top
Government reform needed 

to fight U.S. modern-day slavery

Gaps that Obstruct Delivery of Benefits to Slavery Victims

Marianne LaBrecque, MBA
telephone:  860/303-1999
e-mail: marianne-lbrqu@att.net

 

 

PREFACE

What follows are key overall issues that need to be addressed, including by pushing for whatever is needed to see that they are. But first, please know that some of what follows refers to "emails" that can be found on the web site that I've set up, the My Kindred Spirit web site, mykindredspirit.home.att.net, relating to this matter. I've learned a great deal about the tactics, etc. of human trafficking/modern day slavery operations. Much of this is on the above web site:

The Home page of that web site includes the following, relating to David's situation:

  • Summary of the situation 

  • Major Factors 

  • Forced Activities 

  • Possible Interstate and International Trafficking 

  • Restraints 

  • Inhumane Treatment and Conditions 

  • Methods being used to Camouflage Situation 

  • Account of Abduction and Indication of Total Control 

  • BATTLE ON THE HOMEFRONT, the art work and brochure created in January 2003 to help bring attention to this situation

The Quick Reference page, at mykindredspirit.home.att.net/Reference.htm, provides a list of emails, and often links to them, that include Emails summarizing major incidents, such as incidents of increased harassment/terrorism leading up to Dave's abduction, which is probably a typical scenario of many other victims taken, at least in our local area, and Index of emails relaying examples of actions of people possibly involved on either side, and of terminology used here. This last includes incidents that illustrate aspects relating to this and possibly similar operations that are later mentioned here, such as community terrorism, deciphering, uncharacteristic behavior and "weapons, witch death star and other warnings and/or threats."

Currently, that web site is under reconstruction, off line. Because of this, the hyper links included in what follows may not work properly after that updated version is uploaded to the web site. However, they can still be accessed either from the Today page, from the list of emails included in the upper portion of that page, or the Email/Archive page of the web site, from the Chronological List of emails on that page.

Unfortunately, as you will see, the web site isn't very concise. My time and resources are very limited. This effort has been my full time occupation for most of the time since David's abduction. Because of the terrorism of our local community being carried out by this operation, I am the only one openly working on these efforts in our local area, other than another woman who had been making similar efforts relating to a ring of pedophiles. There is reason to believe that it is the same operation or is closely associated with the one I am fighting.

Please be aware that the web site is geared to a community audience, with the purpose of motivating action and coordinating efforts in helping with investigation and attempting to get victims either released or freed while, at the same time, trying to make police aware of what is happening. Most of what I'm doing now is writing these emails to the community. That has to be my priority because, until other changes come about, that is the only area where there may be help in getting David and other victims freed. The community is also my protection against what may be tried to be done to me. The nature and expectation of that community help drive the tone of those emails, and those emails are primarily what makes up the web site. It contains some hash and/or what may be considered disrespectful language, however, anyone interacting with the loved ones of slavery victims has probably already seen the emotions reflected in some of the emails on the web site. There is a great deal riding on these efforts.

Tremendous Gaps and Obstacles

 

A s more and more effort is made to fight modern-day slavery in the U.S., significant gaps are still being perpetuated that impede the road to success in helping today's victims get freed, even as they are suffering so horribly, as criminal enterprise is expanding and as additional victims are being taken. Measures are needed to overcome the following issues:

 

VICTIM RESCUE 

One gap that is being perpetuated is that slavery victims are still being required to contact authorities, or other otherwise service providers, and report that they are, indeed, victims. By the nature of the conditions which make them slaves, most often this is not possible. Instead, efforts need to primarily focus on rescue and prevention. It will be important to provide these victims with needed medical attention, protection and other services once they are freed, but victims need to be rescued first for it to be possible for them to benefit from those services.

One of the aspects of the terrorism associated with the presence of this crime, and one of the many gaps that need to be surmounted, is that, in such an environment, members of the community often have directly or indirectly been warned or threatened against exposing these operations. Because of this, and the complex and sophisticated criminal networking that appears to be inherent in this crime, possible informers, i.e., witnesses and others with the information needed to fight this crime, are concerned about phone tapping, email intrusion, web site hacking, etc.. But, for traffickers, one of the major easily monitored avenues of communication is evidently the U.S. postal service and/or similar non electronic modes of communication. Despite this, many entities, particularly governmental, require the use of such modes, even after being advised of considerable danger to the safety of informers in this requirement.

Steps that are necessary for rescue:

Signs of "uncharacteristic behavior" is one way in which victims or slavery operations, etc., may be deciphered, particularly by those who know the victim. An example is that relayed in 01/05/03 - Uncharacteristic behavior and other illogics .  Other examples may be found in 01/31/04 - Tell those who still don't "see" it, currently only on the Today page.

 

CORRUPTION 

Other otherwise seemingly unconnected efforts need to focus on eliminating corruption and organized crime, including the monitoring, accuracy and completeness of police reporting about this crime, the entry point of crime statistics that drive federal law enforcement budgets and resource allocation. The same must be done of requests and appeals, relating to this and other issues, made to other authorities, including federal and state representatives. This mechanism would increase accountability and allow needed public scrutiny. Until efforts are made in these areas, they will continue to impede efforts made to fight human trafficking activities in the U.S., particularly efforts to free victims.

