Hope for Justice is supporting a proposed new U.S. law that would offer federal funding for human trafficking awareness signs at rest stops and welcome centers.
The Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act would educate members of the public who travel along the Interstate Highway System on the indicators of human trafficking and how to help victims.
Hope for Justice has signed a letter of support for the new bipartisan bill which was introduced earlier this month by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Amy Klobuchar.
Sarah Butler, our United States Program Director, said: “This legislation directly aligns with our priorities of identifying survivors of human trafficking. Through our services and expertise we are aware that while transportation is not a mandatory element of human trafficking, it is a frequent one. Making sure that we educate the people who may be present at the types of places where victims are being transported is critical.”
Hope for Justice knows from our own experience that raising public awareness is vital to identifying survivors, and identifying survivors is also key in dismantling trafficking rings.
Marsha Blackburn published a press release about the bill which states: “Individuals trafficked in the United States – whether through labor or sex trafficking – are transported on our nation’s interstate system. As traffickers keep their victims on the move, they are traveling on the same highways and visiting the same rest stops and gas stations as everyone else, creating multiple opportunities for victim identification.”
Anti-Trafficking in Persons roundtable at U.S. Capitol
Hope for Justice was honored to attend an Anti-Trafficking in Persons roundtable at the U.S. Senate building in Washington last month. We joined with more than 100 other non-profits, members of Congress and survivors to advance legislation and policies that combat human trafficking.
Sarah said: “It was such an honor to attend the ATIP Round Table in DC. We heard from some of the key Congressional leaders in the anti-trafficking space and inspirational survivor leaders from across the country. Hope for Justice was so grateful to be in attendance.”
Following that important event, Hope for Justice was asked to support the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act.
Sarah added: “We will continue engaging with critical stakeholders so we can make a greater impact and drive change through what we have learned through our work. Whether it is inputting our expertise into reports, signing on bills, or using knowledge that we have built through survivor care and investigations, we want to make a tangible difference in the global fight to end human trafficking.”
