Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation course: Session 10

Published July 21, 2023

On July 21, 2023, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) Bangkok, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), successfully concluded Session 10 of the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation course. The course brought together 44 participants from eight member countries to address the critical issues surrounding human trafficking and child exploitation. Specifically, the course focused on examining coercion tactics utilized for economic or sexual exploitation and the persistent reliance of criminal organizations on long-term exploitation to generate profits.

Throughout the course, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of the efforts made by U.S. law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking. The term "human trafficking" was defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or procurement of individuals for sex trafficking, forced labor, or involuntary servitude, accomplished through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. This definition encompassed various forms of exploitation such as involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, and slavery.

In the segment dedicated to Child Exploitation, participants were provided with an overview of U.S. law enforcement's global endeavors to combat these heinous crimes. The course covered topics including child pornography offenses, relevant U.S. laws, key terms and definitions, profiles of child molesters, and instructional guidance on employing internet investigative tools for law enforcement purposes. Instructional methods employed interactive class lectures, integrating videos and other media, along with practical group exercises designed to foster international teamwork in solving in-class projects and assignments.