Over the past few years, the Sri Lankan Government has endeavoured to increase public awareness about human trafficking, to improve law enforcement efforts, and to increase budget allocations for anti-trafficking activities, stated the U.S. Ambassador, Patricia Butenis.

She was speaking at the launch of the MTV Video, ‘Sold’ that describes human trafficking, airing on state television, Rupavahini this evening.

New laws enacted just last year have given the Bureau of Foreign Employment more power and resources to go after illegal labour traffickers here in Sri Lanka, she added.

"I want to commend the Ministry of External Affairs and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, which together took the lead on anti-trafficking efforts here, and Rupavahini, which will air the film on national television", she said.

The Bureau helps provide protection to those Sri Lankans who choose to work overseas but who find themselves in abusive or coercive workplaces once they arrive there. To be clear, even when a person agrees to work in a job abroad, he or she becomes a victim of trafficking if exploited through abuse or violence by the overseas employer, Ambassador Patricia Butenis stated.

All of us; governments, NGOs, the media, and individuals, must partner together to prevent and combat this trans-national crime and to support survivors, the U.S. Ambassador stressed adding, human trafficking is a scourge that recognizes no borders.

Ambassador Butenis also said, "The documentary ‘Sold’, produced by MTV EXIT, is a powerful and creative way to raise awareness about human trafficking by sharing the stories of real people affected by modern day slavery".

The MTV EXIT public awareness campaign is a regional effort supported by the U.S. Government through the Unites States Agency for International Development. EXIT stands for End Exploitation and Trafficking. It has educated millions of people in both Europe and Asia about the dangers of human trafficking and what ordinary citizens can do to end this exploitation.

The U.S. Government is committed to working with our friends around the world and specifically here in Sri Lanka to end trafficking and support its survivors. The State Department has a specific office, led by an Ambassador, to monitor and combat trafficking in persons around the world. Our Justice Department leads our own domestic efforts to combat trafficking in the United States, because we too are not immune from this problem, she further said.