U.S. Attorney Announces $1 Million Award to Provide Housing to Victims of Human Trafficking in Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder today announced that the state of Alaska received $1 million from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and its component, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), to provide safe, stable housing and appropriate services to victims of human trafficking.

“Combatting human trafficking is a top priority, and so is restoring the lives of survivors who endured such cruelty,” said U.S. Attorney Schroder.  “While no amount of money will erase the trauma, the funds announced today will help survivors of human trafficking transition to a new life of independence with safe housing, a crucial step in the recovery process.”

The grants, awarded to the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and Covenant House Alaska, will provide six to 24 months of transitional or short-term housing assistance for trafficking victims, including rental, utilities or related expenses, such as security deposits and relocation costs. The grants will also provide funding for support needed to help victims locate permanent housing, secure employment, as well as occupational training and counseling. AHFC and Covenant House Alaska are among 73 organizations receiving more than $35 million in OVC grants to support housing services for human trafficking survivors.

Human trafficking offenses are among the most difficult crimes to identify, and the scope of human trafficking victimization may be much greater than the limited data reflect. A new report issued by the National Institute of Justice, another component of OJP, found that the number of human trafficking cases captured in police reports may represent only a fraction of all such cases. Expanding housing and other services to trafficking victims remains a top Justice Department priority.

OVC, for example, hosted listening sessions and roundtable discussions with stakeholders in the field in 2018 and launched the Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center. From July 2018 through June 2019, 118 OVC human trafficking grantees reported serving 8,375 total clients including confirmed trafficking victims and individuals showing strong indicators of trafficking victimization.

For a complete list of individual award amounts and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/document/htvictimsfactheet.pdf

The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.