Like victims of sexual assault and child exploitation, human trafficking survivors are often a critical source of evidence for law enforcement seeking convictions. Yet, many of these individuals are unable—or unwilling—to testify. For some, the trauma is too painful to recount; for others, the fear of facing their traffickers in court is overwhelming. Even those who do testify may face harsh cross-examinations that retraumatize them or diminish their credibility. Prosecutors often consider trafficking victims to be unreliable witnesses due to issues such as prior arrests or substance abuse, which are frequently tied to their exploitation.
As investigators, it’s crucial to reduce reliance on victim testimony and explore alternative methods of proving criminal activity. This includes leveraging statutes such as money laundering or RICO, utilizing electronic evidence from mobile devices and data collectors, and applying emerging technologies.
This Justice Clearinghouse webinar will explore the challenges of handling human trafficking cases and offer practical strategies to build strong cases while minimizing the burden on victims.
All Justice Clearinghouse webinars are 75 minutes long (1 hour for formal presentation, 10-15 minutes for Q&A).