Score: +1 (1/0/0)
Ventura County Grand Jury • 2019-2020

Human Trafficking in Ventura County

Published: April 08, 2020 18 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 32 findings

F01
In 1990, the federal government indicted a farmer in Somis for extortion and slavery of more than 300 farmworkers from Mexico. This was reported as the first identified case of human trafficking in the County. (Ref-17) Human Trafficking in Ventura County 5
No recommendations for this finding
F02
In 2018, California accounted for 1,656 (15%) of the human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, significantly more than any other state. (Ref-18)
No recommendations for this finding
F03
The US 101 corridor between Los Angeles and San Francisco through the County is both a transit route for trafficking and a destination due to its large population, proximity to Mexico, significant immigrant population and easy access to transportation. (Ref-17)
No recommendations for this finding
F04
According to the VCSO, victims are bought and sold in motels and hotels lining the US 101 corridor through advertising on the internet. (Ref-17)
No recommendations for this finding
F05
VCCAHT has documented cases of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Victims have been male and female, adults and children, citizens and undocumented people of many ethnicities. (Ref-01)
No recommendations for this finding
F06
A survey conducted by VCCAHT of nine government and nonprofit organizations and agencies identified 57 human trafficking victims from January 2014 to April 2016 in the County. (Ref-01)
No recommendations for this finding
F07
In January 2016, the City of Ventura Police Department conducted a “demand” operation by posting a fictitious online ad offering sex for sale. The ad received over 100 responses in just under eight hours. People responding to the ad were told the person for sale was a minor. Officers made four arrests. (Ref-19)
No recommendations for this finding
F08
In April 2016, a “demand” operation conducted by the Oxnard Police Department received responses from 109 potential purchasers, resulting in 14 arrests. (Ref-19)
No recommendations for this finding
F09
Between January 26, 2020 and February 1, 2020, over 70 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and community organizations participated in “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild,” a crackdown on sex trafficking. This statewide operation resulted in 76 adult and 11 minor victims being recovered, 266 males arrested for the charge of solicitation and 27 suspected traffickers arrested. (Ref-20)
No recommendations for this finding
F10
In January 2020, VCSO, Interface and Forever Found participated in “Operation Reclaim and Rebuild” that resulted in four victims contacted and two other individuals arrested in the County. (Ref-12)
No recommendations for this finding
F11
Many victims of human trafficking do not self-identify as victims. (Ref-17) 6 Human Trafficking in Ventura County
No recommendations for this finding
F12
Victims, particularly international victims, frequently refuse to cooperate due to their common distrust of people they perceive to be in powerful positions and/or retaliation from their trafficker. (Ref-04, Ref-17)
No recommendations for this finding
F13
Human trafficking is significantly underreported. (Ref-21)
No recommendations for this finding
F14
The number of human trafficking victims receiving assistance in the County during the identified years was as follows: Year Number 2014-2015 6 2016 10 2017 21 2018 24 2019 12 Total 73 (Ref-17)
No recommendations for this finding
F15
Of these 73 human trafficking victims receiving assistance between 2014 and 2019, 69 were adults and four were youths; 47 were sex trafficking victims, five were labor trafficking victims and 21 were victims of sex/labor trafficking. (Ref-17)
No recommendations for this finding
F16
The VCSO and VCDA state that enforcement of human trafficking laws and ordinances is complicated and expensive. (Ref-12, Ref-22)
No recommendations for this finding
F17
In 2019, the County, through VCSO, applied for and received an $800,000 grant over three years from BJA to form the Task Force. (Ref- 17, Ref-23)
No recommendations for this finding
F18
The members of the Task Force include: Local Law Enforcement: All police departments in the County, VCSO, the Ventura County Probation Department and the California Highway Patrol Federal Law Enforcement: Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations Prosecution: VCDA, the California Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Victim Service Providers: Interface, VCCFS, Forever Found and VCCAHT Regulatory Agencies: Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner and the United States Department of Labor Human Trafficking in Ventura County 7 Other Key Partners: Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, MICOP and the Polaris Project (Ref-24)
No recommendations for this finding
F19
In its efforts to coordinate governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations in the County, the Task Force states it will take the following actions: Law Enforcement and Prosecution  Develop protocols for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of human traffickers and purchasers  In the second and third years of the grant, conduct short- and long-term investigations and other covert procedures using and refining protocols Victim Services  Develop victim-centered and trauma-informed protocols for human trafficking victims  Develop screening and victim service referrals and facilitate the use of victim service protocols  Create a plan for conducting proactive victim-centered investigations of labor and sex trafficking in collaboration with law enforcement Professional Training and Community Outreach  Develop a plan for professional training regarding human trafficking and protocols for raising public awareness and community outreach  Develop training videos and conduct training for investigators, patrol officers and those most likely to interact with human trafficking victims Data Collection  Develop protocols for data collection and analysis as well as data sharing and confidentiality Sustainability  Develop a plan to assess the Task Force’s performance  Develop a plan to address sustaining the Task Force’s operations, investigations and victim services after federal funding ends (Ref- 24) 8 Human Trafficking in Ventura County
No recommendations for this finding
F20
In coordination with the Task Force, Interface applied for and received a $900,000 grant over three years from BJA to provide victim services to the Task Force and provide training and community outreach across the County. (Ref-25)
No recommendations for this finding
F21
