Category: Politics
U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking/Serrano McGuire Law Firm To Disrupt Sex Trafficking Operations During Super Bowl LV
The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT), in partnership with the law firm of Serrano | McGuire, is launching the first of its kind online campaign to intercept online sex buyers looking to purchase sex during events leading up to Super Bowl LV on Sunday, February 7, 2021, in Tampa, Florida.
Operation Stomp Out will utilize integrated online technologies to disrupt sex trafficking operations as traffickers and sex buyers descend on Tampa during the two weeks surrounding Super Bowl LV.
“The Super Bowl brings thousands of sex buyers, traffickers, and victims to the host city every year, and we expect Tampa to be no different,” said USIAHT Chairman Kevin Malone. “We are fully prepared to intervene in sex trafficking operations using the most advanced technology available to stop the purchase of sex before it happens and provide resources to victims.”
Heroes who fight human trafficking
Over the past few months, while many of us were preoccupied with politics and the pandemic, U.S. Marshals bravely carried out a series of nationwide operations that rescued hundreds of human trafficking victims in at least seven states. These victimized women, runaway youngsters and children had been enslaved into a dangerous and deadly lifestyle by criminals who used their captives’ bodies to enrich themselves.
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KEEPING OUR OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE IN THE FIGHT TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking actively engages federal, state, and local government officials who sit in a position to enact public policies to assist us in our fight to eradicate sex trafficking in the United States. USIAHT understands that the federal government plays a crucial role in combatting sex trafficking. A part of our mission is to educate and enlist Congress members in the fight.
The Bible says, “My people perish from lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) Without knowledge, we are powerless; but how can we obtain this knowledge?
This knowledge must be paired with action. All of us working toward eradicating sex trafficking demand more than rhetoric; we demand solutions. This standard inspired USIAHT to develop this inaugural Congressional Scorecard. The first system that rates members of the U.S. Congress on their commitment to enacting legislation to hold traffickers and sex buyers accountable, protect vulnerable populations, and meet survivors’ complex needs.
This grading system is designed to hold federal officeholders accountable for their attempts to improve or impede the federal response to combatting domestic human trafficking and educate the public on how federal elected officials perform in this fight.
We ask that you join us in this effort to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and share this Congressional Scorecard with coworkers, friends, and family.
U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking Statement On California Bill To Protect Pedophiles: Organization Calls For Governor Newsom to Veto SB 145
Kevin Malone, Chairman of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, issued the following statement following passage of Senate Bill 145 in the California Assembly to remove the requirement that adults convicted of having sex with a teenager between the ages 14 to 17 must register as a sex-offender.
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Trump says human trafficking increased during pandemic, announces $35M grant to aid victims
WASHINGTON (WJW/AP) — President Donald Trump says human trafficking has increased and dangers for survivors have heightened during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Department of Justice has issued $35 million in grants to 73 organizations nationwide providing assistance to human trafficking victims,” Trump said.
Trump explained that human trafficking poses a threat both domestically and internationally.
“You think of human trafficking as being an ancient form of crime. It is not. Because of the internet, it’s a very modern crime all over the world, not just here,” said Trump. “My administration will never rest in the fight against human trafficking.”
Trump Gives $35 Million to Aid Human Trafficking Victims
Barr called human trafficking an “evil scourge,” and he thanked President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka for working to end human trafficking and help survivors. Beyond the financial support, Barr said his department will do everything possible to “investigate, prosecute and punish” traffickers.
The $35 million in Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking is being provided by the Office for Victims of Crime within the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs to provide housing and services to human trafficking survivors.
Georgia Gov. Kemp signs new law to strip human traffickers of commercial driver’s licenses for life
Atlanta, Georgia– Governor Brian Kemp signs a new law prohibited convicting human traffickers from obtaining a driver’s license.
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Texas has a strong record against sex trafficking, but Congress has work to do
Fort Worth, Texas– In 2019, U.S. prosecutions under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 declined for the second year in a row. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, are demonstrating strong bi-partisan commitment to passing stronger federal legislation to improve victims’ services and strengthen law enforcement response to human trafficking.
