January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Human Trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry denying freedom to 24.9 million people worldwide. This crime affects every community, including here in South Carolina. It robs individuals of their freedom, dignity, and safety. In recent years, South Carolina, like many other states, has seen a spike in human trafficking. It often goes unnoticed, but it still happens all around us. This is why it is so important for us to work together as a community to combat human trafficking and create a safer South Carolina for all.
Our Legislative Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking:
We cosponsored and voted ‘Yes’ on H.R.5501 - Combatting Human-Trafficking of Innocent Lives Daily Act of 2023 to increase the punishment for human trafficking. We cosponsored H.R.2426 - Find and Protect Foster Youth Act. This bill requires the Children's Bureau of the Office of the Administration for Children & Families to provide states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations with information, educational materials, and assistance relating to eliminating obstacles to identifying and responding to reports of children missing from foster care and being human trafficked.
We voted ‘Yes’ on H.R.443 - Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, which mandates Department of Labor employees to undergo training to identify signs of human trafficking activity.
We co-sponsored and saw the passage of the Human Trafficking Prevention Act, which mandates the posting of the National Human Trafficking Hotline in public places, aiming to provide victims and witnesses with immediate access to help.
We supported Governor Henry McMaster and State Representative Lee Hewitt in Columbia for the signing of a critical amendment to South Carolina's human trafficking laws. This amendment, filed by Rep. Hewitt, targets child luring, strengthening our state's commitment to protecting our children and communities. This legislative victory is a monumental win for mothers, children, and families across South Carolina.
Additionally, we cosponsored H.R.7137 - Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2024, a bill that seeks to provide relief to survivors of human trafficking by offering them a path to clear criminal records which were a direct result of their trafficking experience. By removing these barriers, survivors can more easily reintegrate into society and access employment and housing opportunities. We cosponsored H.R.3638 - Protecting Federal Funds from Human Trafficking and Smuggling Act of 2023. This bill ensures federal funds do not inadvertently support human trafficking or smuggling. It introduces stringent oversight and accountability measures to prevent government resources from being misused by those involved in these criminal activities.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Phone: 1-888-373-7888
Text: 233733 (Text “HELP” or “INFO”)
Website: humantraffickinghotline.org
South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force
Website: SCAG.gov/humantrafficking
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Phone: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Online Chat: rainn.org