![\"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking\"](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-1024x685.jpg\")
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By Anita Teekah and\u00a0William Sheehan Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP)<\/a> is dedicated to supporting survivors of all forms of human trafficking in New York City. As one of the largest direct service providers to victims of human trafficking on the east coast, we recognize that forced marriage is a form of human trafficking and are working to raise awareness of this issue that affects 15.4 million globally (Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage, the International Labor Organization, 2016).<\/em><\/p>\n In this blog post, we explain forced marriage and how it is considered human trafficking so that more people and service providers will be able to identify survivors and offer support.<\/p>\n Marriage is the legal or formal recognition of the union of two consenting people in a personal relationship. Forced marriage is when one or both participants are married without consent. Forced marriage happens as a result of emotional and financial threats, pressure, or coercion. Therefore, usually one or both participants do not have the chance or power to consent.<\/em><\/p>\n An arranged marriage is a common tradition in many cultures. It is not the same as forced marriage. In an arranged marriage, two families may play a role to set up and marry their children, but ultimately, those entering into marriage make the choice to freely do so. An arranged marriage becomes a forced marriage when one or both individuals are denied the ultimate decision to marry or not.<\/p>\n All types of human trafficking involve force, fraud, and coercion. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000<\/a> is legislation that defines and criminalizes human trafficking. Forced marriage is considered involuntary servitude under the TVPA\u2019s definition of human trafficking. The TVPA defines involuntary servitude as a \u201ccondition of servitude induced by means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that, if the person did not enter into or continue in such condition, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.<\/em>\u201d Because forced marriage happens as a result of various threats, pressure, or coercion, where one or both participants do not or cannot consent, forced marriage is human trafficking.<\/p>\n Victims of forced marriage can also experience sex trafficking and\/or labor trafficking. Sex trafficking is the performance of a commercial sexual act under threat of force, fraud or coercion. Labor trafficking is the performance of labor or services also through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.<\/p>\n For example, one of our clients is a woman who was forced to marry someone from abroad. After she was forced into marriage, she was threatened by her husband to perform sex acts for money. Therefore, she was a victim of both forced marriage and sex trafficking.<\/p>\n Forced marriage can also include more traditional forms of labor trafficking, such as physical work inside and outside the home. For example, if a woman is coerced into marrying a man who forces her to work at his family\u2019s restaurant, then she is a victim of both forced marriage and labor trafficking, both of which are types of human trafficking.<\/p>\n As reported in the 2016 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage, the International Labor Organization (ILO) stated:<\/p>\n Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program<\/a> offers comprehensive legal and social services to anyone who has been trafficked, including victims of forced marriage. If you or someone you know is in a forced marriage and would like to access support and services, please call our intake line at 718-943-8652<\/a>. Help is available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" All types of human trafficking involve force, fraud, and coercion. Forced marriage is no exception. Our human trafficking experts explain why.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":{"id":7512,"alt_text":"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking","caption":"","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":3872,"height":2592,"file":"2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"file":"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-150x150.jpg"},"medium":{"file":"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-300x201.jpg","width":300,"height":201,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-300x201.jpg"},"medium_large":{"file":"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-768x514.jpg","width":768,"height":514,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-768x514.jpg"},"large":{"file":"Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-1024x685.jpg","width":1024,"height":685,"mime-type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking-1024x685.jpg"}},"image_meta":{"aperture":"8","credit":"Getty Images\/iStockphoto","camera":"DSLR-A100","caption":"A touch on the basis of marriage using rings and handcuffs.","created_timestamp":"1339002178","copyright":"matt_benoit","focal_length":"70","iso":"400","shutter_speed":"0.01","title":"Married","orientation":"1","keywords":["Couple,Restraining Device,Dating,Restraining,Sayings,Handcuffs,H"]}},"post":7510,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Forced-Marriage-is-Human-Trafficking.jpg"},"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2015],"tags":[336,1387,1267,133],"class_list":["post-7510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-blog","tag-anti-trafficking-program","tag-atp","tag-forced-marriage","tag-human-trafficking","issue-human-trafficking"],"acf":{"page_header_title":"","page_header_excerpt":"","page_header_image":false,"custom_scripts":false,"show_author_bio":false,"original_url":"","related_initiative_title":"How