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Hawley to squeeze corporate America on forced labor
Washington, D.C. — Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will introduce legislation this week requiring companies with business overseas to certify that their supply chains are free of forced labor.
Read MoreLocal sheriff’s office assigns first ever human trafficking investigator
Clinton, Iowa– The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office has assigned their first and only full-time human trafficking investigator. “They’re going to have somebody now that’s going to work with them from beginning to end,” said Sheriff Paula Dance. “Not just an officer that comes to take a report and you never see them again.”
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Human trafficking victims qualify for income loss through California Victim Compensation Board
Lake County, California– Human trafficking victims in California can now qualify for up to $20,000 in income loss paid through the California Victim Compensation Board. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assembly Bill 629 (Smith and Gonzalez) has gone into effect to address the lasting repercussions of trafficking.
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South Korea rejects US extradition request over child abuse website
Washington, DC — A South Korean court has denied a US extradition request for the man behind one of the world’s largest child sexual abuse websites, Son Jong-woo. He served 18 months in South Korea for producing and distributing indecent images of children. Following his initial release in April, Son was taken back into custody after a warrant was issued for US extradition. But he will now be released again after the request was denied.
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Statement from Chairman Kevin Malone on Arrest of Epstein Associate Ghislaine Maxwell
Tampa, Fla. – Kevin Malone released this statement following the arrest today of Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of Jeffrey Epstein: “Ghislaine Maxwell recruited, coerced, and abused innocent young girls to be repeatedly raped by pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his pedophile associates across the world and we pray the justice system holds her accountable for her heinous crimes. We pray that prosecutors pursue Biblical justice as explained in the New Testament book of James that “the lamp of the wicked will be put out.”
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Legislation to protect and help human trafficking victims takes effect
PIERRE, S.D. — Legislation to better protect and help victims of human trafficking in South Dakota will take effect on July 1. “This bill takes important steps to protect our state from the horrors of human trafficking, crack down on traffickers, and provide for victims through expanded services and resources”, said Governor Noem.
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Cyntoia Brown Long, Granted Clemency for Murder, Is Fighting for Other Victims of Sex Trafficking
Dallas, Texas — Cyntoia Brown Long says sex trafficking is often not “black and white” and there is no “perfect victim,” as evidenced by her own case and the ongoing case of Chrystul Kizer, a teenager who is accused of killing her alleged sex trafficker and was released on bond last week.
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U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking Calls For End To Use of Warrant-Proof Encryption Shielding Sex Traffickers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) today announced support for the Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act (Act) to end the use of “warrant-proof” encrypted technology utilized by sex traffickers and buyers to conceal their criminal activities.
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Human trafficking bills wind through Georgia legislature
Atlanta, Georgia– The Georgia Senate passed legislation Thursday that would punish convicted human traffickers who transport victims via commercial vehicles by banning them from obtaining a commercial driver’s license. House Bill 823, by Rep. Houston Gaines, would impose a lifetime ban on driving a commercial vehicle for persons convicted of human trafficking-related offenses.
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Mountain Brook, Alabama Equips City Employees to Identify & Report Human Trafficking Implements USIAHT Human TraffickingFree Zone Program
MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL., June 16, 2020 — The City Council of Mountain Brook, Alabama, recently voted...
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USIAHT Praises Appointment of White House Special Advisor for Human Trafficking
“We are especially excited that our friend Heather Fischer has been appointed Special Advisor for Human Trafficking”, said CEO Kevin Malone. “I have worked alongside Heather on many efforts to stop human trafficking in the United States and abroad. She is one of the most passionate and capable champions in this fight and will be an invaluable ally for those of us on the front lines fighting this scourge.”
