This webpage is a collection of information and links related to the research subject of Human Trafficking and the Church of Scientology.
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, December 6, 1865
Definitions of “Human Trafficking”
| Trafficking in persons is the action of recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person for the purposes of exploitation. | “Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, or the removal of organs.”
Article 3 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol |
On the basis of the definition given in the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, it is evident that trafficking in persons has three constituent elements:
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Federal: Research resources and links
- US Code Chapter 78 – Trafficking Victims Protection
- US Code Chapter 77 – Peonage, Slavery, and Trafficking in Persons
(see 18 U.S.C. §1589 – Forced labor)
(see 18 U.S.C. §1590 – Trafficking with respect to peonage, slavery, involuntary servitude, or forced labor) - US Department of Justice (For general information on human trafficking and links to reports on human trafficking)
Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline 888.373.3888
Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force 888.428.7581 - USDOJ: NCJRS: National Criminal Justice Reference Service (For general information, legislation, programs, training, grants and funding, and resources on trafficking in persons)
- US Department of Health and Human Services The Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking
- US Dept of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
- Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA):
Thomas.loc.gov links
Public law 106–386, OCT. 28, 2000: An Act to combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery,
and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes.
H.R.2620 An Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, and for other purposes. - Hotline 888-373-7888:Trafficking in Persons Information and Referral Hotline. US Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Refugee Resettlement operates this hotline to provide referral information to help victims access services in their area.
- Hotline 888-428-7581: Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force Hotline. The federal government has established the U.S. Department of Justice, Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force. The hotline responds to trafficking victims regardless of immigration status. Operators have access to interpreters. The Service is offered on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. After these hours, information is available on tape in English, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.
- Pamphlet to give to foreign Scientology staff in the USA explaining their employment rights and giving warning signs for Human Trafficking and who they should contact if they suspect Human Trafficking.
California State: Research resources and links
- Human Trafficking in California: Final Report of the California Alliance to Combat trafficking and Slavery Task Force. October 2007
- California Penal Code Section 236-237, False imprisonment and Human trafficking
- CA Penal Code (PC) §13519.14, Course or courses of instruction for training of law enforcement officers in the handling of human trafficking complaints; guidelines
- Who is a “law enforcement officer?”, who is eligible for the instruction/training (see Penal Code section 830.2)
- CA Penal Code (PC) §13990, Establishes the California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery Task Force (“California ACTS”)
- CA Civil Code (CC) §52.5, Civil action for damages to victims of human trafficking (see section 52.5)
- California Attorney General: Human Trafficking
- Guidelines on Law Enforcement Response to Human Trafficking 2008 by Peace Officer Standards & Training
- San Diego Region Anti-Trafficking Task Force (To report a human trafficking situation to law enforcement or to obtain information about services for trafficked persons) 858.974.2300
- California Witness Protection Program 916.227.4191
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Provides legal assistance for victims of human trafficking 800-399-4529
Other groups: Research resources and links
- UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling
Publications
Online Edition – Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons
English PDf – Toolkit to Combat Trafficking in Persons Global Programme against Trafficking in Human Beings (copy) - CAST: Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
- The Salvation Army: Combating Human Trafficking
- Freedom Network: coalition of non-governmental organizations that provide services to, and advocate for the rights of, trafficking survivors in the US
- International Assoc of Chiefs of Police: The Crime of Human Trafficking: A Law Enforcement Guide to Identification and Investigation (download a copy)
- International Labour Organization: Forced Labour and Human Trafficking: A handbook for Labour Inspectors (download a copy)
- Youth for Human Rights International: Scientology’s attempt at hiding their own human rights abuses by pretending to be interested in Human Rights.
- Powerpoint presentation on “Civil Remedies for Victims of Human Trafficking” by Kathleen Kim, Associate Professor of Law Loyola Law School. 2004. Copied in case of loss of link.
