Returning Trafficked Victims Home

Post by: Kalina Speaks

My name is Kalina Speaks, and I am a 1L student at Regent University School of Law. This is my first semester as a student staff member for the Center for Global Justice.

This semester, I am working on a project with Justice Ventures International (JVI) and their project regarding the influx of trafficked victims from India and Nepal to the Middle East. I have specifically been tasked with researching the anti-human trafficking law and policies of two Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In addition to researching the laws of other Middle Eastern countries, my team is looking into the repatriation policies and procedures Middle Eastern countries have in place for trafficked victims. Repatriation involves returning victims back to their countries of origin.

Our goal is that this research would continue to help JVI to know what legal avenues they have to help victims in these countries and to see them safely back in their country of origin. Oftentimes, the legal remedies are not known or utilized widely by victims, and they feel helpless to seek help in their situations. We hope that this research will help JVI be more effective advocates in their fight.

I feel honored to help JVI in this fight and to be a student staff member for the Center for Global Justice. I came to law school because I wanted to help fight human trafficking in some capacity. The opportunity to aid in this effort as a 1L is one I am very thankful for.

This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Student Staff Member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.