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More work needed to combat human trafficking along I-85, Lee County
Auburn, Alabama– Multiple agencies in Lee County have gotten together this year to discuss the growing problem of sex and human trafficking. “[There are] kids [who] don’t really have a way to make money, a lot of times they have to do things that they don’t like to do in order to get food, to get shelter,” Teresa Collier, an intelligence analyst, said. “So a lot of times what we see are those runaway kids, they’re engaging in survival sex.”
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One Million People Sign Petition to Shut Down Pornhub for Alleged Sex Trafficking Videos
Sacramento, California — With signers from 192 countries, anti-trafficking expert Laila Mickelwait’s “Traffickinghub” petition to shut down Pornhub for allegedly enabling and profiting from the sex trafficking and rape of women and children on the site has surpassed one million signatures.
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Second piece in human trafficking policy reform clears Senate committee
Mississippi– A human trafficking bill championed by Speaker of the House Philip Gunn survived the Senate on committee deadline day Tuesday. HB 1559 was designed to directly address the housing service gap for minors who are trafficking victims.
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Catholic Bishops Call on AG Barr to Enforce Obscenity-Porn Laws, Protect Youth
The Department of Justice (DOJ) needs to act now, according to the bishops, because first “there are direct victims: the persons used in the productions. Many have their consent (even if technically legal) compromised by desperate circumstances while, for others, consent is completely absent.”
“The department rightly pursues human traffickers; however, virtually unchecked proliferation of pornography fuels the demand that frequently results in commercial sexual exploitation,” said the bishops. Unprecedented, unlimited, and anonymous access to pornography via modern technology has led users to seek more and more extreme videos.”
Florida AG Moody Encourages Vigilance in Protecting Human Trafficking Victims
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Human traffickers aren’t stopping despite the health threats from COVID-19—and neither will we cease our efforts to stop them. It is abhorrent that unscrupulous individuals would take advantage of the pandemic and try to lure people through the use of force, fraud or coercion for nefarious purposes when so many find themselves on hard times. We need to continue to be vigilant in our fight to combat human trafficking. Know the signs of human trafficking, and if you see something, say something
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AG PAXTON ANNOUNCES COORDINATING COUNCIL PLAN TO HELP ERADICATE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that his office, leading the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council, released Phase I of a five-year strategic plan to halt and prevent human trafficking in Texas. The Coordinating Council is the first single entity in the state to focus solely on coordinating efforts to combat human trafficking, and the strategic plan uses a multi-phased, integrative approach to eradicating and preventing this heinous crime.
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Hawley introduces bill to document scope of human trafficking in America
A law passed by Congress in 2005 mandated that the Justice Department provide research, statistical review and analysis of severe trafficking of persons every two years in order to know the scope of the problem. Unfortunately, only one was ever done, in 2009.
This new bill will mandate that a comprehensive national study on human trafficking will be conducted every two years there will be statistical information available to the public to see as well as help experts in human trafficking to learn how human traffickers are currently operating and how to stop them. Kevin Malone, president of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, said that these national studies “would be a tremendous help because a lot of people don’t believe the problem exists.”
Trump signs executive order to combat human trafficking as some advocacy groups boycott summit
Washington, D.C.
“The anti-trafficking community received a major shot in the arm this morning with President Trump’s announcement,” said Lance Lemmonds of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking. “President Trump has committed more federal resources and more national focus on combating the systematic buying and selling of our nation’s kids than any administration in history.”
On January 31, 2020, “Trump signed an executive order Friday creating a position within his domestic policy team dedicated solely to fighting human trafficking. The order proposes an additional $42 million in funding for service programs and prosecutions…The order also establishes a federal working group on housing for trafficking survivors and a website listing the government’s anti-trafficking resources.”
Cuomo Vetoes Bill That Would Train Public Transportation Workers To Spot Human Trafficking
New York Senator Alessandra Biaggi noted that “human-traffickers rely heavily on public transportation to move their victims, in plain sight, across the country.” In his veto memo, Cuomo noted that the New York Interagency Task Force Against Human Trafficking already offers a training that “meets the minimum requirements” outlined in Biaggi’s bill.
