Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
Name	Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
Founded	1998
Founders	Roxanna Naficy; Maria Haberfeld
Type	Nonprofit organization
Location	Los Angeles, California
Area served	United States
Focus	Human trafficking, forced labor, sexual slavery, survivor services, litigation, policy

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking is a Los Angeles–based nonprofit organization focused on combating human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual slavery through legal advocacy, victim services, policy research, and public education. Founded in 1998, it provides multidisciplinary services and strategic litigation aimed at securing redress for survivors while engaging with municipal, state, and federal institutions to shape anti‑trafficking responses. The organization collaborates with a range of actors across the public and nonprofit sectors to influence law, practice, and survivor-centered models.

History

The organization emerged in the late 1990s amid heightened attention to human trafficking following events and legislation such as the 1998 United States Embassy bombings, the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, and advocacy linked to survivors associated with groups like Polaris Project and Shared Hope International. Founders drew on experience from organizations including Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and Anti‑Slavery International to establish a Los Angeles hub that interfaced with institutions such as the Los Angeles Police Department, United States Department of Justice, and the California Attorney General's Office. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s the organization partnered with actors like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Labour Organization, and academic centers at UCLA and USC to advance litigation strategies used in cases comparable to those brought by Southern Poverty Law Center and ACLU. Its chronology intersects with major events and reforms including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act amendments of 2003, municipal ordinances in New York City, and high-profile prosecutions prosecuted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys' Offices.

Mission and Programs

The stated mission aligns with advocacy models used by Human Rights Campaign and NARAL Pro‑Choice America by combining direct services and impact litigation similar to programs at Legal Momentum and Public Counsel. Program areas have included legal representation resembling matters handled by Earthjustice in civil matters, outreach comparable to Doctors Without Borders in crisis response, and training akin to initiatives from The Carter Center and Open Society Foundations. Collaborative networks include ties to California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and national alliances such as National Human Trafficking Hotline partners and Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking.

Legal Advocacy and Litigation

The organization has pursued civil remedies and precedent‑setting suits drawing parallels to cases litigated by Center for Constitutional Rights, Southern Center for Human Rights, and Lambda Legal. Legal strategies have engaged statutory frameworks including the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, Civil Rights Act of 1964, and state statutes enforced by entities like the California Courts of Appeal and United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Litigation has been coordinated with counsel from firms and clinics that mirror practices at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Latham & Watkins, and university clinics at Harvard Law School and Yale Law School; filings have involved procedural interactions with judges from the United States District Court for the Central District of California and appellate judges on the Ninth Circuit and Supreme Court justices whose decisions intersect with asylum and civil rights jurisprudence.

Victim Services and Case Management

Casework integrates models used by National Center for Victims of Crime, International Rescue Committee, and Save the Children for multidisciplinary care: legal counsel, mental health support similar to services by National Alliance on Mental Illness, housing assistance like programs from Habitat for Humanity, and medical referrals comparable to Mayo Clinic partnerships. The organization has coordinated with shelters operated by Wellspring Family Services and service providers funded through programs associated with Department of Health and Human Services grants and philanthropic donors such as Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Annenberg Foundation.

Policy, Research, and Education

Research outputs and policy advocacy echo work by Pew Research Center and Urban Institute, informing legislative advocacy akin to campaigns run by Equality Now and Human Rights First. Training curricula have been provided to personnel in agencies such as United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, California Department of Social Services, and municipal bodies in San Francisco and San Diego. Public education efforts have paralleled documentaries and reporting by outlets like PBS, The New York Times, and The Guardian while participating in coalitions with National Domestic Violence Hotline and academic programs at Columbia University and Georgetown University.

Funding and Organizational Structure

Funding sources resemble mixed models used by nonprofits such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Habitat for Humanity International: private philanthropy, foundation grants from entities like Kresge Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, government contracts with Office for Victims of Crime, and individual donations. Governance has included a board with professionals from sectors represented by Sidley Austin, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, academic appointments at UCLA School of Law, and former officials from California Governor's Office. Staffing models combine attorneys, case managers, social workers certified through National Association of Social Workers, and researchers affiliated with institutes like RAND Corporation.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters compare its impact to that of Polaris Project and Shared Hope International for achieving civil judgments, policy changes, and survivor outcomes; influence is evident in precedent and training adoption across agencies including California Legislature committees and municipal councils. Critics—drawing parallels to debates involving Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International—have raised questions about civil litigation priorities, resource allocation reminiscent of critiques of Nonprofit Quarterly case studies, and tensions between law enforcement collaboration and survivor autonomy seen in discussions involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Justice partnerships. Academic reviewers from Stanford Law School and Georgetown University Law Center have both praised methodological rigor and urged further empirical evaluation comparable to research standards at University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles Category:Human trafficking in the United States