Advancing a Human Rights Approach to Human Trafficking

Prioritizing policies and regulations that honor and protect the rights of all survivors.

Prioritizing the right to self-determination and dignity in services and justice, where survivors choose how or if they want to engage in services or the criminal legal system.

Adopting a posture of learning, adapting and sharing what we learn with partners and other community members.

Prioritizing equitable access to protection, services, support, and justice for survivors of human trafficking.

Creating accessible spaces and pathways as we work to end human trafficking.

Creating spaces that are inclusive, diverse, and where every person and voice belongs.

Not contributing to or engaging in oppressive practices that are harmful to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and other marginalized communities, working towards repairing harm as we learn and grow, and aiming to shift oppressive policies and practices where we can.

We firmly believe in and commit to equal rights for all people, thus we approach our work through a human rights lens. We prioritize policies and regulations that honor and protect those rights. In alignment with the UN Convention of Human Rights, we prioritize survivors’ rights and dignity, regardless of race/ethnicity/nationality, sexuality, age, gender identity, or industry of work. We prioritize equitable access to protection, services, and justice for survivors of trafficking. We prioritize the right for survivors to choose how or if they want to engage in services or the criminal legal system.

We commit to cultivating and fostering spaces that are inclusive, where every person and voice belongs, and where Cast staff, board, and partners reflect the diverse communities we serve.

Over the years, we have learned that we need to listen to the diverse communities of individuals with lived experience, review data and outcomes, and continually adapt our approach to services and advocacy. As Cast moves forward, we continually commit to a posture of accountability, learning and adapting, and sharing what we learn with partners and other community members.

We commit to creating accessible spaces and pathways as we work to end human trafficking. Whether this means ensuring that information is easy to understand and accessible by all individuals, or ensuring services are accessible to all survivors including communities who have regularly experienced inequities in access such as, but not limited to BIPOC, immigrant, non-English speaking, LGBTQIA+, and disabled communities.

Cast acknowledges and deeply understands that systemic oppression leads to and perpetuates human trafficking, and that many of our existing systems in the United States endorse policies and practices that consistently harm BIPOC and other communities. We commit to carrying out our mission by not contributing to or engaging in oppressive practices that are harmful to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and other marginalized communities, working towards repairing harm as we learn and grow, and aiming to shift oppressive systemic policies and practices where we can.