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Hillsborough forms Commission on Human Trafficking
Weeks after a human trafficking sting netted more than 100 arrests in Hillsborough County, FL. commissioners took a step Wednesday to eradicate forced labor, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation within its borders.
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UGA gets $15.75 Million to Research Ways to Reduce Human Trafficking
The U.S. State Department has awarded $15.75 million to the University of Georgia to conduct research and find ways to reduce human trafficking around the world, the school announced Tuesday.
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Radisson Latest Hotel Company to Commit to Fighting Human Trafficking
Radisson Hotel Group announced a partnership with ECPAT-USA, a policy organization seeking to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and has become the latest hospitality company to sign the organization’s Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, joining several hotel, airline and travel management companies.
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D.C. effort to decriminalize sex work won’t move forward after 14-hour hearing
A bill that would decriminalize the selling and buying of sex in the nation’s capital will NOT move forward this year, lawmakers said, after an emotional hearing and thousands of emails revealed deep divisions among D.C. residents. Similar proposals in New York and Massachusetts, among other states, have also failed to gain ground.
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Senate committee passes bill on teaching human trafficking
The Senate Education Committee unanimously passed the bill on Tuesday. The curriculum would be part of public schools’ health education and would focus on how to recognize and understand human trafficking.
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State Lawmakers Introduce A New Anti-Human Trafficking Bill
Ohio lawmakers proposed a bill to create a public registry that will include the names of people who are convicted of buying sexual services. The bill’s goal is to increase penalties for johns and pimps.
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Anti-Sex Trafficking Effort Launched For Miami Super Bowl
The Super Bowl host committee is teaming up with state, local and federal agencies to stop human trafficking at the big game. An event known to contribute to an increase in sex trafficking.
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Judge Allows Legal Brothels To Continue Business In Nevada
U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Reno, NV, said in her ruling “that plaintiffs were unlawfully forced into prostitution and sex trafficked in Nevada and other states is not sufficiently traceable to Nevada laws … as opposed to other factors, namely the illicit behaviors of private bad actors.”
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Massachusetts gets $1.5 Million Federal Grant to Address Human Trafficking
Massachusetts has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to address human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
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Through Ameren Grant, CFPA Expands Human Trafficking Curriculum in Area High Schools
The Center for Prevention of Abuse announced in a Monday news release that the organization will expand its human trafficking prevention education curriculum in area IL high schools.
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Legalized prostitution will put DC’s most at-risk youth in further jeopardy
“The real issue lies in demand for sex with young people, with millions of Americans seeking out and purchasing sex with our most vulnerable citizens. As more and more buyers enter the market, sex trafficking of vulnerable youth will increase exponentially because of the statutory protections afforded by legalized prostitution.” writes Kevin Malone, President of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.
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The Virginia General Assembly takes on human trafficking
The General Assembly signed off on a new state job this year to evaluate and coordinate efforts to report these crimes and to educate others on how to spot cases to help survivors.
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Dane County officials, AG Kaul tout funding to support sex trafficking survivors
Dane County, WI Executive Joe Parisi announced that he’s including $80,000 in his 2020 budge to create a new position for Project Respect, a program that helps juvenile and adult survivors of trafficking.
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D.C. leaders hear from public over proposal to decriminalize sex work
The bill at the center of the hearing would amend existing city laws to eliminate criminal penalties for selling or buying sex in the District. If passed, it would make the District the only U.S. jurisdiction to legalize prostitution, outside of some areas of Nevada where legal brothels exist. Prostitution involving minors and coercing others to engage in sex work against their will would remain illegal.
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A Pioneering Ohio Courtroom Helps Trafficking Victims Find Hope
A diversion program for victims of human trafficking is spreading to cities around the country. The model has roots in Columbus, Ohio, where a judge decided to direct women toward rehabilitation instead of jail.
