Human Trafficking

Courts & Judiciary

An Interview with Dean David F. Levi

By Justice Robert H. Edmunds Jr.

David F. Levi became dean of Duke Law School in 2007 after serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, and Chief U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District. He reveals what it was like to clerk for a Supreme Court justice, what cases stand out in his years as a judge, the rewards of serving on committees, and how he learned the ropes of the academic world.

Courts & Judiciary

ABA President Laurel G. Bellows on Human Trafficking

As ABA president, Laurel Bellows has made combatting human trafficking a top priority, and she is dedicated and passionate about getting others involved in the cause. Learn how to become involved in the ABA’s national awareness campaign and spread the word that the United States will not tolerate slavery within its borders.

Courts & Judiciary

President Obama’s Speech on Human Trafficking

Addressing an audience at the Clinton Global Initiative last fall, President Obama confirmed the commitment of the United States to be a leader in the global movement to combat human trafficking. Efforts include an annual trafficking report, an expanded interagency task force, and a crackdown on traffickers.

Courts & Judiciary

Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence A Primer for Judges

By Dorchen A. Leidholdt

Every day, trafficking victims who are simultaneously victims of domestic violence appear in courtrooms across the United States. This article addresses how to identify cases of human trafficking and how you can help protect victims and hold their abusers accountable.

Courts & Judiciary

Human Rights–Based Approach to Trafficking the Work of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

By Youla Haddadin and Ilona Klímová-Alexander

Haddadin and Klímová-Alexander propose that when responding to human trafficking, advocates should take a people-centered approach that emphasizes the primacy of human rights. The article covers States’ obligations under international human rights law and highlights the work of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) aimed at providing technical assistance to States as well as other stakeholders.

Courts & Judiciary

The State of State Human-Trafficking Laws

By Kelly Heinrich and Kavitha Sreeharsha

A recent study shows that many state prosecutors are reluctant to take on cases under untested human-trafficking law, while others are unaware of the law or the crime. Fortunately, it appears recent developments will bolster and augment state anti-trafficking laws and their implementation.

Courts & Judiciary

Glossary of Human-Trafficking Acronyms and Terms

Compiled by Noreen Muhib, ABA Task Force on Human Trafficking

This valuable primer explains important human-trafficking terms and lists key organizations that are working to combat child, domestic, labor, and sex trafficking.

Domestic & Sexual Violence

Human Trafficking and the Internet* (*and Other Technologies, too)

By Judge Herbert B. Dixon Jr.

Judge Dixon reports on instances in which human trafficking is both facilitated and combatted by the Internet and other technologies. In addition, he discusses the efforts of academia and private industry to expand the use of technology to disrupt and combat human trafficking.

Courts & Judiciary

Ethical Challenges When Addressing Emerging Legal Issues

By Marla N. Greenstein

While it may take a long time for human trafficking to be recognized in the same way as domestic violence in our country’s courtrooms, ethics and justice require that judges patiently maintain their impartiality on the bench while working earnestly to educate their communities.