Resolution 120679

..Title Authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings to investigate Human Trafficking in the City of Philadelphia. ..Body WHEREAS, Human sex trafficking is the most common form of modern-day slavery. Estimates place the number of its domestic and international victims in the millions, mostly females and children enslaved in the commercial sex industry for little or no money; and WHEREAS, Human trafficking is the fastest-growing business of organized crime and the third-largest criminal enterprise in the world; and WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of State, an estimated 9.5 billion is generated in annual revenue from all trafficking activities, with at least $4 billion attributed to the worldwide brothel industry; and WHEREAS, The United States not only faces an influx of international victims but also has its own homegrown problem of interstate sex trafficking of minors; and WHEREAS, To combat human trafficking in this City, the people of Philadelphia must be aware of the realities of human trafficking and must be dedicated to stopping this contemporary manifestation of slavery; and WHEREAS, According to a report from the Polaris Project, Pennsylvania has made nominal efforts to pass laws to combat human trafficking, and should take major steps to improve and implement its laws; and WHEREAS, According to a report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Philadelphia is a high incidence area for Human Trafficking; and WHEREAS, Efforts shall be made to actively oppose all individuals, groups, organizations and nations who support, advance or commit acts of human trafficking and to work to end human trafficking around the world through education and addressing the demand; and WHEREAS, Victims of human trafficking need support in order to escape and to recover from the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual trauma associated with their victimization; and WHEREAS, Although laws to prosecute perpetrators of human trafficking and to assist and protect victims of human trafficking have been enacted in the United States, awareness of the issues surrounding human trafficking by those people most likely to come into contact with victims is essential for effective enforcement because the techniques that traffickers use to keep their victims enslaved severely limit self-reporting; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby authorize the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings to investigate Human Trafficking in the City of Philadelphia. ..End