January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the Counter Trafficking Unit is taking the opportunity to teach the public about the crime.
Deputy Director of the Counter Trafficking Unit, Dane Marie Marshall, says human trafficking remains a significant issue that particularly affects women and girls.
The Unit hosted a theatrical play to help educate secondary school students about the issue at Queen’s Hall on Thursday.
Ms. Marshall introduced the interactive play titled ‘Traffic in the Capital’ to the audience.
“This morning’s production will confront you with real life scenarios based on actual counter-trafficking unit cases. Scenarios that unfolded right here in our capital. These are stories of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, and other forms of exploitation. Stories that are often ignored because they are too ugly, too shameful, too complex.”
The CTU Deputy Director emphasised the point that these crimes are taking place right before our eyes, and it is whether we choose to see them or not.
“Human trafficking is not a distant crime. It is not just a story in the news. It is a girl in Sangre Grande, a boy in Diego Martin, a woman in Couva. It is organised, profitable and evolving. This performance is our act of resistance. It is a call to act and not just to observe.”
Trinidad and Tobago is considered a transit and destination country for the trafficking of primarily women and children, mainly for sexual exploitation.
An investigator from the Counter Trafficking Unit, WPC Jenna Scott, shared some important information with the young people.
“There are four types of human trafficking: sexual, labour, domestic servitude, and organ removal. We are the Counter Trafficking Unit. Our Unit comprises police officers, Defence Force, Immigration. So it’s a collaborative with all of these units, and we investigate the crime of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a very lucrative business. You all know the meaning of lucrative? Money making.”