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Academy Presents at U.S. Department of State’s IVLP Program

By April 29, 2021News

On April 26, 2021, The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy of the LL.M./J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights of St. Thomas University College of Law cooperated with Global Ties as part of Combatting Trafficking in Persons: A Regional Project of U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.

Participants included a delegation of 27 international government officials and professionals hailing from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.  Members of the delegation work at the forefront of combatting trafficking in persons in their respective countries.

The Program began with a presentation on The Indispensable Role of Academia in Combatting Trafficking in Persons by the Academy’s Founding Director, Prof. Dr. Roza PatiParticipants then heard presentations from St. Thomas University College of Law colleagues and graduate students on research and advocacy efforts as follows:

  • Sex Trafficking of Children Online: A Form of Modern Slavery in Cyberspace, Dr. Beatriz Susana Uitts, LL.M., J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights
  • Addressing Policy Gaps Contributing to Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Pornography, Liza E. Smoker, Esq., Managing Director, The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
  • Combating Human Trafficking in Saudi Arabia: The Exploitation of Women and Children Through Forced Begging, Adel S. Alqahtani, LL.M., J.S.D. Candidate in Intercultural Human Rights
  • Challenges to the Development of an Effective Human Rights System in Jamaica, Donovan A. McFarlane, LL.M., J.S.D. Candidate in Intercultural Human Rights
  • Culture, Law and Policy Working in Sync to Eradicate Human Trafficking?, Gabriela DeBellis, LL.M., J.S.D. Candidate in Intercultural Human Rights
  • Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth – Building Trauma-Informed Practices in the United States, Sari J. Latomaa, LL.M., J.S.D. Candidate in Intercultural Human Rights

The Program concluded with a Q&A session followed by closing remarks from Annette Alvarez, Executive Director of Global Ties Miami, who thanked the speakers, participants, Graduate School USA, and the U.S. Department of State for being part of the Program.

“Year after year, it is the Academy’s great honor to participate in these intercultural exchanges with leaders who are championing human rights in their respective disciplines and the highest echelons of government throughout the world, said Dr. Pati.  “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of State and Global Ties for inviting us to participate.”