District Attorney's Office -
Special Victims and Domestic
Violence Division
Human Trafficking
Pennsylvania
It has
been about a year and eight months since I felt the Lord’s direction to come to
Regent Law School. It was the Center for Global Justice that first attracted me
to the school and the Lord’s calling on my life to fight against Human
Trafficking. It was during that time that I was reading blogs from student
interns who were being supported by the Center. Here I am now, serving as one
of these interns with the first woman to prosecute a human trafficking case on
the state level in Pennsylvania. She has been pushing for state courts to
recognize and start prosecuting these cases. She was also appointed to a
joint-state commission to advise and draft new human trafficking legislation.
Since
my first day, I have been given the opportunity to pick a jury, take part in
both local and federal law enforcement efforts, review new human trafficking
legislation currently being developed, take part in a closed meeting with
Congressman Pat Meehan concerning the newly controversial VAWA (Violence
Against Women Act) and to understand first-hand the responsibilities of being a
prosecutor. Every day is a new adventure.
My eyes
have really been opened to the impact law enforcement has on the community.
They work so hard to keep others safe and are on the front lines upholding
justice in our society.
The one
thing I have learned that is invaluable to the successful implementation of
justice is interdependency. It takes the coordinated efforts of numerous facets
of our society to uphold the values of our justice system and to protect
individuals. Prosecutors cannot be a voice for victims alone. They rely on
investigators, police officers, medical professionals, and witnesses to provide
the evidence they need to prosecute. Non-governmental and social services are
also relied on to provide assistance to victims and support for them in court. When
these coordinated efforts work together, it provides a leverage of power to
combat and prevent the domination and exploitation that targets the vulnerable.
This principle of interdependency finds importance in Jesus’ promise that “when
two or more are gathered in My Name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew
18:20).
Last but not least, the church has
an underestimated role in supporting the justice system. Unfortunately, something
else I have seen in my internship is that many churches do not understand their
role or recognize how to respond to victims, perpetrators and abuse. Church leaders are in a very trusted and
impactful position. When they do not work with law enforcement or teach
forgiveness at the expense of allowing abuse to continue and not holding
perpetrators accountable, there are serious consequences. It should be the
children of God who fight the hardest for those in the community and are
willing to become intimate with their struggles. God’s love and redemption have
more potential than we can imagine and are all that can heal and provide hope
for our society. We do not allow for this healing when we justify or allow
abuse to continue.
I am very blessed to be serving
and growing in my internship position. This important time in my life would not
be possible without the support of the Center for Global Justice. It has widened
my perspective and given me a tenacity to seek out and stand up for those who
have been forgotten and abused. Jesus
had a way of noticing the unnoticeable. As the popular phrase goes, “A chain is
only as strong as its weakest link”. I’m
determined to notice these weak links and to carry the presence of God wherever
that leads.
- Danielle Gallaher, 6/12/12
- Danielle Gallaher, 6/12/12
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