VOA标准英语2010年-US Launches Campaign to Fight Human Tr

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced an initiative called the "Blue Campaign" to fight human trafficking.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of DHS, is the largest investigator¹ of human trafficking in the U.S. government. It logged a 31 percent increase last year in the number of human trafficking investigations². But the head of ICE says the U.S. needs help from the international community to stop these crimes.

A video by the Department of Homeland Security shows that anyone, at any age can be a victim of human trafficking - forced into labor³ or prostitution.

"It is a very serious crime, it is also a moral outrage⁴. It's repulsive⁵. It's slavery," said Alan Bershin with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is one U.S. agency involved in the "Blue Campaign".

 He says agents working at airports, seaports⁶ and border crossings are often the first line of defense⁷ for victims.  He says to recognize the signs of human trafficking even before the victims themselves, border patrol agents are receiving specialized⁸ training.

"Often the victims of human trafficking are not aware when they cross our borders that they are about to be enslaved," noted⁹ Bershin.  "The underemployed, the poor are the victims."

Over the last few months the Federal Law Enforcement and Training Center has developed a computer program to train law enforcement officers across the U.S. in recognizing and responding to victims of human trafficking. 

"One of the things we found consistently in the academic literature and elsewhere was that the first responders, state and local law enforcement, did not recognize the signs of human trafficking," said Alice Hill, with the Department of Homeland Security.

Hill says when police raid a brothel, if they've had the right training, they will be able to tell when a woman is willingly committing a crime or has been forced into prostitution.

"What's new is that we can actually do something to help the victims, and rather than what happened before was they may end up being prosecuted¹¹ and criminalized themselves, that now it's recognized that they're victims," said Deborah Sanders, an attorney with Catholic Charities.

The computer program is being translated into several languages and will soon be available internationally.

John Morton with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it's also important to stop these crimes before they happen.

"The key to long term success in this area is our outreach with foreign governments," said Morton.  "We don't want the girl to get on the plane in the first place."

The U.S. has started an ad campaign to educate the public.  It includes Information cards in 16 different languages that will be provided to law enforcement officers.  The U.S. is also partnering with Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, airing TV and radio ads to keep people from being victimized.

Within the U.S., officials say they will investigate and prosecute¹⁰ more human traffickers.
 

1 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

2 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

5 repulsive   

adj.排斥的，使人反感的

参考例句：

• She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。
• The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

6 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

11 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。