If you think that you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking anti-trafficking 24-hour hotline: 888-539-2373
What is Human Trafficking?
The Trafficking Victims Protections Act (TVPA) defines “severe forms of trafficking in persons” as:
- Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion; or
- Labor trafficking: obtaining of a person for labor through the use of force, fraud, or coercion
Victims of human trafficking can be of any race/ethnicity, age or gender.
The Asian Pacific Islander Human Trafficking Task Force (APIHTTF) of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) aims to serve Asian and Pacific Islander victims of human trafficking and to raise aware of human trafficking in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The Asian Pacific Islander Human Trafficking Task Force consists of the Korean American Family Services (KFAM), Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), Pacific Asian Counseling Services (PACS), Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), South Asian Network (SAN), Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT), Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA), Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), and Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) and will provide FREE counseling, case management, legal services and mental health services to API human trafficking victims and survivors. API HTTF provides services to API human trafficking clients to strengthen services to API survivors, and jointly advocate for the needs of human trafficking survivors of API descent.
APIHTTF was founded to bring together community organizations to better assist the ever growing number of Asian and Pacific Islander victims directly affected by human trafficking by efficiently working to provide the all necessary services for victims and survivors that alone, each organization couldn’t offer. Asian Pacific Islander Human Trafficking Task Force offers Services offers these languages to help victims and survivors of trafficking: Thai/ภาษาไทย, Cambodian/Khmer/ភាសាខ្មែរ, Bangla/বাংলা, Hindi/हिंदी Japanese/日本語, Nepali/नेपाली, Korean/한국어, Vietnamese/tiếng Việt, Tagalog, Urdu/ اردو , Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)/(普通話/廣東話), Gujarati/ગુજરાતી, Spanish/Español, French/Français, Italian/Italinao, and Limited: Navajo/Diné bizaad.
- In 2014-2015, Task Force agencies provided services collectively to more than 764 Human Trafficking clients in the greater Los Angeles area.
- 434 of those clients, or 57%, were Asian Pacific Islander (API).
- Among API ethnicities, Filipinos, Thais and Koreans had the highest numbers of Human Trafficking cases. (Thais: 228 survivors, Filipinos: 114 survivors, Koreans: 35 survivors)
- According to National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s 2016 Annual Report, California has the most human trafficking cases of any state in the U.S.
- California has the largest number of APIs in the U.S.
The API Human Trafficking Task Force is funded by the Office for Victims of Crime under the award, Asian Pacific Islander Human Trafficking Task Force Collaborative. Award Number: 2016-VT-BX-K028.
API Human Trafficking Task Force Brochure
APIHTTF Brochure: Thai/ภาษาไทย
APIHTTF Brochure: Vietnamese/tiếng Việt
Questions and Answers
Asian Pacific Islander Human Trafficking Task Force can provide assistance with these issues and many more. Here are some answers to ease your minds.
- Do Federal Laws Prohibit Trafficking In Persons?
A. Yes, the U.S. Constitution outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude (holding another in service through force or threats of force). The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA) supplements existing laws that apply to human trafficking. The VTVPA establishes new tools and resources to combat trafficking in persons, and provides an array of services and protections for victims of severe forms of trafficking. - Is There Any Immigration Relief Available For a Victim of a Severe Form of Trafficking In Persons?
A. Yes. Victims of severe forms of human trafficking are eligible for a T Nonimmigrant status (T visa). The T nonimmigrant visa allows victims to remain in the United States. Once a T nonimmigrant visa is granted, a victim can apply for permanent residence after 3 years. - How Long Am I Allowed to Remain in the United States With My T Nonimmigrant Visa?
A. The T-nonimmigrant visa is valid for 4 years and a visa holder may be eligible to apply for permanent residence (Green Card) after 3 years in a T nonimmigrant status. - Is A Victim of Trafficking Eligible For Any Services And Benefits?
A. Victims of trafficking may be eligible for a number of federally funded benefits and services regardless of immigration status if they have been certified by the U.S. government. Once a victim has been certified, they are eligible for the same services as a refugee. If the victim is under the age of 18, they are eligible for certain benefits without the requirement of certification. - Can My Family Members Also Obtain T Nonimmigrant Status?
A. Yes. Immediate family members are eligible for derivative nonimmigrant status. If victim is Under 21 years of age They may apply on behalf of spouse, children, parents and unmarried siblings under age 18. If victim is 21 years of age or older they may apply on behalf of spouse and children
More Info
Information for Victims of Human Trafficking Brochure
Immigration Options for Victims of Crimes
The Office for Victims of Crime funded API Human Trafficking Task Force
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA)
Phone Number: 213-977-7500
CLICK HERE to Email Advancing Justice-LA OR click this link: www.advancingjustice-la.org/
Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)/(普通話/廣東話), Korean/한국어, Tagalog, Vietnamese/tiếng Việt, Cambodian/Khmer/ភាសាខ្មែរ, Thai/ภาษาไทย and English
Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT)
Phone Number: 213-375-3830
Email: info@apaitonline.org
Cantonese/廣東話, Tagalog, Spanish/Español, French/Français, Italian/Italinao, Limited: Navajo/Diné bizaad and English
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST)
Phone Number: 888-539-2373
Mandarin/ 普通話, Korean/한국어, Spanish/Español, English but uses LANGUAGE LINE so can help anyone in ANY language
Korean American Family Services (KFAM)
Phone Number: 1-888-979-3800
E-mail: admin@kfamla.org
Address: 3727 W. 6th St #320, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Korean/한국어 and English
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) Phone Number: 800-399-4529 Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)/(普通話/廣東話), Korean/한국어, Tagalog, Vietnamese/tiếng Việt, Cambodian/Khmer/ភាសាខ្មែរ, and English
Pacific Asian Counseling Services (PACS)
Phone Number: 310-337-1550
Email: info@pacsla.org
Thai/ภาษาไทย, Cambodian/Khmer/ភាសាខ្មែរ, Japanese/日本語, Korean/한국어, Vietnamese/tiếng Việt, Tagalog, Urdu/ اردو , Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)/(普通話/廣東話), Spanish/Español, and English
South Asian Network (SAN)
Phone Number: 562-403-0488
Email: saninfo@southasiannetwork.org
Bangla/বাংলা, Urdu/ اردو, Hindi/हिंदी, Nepali/नेपाली, Punjabi/ਪੰਜਾਬੀ and English
Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC)
Phone Number: 323-468-2555
Email: info@thaicdc.org
Thai/ภาษาไทย and English
Services We Offer
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*Case management is a means for improving clients’ health and promoting wellness by focusing on improving clients’ clinical, functional, emotional, and psychosocial status.
**Civil litigation is when two or more parties are in a legal dispute seeking money or other actions.
Additional Partners Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency (SAHARA) 17100 Pioneer Blvd, Suite 260, Artesia CA 90701 Call: 1-888-724-2722 Email: info@saharacares.org Journey Out Call: 1-818-988-4970 Click Here to Email Journey Out or click this link https://journeyout.org/contact-us/ Crittenton Services for Children and Families U.S. Call: 1-714-680-9000 Email: info@crittentonsocal.org Faith and Community Empowerment (FACE LA) Phone: 1-213-985-1500 Email: info@facela.org International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA) Call:1-323-224-3800 Los Angeles District Attorney’s Victim Services LA Call: 1-800-380-3811 City Transgender Advisory Council US Department of Labor-Wage and Hour Division Call: 1-866-487-9243
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‘I Have Freedom Now’: Service Organizations Unite to Combat ‘Modern Day Slavery’
I Am a Survivor of Human Trafficking: Nena’s Story
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