There have been numerous indications that, not only are U.S. authorities often refusing to investigate possible slavery situations, they are also failing to record that requests have even been made, therefore perpetuating the "invisibility" of this crime, in that the result is that these even "possible" indications will not even appear in any crime mapping or statistics database. This, thus, also perpetuates another gap reported in Trafficking in Human Beings on a web site of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, www.unodc.org/unodc/en/trafficking_human_beings.html: "...a lack of systematic research means that reliable data on the trafficking of human beings that would allow comparative analyses and the design of countermeasures is scarce..."

Specific examples of such thwarting of the personal efforts I've made to authorities, relating to David's situation, are relayed in an email on the web site, 01/19/04 - Regarding S 1830 – the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Trafficking Reauthorization Act, a different version of which is also included in 02/03/04 - 2004 Hygienic > on exhibit to 2/15/04 (?) currently only on the Today page, that also includes definitions from some of the U.S. Codes relating to these crimes. Attempts to further follow-up on these situations are relayed in 03/11/04 - there are mountains to be moved [modified], also currently only on the Today page.

Possibly because the "credibility" of stories of abduction and/or slavery is impacted as a result of a lack of "official reports," up until recently the media appears to have also been hesitant to publish any stories of possible instances of, let alone widespread, abduction for slavery purposes occurring in the U.S., although it is possible that we may begin to see stories now.

At least in David's situation, this, in turn, appears to impact, or at least "justify," the response of authorities. Similar experience in response of authorities is reported by other loved ones of "missing" victims of abduction that, in many cases, may be for purposes of sex slavery. (See 02/21/04 - oTHer "mISSnG PEopLE" [modified] currently only on the Today page.) These loved ones are, thus, often left without the support and protection of authorities, and sometimes even the community, in attempts to get victims rescued.

This cycle appears to be reflected in some of the wording of S 1830 – the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Trafficking Reauthorization Act (www.theorator.com/bills108/s1830.html)

The operation holding David illustrates to what extent traffickers may abuse law enforcement and the legal system, or work those into their schemes, to protect and support their operations. That this may be a possible tendency of many traffickers appears to be reflected in the wording of 18 USC Sec. 1589 - Forced Labor and 18 USC Sec. 1591. Sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud or coercion under 18 USC CHAPTER 77 - PEONAGE AND SLAVERY, which can be found at www.access.gpo.gov/uscode/title18/parti_chapter77_.html, i.e.,

Whoever knowingly provides or obtains the labor or services of a person -

(1) by threats of serious harm to, or physical restraint against, that person or another person; 

2) by means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the person to believe that, if the person did not perform such labor or services, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or 

(3) by means of the abuse or threatened abuse of law or the legal process, shall be... 

or if the violation includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or the attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse...

As said in the 12/23/03 - Yes! Who IS minding the store? email, as well as a few others:

How many routine oversights of police and the legal system have perpetrators found in searching out for them? . . . How many things are they aware will go unchecked or even unquestioned? How much of this have they worked into their schemes, particularly the tactics that include abuse of laws and the legal system to intimidate or coerce a civilian population to "go along" with activities that will support and facilitate crimes of forced labor (slavery), particularly sex services, trafficking, and/or to hinder detection and prevent investigation or, in other words, to obstruct justice?

Drastic improvements need to be realized in the following areas:

09/30/03 - Beaming up the infrastructure provides some other ways to help close the gap in this area.

 

ASSOCIATED ORGANIZED CRIME 

Often, intricate coordination of a number of individuals is required to carry out the clandestine operations surrounding abduction for the purpose of slavery as well as the subsequent slavery activities. In this way, such operations fall under the definition of organized crime, and, depending on various aspects of that operation, may also often fall under that of racketeering, as well as the many other federal and state laws these activities violate. The overly simplistic approach in the U.S. that appears to fail to take the aspects of possible organized crime into consideration in response to information of abduction and slavery activities within it's boundaries, is another gap that needs to be closed.

One of the traits of traffickers, of which this aspect may be a result, is the cruelty and arrogance with which they operate.

In addition, criminal operations involving abduction and slavery often join national syndicates, of which there appears to be suspicion in the criminal operation holding David. If nothing else, there doesn't seem any other logical explanation of the widespread lack of response to this situation, and in apparently many other similar situations, at even federal headquarter level. One possible scenario that may be sometimes impacting what may appear to be the lack of responsiveness of authorities is illustrated in the first portion of 06/21/03 - You don't HAVE to bribe officials! plus more of part 1, etc. [proofread].  Better tracking and public accountability of information of abduction and slavery activities within it's boundaries would help it be better addressed.

The lucrativeness of the crimes associated with abduction and slavery also allow for possible major lobbying efforts by crime syndicates that also need to be taken into consideration, in the closing of gaps. Political "concern" may mask efforts by traffickers to further their own welfare while hiding it under the name of the welfare of others. The slyness of these operations make public attention to and scrutiny of proposals more important than ever.

