ITEMP
The Institute for Trafficked, Exploited, and Missing Persons (ITEMP) addresses human trafficking and child labor through investigation, rescue, rehabilitation, prevention and advocacy. In many parts of the world, children work from an early age, missing out on educational and developmental opportunities. Some are even sold into forced labor or prostitution. We estimate that 6 percent of children in the Project classify as “trafficked” or “exploited.” ITEMP also rescues and rehabilitates trafficking victims and enrolls them in our programs, providing them the tools to build a better future. Coordinating with our social and legal departments, ITEMP wins custody of exploited children and places them with carefully-screened foster families. The program also focuses on international public awareness and education, as well as government advocacy.
Legal Assistance
With the help of friends in the legal profession, the Project has provided free legal assistance since its founding in 1991. Historically, GOD’S CHILD lawyers have focused on custody cases of exploited, abused or neglected children. These children are then placed within The GOD’S CHILD Project’s growing network of carefully-screened local foster families. In 2009, the organization hired an attorney to provide more regular assistance with custody cases and to protect victims of forced labor and prostitution coming through ITEMP. In 2010, the organization hired a second attorney to handle domestic violence cases.