Jamaica retains Tier 2 status in US Human Trafficking Report

Jamaica has retained its Tier 2 status in the 2022 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report.

The department states that Jamaica does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so.

It notes that the government has demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity.

These efforts, according to the report, included identifying more victims, including survivors of labour trafficking; formally launching a national referral mechanism for child victims; expanding training for officials on victim identification and referral; opening a child-friendly space for interviewing and providing immediate assistance to child victims; and making arrests for the illegal operation of private employment agencies.

However, the state department said the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas.

“Convicted traffickers received suspended prison sentences and fines, penalties that were not on par with the severity of their crimes. Unlike last year, no victims were awarded restitution,” read the report.

“The government did not provide adequate funding for trafficking victim protection services. Although the government provided some training for law enforcement and criminal justice officials, these efforts were ad hoc, and the government did not provide consistent, standardised anti-trafficking training for officials,” the report continued.

The report highlighted that officials investigated 53 potential trafficking cases, 51 involving sex trafficking and two involving forced labour, compared with 43 potential cases, 42 for sex trafficking and one for forced labour, investigated in the previous reporting period.

It further noted that the authorities prosecuted four sex trafficking suspects and convicted two sex traffickers, a slight increase from three suspects prosecuted and one sex trafficker convicted during the previous reporting period.

“The slow pace at which cases moved through the courts hampered efforts to hold traffickers criminally accountable and deterred victims from serving as witnesses.

“The government did not report investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees suspected of complicity in trafficking offences. Endemic corruption and complicity, including within law enforcement, remained significant obstacles to anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts,” the report stated.

However, it highlighted that the government maintained efforts to protect victims, while it strengthened policies and procedures for identifying and assisting victims.

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