For decades now, our Casa Alianza staff in Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras have been working to protect child victims of human trafficking—to prevent traffickers from operating in the region—and to collaborate in the prosecution of traffickers. In each country they work with government ministers, police, judges, prosecutors, religious groups, the private sector and civil society in multi-pronged efforts to combat the crime of trafficking. In the process, Casa Alianza has become internationally recognized for the methodology they use to protect and help rehabilitate children and teens. Their work includes providing training, monitoring trafficking criminal cases, supporting convictions, and establishing prevention and protection mechanisms at local, national and regional levels. Our National Director in Honduras was named a 2008 US Department of State Anti-Trafficking Hero and our anti-trafficking programs in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico have been praised and partially funded by the US Department of State since 2008.

The Prevalence of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Mexico & Central America

There is a very serious problem with trafficking of children and teens in each of the countries where we work.

Some statistics:

• According to findings of the Inter-Institutional Commission Against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Honduras, there are more than 10,000 boys and girls who are the victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Honduras.¹ The US State Department reported this year that youth are often recruited from rural areas with the promise of employment and trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation in urban and tourist areas.²
• There are an estimated 10,000 women victims of human trafficking in Mexico City, many of whom are between the ages of 12 and 15. In the year 2010, however, there were only 40 investigations of the crime and just 3 convictions.³ Additionally, there are approximately 16,000 teenagers in Mexico, primarily girls, who are the victims of sexual exploitation for commercial purposes⁴
• Many girls and boys in Mexico receive false offers of employment and marriage that, in fact, turn out to be situations of exploitation. Also, a significant number of girl trafficking victims are also transited through Mexico en route from Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, towards the US and face extraordinary dangers with next to no protection.⁵
• Nicaragua is a source and transit country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. In addition to internal trafficking, Nicaraguan women and children are also being trafficked to neighboring countries, especially Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the United States.⁶
• The US State Department once again this year identified Guatemala as source, transit and destination country for child victims of the crime of trafficking, with the government of Guatemala failing to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of the crime of trafficking.⁷
• Crimes of human trafficking are on the rise in Guatemala as a result of the migration of organized crime and drug lords to the south from Mexico. A 2008 UNICEF report estimates there were as many as 2,000 children being sexually exploited in bars, brothels and hotels in Guatemala City, with the law doing very little to protect them.⁸

According to the US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2011, neither Mexico, nor Honduras, nor Nicaragua, nor Guatemala comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, even if they are making efforts to do so. In the report, each country has been called on

• to vigorously implement legislation designed to eliminate the crime of trafficking in persons
• to ensure comprehensive and secure protection services for victims
• to increase training and budget the resources necessary to teach officials to identify and protect victims of trafficking
• to raise awareness to all levels of society
• to strengthen prevention and protection mechanisms.

Casa Alianza: Combating the Crime of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Latin America

For decades now, our Casa Alianza staff in Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras have been working to protect child victims of human trafficking—to prevent traffickers from operating in the region—and to collaborate in the prosecution of traffickers. In each country they work with government ministers, police, judges, prosecutors, religious groups, the private sector and civil society in multi-pronged efforts to combat the crime of trafficking. In the process, Casa Alianza has become internationally recognized for the methodology they use to protect and help rehabilitate children and teens. Their work includes providing training, monitoring trafficking criminal cases, supporting convictions, and establishing prevention and protection mechanisms at local, national and regional levels. Our National Director in Honduras was named a 2008 US Department of State Anti-Trafficking Hero and our anti-trafficking programs in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico have been praised and partially funded by the US Department of State since 2008. (Link to Trafficking Section under Youth Programs)

Individual Casa Alianza Anti-Trafficking Programs and Activities

Honduras
In addition to protecting the many trafficked girls and boys who live in our main residence, since 2008, Casa Alianza Honduras has provided trafficked and sexually exploited girls with specialized services in a residence called Querubines (Home of the Angels). They also operate a unique program on the border with Guatemala where they meet two busses every week that are returning 25-30 unaccompanied child migrants picked up in Mexico and deported as illegal aliens—most of whom were on their way to the US and many of whom have been exploited or trafficked along the way.

Mexico
Casa Alianza Mexico is the lead organization in Mexico advocating for necessary changes in anti-trafficking legislation, including more stringent prosecution of trafficking crimes. They have been given the special status of "Migratory Station" by the Mexican Government's Institute of Immigration, so that they receive a number children from outside Mexico who have been trafficked or illegally migrated through their country. In May 2011, National Director Sofia Almazán, a recognized leader in national anti-trafficking efforts, was invited to participate in an official anti-trafficking US tour organized by the US State Department that included Mexican judges, legislators, and prosecutors. Casa Alianza Mexico is also utilizing new and effective methods for treating the terrible emotional trauma experienced by trafficking victims including therapy assisted by horses.

Nicaragua
Casa Alianza Nicaragua has received partial funding for their anti-trafficking programs from the US State Department since 2008. They were the first organization in that country to launch a trafficking prevention campaign that reached thousands of children, parents, teachers, and Nicaraguan government officials. They organized the first national media conference on the topic of trafficking and have trained police and prosecutors in almost every department of the country. They have now been asked by the Nicaraguan government to help in the creation of a national registry for sex offenders and child traffickers in an effort to more effectively identify criminals and prosecute them.

Guatemala
Asociacion La Alianza is currently caring for 30 girls who have been trafficked or are in grave danger of being trafficked, in a protected safe house with security measures to prevent traffickers from having access to them. Sadly, the number of girls is growing rapidly. Furthermore, in less than one year's time, La Alianza has trained over 6,000 citizens, including teachers, community leaders, parents, children and teens on the methods traffickers use to victimize young people. Between June and September of this year, over 1,000 members of the National Police were trained on Guatemalan anti-trafficking laws and how to enforce them. In 2012, La Alianza will expand training to several new parts of the country and in 2013 will design and launch an anti-trafficking online training course for judges.

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