Reauthorization of Anti-Trafficking Legislation

NEW YORK (April 28, 2017) – UNICEF USA welcomes the introduction of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act in the House yesterday.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, first passed into law in 2000, and its subsequent reauthorizations in 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2013, have been instrumental in laying the groundwork for the U.S. government to combat human trafficking in the United States and around the world. This year’s reauthorization of the anti-trafficking legislation creates new protections for human trafficking victims, helps ensure prosecutions for perpetrators, and strengthens systems to prevent human trafficking from occurring in the first place.

Human trafficking can take a variety of forms, including domestic work, agriculture, traveling sales crews, and commercial sexual exploitation. In the United States, the crime has been reported in all fifty states. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, nearly thirty-eight percent of the 7,500 cases of trafficking it confirmed in 2016 involved a child victim.

“UNICEF believes all children have the right to grow up in safe and healthy family environment, free from violence, exploitation, and abuse. The introduction of the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act is an important step towards making this vision a reality and ensuring all children can grow up to reach their full potential,” said Emily Pasnak-Lapchick, Manager of UNICEF USA’s End Trafficking Project. “We look forward to continuing our work with government and communities to prioritize efforts to end trafficking and put children first.”

UNICEF USA commends bipartisan collaboration on issues affecting the world’s children and applauds the leadership of Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ), Karen Bass (D-CA), Ed Royce (R-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Susan Brooks (R-IN), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) in introducing this year’s reauthorization.

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About the End Trafficking Project
The End Trafficking project is UNICEF USA’s initiative to raise awareness about child trafficking and mobilize communities to take meaningful action to help protect children. In partnership with concerned individuals and groups, the End Trafficking project aims to bring us all closer to a day when there are no exploited children.
 

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. UNICEF USA supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact: 

Sophie Aziakou, UNICEF USA, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org