Bringing light to the world’s ‘hidden crime’

A funny thing happened on the way to retirement. I found a job — or rather it found me. It’s a match made in heaven and that is by design, not chance.

During my last year on the village board, I worked with a coach, a gentleman named Bob Bambino. It was an exceptional collaboration. He urged me to take inventory of my strengths, my values — find my passion and watch the magic that happens.

As a woman of a certain age, I grew up during the early days of the Civil Rights and feminist movements. One did not emerge from those tumultuous years without a keen awareness of human rights issues. It was therefore no accident when I found myself volunteering at the LifeWay Network, an organization dedicated “to combat(ing) human trafficking through education and safe housing.” And it is no accident that I am now on staff.

It is rather sickening that well into the 21st century, human trafficking continues as a crime against humanity. Modern day slavery is real. It is not just something that happens in other countries. Today, in this country, men, women and children are held against their will and enslaved as manual or sex-trade laborers.

Law enforcement officials often refer to human trafficking as the hidden crime. Because it is hidden, there is little awareness that New York City has become a magnet for traffickers. Because it is hidden, it is difficult to identify victims and successful prosecutions are rare. Through its education initiative, LifeWay works to bring the issue of human trafficking to the forefront. Our executive director, Joan Dawber, SC, lectures extensively on the topic to academic, civic, fraternal and faith-based organizations.

Meeting the needs of survivors requires a multidisciplinary approach. In 2010, LifeWay partnered with Hofstra University to study services available to meet survivor needs in the New York City metropolitan area. The final report, “Meeting the Service Needs of Human Trafficking Survivors in the New York City Metropolitan Area: Assessment and Recommendations,” was published late last year. A full copy of the report is available on LifeWay’s website,
lifewaynetwork.org. The report documents the need for survivor support and “…the creation of long-term, safe housing programs that offer a comprehensive set of services to survivors.”

LifeWay launched its first safe house, LifeWay House, in March 2012. It is open to women survivors, ages 18 and older, who require rehabilitative services as part of their recovery. There are already three women in residence. The house is a comprehensive, transitional living program that enables women survivors to reside for up to one year in a safe and welcoming environment. It ensures access to essential services such as legal aid, medical care and counseling. The program is structured to promote healing, foster overall personal growth and prepare each woman to live independently. The program is designed to support each survivor in her transition to a new life.

LifeWay had its annual fundraiser on May 3. Participants were addressed by a woman survivor. Her story is one of remarkable courage and strength. I consider it a privilege to be involved in the work of the LifeWay Network and I invite anyone interested in additional information to contact me through our website.

In the words of anti-slavery campaigner Vivek Pandit, “No one is free, until everyone is free.”

Joanne Antun is a former mayor and village trustee of Valley Stream, and is a member of the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. If you are interested in writing a Valley Stream Voices column, contact editor Andrew Hackmack at (516) 569-4000 ext. 265 or ahackmack@liherald.com.