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GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SAYS PROSECUTING TRAFFICKERS FIRST STEP TO ENDING SEX TRAFFICKING
State leaders, law enforcement and experts in the field of trafficking joined survivors at the Human Trafficking Summit Monday in Orlando. Speaking at the summit, Governor Ron DeSantis said ending sex trafficking begins with prosecuting traffickers and clients.
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NJ senator: Does Epstein’s alleged sex traffic ring prove Teterboro security is too lax?
News that Epstein, a billionaire who made his money as a financier, used Teterboro as home base for his fleet of private planes, and that he allegedly trafficked underage girls through the airport, was first reported last week by NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY NETWORK.
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Human Trafficking Task Force: Item No. 1 is the Super Bowl
Attorney General Ashley Moody held a meeting Wednesday with the Statewide Council on Human trafficking in Tampa. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chronister and Pasco County Sheriff Nocco spoke to address the Super Bowl being held in Tampa in 2021.
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Trump labor secretary who cut Epstein deal plans to slash funds for sex trafficking victims
Alexander Acosta, the US labor secretary under fire for having granted Jeffrey Epstein immunity from federal prosecution in 2008, after the billionaire was investigated for having run a child sex trafficking ring, is proposing 80% funding cuts for the government agency that combats child sex trafficking.
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Hawaii Becomes First State To Protect Victims Of Sex Trafficking Who Were Convicted Of Prostitution
Democratic Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed the legislation, which passed unanimously in the House and Senate, that rids victims of sex trafficking — even those who cannot prove they were trafficked — from prostitution convictions, so as long as they are not convicted of other crimes for three years, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
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Trump Wage Chief Adds Visa Hurdles for Trafficking Victims
Victims of human trafficking and other workplace crimes will have a tougher time getting visas certified by the Labor Department under a policy issued July 1.
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Bill that could protect trafficking survivors from deportation has yet to reach floor in Albany
As the legislative session comes to a close, New York state lawmakers have yet to vote on a bill that could protect survivors of human trafficking from deportation by vacating their criminal records.
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Chancery ruling allows state to cancel license of LLC linked to human trafficking
The judgment means Backpage.com, LLC, Website Technologies, LLC, Posting Solutions, LLC, and Amstel River Holdings, LLC will have their certificates of formation cancelled 31 days after the current federal criminal charges against the company are resolved.
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Abbott signs Nelson’s sexual assault, human trafficking bills
“Our budget also prioritizes human trafficking— a form of modern-day slavery that has no place in Texas.” says, Texas State Senator Jane Nelson.
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Sex trafficking in Queens is shaping the District Attorney primary race
The challenge of eradicating the forced sex work industry in a city that is already a major hub for human trafficking has turned political in Queens, NY.
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Florida wants to create a state registry for pimps and johns
State lawmakers are pushing a bill that would create a public database, similar to the state’s registry of sex offenders, that would list the names, photographs and addresses of pimps and johns who are convicted.
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Steil introduces biil to combat illicit financing of human trafficking
“We cannot turn a blind eye to human trafficking. My bill is a commonsense solution to hold countries accountable. Understanding where this money comes from and where it’s going gives countries the ability to crack down on these crimes.
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Investigators Give Look Into Human Trafficking Bust
ICE says there were 849 human trafficking investigations in 2018, they say there were 1,500 arrests and 538 convictions and the agency wants people partaking in big events to be on the lookout for possible victims.
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Georgia creates sex trafficking prosecution unit
“We are excited to build this Human Trafficking Unit with dedicated staff who will work every day to protect our state’s most vulnerable and put buyers and traffickers behind bars,” Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement.
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State prosecutors struggle with human trafficking cases
Laws cracking down on human trafficking are on the books in all 50 states, but convictions are notoriously elusive, and state prosecutors haven’t come close to matching the success their federal counterparts have had in winning cases.
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https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/federal-state-local-law-enforcement-agencies-partner-nonprofits-rescue-trafficking
As part of the operation, law enforcement teams engaged with more than 15 potential human trafficking victims and gathered intelligence on potential traffickers.
