Margaret Finerty Moderates Sex Trafficking Panel
Sex trafficking has come into the public eye in recent months as prosecutors have charged multiple high-profile individuals with this crime, including Sean Combs, Abercrombie and Fitch’s former CEO, and three prominent real estate brothers.
On December 9, Getnick Law Partner Margaret J. Finerty moderated a Continuing Legal Education panel for the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) entitled “Sex Trafficking in New York: How to Prosecute the Offenders and Aid the Survivors.” The program was part of NYSBA’s efforts to end human trafficking and educate attorneys on sex trafficking laws and resources available for survivors.
The panel featured three expert speakers with years of experience prosecuting sex traffickers and aiding survivors who discussed the laws and services in New York State and at the federal level for survivors of human trafficking. The speakers also informed viewers of how the complex reality of sex trafficking crimes can differ from “the popular image [of] a victim forced into sex work through violence.”
As Margaret wrote in an article for NYSBA:
People who are being sex trafficked often are not recognized as such, or made aware of the resources that exist to help them break away from their oppressor. This is where government and the legal profession, and others, can play a role. Those who may have incidental contact with people being trafficked, such as medical providers, prosecutors, or attorneys working with clients on immigration, domestic violence, or criminal matters, need to be alert for signs that a person may be entangled in human trafficking.
These individuals are among the most vulnerable people in our society, and lawyers are in a unique position to help them, and indeed have a special responsibility to do so. It is essential that we educate ourselves to recognize the signs that indicate someone is being trafficked, and how to put them in touch with the resources that exist to help them.
This CLE is an excellent means for attorneys to receive this education and learn how they can assist survivors. The CLE is available for viewing here.
Margaret serves as NYSBA’s statutory representative to the New York State Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking. Learn more about her practice here.