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Operation Underground Railroad

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Operation Underground Railroad
Founded2013
FounderTimothy Ballard
TypeNon-governmental organization, non-profit organization
FocusHumanitarian
HeadquartersCalifornia
Area served
Global
MethodRescue
Key people
Tim Ballard
Websiteourrescue.org]

Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) is a non-profit founded by Tim Ballard and Mark Stott which assists governments around the world in the rescue of human trafficking and sex trafficking victims, with a special focus on children. O.U.R. also aids with planning, prevention, capture, and prosecution of offenders, and works with partner organizations for prevention, victim recovery, strengthened awareness, and fundraising efforts.[1][2][3] The organization has been documented for their covert operations with jump teams consisting of former CIA agents, U.S. Special Operations Forces Members, and other support volunteers. Operation Underground Railroad's ultimate goal is to eliminate sex trafficking world-wide.[4] As of April 2020, Operation Underground Railroad reports 3000 victims rescued, and 182 traffickers arrested.[4] However, these figures are disputed.[5]

History

Ballard served 12 years as a U.S. Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security, on the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force and the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team. He helped infiltrate and dismantle dozens of trafficking organizations that kidnapped children and forced them into the sex slave industry. However, as a U.S. agent, he was not authorized to rescue children if their cases lacked a connection to the U.S. or if the case could not be tried in a U.S. court.[2][6]

Ballard was frustrated with the lack of strategies employed to rescue enslaved children in underdeveloped nations (though reporting positive experience working with U.S. government professionals) and left the government in October 2013 to found Operation Underground Railroad.[2][1]

On October 7, 2020, the Davis County, Utah District Attorney confirmed that Operation Underground Railroad and Tim Ballard were under a criminal investigation.[7]

Operations

Operation Underground Railroad works with supporting governments and organizations in one or more of the following activities: prevention, discovery, preparation, rescue, and victim recovery programs. Operations are segments of any coordinated effort, training and/or direct involvement to rescue enslaved children. Operation Underground Railroad does not work independently, or without government participation and support.[8][9][10][2][11][1][6]

To help raise awareness, support, and funding, Gerald R. Molen, approached Ballard to document preparation and activity relating to a few covert operations. The documentary film was released in early 2016, titled The Abolitionists.[10]

Criticism

A 2020 Vice News investigation found that the organization employed "a pattern of image-burnishing and mythology-building, a series of exaggerations that are, in the aggregate, quite misleading". For instance, OUR claimed that it rescued a woman named "Liliana", who according to court testimony escaped by herself. The organization's spending also lacks transparency.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c RICHARD BYRNE REILLY (2014-04-26). "Tech startup Operation Underground Railroad is saving kids from human traffickers" (News). VentureBeat. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  2. ^ a b c d "MAXIM: Inside The Fight Against Child Sex Trafficking – OUR Stories". 2015-05-07. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  3. ^ Herald, Karissa Neely Daily. "Utah abolitionists say it's time to rescue victims of sex trafficking". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  4. ^ a b "WHAT'S IN A NUMBER? #Rescue 500". Operation Underground Railroad. 2016-05-11. Archived from the original on 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  5. ^ a b Merlan, Anna (10 December 2020). "A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth". www.vice.com. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "The New Abolitionists". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  7. ^ https://www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/anti-human-trafficking-group-operation-underground-railroad-under-investigation-by-utah-prosecutor
  8. ^ "Understanding Human Trafficking through the Lens of Civil Society: Awareness, Advocacy and Action". Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  9. ^ "Rescuing Children From Colombia's Sex Trafficking Trade". ABC News. 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  10. ^ a b "The Abolitionists Movie - A Mission to End Child Trafficking". The Abolitionists. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  11. ^ "Rescuing Children from Sex Slavery: One Mormon's Inspired Mission". LDS Living. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
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