Another step in the right direction is the implementation of Florida Statute 2013-98. This law, with the exception of forcible felonies, facilitates for any identified human trafficking victim to be able to expunge some enumerated criminal violations. This provision is subject to some requirements, including the alleged victim had committed these crimes while she was under the control of the alleged trafficker (Nova 2013.)
Florida Statute 772.104 provides some civil remedies to the victims of human trafficking as well. The victims of this crime could ask in civil …show more content…
The majority of human trafficking investigations were developed while police were investigating unrelated crimes. In the past, officers responded to calls, and even made arrests of traffickers, not knowing the entire incident was part of a human trafficking event or organization.
An example a labor trafficking incident took place in Florida when officers responded to a violent assault incident where several Mexican van drivers were pistol whipped and physically abused by assailants. During the investigation of this violent attack, federal officers exposed an organized human trafficking ring that was forcing victims to work excessive hours picking oranges, forced them to pay for transportation, rent, and equipment expenses while living in deplorable conditions. These victims, as the investigation revealed, could barely buy food to sustain …show more content…
None governmental organizations (NGO), juvenile social services, and citizens often notify law enforcement of crimes such as missing juveniles and adults that for some reason or another were identified as being involved in commercial sex activities.
In the past, law enforcement agencies were not including human trafficking training in their annual or basic career development curricula. Such issue prevented officers from being able to identify victims of human trafficking while responding to calls for service. Since 2012, with the creation of 787.06, many law enforcement agencies had included advanced human trafficking training to their street officers, specifically addressing the identification of human trafficking indicators.
These training activities had increased the interest of many law enforcement officers, which had resulted in the identification and recovery of many additional victims involved in this type of victimization.
Victim-Centered Investigations
Once the identification is made, the most important part is to make sure these victims are treated in accordance with their victims’ rights as established by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act