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TAMPA BAY HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE FORMED
Members of the task force will work collectively to improve upon the detection, investigation, prosecution, and victim assistance efforts in human trafficking matters throughout the Tampa Bay area.
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Florida may soon have a prostitution registry for pimps and johns
Gov. Ron DeSantis could soon sign legislation that creates a statewide registry for pimps and johns in an effort to crack down on human trafficking. But Florida officials are not stopping there.
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Officials look to crack down on human trafficking
“As I always say, every issue does not necessarily need a law if people are willing to take on these issues voluntarily,” Attorney General Ashley Moody, who chairs the statewide Council on Human Trafficking, said Friday during a meeting of the panel.
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Nebraska may take new steps to prosecute human traffickers
Traffickers who sell women and children for sex in Nebraska could have their phones tapped by law enforcement and face prosecution years or even decades after their crimes under a sweeping new bill set for legislative debate.
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Trafficking survivors call for more US government support
Survivor-run groups that combat human trafficking need more support from the US Government so they can operate on a level playing field with larger agencies, an advisory council said last week.
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Former volleyball coach avoids jail time for sex crime with player
A Tuscon, AZ. man who was a high school volleyball coach will avoid jail time after having been convicted of having sex with one of his players. The roommate of Robert Forman II roommate became suspicious that she might be an underage student player as well as the victim’s parents then saw their daughter leaving Forman’s house.
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Posters with resources for human trafficking victims required in Missouri
The posters are required to be placed in or near bathrooms in hotels, airports, train and bus stations, urgent care centers, emergency rooms, strip clubs, women’s health centers, abortion facilities, family planning clinics, truck stops, roadside rest areas and more.
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Bill classifies strip clubs as adult theater so state can regulate them, protect children
Strip clubs will be classified as adult theaters to ensure they’ll be regulated by the state under a legislative crackdown aimed at preventing human trafficking. Bill classifies strip clubs as adult theater so state can regulate them, protect childrenStuart Rep. Toby Overdorf co-sponsored House Bill 851 and added the adult-theater classification, in part to ensure strip club owners don’t hire underage employees.
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Florida House passes bill on teaching human trafficking
The vote was 112-0 Thursday for the bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Patricia Williams of Fort Lauderdale and Republican Rep. Rene Plasencia of Titusville, FL. The measure would include human trafficking in the health classes currently taught in Florida public schools.
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A Second Chance for Trafficking Survivors: Advocates Work to Clear Their Records
These criminal records can include prostitution charges from police that didn’t understand their situation or arrests for thefts that their traffickers demanded using coercion and control tactics.
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Local deputy awarded for dedication to fighting human trafficking
“The support of my administration and the strength of the Heart of Texas Human Trafficking Coalition is having an impact, not only in Central Texas, but throughout the state,” Det. Joseph Scaramucci told KWTX.
Scaramucci was the keynote speaker at the fundraising luncheon at the Austin Country Club in Austin, TX. Within one hour, the event raised more than $300,000.
Human trafficking cases initiated in federal court dropped 29% last year
Human trafficking cases initiated in fed court dropped 29% last yr. This survivor has a message for people who think it’s not happening here: “I was trafficked in Jacksonville in the year 2013 for about nine months… It’s definitely happening in Jacksonville.” said Jenna Bourne
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Massage parlors still overlooked in fight against human trafficking, advocates say
When state Rep. Vincent Pedone, D-Worcester, stepped up to Statehouse podium in 2006 to call for the regulation of massage therapy, he was quickly met by laughter and catcalls that filled the chamber and cut him short. The bill that passed that day — despite lawmakers’ laughter, but policymakers and society still don’t take massage, and the human traffickers who increasingly hide behind it, seriously.
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Legislation treats child sex trafficking survivors as victims, not criminals
Nevada lawmakers are considering a bill that takes the first step toward treating survivors of child sex exploitation as victims, not criminals. Assembly Bill 151 ensures Nevada’s compliance with federal law requiring states to tweak their child abuse and neglect statutes to include sex trafficking.
