Charges Filed against Iowa Meat-Packing Plant: Children and Women Particularly Affected
Thursday, September 25, 2008 4:03 PM

According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), a meat-packing plant in Postville, Iowa was served with over 9,000 criminal charges related to violation of child labor laws.  In the aftermath of the raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, human rights advocates are focused on highlighting how women and children have been particularly affected. 

An article published on NewsFlash, a subset of the FVPF, reports that "most of the youth are undocumented, and are seeking special U-Visas, allowable under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000, to stay in the United States and testify at upcoming hearings."  The article notes that advocates have raised concerns over exploitation of women and children in plants such as the one in Postville.  In particular, advocates are pointing out that women and children who may be undocumented immigrants still retain rights that must be protected under acts such as the Violence Against Women Act

To read full article, click here.

Compiled from: “Newsflash: Charges Filed Against Iowa Meat-Packing Plant”, Family Violence Prevention Fund, 16 September, 2008.