CBA Record Feb-March 2017

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YLS Special Issue lPROTECTING OUR CHILDREN
36 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017
children risk being identified by their
trafficker who may then retaliate against
the child and his or her family members.
Their participation in criminal justice
proceedings, which may include multiple
interviews by investigators and attorneys,
and testifying in court against their perpe-
trator, can be highly traumatic. Therefore,
children identified as victim-witnesses
require additional protections.
Under the TVPA children are entitled
to privacy, safety, information about their
case, the opportunity to be heard, and res-
titution, but these are rarely able to secure
these rights without legal assistance.
For example, not all children will have
an adult advocating for their interests to
ensure they are being interviewed instead
of interrogated. When children are not pro-
vided an attorney or trained advocate, the
request for restitution is often overlooked,
resulting in these children foregoing an
important financial resource which can
contribute to their recovery.
Considering the enormous difference
proper representation can make for the
well-being of a child, we recommended
that all children identified as potential
victim-witnesses in a child trafficking case
be assigned an attorney, Guardian Ad
Litem, or child advocate to protect their
best interests. These legal advocates should
be trained on child trafficking for both sex
and labor, and on how to advocate for the
rights and interests of children engaged as
witnesses in the criminal justice system.
While our report focuses on US govern-
mental efforts, these recommendations can
be applied to all agencies, including both
public and non-governmental, including
those in Chicago and Illinois to better
integrate child labor trafficking into all of
its anti-trafficking initiatives and policies.
This should include research and data col-
lection, legislation, development of screen-
ing tools and protocols, training of first
responders, and outreach and education.
All advocates concerned with protect-
ing child trafficking victims should think
about ways in which we can provide
attorneys and independent child advocates
for all unaccompanied children, and to all
potential child victim-witnesses to ensure
they receive protections afforded to them
under international, federal and state laws.
Katherine KaufkaWalts is the Director of the
Center for the Human Rights of Children
at Loyola University Chicago. She can be
reached at .
HUMAN TRAFFICKING VIDEO
SERIES
YLS Chair Katie Liss recently sat down with
Chicago-area experts to take a deeper dive into
the devastating human trafficking problem,
both abroad and within the United States. The
interview series was a part of Katie’s greater
initiative to raise awareness about human traf-
ficking, with a specific focus on how children are
impacted. The video series is now available at
Kaethe Morris
Hoffer of Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploi-
tation (CAASE), Professor Jody Raphael of DePaul
University College of Law and Elyse Dobney,
Program Manager of the STOP-IT program of
The Salvation Army are featured. Also available
on the channel are a series of Public Service An-
nouncements created in collaboration with the
Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. The
English language versions aired onWBBM radio
station during the month of January to inform
members of the greater Chicago community
about resources available for trafficking victims.
The PSAs are also available in Chinese, Russian,
Spanish and Ukrainian.