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Anti-trafficking legislation would offer post-conviction relief to survivors
Unlike the portrayals popularized by Liam Neeson’s 2008 film thriller, human trafficking victims are rarely snatched during vacation getaways or from coffee shops, and they are rarely sympathetic characters with squeaky clean backgrounds, Libby Coles, chairwoman of the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission.
Read MoreAssembly Panel Releases Vainieri Huttle, Lopez Legislation Targeting Human Trafficking through Illicit Massage Parlors
“They answer misleading ads for “massage” work, are forced to live in substandard conditions, work illegal hours “on call,” and made to feel through fear and violence that they have no choice but to comply, says Rep. Yvonne Lopez of New Jersey.
Read More![‘[Go] after the buyers’: Senate panel hears fixes for human trafficking](https://floridapolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/human-trafficking-2.jpg)
‘[Go] after the buyers’: Senate panel hears fixes for human trafficking
Punish buyers. Provide services to victims. Raise awareness at sites where human trafficking takes place the most. Those were the top-line recommendations Monday as the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee heard testimony from experts on the issue.
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Upcoming Legislation: Senate Bill 7 would sentence child sex trafficking consumers to life in prison
The state of Nevada’s Senate Bill 7, if adopted, would additionally provide that a customer who violates such a prohibition by knowingly soliciting a child who is less than 14 years of age for prostitution is committing a sex trafficking crime, and therefore is guilty of a Category A Felony, life in prison with possible parole after 15 years.
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House approves bill for tougher penalties for child prostitution cases
This bill would set harsher penalties for prostitution-related crimes involving minors unanimously passed the House. “Now we are going after those who are customers,” Watts said.
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Hooper: Super Bowl’s connection to human trafficking heightens awareness in Tampa
The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce will host the human trafficking summit at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 in the Centre Club, 123 S Westshore Blvd. Tampa, FL.
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Bill could wipe slate clean for minor sex trafficking victims
Under House Bill 397, which is a safe harbor law sponsored by Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, R-Arnold, those who were under the age of 18 when convicted of prostitution could apply to court for a clean slate. Under the current law, defendants have to prove they were coerced into prostitution.
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Mississippi bill aims to help minors who are sex trafficking victims
The Republican leader of the Mississippi House is pushing a bill that he says could protect children who are victims of sex trafficking. House Bill 571 would prevent charges from being filed against trafficking victims who are younger than 18. The minor would be taken into protective custody and counseling would be provided.
Read MorePresident Donald J. Trump Is Fighting to Eradicate Human Trafficking
COMMITTED TO ERADICATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING: President Trump has signed four bills in recent weeks that demonstrate the bipartisan commitment to end human trafficking. oday, the President is signing the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 1862) which tightens criteria for whether countries are meeting standards for eliminating trafficking.
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Sex trafficking victim who murdered man granted clemency
After 15 years in prison, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has granted full clemency to Cyntoia Brown.
Brown, a sex trafficking victim serving a life sentence for the 2004 murder of a man who payed her to have sex as a child. Cyntoia was 16 years old when she shot and killed the 43 year old man.
Sen. Bob Corker: Rob Portman will take over lead in human-trafficking battle
NASHVILLE — U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Friday that a colleague, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, will now lead congressional efforts to end modern slavery across the globe after the Chattanoogan leaves office next week.
“For years, Senator Portman has been a champion in Congress in the fight against human trafficking here at home, and I can think of no one better to take up the mantle in the global fight against this scourge on humanity as I depart the Senate,” Corker stated Friday in a news release.
Read MoreOur holiday wish for victims of sex-trafficking: a pardon for crimes they were forced to commit
Victims of sex trafficking — a $99 million criminal enterprise in Dallas, TX. each year alone — are penalized by our criminal justice system and our society for sexual acts they are forced into by traffickers who are essentially modern-day slave owners.