do we help survivors of human trafficking?","related_initiative_link":"\/get-help\/human-trafficking\/","related_initiative_link_text":"Learn about our services","featured_posts":[{"ID":3732,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2019-01-16 15:11:37","post_date_gmt":"2019-01-16 15:11:37","post_content":"\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n January 16, 2019<\/em> To raise awareness about the terrible crime of human trafficking and what Safe Horizon does to help, this Human Trafficking FAQ will discuss the work of Safe Horizon\u2019s Anti-Trafficking Program<\/a><\/u> (ATP) and what lies ahead for the issue in 2019 and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human trafficking is the practice of obtaining adults and children under circumstances of force, fraud or coercion, for the purposes of commercial sexual activity or other forms of forced labor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Victims of human trafficking suffer physical, psychological and sexual violence, and come from all walks of life, including all ages, races, genders, ethnicities, socio-economic status and educational background. Many victims don\u2019t know that what is happening to them is actually human trafficking, and therefore don\u2019t self-identify as victims. Red flags for human trafficking include an employer confiscating a worker\u2019s passport or other legal documents, restricting movement, threatening to harm the worker or his\/her family, and withholding pay for work provided. Human trafficking is, at its core, about controlling another human being for commercial use, and perpetrators can take many forms, including family members, business owners, government officials, and romantic partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Often, people identify or define human trafficking as sex trafficking, and while sex trafficking is a widespread form of human trafficking, it is just one type of trafficking. In fact, labor trafficking is more pervasive than sex trafficking, and most of our ATP clients are identified as labor trafficked. Globally, over 20 million individuals<\/em> are confirmed labor trafficked survivors, according to the most recent estimates from the International Labor Organization. Some of the industries most afflicted by human trafficking include domestic work, restaurants, hospitality, construction, agriculture, and fashion. It is likely that most, if not all, of us, have encountered a victim of human trafficking, but didn\u2019t know enough to identify the situation as trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Safe Horizon established the ATP in 2001 in a concerted effort to provide critical wrap-around services for human trafficking victims in the New York City area. Since its inception, ATP has helped more than 1000 victims from over 80 countries. ATP is the largest direct services provider for trafficking victims on the East Coast and offers comprehensive legal and social work\/case management services, supportive counseling, limited financial assistance, family reunification assistance and training and outreach for our community partners. Simultaneously, ATP is a member of multiple national, state and local policy and advocacy coalitions, and advocates for strong survivor-centered legislation at all levels of government. Over the last year and a half, we lobbied for reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and attempted to pass legislation that would vacate criminal convictions for trafficking survivors for crimes that their traffickers forced them to commit. We work with all stakeholders to ensure that our anti-trafficking work is informed and comprehensive. Our key partnerships include those with law enforcement from all agencies, service providers and community organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly, all of our work is client-centered and trauma-informed. The program\u2019s strength is in our broad scope of services, and our holistic approach with all clients. Our extensive history as direct service advocates has helped us develop a level of expertise and engagement that only a limited number of organizations around the country can offer. We take lessons learned from our clients and survivors to formulate policies, strengthen ATP and advance our survivor leadership group, Voices of Hope. Our clients are the experts in their own lives and have been invaluable members in the movement to combat human trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The political events over the last two years have greatly impacted advocacy and direct service efforts by anti-trafficking organizations, including ATP. Although human trafficking initiatives have historically enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress, we are seeing an anti-immigrant shift that adversely impacts our clients. Over half of our survivors are foreign nationals and have suffered horrific mistreatment at the hands of others. They should be treated as human trafficking survivors entitled to assistance, and not as immigrants to be deported. Nonetheless, the recent reauthorization of TVPA reconfirms the United States\u2019 commitment to preventing human trafficking, protecting survivors and prosecuting trafficking crimes. Much work remains, however, and the next few years will be critical for appropriate implementation and enforcement of TVPA mandates and policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we move into 2019, ATP will continue to fight for sufficient funding and resources to serve all victims of human trafficking, regardless of nationality, type of trafficking or gender. We will also strengthen existing initiatives to increase awareness of labor trafficking and investigation by law enforcement. Criminal justice reforms for our survivors, including vacatur of their criminal convictions, are also critical to establishing their enduring stability post-trafficking. Our strategic membership in leading thought-coalitions ensures that the voices and concerns of survivors remain paramount in all anti-trafficking advocacy, regardless of the political climate in which we are working.