The human trafficking industry preys on vulnerable young women throughout the world who seek to escape poverty, violence, and oppression. These women are often lured by sex traffickers through false promises of a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of abuse. The trafficking industry earns profits of approximately $150 billion a year, nearly $100 billion of which comes from commercial sexual exploitation. Sex trafficking victims do not profit, but they are often, in many jurisdictions, the ones being prosecuted.

Last week, Proskauer, along with the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition, hosted Valiant (Val) Richey, the Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Office of the Special Representative assists the 57 OSCE countries—including the United States—in their efforts to combat human trafficking.

Numerous international organizations analyzing the issue of human trafficking have approached the problem with a view toward the negative effects of trafficking on children’s rights, gender equality, transnational crime, migration, and public health, among other issues, and have focused their efforts on mitigating these harms. The OSCE is unique among these organizations in that it analyzes the issue of trafficking directly – the goal is to take action that will stop trafficking from occurring in the first instance.

The OSCE has identified the elimination of demand for commercial sex as a key to ending sex trafficking, and is researching and sharing promising practices, including education and outreach programs as well as criminal prosecution of sex buyers and traffickers. Instead of prosecuting prostituted people, the OSCE’s focus is on how to disrupt and deter the demand that fosters all forms of trafficking, while ensuring that survivor services are being provided.

Some advocates have argued that legalizing commercial sex buying is the solution, but studies show that countries that have legalized prostitution have experienced higher rates of trafficking. In short, legalizing sex buying can actually increase trafficking profits.

In his former role as a prosecutor in Seattle, Richey spearheaded the “Ending Exploitation Collaborative,” an anti-trafficking project. This initiative utilized the dual approach of reducing demand while also facilitating an exit strategy for victims of prostitution. Examples of programming include engaging high school and college students in conversations about healthy relationships and the harm of commercial sexual exploitation, and using new technology such as “chatbots” to send messages of deterrence to those attempting to purchase sex on online. The emphasis on victim support has greatly contributed to the success of this program.

Proskauer thanks the OSCE and Valiant (Val) Richey, as well as our co-host the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition, for their insights on and efforts toward ending human trafficking.

Photo of William C. Silverman William C. Silverman

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer…

William C. Silverman is a partner responsible for leading Proskauer’s global pro bono efforts, which provide assistance to individual clients and nonprofit organizations in litigation as well as transactional matters. He focuses on identifying and securing pro bono opportunities and partnerships for Proskauer lawyers and ensuring widespread participation in these projects.

Bill has robust private and public sector experience and a strong criminal and civil background. He has worked extensively on government investigations and white collar criminal matters, as well as complex civil litigation in federal and state courts. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he led criminal investigations, conducted trials and handled Second Circuit appeals.

Throughout his career, Bill has dedicated himself to the promotion of equal access to justice through pro bono service, particularly in the area of family court, anti-trafficking, and immigration.

Bill spearheaded a partnership among several law firms, corporations and the New York City Family Court to provide free legal advice to pro se litigants. The New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney Program now has more than 400 volunteer attorneys from 40 major firms and corporations. Bill also helped build a coalition of organizations in a successful effort to secure additional Family Court judges in New York. He is now part of an effort spearheaded by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore to simplify the New York Court System from 11 trial courts to three.

Bill serves as counsel to the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition. In that capacity he has been a strong advocate for changes in the law and public policy to protect victims of human trafficking and bring perpetrators to justice. He also represents individual clients in this area, including a successful federal lawsuit brought on behalf of a trafficking victim against her traffickers. For his work, he was named by domestic violence nonprofit Sanctuary For Families as one of “New York’s New Abolitionists.”

Bill has spoken at numerous conferences and events, including New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman’s Hearings on Civil Legal Services and the American Bar Association’s Equal Justice Conference. In 2014, he attended a meeting at the White House with Vice President Joe Biden and other policymakers on the need for access to legal services in immigration proceedings.

Bill has been recognized for his public service with the Abely Pro Bono Leadership Award from Sanctuary For Families and Columbia Law School (2019); the Special Leadership Award for All-Around Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility & the Law from City & State Reports (2015); the Commitment to Justice Award for Outstanding Partner from inMotion (2008); and the Matthew G. Leonard Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Achievement from MFY Legal Services (2007).

Outside of his work at the firm, Bill serves on various committees and non-profit boards. Bill is currently chairman of the Fund for Modern Courts, a non-partisan citizen organization devoted to improving New York State courts, and is formerly chairman of Legal Information For Families Today (LIFT), an organization devoted to unrepresented litigants in Family Court.