Trump Department of Justice Funds Housing for Trafficking Survivors

Written by STOPP Website Staff (08/18/2020)

 

On 08/05/2020, Attorney General William Barr and Senior Advisor Ivanka Trump hosted a White House meeting of survivor advocates.  At the meeting Attorney General Barr announced Justice Department Housing grants of $35 million to support housing for survivors of human trafficking.  This is the largest federal investment of this kind. The funds will be shared by 73 organizations in 34 states.  It will help thousands of survivors to get a start on a new life after they are rescued from Human Trafficking.  

Attorney General Barr declared that the Justice Department will continue to pursue justice for survivors.  

Ivanka Trump has from the beginning of the Trump Administration, supported President Trumps’s goal to end human trafficking, a seemingly impossible task.  She spoke at this meeting about the nine pieces of legislation President Trump has passed to help survivors, and his plans to put funds “into the hands of those on the front lines.”  She noted that just this year, $70 million has already been awarded to fund enhanced prosecutions, and $123 million for supporting state and local governments in this work.  

The DOJ Housing grants will support rent, utilities, counseling services, vocational education, and job training.  Housing support is the most prevalent need for human trafficking survivors. According to Advisor Trump, COVID-19 has heightened this need as survivors have sheltered in place with their traffickers, who are their abusers.  Since COVID quarantine, in the United States, calls for help to the Human Trafficking Hotline have increased by 40%.  Around the world, 25 million people are living in modern day slavery.  

If you wish to watch the entire meeting, with information by two other White House staffers, and representatives of three of the organizations who are receiving grant monies, go to this link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMHM-7ygUU8&feature=youtu.be