Santo Domingo – In a significant development, President Luis Abinader revealed on Monday that the United States has elevated the Dominican Republic to Tier 2 in its annual human trafficking report. This upgrade acknowledges the nation’s ‘significant efforts’ in combating human trafficking, a crime that has long plagued the region. President Abinader highlighted the effective collaboration between the Dominican and U.S. governments over the past year as a key factor in achieving this milestone. The U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report categorizes countries into three tiers based on their adherence to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). Tier 1 represents nations fully meeting the minimum standards, Tier 2 includes countries making substantial progress despite not fully complying, and Tier 3 comprises those failing to meet standards or demonstrate efforts to do so. The Dominican Republic’s new Tier 2 status underscores its commitment to addressing severe forms of human trafficking, including sex trafficking involving force, fraud, or coercion, and imposing penalties commensurate with the gravity of such crimes, particularly when children, rape, kidnapping, or death are involved. This recognition reflects the government’s intensified enforcement measures and its dedication to eradicating human trafficking.
Dominican Republic improves ranking in U.S. human trafficking report