In conjunction with the Task Force, Interface states it will provide the following victim services, directly or indirectly:  Case management  Child care  Client intake, client orientation and life skills  Housing, clothing, food and basic necessities  Crisis intervention and 24-hour response  Assistance in obtaining or replacing necessary documents  Education, family support and reunification  Interpreter and translator services  Legal, medical, dental and mental health care services  System-based victim advocacy (Ref-26)
No recommendations for this finding
F22
Some massage parlors operate as illicit sex businesses. (Ref-27)
Related Recommendations (1)
R02
The Grand Jury recommends the Environmental Health Division of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency or other appropriate County agency designate at least one employee to coordinate the investigation(s) and enforcement of the ordinances regarding massage parlors. (C-05)
F23
Ordinances regarding massage parlors differ among the County and the cities within the County. (Ref-17)
Related Recommendations (1)
R01
The Grand Jury recommends the County and each of the cities within the County coordinate their respective ordinances regarding massage parlors through the efforts of the Task Force. (C-03, C-04)
F24
The Task Force is currently developing a model ordinance that is intended to help curb illicit massage parlors and proposes to have that or a similar ordinance adopted by the County and all the cities within the County. (Ref-12)
No recommendations for this finding
F25
California State University Channel Islands established the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) providing service-learning projects for students. These projects provide partnerships with nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies in the County, and may include translation, outreach activities, event organizing, advocacy, research and report writing, data analysis and computer work. (Ref-28)
Related Recommendations (1)
R03
The Grand Jury recommends the Task Force contact CCE to determine if there is a partnership arrangement that will benefit the efforts of the Task Force. (C-06)
F26
Twenty thousand indigenous Oaxacan people, the majority being Mixtecs from Southern Mexico, work primarily as agricultural laborers in the County. The Mixtec community is culturally and linguistically isolated. Many speak only their native Mixteco, which is not a written language. (Ref-29) Human Trafficking in Ventura County 9
Related Recommendations (1)
R04
The Grand Jury recommends, as part of the Task Force’s community outreach efforts, it include culturally appropriate outreach methods, including radio broadcasts, attendance at community meetings, cultural festivals and health fairs, as well as audio/visual media and illustrated pamphlets to reach the indigenous population in the County. (C-07)
F27
In the interviews with advocates for indigenous farm laborers in the County, all emphasized the need for more trilingual (Mixteco, Spanish and English) “trusted messengers” as part of the efforts to combat human trafficking in the County. (Ref-30)
Related Recommendations (1)
R04
The Grand Jury recommends, as part of the Task Force’s community outreach efforts, it include culturally appropriate outreach methods, including radio broadcasts, attendance at community meetings, cultural festivals and health fairs, as well as audio/visual media and illustrated pamphlets to reach the indigenous population in the County. (C-07)
F28
Many victims of sex trafficking in the County are from China and Taiwan. (Ref-27)
Related Recommendations (1)
R05
The Grand Jury recommends VCDA make available human trafficking posters in simplified Chinese as well as traditional Chinese. (C-08, C-09) Human Trafficking in Ventura County 11 Responses Responses Required From: City Council, City of Camarillo (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Fillmore (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Moorpark (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Ojai (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Oxnard (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Port Hueneme (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Santa Paula (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Simi Valley (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Thousand Oaks (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Ventura (C-03, C-04) (R-01) Ventura County Board of Supervisors (C-03, C-04) (R-01) Responses Requested From: Environmental Health Division of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency (C-05) (R-02) Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force (C-06, C-07) (R-03, R-04) Ventura County District Attorney (C-08, C-09) (R-05)
F29
Individuals from China read “simplified Chinese,” while individuals from Taiwan read “traditional Chinese.” These two forms of written Chinese use different characters. (Ref-31)
Related Recommendations (1)
R05
The Grand Jury recommends VCDA make available human trafficking posters in simplified Chinese as well as traditional Chinese. (C-08, C-09) Human Trafficking in Ventura County 11 Responses Responses Required From: City Council, City of Camarillo (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Fillmore (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Moorpark (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Ojai (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Oxnard (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Port Hueneme (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Santa Paula (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Simi Valley (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Thousand Oaks (C-03, C-04) (R-01) City Council, City of Ventura (C-03, C-04) (R-01) Ventura County Board of Supervisors (C-03, C-04) (R-01) Responses Requested From: Environmental Health Division of the Ventura County Resource Management Agency (C-05) (R-02) Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force (C-06, C-07) (R-03, R-04) Ventura County District Attorney (C-08, C-09) (R-05)
F30
California SB 1193 requires posters with human trafficking hotline numbers to be displayed in several categories of public places and businesses. (Ref-11)
No recommendations for this finding
F31
VCDA has human trafficking posters in English, Spanish and traditional Chinese available for download from its website. (Ref-32)
No recommendations for this finding
F32
The State of California Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Office, has human trafficking posters in simplified and traditional Chinese available for download from its website. (Ref-33) Conclusions C-01. The Grand Jury concluded that both human trafficking in sex and labor exists in the County. (FA-01, FA-02, FA-03, FA-04, FA-05,
No recommendations for this finding

Conclusions 2

Commendations 4

Agency Responses 2

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No Responses Found 1

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County of Ventura Agency