New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking

New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Name	New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Formation	2004
Type	Nonprofit
Purpose	Anti-human trafficking advocacy, survivor services, training
Headquarters	New Jersey
Region served	New Jersey

New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking is a nonprofit anti-trafficking organization based in New Jersey focused on prevention, victim services, training, and policy advocacy. The coalition brings together service providers, law enforcement, public health agencies, legal advocates, and faith-based groups to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts statewide. It operates amid networks that include Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and local county prosecutors to link survivors to resources and influence legislative reform.

History

The coalition formed in the context of post-9/11 shifts in U.S. trafficking policy and the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, drawing practitioners from organizations such as Catholic Charities USA, The Salvation Army, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and regional nonprofits. Early activity intersected with initiatives by the New Jersey Attorney General and the New Jersey Legislature on trafficking statutes, and the group engaged with research produced by institutions like Rutgers University, Princeton University, and Montclair State University. Over time the coalition coordinated trainings with the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and municipal police departments while working alongside advocacy groups such as Polaris Project, Shared Hope International, and Human Rights Watch.

Mission and Goals

The coalition’s stated mission aligns with standards promoted by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Labour Organization, and U.S. State Department trafficking protocols: to identify and assist survivors, prevent exploitation, prosecute traffickers, and build capacity among frontline responders. Goals emphasize cross-sector collaboration with entities like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Jersey Department of Children and Families, New Jersey Department of Health, and educational institutions including Kean University and Seton Hall University to expand screening, increase survivor-centered services, and influence policy such as state-level anti-trafficking laws and funding measures advanced in the New Jersey Legislature.

Programs and Services

The coalition organizes survivor-centered programs modeled after best practices endorsed by American Bar Association, National Network to End Domestic Violence, and National Human Trafficking Hotline. Services include training curricula for staff in county prosecutors' offices, Health Resources and Services Administration clinics, and school districts like Newark Public Schools, plus referral networks linking to shelters operated by faith-based providers including Jewish Family Services and secular programs such as Project Lighthouse. The coalition conducts awareness campaigns at transport hubs such as Newark Liberty International Airport and Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, provides legal intake coordination with pro bono attorneys from firms allied with Legal Services Corporation, and collaborates on victim compensation access via state victim-witness programs tied to county criminal justice systems.

Advocacy and Policy Initiatives

Advocacy work has targeted amendments to state statutes influenced by model legislation from Uniform Law Commission and federal guidance from Office for Victims of Crime. The coalition has testified before committees in the New Jersey Legislature and worked with officials in the New Jersey Governor's Office to secure appropriations and victim services funding, engaging lobbyists, policy researchers from Brennan Center for Justice, and public interest groups like American Civil Liberties Union. It participates in statewide task forces alongside the New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force and contributes to legislative campaigns concerning criminal penalties, labor protections, and survivor confidentiality, drawing on comparative approaches used in California, New York (state), and Texas.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The coalition maintains partnerships with municipal and federal law enforcement including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and county sheriff’s offices, as well as with public health partners like RWJBarnabas Health and academic partners at Rutgers School of Social Work. Collaborative projects have involved NGOs such as Casa de Esperanza, Anti-Slavery International, and local community organizations including Vineland Family YMCA and neighborhood health centers that receive funding from Community Health Center Fund. Multidisciplinary collaborations include attorneys from American Immigration Lawyers Association-affiliated clinics, mental health clinicians credentialed through American Psychological Association, and labor organizations such as Service Employees International Union on worker exploitation issues.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The coalition is governed by a steering committee and advisory board with representation from survivors, nonprofit directors, prosecutors, and clinicians, modeled on governance practices used by organizations like United Way Worldwide and Independent Sector. Funding sources historically include private foundations such as Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations, state grants administered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, federal grants from Office on Trafficking in Persons, and donations coordinated through fiscal sponsors similar to Community Foundation of New Jersey. Administrative partnerships with universities provide in-kind research support and internships modeled after programs at Rutgers University-Newark.

Impact and Notable Cases

The coalition’s impact is reflected in expanded training for officers in cities such as Camden, New Jersey, Jersey City, New Jersey, and Paterson, New Jersey and in legislative outcomes influenced by its advocacy, comparable to reforms seen in New York City task force recommendations. Notable collaborations supported prosecutions led by county prosecutors’ offices and investigations involving multiagency operations with the FBI and ICE, while survivor assistance initiatives have connected individuals to services provided by organizations like House of Ruth and Safe Horizon. The coalition’s public reports and case studies have been cited by academic works from Princeton University and policy analyses at Brookings Institution.

Category:Human trafficking in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in New Jersey