CBA Record

YLS Special Issue l PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN

children risk being identified by their trafficker who may then retaliate against the child and his or her family members. Their participation in criminal justice proceedings, which may include multiple interviews by investigators and attorneys, and testifying in court against their perpe- trator, can be highly traumatic. Therefore, children identified as victim-witnesses require additional protections. Under the TVPA children are entitled to privacy, safety, information about their case, the opportunity to be heard, and res- titution, but these are rarely able to secure these rights without legal assistance. For example, not all children will have an adult advocating for their interests to ensure they are being interviewed instead of interrogated. When children are not pro- vided an attorney or trained advocate, the request for restitution is often overlooked, resulting in these children foregoing an important financial resource which can contribute to their recovery. Considering the enormous difference proper representation can make for the well-being of a child, we recommended that all children identified as potential victim-witnesses in a child trafficking case be assigned an attorney, Guardian Ad Litem, or child advocate to protect their

best interests. These legal advocates should be trained on child trafficking for both sex and labor, and on how to advocate for the rights and interests of children engaged as witnesses in the criminal justice system. While our report focuses on US govern- mental efforts, these recommendations can be applied to all agencies, including both public and non-governmental, including those in Chicago and Illinois to better integrate child labor trafficking into all of its anti-trafficking initiatives and policies. This should include research and data col- lection, legislation, development of screen- ing tools and protocols, training of first responders, and outreach and education. All advocates concerned with protect- ing child trafficking victims should think about ways in which we can provide attorneys and independent child advocates for all unaccompanied children, and to all potential child victim-witnesses to ensure they receive protections afforded to them under international, federal and state laws. Katherine KaufkaWalts is the Director of the Center for the Human Rights of Children at Loyola University Chicago. She can be reached at kkaufkawalts@luc.edu.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING VIDEO SERIES

YLS Chair Katie Liss recently sat down with

Chicago-area experts to take a deeper dive into

the devastating human trafficking problem,

both abroad and within the United States. The

interview series was a part of Katie’s greater

initiative to raise awareness about human traf-

ficking, with a specific focus on how children are

impacted. The video series is now available at

www.youtube.com/chicagobar. Kaethe Morris

Hoffer of Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploi-

tation (CAASE), Professor Jody Raphael of DePaul

University College of Law and Elyse Dobney,

Program Manager of the STOP-IT program of

The Salvation Army are featured. Also available

on the channel are a series of Public Service An-

nouncements created in collaboration with the

Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. The

English language versions aired onWBBM radio

station during the month of January to inform

members of the greater Chicago community

about resources available for trafficking victims.

The PSAs are also available in Chinese, Russian,

Spanish and Ukrainian.

36 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017