Officials from the Defense Department\’s Combating Trafficking in Persons Office recently hosted an information session at the Pentagon for participants from Latin American nations who are part of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. These participants come from various occupations, including law enforcement, judicial duties, victim advocates, and immigration officials. The session focused on ways to identify and stop human trafficking, with CTIP officials leading discussions and sharing training materials and resources to aid in this endeavor.
Marcela Jimenez, a program analyst with CTIP, highlighted the office’s role in training DOD personnel and contractors to identify trafficking victims, report suspicious behavior, and prevent human trafficking. The office receives reports on trafficking incidents involving not only DOD personnel but also contractors within its supply chain. Special training is provided for various personnel, such as acquisition professionals, investigative professionals, DOD school staff, judge advocates, chaplains, and healthcare professionals, who often serve as the first point of contact for survivors.
Transparency and accountability are key priorities for the CTIP office, as emphasized by Jimenez. The CTIP website features accounts of trafficking survivors with a DOD nexus, including their photos, videos, and biographies, which are regularly updated. Brenda Zurita, an intergovernmental affairs specialist with CTIP, mentioned that the office collects TIP incident reports from defense criminal investigative organizations worldwide and reports case information to the Justice and State departments annually. The CTIP office was established in 2007, making it the first federal agency to mandate CTIP training for its personnel.
Participants like Francisca del Rocio Becerra Arevalo, a victim advocate from Ecuador, found the information session valuable in learning about methods to identify victims and improve community outreach, especially in regions like Ecuador where trafficking is prevalent. Col. Anabel M. Cornielle Suero, a Dominican Republic National Police officer, highlighted the importance of raising awareness within law enforcement agencies to combat trafficking effectively. Manuel Alejandro Rodriguez Altamirano, a prosecutor from Tamaulipas State, Mexico, expressed his intention to use the information gained to educate courts and law enforcement in his region. The IVLP participants visited various U.S. government agencies and organizations involved in combating human trafficking and will continue their meetings throughout the month.
