Dear TLF Donors,
Thank you so much for donating to Texas Law Fellowships. Because of your donation I had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines and work with an international human rights organization (International Justice Mission – IJM) to assist in the prosecution of perpetrators of sex-trafficking.
During my two month internship I provided legal assistance on five sting operations that resulted in thirty trafficking victims getting rescued and nine perpetrators prosecuted. Some of my responsibilities during the operations included assisting lawyers in interviewing victims by tracking their testimony with the elements of the trafficking law to ensure that we built the strongest case possible. I also assisted the attorneys in drafting victims’ affidavits which would be presented to the public prosecutor.
Apart from the actual operations, some of my other job responsibilities included conducting research and drafting memorandum on legal issues arising in the prosecution of sex-trafficking cases. The legal issues I researched included statutory interpretation questions, new avenues for trafficking in the form of cyber sex, and the appropriateness for damages in cases of trafficking. Additionally, I had the unique opportunity to give a training presentation to over fifty officers in the Philippine National Police about the recent changes in the Philippine trafficking law.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Philippines and the experience has greatly impacted my life. Thank you again for helping to make this possible.
Joey Piorkowski