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News|February 10, 2015

Congressional Action on Human Trafficking in the USA Urged by Women Senators

Written by: SHI Staff

An Urgent Appeal

Today, every woman Senator in Congress (20 in total) urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a hearing as soon as possible on the virulent issue of sex trafficking in the United States.

“…there is widespread recognition that the federal government needs to do more to combat sex trafficking.”

The 20 Senators mention in their appeal a recent op-ed piece from the Washington Post which highlighted the issue in detail of a 15-year-old girl who was held, raped, beaten and starved as she was trafficked for sex.

Taking Action

The hearing would create the space needed to hear from victims, advocates, law enforcement and others in order to better provide the Committee with the information it needs as it covers the many anti-trafficking bills currently being considered:

“Human trafficking is a $32 billion criminal enterprise, making it the second largest criminal industry in the world behind the drug trade. According to the Department of Justice, 83 percent of sex trafficking victims in the United States are American citizens.”

Read the Letter

List of Signing Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.),  Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.).[vc_cta_button2 h2=”Learn how you can participate!” style=”rounded” txt_align=”left” title=”Take Action” btn_style=”rounded” color=”black” size=”md” position=”right” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fsharedhope.org%2Fwhat-we-do%2Fbring-justice%2Flegislative-action-center%2F||target:%20_blank”]To take action on many of the sex trafficking bills currently passing through Congress, please visit Shared Hope’s Legislative Action Center.

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