How much sex trafficking occurs in the Virgin Islands is unclear. There are no real statistics but there is plenty of evidence. In fact, the definition of sex trafficking is also unclear to many.
This week a three-day Human Sex Trafficking Training conference for local social service workers, first responders and health professionals gives voice to these problems and allows a dialog to work toward solutions at the University of the Virgin Islands Conference Center. The conference began Wednesday and is hosted by the V.I. Department of Justice.
Sex trafficking is not just something relegated to other countries. It’s here in the territory and on the U.S. mainland. According to the Polaris Project, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that works to combat and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking, "Sex trafficking occurs when people are forced or coerced into the commercial sex trade against their will."
According to federal legislation passed 10 years ago, the buying or selling of commercial sex with a minor is automatically human trafficking.
Monica Williams-Carbon, conference organizer and legal counsel to Attorney General Vincent Frazer, said plans for the conference actually started last September. But there was no funding, she said. And after a five-month application process, the U.S. Department of Justice provided the funds well as conference presenter, Jean Bruggeman, a fellow at the DOJ Office of Victims of Crime in Washington, D.C.
Williams-Carbon brought in Miguel Ponce, a special agent with the Homeland Security Blue Campaign, which is directed at combating human trafficking through public awareness campaigns, training, victim assistance and law enforcement to help with the group’s goal of forming a local task force to fight the issue.
Speaking Wednesday, Ponce highlighted the difficulties in mounting a case that will result in a conviction. He stressed it involves the teamwork of a number of agencies which can fall apart in court without cohesion.
That’s after it gets to court.
On Thursday Bruggeman focused on the myriad problems inherent in trying to help a young victim of sexual abuse, discussing several scenarios before the crowd of about 70 attendees on St. Thomas and another 40 or so on St. Croix tuning in by video conference. Bruggeman spoke of the myriad issues that can arise when trying to help a young victim.
To provoke discussion, she handed out several scenarios with different situations, for groups in the audience to tangle with and come up with ideas.
For instance, one situation, with female sex workers: “You interview the women. Their stories are not consistent. They do not have any identity documents. They have little money. They have some injuries. Some report that they are afraid of the pimp and are being forced. Others report that they are fine. They all admit to engaging in commercial sex acts."
The questions attendees were asked to answer included: “Is this sex trafficking? What would you do next? Who/what organization would you contact?"
In another situation, Bruggeman said: "You receive a tip there is a pimp in your area. He has a group of about four to six women working for him. They all seem to live in the same location. They work the streets in the same area. The pimp is generally in the same area."
The questions are the same. Is it trafficking? What does a social worker do? Who do you turn to in reporting these issues?
It turns out, there are several organizations prepared to help, nationwide and in the Virgin Islands, but the victims are generally unaware of that help or they terrified of changing their life.
The life these women are in is often the only one they know, Bruggeman said. "Evidence is very had to come by," Bruggeman stressed, evidence that would hold up in court. "Many girls don’t want their family, if they have one, contacted," she said.
"They need to know it is safe to come forward. They have to be sure of no retaliation,” Bruggeman said. “We have to find another way of working together to protect the victims. There is no right answer to every problem. It is case by case. That is our justice system."
Many of the territory’s social service professionals spoke on Wednesday – Dilsa Capdeville, director of Kidscope; Clema Lewis, co-director of the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix; Vivian St. Juste, director of the Family Resource Center; and Iris Kern, domestic violence policy advisor to the attorney general. These professionals detailed the efforts of their various agencies.
These leaders and others will comprise a Department of Justice task force that is being formed. Its first meeting will be Friday, the last day of the conference.
There is more positive news on the horizon. Renee Gumbs-Carty, chief of the V.I. Department of Justice criminal division said Thursday there is only a small statute related to sex trafficking in the V.I. Code, which is rarely used. "It’s very limited," Gumbs-Carty said. "In fact, it is being in the process of being reworked, broadened by Sen. Samuel Sanes.”
“It is being circulated now. It came to the DOJ for input. It’s very extensive, including missing elements. Other state statutes are much more detailed," Gumbs-Carty said.
A member of the audience, neither a social work professional nor a first-responder, got right into it, albeit anonymously.
"You can say my interest is faith-based," she said. "I’ve seen vulnerable young girls, covered with ‘being’ on the streets. I know that something’s going on. Now that I’m here, I see what it is. I can help," she said. "I have a gift for listening and encouraging people. These girls need somebody to listen to them. I’m going to bring this up to my church.”
