Child labor is a pressing issue that has resurfaced in the United States, raising serious concerns about the protection and rights of minors, as well as increasing opportunities for labor traffickers to exploit disenfranchised youth. Recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) shows a 14% rise in overall child […]
The Rise of Child Labor in the United States Read More »
During the COVID-19 pandemic, essential workers were recognized for their vital contributions to keeping our country running, spanning industries such as childcare, transportation, and the food industry. New research and investigations however, shed light on the grim reality faced by many workers, like those in meat processing and demonstrate how unethical companies used our countries
Unveiling Exploitative Practices in the Meat Industry Read More »
By Maddie Lerum & Regina Bernadin When it comes to research studies on labor trafficking within the United States, a majority of existing research literature is focused on immigrant victims—those who come to the U.S. through legal channels (e.g., H2A/H2B visas) as well as undocumented immigrants. Though incredibly important populations to study, the experience of
By James Dold The 2019 U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child noted that children can become victims of several human rights violations, including being used in hostilities, trafficking, sexual exploitation, child marriage, or being used to transport or sell drugs. The U.S. anti-trafficking apparatus, however, has yet to name what is screaming out to us through the laws and facts of these cases. Those
*The Forgotten Victims of the Anti-Trafficking Movement: Those Who Commit Crimes Read More »
By Madison Lerum What is Fair Trade? Fair Trade. You might have seen this label stamped on coffee grounds, or stuck to a bushel of bananas. But what exactly does Fair Trade mean, and why is it so important that there’s an entire month dedicated to it? According to Fair Trade Certified: “When you see
Fair Trade Month and Labor Trafficking Read More »
By Kate Fintel To be able to live the American dream: that is the opportunity of a lifetime for many around the world. But as the COVID-19 global pandemic intensified, that opportunity became even more of a fantasy than an attainable goal. The number of refugees, asylees, and temporary workers allowed into the country was
By Kate Fintel Among the side effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic is economic distress. As of June 2020, it was estimated that by the time the pandemic ends, an estimated 195 million full-time jobs will have been eliminated. What does this mean? Well, in the least, according to the World Bank’s recent prediction, some 70 million
By Kate Fintel In an article by Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA, Executive Director of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, which provides community education programs and direct services to sex and labor trafficking survivors in the Tallahassee area, Ms. Thompson quotes an anonymous trafficking survivor: “Before COVID-19, we were ‘low-wage, low-skilled’ workers, but now,
