Safe House Project and 500 Survivors and Advocates Implore Passing of Human Trafficking Bill
- Safe House Project
- Mar 18, 2022
- 2 min read
WASHINGTON, D.C March 18, 2022-- A coalition of more than 500 anti-trafficking
organizations, corporations, advocates, and survivor leaders organized by Safe House
Project delivered a letter to members of the House and Senate today urging them to pass
(TVPRA). Co-sponsored by Representatives Smith (R-NJ) and Bass (D-CA), passage of this bill will authorize approximately $1 billion over five years to strengthen both the domestic and international response to the second largest criminal enterprise in the world – human
trafficking.
This bill will reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) - the landmark
legislation first authored by Representative Chris Smith (NJ) in 2000. Smith says the new
legislation is “both comprehensive and bipartisan. It also prioritizes prevention of child
trafficking and empowerment of survivors in addition to reauthorizing and enhancing
programs established by the historic Trafficking Victims Protection Act to combat
modern-day slavery.”
Representative Bass says, “although global in reach, the new legislation highlights the
gravity of trafficking in the United States, which is particularly acute for children and youth
in the child welfare system. The new legislation works to correct misconceptions around
sex trafficking by ensuring broader awareness through enhanced practices and
trauma-informed approaches for authorities and educators, expanding key social
infrastructure to support victims – especially housing because girls have a difficult time
leaving their exploiters when they have no alternative living options - and providing quicker
responses to protect the most vulnerable."
“The TVPA, which requires reauthorization every 5 years, expired September 30, 2021. The
TVPRA coalition of anti-trafficking organizations and survivor leaders is urgently calling on
Congress to pass this bill. It is essential to continue the work done around the world to
prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers,” said Kristi Wells, Chief
Executive Officer of Safe House Project, the convening agency for the coalition. “There are
hundreds of NGOs and state agencies combating this evil every day with the help of
Government financial support. If that funding is not maintained, the critical work that is
done to combat trafficking stands to become immobilized.”
Bill Woolf, former Director of Human Trafficking Programs for the U.S. Department of
Justice noted, “This bill is critical in supporting U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking both
domestically and abroad. The United States has been a true champion protecting the
rights and freedoms of those targeted by traffickers. Passage of the Frederick Douglass
Victims Prevention and Protection Act will ensure that survivors are afforded the
restorative care that they deserve, while giving frontline professionals the tools they need
to prevent human trafficking and prosecute offenders.”
The letter of support has been signed by national and local anti-trafficking organizations,
state agencies, corporations, survivor leaders and political leaders, who understand the
importance of this bill to continue necessary anti-trafficking initiatives. With $1 billion of
federal funding over the next 5 years in jeopardy, the coalition seeks to see this bill passed
to continue currently enacted programs at the Department of Health and Human Services,
Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of State to
combat human trafficking and support victims.
About Us:
Established in 2017, Safe House Project's mission is to increase survivor identification beyond one percent through education, provide emergency services and placement to survivors, and ensure every survivor has access to safe housing and holistic care by accelerating safe house capacity and development across America. Learn more about Safe House Project at SafeHouseProject.org.
Comments