Tag Archive: Albany

Misconceptions About Human Trafficking Making It More Difficult To Help Victims

January 29, 2021

ALBANY COUNTY, N.Y. (NewsNation Now) — People who dedicate their lives to helping victims of human trafficking and exploitation say it’s demanding work. Now, their mission has become even more difficult as misconceptions grow about what these crimes look like and who they impact.

Real and shocking stories of private islands and trafficked children have dominated recent headlines, along with viral internet conspiracy theories of a global faction of celebrity pedophiles. While all this goes on, human trafficking support agencies, like the Albany County Safe Harbour program in New York, say there are real examples of exploitation in our neighborhoods.

“We see it here in the Capital Region, in gangs,” said Nicole Consiglio, coordinator of Safe Harbour. “We also see parents trafficking their own children to feed a drug habit, or to pay their bills. It really does take on a lot of forms, and can happen anywhere at any time.”

Consiglio said both unproven conspiracies and large-scale Hollywood crimes can make parents unsuspecting of the commonplace dangers posed by traffickers.

“We don’t want that message to be lost in these stories that are out there to pull away and draw attention from what’s really going on here,” said Consiglio.

Viral internet theories have also muddied the messaging.

To read the full story by Giuliana Bruno on News Nation: Click Here

New York Will Help Survivors Of Stalking And Human Trafficking Keep Addresses Confidential

October 14, 2019

ALBANY — New York is helping survivors of sexual abuse, stalking and human trafficking keep their addresses under wraps.

A new law signed Thursday by Gov. Cuomo allows victims and survivors to keep their addresses hidden from perpetrators by using a substitute address in place of their actual home, school or work address.

“Victims of heinous crimes like sexual assault and human trafficking should not have to live in constant fear that their assailant could find and potentially hurt them again,” Cuomo said. “By signing this legislation into law we will help protect survivors from further abuse by shielding their address from public view and hopefully provide a measure of comfort as they move forward with their lives.”

The measure expands the New York Department of State’s existing address confidentiality program that already covers domestic violence victims. But those who have been victims of sexual offenses, stalking or human trafficking were not covered by the program.

To read the full story by Denis Slattery on New York Daily News: Click Here