26 Jun 2014

CNMI trying to combat trafficking

8:31 am on 26 June 2014

The head of an NGO in the CNMI which helps victims of trafficking says she's not surprised by a report that has tagged the Northern Marianas as a destination for the illegal movement of people.

The US State Department's newly released 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report has identified the CNMI as a transit location for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking

The CNMI and Guam's classifications, along with other US territories' have not changed from last year's report.

But the president of Pacific Ombudsman for Humanitarian Law, Pamela Brown Blackburn, says the current administration is taking proactive steps to address the issue instead of denying it exists, as did the previous government.

"The governor has been very supportive of our goals of working together to educate the community, train the community, and investigate and prosecute every case that comes forward and that is supported by his appointed attorney general and his appointed police commissioner."

Pamela Brown Blackburn says alien workers are vulnerable to trafficking.