What is the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking?
The Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking (FCAHT) is an entity within The Immigrant Rights Advocacy Center, Inc. (IRAC) a non-for-profit corporation, 501(c)(3) since May 17, 2004. The organization was created in 2004 by Anna Rodriguez, who has extensive experience in how to identify victims, provide advocacy, and understand how to pursue justice for victims based on her experience in law enforcement, assistance for prosecution, and active participation delivering the human trafficking case law.
Why Start a New Organization?
According to US Department of Justice (USDOJ) over 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders worldwide each year. The USDOJ estimates that between 18,000 and 20,000 of those victims are trafficked into the U.S with Florida receiving a high percentage of those victims. The number of potential victims in Florida is expected to continually increase due to the number of immigrants that migrate to the state to participate in season agricultural harvests.
There is a need to have an agency that would provide services and training to victims and also to law enforcement agencies. Potential victims may not report nor provide any information to law enforcement agencies. Victims feel intimidated by law enforcement officers. It is important to recognize that the majority of potential victims come from countries were law enforcement is corrupted. This is why it is so important to have an office that will provide the service and assistance to serve as a liaison between law enforcement and victims.
About Anna Rodriguez
As a law enforcement victim advocate, Anna discovered a victim of human trafficking and provided services and assistance to the victim. This case became a major case study and was instrumental for the creation of the T Visa. This is the US vs. Tecum case. Following that case, she was able to identify a victim of domestic servitude, and another seven potential victims in a sex trafficking case. Anna has been working human trafficking case victims since 1999.
Thanks to the knowledge and hands on experience Anna has developed on these issues, She has been recognized by federal, state and local agencies for the effectiveness of the efforts and commitment to eradicate human trafficking in SW Florida.
Anna's experience developed through cases like the US vs. Tecum, Domestic Servitude, Sex trafficking, Labor force, kidnapping, and other current cases have been referred through my office to Federal and Local Law enforcement agencies. All these referrals are a direct result of her outreach in the community.