Federal Agency links
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Border Patrol (ICE)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division
- OSHA Occupational Safety & Health Administration
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- United States Attorney
- Department of State
Case Study: Marc Headley v. Church of Scientology International
- Marc Headley complaint to CA Labor & Workforce Development Agency November 17, 2008
- Marc Headley versus Church of Scientology, filed in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles
Initial complaint 01-05-2009
Amended complaint 2-18-2009
Amended complaint 4-28-2009
Scientology Lawsuits: Claire & Marc Headley legal archive collection on Scribd - Analysis by attorney Scott Pilutik January 9, 2009
- Harvard Law Review revisits Headley case: Analysis by journalist and Scientology researcher Jonny Jacobsen.
- Ninth Circuit Avoids Constitutional Question, Holding that Ministers Did Not State a Claim that Church of Scientology Violated Trafficking Victims Protection Act (9th Cir. 2012). Harvard Law Review, Volume 126, May 2013, Number 7, pp 2121-2130.
- Human Trafficking and the Church of Scientology: Why the Legislature Should Clarify and Expand the TVPA and the Impact It Would Have on the Church by John S. Yi. Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, Vol 14, Part 1 Fall 2012.
- Marc Headley’s website Blown for Good; Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology that hosts stories of those who had the courage to leave Scientology no matter what the costs.
- Video testimony by Marc Headley 09-04-2008 in Hamburg Germany shows many aspects of Labor Human Trafficking by the Church of Scientology. Three part video: Video part 1, part 2, part 3.
- Police report 01-04-2005 for false imprisonment when Headley was trying to escape from the Church of Scientology.
- Posts online from Marc Headley:
01-26-2009 story re security at compound
02-20-2009 Scientology plays dirty
02-26-2009 guards try to stop Headley escape
03-31-2009 restrictions & gulag assignments
05-13-2009 post-depositionCase Study: Claire Headley v. Church of Scientology Int & Religious Technology Center
- Claire Headley v. Church of Scientology Int & Religious Technology Center (RTC), filed in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles
Initial complaint 01-20-2009
Amended complaint 2-18-2009
Amended complaint 4-20-2009
Order 08-12-2009
Scientology Lawsuits: Claire & Marc Headley legal archive collection on Scribd - Analysis by attorney Scott Pilutik January 25, 2009
- Claire Headley’s website Breaking From Scientology: My Road to Recovery that hosts Claire’s blog that documents the confusion and trauma she endured in Scientology’s Sea Organization.
Case Study: Laura Ann DeCrescenzo v. Church of Scientology Int
- Laura Ann DeCrescenzo v. Church of Scientology Int, filed in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles
Initial complaint 04-01-2009
Amended complaint 05-12-2009
Scientology Lawsuits: Laura DeCrescenzo legal archive collection on Scribd - Laura’s story as posted online and collected together.
- Courthouse News Service: Scientology Accused of Human Trafficking
- An online discussion about the lawsuit
Case Study: John Lindstein v. David Miscavige, Church of Scientology Int & RTC
- John Lindstein v. David Miscavige, Church of Scientology Int & RTC, filed in Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles
Initial complaint 11-25-2009
Human Rights
- Human Rights Watch and their World Report 2009
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights from The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland
Videos
- 19 Jan 2009 – Interviews with former staff members and protesters at Scientology’s International Headquarters in Gilman Hot Springs California. Shows many elements of Human Trafficking. 24 minutes
- 11 Oct 2008 Video interview with Sharone in Brighton UK. Sharone describes how she worked at the age of 12 years old on Scientology’s ship Apollo. She describes several human rights, labor and mental abuses perpetrated by Scientology, including stories about people who were trying to leave and Scientology getting them and dragging them back. “It was policy,” Sharone says.
- May 2009: Interview with “Invisible Girl” who had joined the Sea Org. She tells of her experience joining, being in, and leaving the Sea Org. Part 1 of 5, Part 2 of 5, Part 3 of 5, Part 4 of 5, Part 5 of 5.
- Montage video illustrating Human Trafficking by ex staff members of the Church of Scientology. 11 minutes