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Frequently Asked Questions About Human Trafficking","post_excerpt":"In this Human Trafficking FAQ, senior director of our Anti-Trafficking Program answers frequently asked questions about human trafficking.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"human-trafficking-faq","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:50:14","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:50:14","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=3732","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":4377,"post_author":"13","post_date":"2017-04-25 20:01:39","post_date_gmt":"2017-04-25 20:01:39","post_content":"
\n<\/em>December 11, 2019<\/em><\/p>\nWhat is Forced Marriage?<\/h1>\n
Are Arranged Marriages a form of Forced Marriages?<\/h1>\n
Why is Forced Marriage Defined as Human Trafficking?<\/h1>\n
Additional Abuse in Forced Marriage and Human Trafficking<\/h1>\n
How Common is Forced Marriage and Human Trafficking?<\/h1>\n
\n
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What Help Is Available for Someone in a Forced Marriage?<\/h1>\n
By Anita S. Teekah, Esq.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nHuman Trafficking FAQ: What is Human Trafficking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Does Safe Horizon and ATP Help Victims?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Does the Future Hold for Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Olivia](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Olivia-Wilson-1024x851.png\")
\r\n\r\nApril 25, 2017<\/em>\r\nBy Olivia Wilson<\/em>\r\n\r\nHuman trafficking is one of the world's fastest growing criminal enterprises. The Safe Horizon Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP) assists victims of this crime including men and women, adults and children, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens in cases of both labor trafficking and sex trafficking. While some victims of trafficking are hidden behind locked doors in private homes or brothels, others are in plain sight in restaurants, hotels or retail stores. Traffickers use a variety of tactics to control their victims including physical restraint and psychological coercion.\r\n\r\nSince 2000, the U.S. has taken a global, holistic approach to combating human trafficking by enacting and reauthorizing the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking. After its initial passing, every several years the law has to be reauthorized, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), to maintain core measures and increase protections to ensure we continue the fight against an evolving crime. In this post, I will explain the important components of this law and how it enables our ATP to help human trafficking victims.\r\nExplanation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act<\/h1>\r\nThe three arms of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act are prevention, protection and prosecution.\r\n
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How the Trafficking Victims Protection Act Enables the Safe Horizon Anti-Trafficking Program to Help Human Trafficking Victims<\/h1>\r\nThe TVPA allows ATP to provide critical assistance to victims of trafficking so that they may heal from the trauma of their experience and build a stable life free of abuse and coercion. Because of the TVPA, our team of intensive case managers and attorneys can assist victims of trafficking with accessing public benefits and in applying for immigration relief crucial to their stability and healing process. The overall prevention efforts of the TVPA fuel our advocacy efforts to continue supporting trafficking victims on their road to healing.\r\n
If TVPRA is Not Reauthorized: The Consequences<\/h1>\r\nTVPRA is a major reason why ATP is able to help human trafficking victims overcome their trafficking situations. Reauthorizing the TVPRA is crucial in allowing programs like ATP, to continue to provide protections and critical services to victims of this horrible crime, and in bringing traffickers to justice.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s why it is critical to take action in powerful advocacy, today.<\/a>\r\n\r\n
![\"Join](\"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/TVPRA-Button.png\")
<\/a>","post_title":"Olivia Explains the Trafficking Victims Protection Act: a Critical Human Trafficking Law","post_excerpt":"Which human trafficking law is vital to helping human trafficking victims? Olivia Wilson Esq. from our Anti-Trafficking Program explains why you should know about the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"trafficking-victims-protection-act-tvpa-human-trafficking-law","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-06-10 13:06:59","post_modified_gmt":"2025-06-10 17:06:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"http:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=4377","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"event_date":"","event_location":""},"yoast_head":"\n