KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaicans now have free access to an online course designed to educate them about human trafficking and equip them with the tools to recognize and report the crime while protecting themselves and others from falling victim.
The course is available at www.onrtip.gov.jm and was launched by the Office of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons.
Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang, in a speech delivered by the Minister of State in his ministry, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, said it was vital for every Jamaican to identify and help combat human trafficking.
“Recent alarming statistics indicate that the main perpetrators of child trafficking in Jamaica are parents and guardians. It is important, therefore, to sensitize and train relevant officials and others on strategies to curb this crime. When we spread awareness by providing the relevant information, we can prevent individuals from falling victim to being trafficked. It can happen in any community, and victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality, so prevention is a key pillar to combat human trafficking,” he said.
“Prevention is defined as an activity that is geared towards trafficking in persons from happening and, therefore, it involves preventing nonvictims from victimization and trafficked persons from re-victimization. With this online course, we will reach a wider demography and enhance their knowledge of the heinous activity with just a click of a button.”
Dr. Chang said his ministry has been working tirelessly to combat human trafficking.
He said significant strides have been made in preventing crime, protecting victims, and prosecuting offenders, and the efforts will continue.
“We’re committed to further tackling elements like this that threaten the people of Jamaica. We will not relent in the fight against crime in all forms. We want to recognize that human trafficking is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach and, therefore, together, we can make a difference,” the national security minister said.
Meanwhile, Diahann Gordon Harrison, National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said the free course, divided into three modules, aims to create a robust network of prevention and protection for vulnerable individuals. She explained that each module included a self-test to ensure participants understood the material.
A digital e-learning tool was previously developed in partnership with the British High Commission that stakeholders could access via a thumb drive. Gordon Harrison said the online course was designed to expand access to the information.
“The biggest threat that Jamaica faces in the anti-human trafficking fight is the absence of knowledge – that absence of recognition that human trafficking is not a foreign thing, but it is a Jamaican thing, and it affects Jamaicans, both in our country and outside of our country,” she said.
According to Gordon Harrison, human trafficking is one of the most aggressive forms of organized crime globally, generating billions in illegal profits.
“When we look at the statistics, I think the last dollar figure indicated that it amasses over US$150 billion in terms of the profits that traffickers live off and continue to exploit people to enrich themselves,” she said.
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