. Your passion and determination to support access to justice for trafficking survivors is the key to improving access to justice. We are dedicated to human trafficking advocacy efforts that directly impacts the lives of survivors.
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2020 Member Report Released
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We released our 2020 Member Report last month. Every other year, we ask members to provide demographic data on the clients they serve. Our members are serving almost 2,000 human trafficking survivors annually. These include labor and sex trafficking survivors of all ages, races, and genders from around the world.
We believe that this report contributes to the national understanding of the diversity of trafficking and the needs of survivors in the United States. We hope that it helps to develop and support the human trafficking research agenda to inform more effective services for trafficking survivors.
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Check Out our New Website!
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Have you checked out our new website? During the hustel and bustle of conference planning, we released a fresh new look. What's new? We now have a library of policy materials that you can access anytime and a brand new home for the Survivor Reentry Project. Visit us today at www.freedomnetworkusa.org! |
Parker & Silver Taube Awarded 2020 Wellstone Award
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We are thrilled to announce the 2020 recipients of the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Award; Lynette M. Parker and Ruth Silver Taube of the Santa Clara University School of Law. The Paul and Sheila Wellstone Award recognizes individuals who have made a unique contribution to the anti-trafficking field in the United States or demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication in working to combat human trafficking in the United States.
They lead the anti-trafficking community with brilliant advocacy, kindness, humility, generosity, and wisdom. Together, they have spearheaded legal services for immigrant trafficking survivors in the Bay Area, inspiring all of us with their example. They have raised the profile of forced labor cases, filed and won T visas, filed and won civil cases, advocated for immigrants’ rights, and fought for survivors’ rights in legal processes.
Congratulations to both Lynette and Ruth. The field is better able to met the needs of survivors because of your dedication and commitment to the people you serve. Read more about their remarkable work below.
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After the forced cancellation of our annual in-person conference, we are humbled by the support of the anti-trafficking field. Thank you to the speakers who volunteered to bring their content online and the sponsors who stayed with us. We held 11 sessions and will offer 6 additional sessions over the next three months. You can still register and access live content and the materials and recording from previous session. Look below to see what sessions are coming in April!
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April 24, 2020 at 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM EST
Speakers: Sienna Baskin, NEO Philanthropy and Erin Phelps,The Freedom Fund
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April 29, 2020 at 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
Carole Vigne, Legal Aid at Work, Oscar Londoño, Esq., National Day Laborer Organizing Network, Ruth Silver Taube, Katherine & George Alexander Community Law Center, and Claudia Navarro, WeCount!
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