Read MoreHardister Crafting Legislation To Combat Human Trafficking
tate Rep. Jon Hardister is drafting legislation for introduction in 2019 that’s meant to help prevent school-age children from falling victim to human trafficking – a problem Hardister and an increasing number of others say is a fast growing threat in North Carolina. Thirty-five states have adopted some form of “Erin’s Law,” which requires schools to teach a prevention-oriented program on sexual abuse and trafficking.
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Tennessee Governor Considering Clemency for Cyntoia Brown
Tennessee Governor Haslam was speaking at an event when Justin Lang, a higher-education professional stepped up to the mic during the audience question portion. “As a victim of sex trafficking and assault, this is an unjust sentence in the first place,” Lang said. Under Tennessee law, all minors engaged in sex work are legally considered victims of sex trafficking. “She has not been treated as a victim of trafficking and not given the justice she deserves.”
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Revenge porn, human trafficking bill filed in state legislature
A bill that would seek to amend state law involving obscenity, dealing with issues like revenge pornography and human trafficking, was the only bill filed Wednesday at the state capitol in Little Rock. A person found guilty could face up to a year in jail or a $500 fine, or both “for each prohibited image, video or audio depiction, or website found to be accessible at the time of the offense.”
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Andy Beshear: 2018 year end interview
Another topic of discussion was human trafficking in the state of Kentucky.
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Drug-free zones worked. Now we need trafficking-free zones
This is the kind of national response and furor we need to save the hundreds of thousands of children who are being sold for sex in this country every day.
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Health System Gets $1.5 Million to Combat Human Trafficking
Research indicates a large share of sex and labor trafficking victims interact with a health care provider at some point while they are being exploited.
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DOT’s Committee Against Human Trafficking Holds First Meeting
The committee includes leaders of organizations that fight modern slavery, academics and representatives of the trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime and port industries.
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Advocates pitch state leaders on public health approach to stop sex trafficking “We can’t arrest our way out”
“We recently had a young lady who tried to escape from their trafficker and he sicked two pit bulls on her. They violently attacked her and left her for dead in the woods.”
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Ivanka Trump’s mission to stop human trafficking
Human trafficking. Modern-day slavery. Human smuggling. Sex trafficking. These are all things that happen in faraway places and are not part of my world — or so I thought. During the 2018 election cycle, I was shocked to see candidates’ ads about stopping human trafficking in Atlanta. “Atlanta?!” I thought. Yes, Atlanta.
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Judge to attorney charged with human trafficking: No lower bond
Attorney Robert Poole pleaded not guilty Monday to 15 charges including human trafficking of a minor and rape. A police investigation into human trafficking charges against prominent conservative activist and former judge Tim Nolan led to a tip about Poole, said Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear Nov. 16 in a news release. The 50-year-old Poole was arrested Nov. 16 at his Erlanger law office. A Kenton County grand jury indicted Poole on sex crimes charges.
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Minnesota hotel workers now required to get training in sex trafficking prevention
A state mandate starting Thursday aims to end sex trafficking in Minnesota through the state’s hotel industry.
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UT Tyler Professor uses grant to address human trafficking in Texas
The University of Texas at Tyler Associate Professor of Nursing, Dr. Cathy Miller, is using a $450,000 grant from the United States Department of Justice to support victims of human trafficking.
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Students in Smithfield draft bill to help victims of human trafficking
It’s inside Smithfield High School teacher Matt Ployd’s government class where Monica’s Law came to life. Students knew they had an assignment coming up where they would have to make a mock bill to demonstrate they knew how a bill becomes law. But the students had a better idea.
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Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott joins effort to stop human trafficking
At a Wednesday press conference, Abbott appeared with leaders of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to announce their partnership, which aims to stop labor and sex trafficking in bars and restaurants where alcohol is sold.
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Leadership summit looks to curb sex trade in Kansas City
Some community leaders in Kansas City are gathering information to help them develop strategies to fight prostitution and human trafficking, problems that have been with the city since its founding.
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