Combating Human Trafficking

It is estimated that one million people, mostly women and children, are trafficked around the world each year, lured into involuntary servitude and sexual slavery. The gross and unjust economic exploitation of vulnerable people, especially women and children through trafficking, is a direct consequence of the absence of Rule of Law.

LexisNexis is committed to combating human trafficking by offering direct financial support and legal and technical advice to organizations working in the field to eradicate the illegal trade wherever it exists.

Two organizations we proudly sponsor are the Somaly Mam Foundation and Agir Pour les Femmes en Situation Précaire (AFESIP), or Acting for Women in Distressing Situations. The Somaly Mam Foundation combats sexual slavery by funding AFESIP and other NGOs that work at the grass-roots level to rescue victims from brothels and offer them shelter, safety, counseling, education, vocational skills, and assistance transitioning back into society.

In addition to providing direct support for the Somaly Mam Foundation and AFESIP, LexisNexis sponsors special events aimed at raising awareness of the existence of human trafficking worldwide. For example, in October 2007, on the eve of the IBA’s International Annual Conference in Singapore, LexisNexis hosted a dinner for top Southeast Asian policy professionals to discuss Rule of Law and its role in the region’s economic development. Here, our keynote speaker was Somaly Mam, one of the most prolific activists fighting sexual slavery today. Raising global awareness will help eradicate industry demand and encourage further pro bono efforts to end human trafficking.