Some of how organized the operation is that is holding David is reflected in 07/31/03 - yeah, nice - but this is the reality.

 

ASSOCIATED TERRORISM 

Another gap is the apparent failure to recognize the terror that results to a community in which possible rampant abduction and sex slavery is being possibly openly carried out and in a very organized way. Anyone attempting to conduct the surveillance activities often necessary to get the required information to succeed in these efforts should be aware of both the signs of the possible presence of such terrorism, as well the type of community behavior that would result from that presence.

It would seem that in any area of the country in which abduction and sex slavery is being carried out on a large scale, the community would be terrorized into supporting and protecting trafficking operations, as they are here, on implied or open threat of abduction or other harm to them if they do not cooperate. Such threats carry a heavy weight due to the poor response to requests for investigation into such abductions, combined with the highly complex schemes of traffickers to mask abduction and slavery situations and to prevent investigation. Incidents illustrating some of this are included in emails listed in the Index of emails relaying examples of actions of people possibly involved on either side, and of terminology used here portion on the Quick Reference page under items such as community terrorism, uncharacteristic behavior and "weapons, witch death star and other warnings and/or threats."

Here, there is a cryptic and/or indirect "language," which may often materialize in such an environment. It may be from this type of communication that possible information about slavery activities must be extracted. Traffickers may also have their own way of communicating threats and warnings to the community. Examples of such "cryptic and/or indirect language" are illustrated in 10/05/03 - Guns & Roses.

"Uncharacteristic behavior" of possibly even officials, are reflected in emails such as 06/11/03 - Rally, 09/14/03 - If Guns Are Outlawed . .[modified], 11/07/03 - More refusals by "authorities" to investigate [modified], 12/09/03 - Should "hearts" be banned? > Totally Dysfuntional Infrastructure, with that information supplemented by 02/17/04 - crazy > integrity - Pt 1 [modified & reformatted] currently only on the Today page.

10/09/03 - Redefining Romance and other things, 11/26/03 - Mass psychology and 03/14/04 - ooh, the smell! Can you smell that smell?, currently only on the Today page, provides some idea of what it is like to live in such an environment.

 

INTER JURISDICTION ACTIVITIES 

Traffickers often move victims from one area of the country to another, as well as from place to place. Although the U.S. government is currently recognizing that better inter jurisdiction coordination of law enforcement is needed, governmental efforts are still needing to be developed in other areas, as well, before this can even be possible.

While some areas of the country are reporting that information is being shared with neighboring jurisdictions, it is not widespread nor consistent. In addition, there doesn't appear to be any centralized managing of the development of inter jurisdiction databases of local level activities at a national level. There are also reports of heated controversy relating to the various systems being proposed for various levels. Reports of resistance to information sharing between local level jurisdictions as well as between local, state and federal levels, are numerous. An emerging school of thought is for the need for more centralization of law enforcement entities, and appears to be what will be needed to be implemented before law enforcement makes any real progress in this area.

This is one other gap that keeps current victims from rescue.

 

COMMUNITIES PARALYZED BY COMBINED DYNAMICS 

Gang terrorization of a community, combined with the unresponsiveness of law enforcement and other authorities, the fear that all of this creates in the community, the ease it creates in the taking of victims, and many other aspects, including those listed above, result in a community being unable to help itself overcome these dynamics, let alone begin to challenge traffickers themselves. Until these other problems are resolved, traffickers are able to thwart any attempts of the community to challenge them.

I was told, soon after David's abduction, when I just thought that David was the only victim, that, in our local area, there are agencies and attorneys who could get David freed for a considerable amount of money. I was told to avoid them, that they are, basically, ransom agents. I immediately realized that such agents are just additional exploiters of victims and help drive the demand for abduction and slavery.

Other than such agents, there are no non profit organizations nor other entities in the local area that offer the services needed to get David, nor other victims, freed, although there are evidently therapists who offer counseling services to former victims of abduction. This situation, in itself, just adds to implications of the dynamics at play in this local area.

People from outside the local area are needed to help in the efforts here. However, most law enforcement agencies and other service providers are restricted from providing services to victims and communities in other geographical areas.

 

NARROW SCOPE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS 

It is inhumane, and a violation of human rights, to allow slavery victims to continue to be subjected to the conditions of their situation until all of these other complexities are resolved. Merely allocating effective resources for services if a victim has the freedom to approach a service provider, and/or after a victim is freed, does not address the U.S. slavery problem and is a sham!  Slavery victims have to be rescued, need assistance in getting freed, in order to be able to benefit from the funds and resources that are currently being allocated for their welfare.

Efforts of non government agencies and of the community have to focus on offsetting, even while addressing, these gaps and obstacles, some of which have been outlined here. Only then can it be considered that attempts are being made to free victims, apprehend perpetrators, prevent further victimization through abduction and slavery and obliterate slavery activities in the U.S.. This may require an expansion of the current scope of NGO and community efforts.

NGOs need to include in the scope of providing benefits to slavery activities such as:

 

 

 

 

Feel free to comment!