HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General recently hosted its first annual symposium on labor trafficking, which brought together attorneys, law enforcement, social workers, advocates, and community members to share information on the signs of labor trafficking, and to collaborate on prevention and responses to it.
The event at Temple University Beasley School of Law also featured panels on the underreporting of labor trafficking, and investigating and prosecuting labor traffickers.
“Labor trafficking is a serious, and often overlooked, issue in our society. The symposium was designed to shed light on this abusive behavior and identify potential solutions to the problem,” said Attorney General Henry. “It is not always in the headlines, but many individuals are forced to work under the threat of violence, extortion, and fraud. I am grateful to everyone who participated in the event and hope it is a building block to help victims of labor trafficking out of the darkness and lead them to the dignified working freedom they all deserve.”
At the symposium, representatives from law enforcement, advocacy groups, and other experts in the field spoke on their experiences with investigating and prosecuting instances of labor trafficking while supporting and advocating for the victims of this terrible crime.
Attendees learned techniques about how to successfully free victims of domestic servitude and why disrupting the supply chain of companies engaged in forced labor is an effective solution for combatting this form of exploitation. Speakers universally advocated for a multidisciplinary approach to the investigation of labor trafficking cases, and attendees were encouraged to ask questions and share their own experiences with the issue.
In Pennsylvania, workers have the right to a legal wage, and to be free from coercive control and exploitation in the workplace. The Office of Attorney General is committed to protecting that right and keep working Pennsylvanians safe from those who choose to abuse their power.
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