Human Trafficking and Slavery

The Identified Concern:

• Identified Concern: Over 1,000 South Carolinians each year are victims of Human Trafficking. Nationally over 800,000 Children and youth each year are forced into Sexual Exploitation via Human Sex Trafficking

  • https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/

  • https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/human-trafficking-data-collection-activities-2021

  • http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-08/19/c_1310136148.htm

Our Proposed Solutions:

• Reducing Demand for Illegal Sex Work

  • Ensure all states decriminalize being a victim of Human Trafficking

  • Increased prosecution of Sex Work buyers

  • Require Human Trafficking prevention training for certain professions in high-risk industries.

• Increased accountability

  • Ensure Financial crime laws are up to date and include payment methods commonly used in Human Trafficking, for example, cryptocurrencies.

  • Require large companies to verify supply chain is human trafficking free when operating in known hotspots or face fines and lack of US market access

  • End forced labor in our prison system and immigrant detention centers.

• Help Victims get back on and stay on their feet

  • Establish grants to fund recovery houses in every state and create a set of minimum standards that each state must strive for when helping victims of Human Trafficking.

  • Ensure Immigrant victims of Human Trafficking have access to all needed resources and those without legal status have the opportunity to gain legal protection and have a route to citizenship

  • Provide funding for work placement programs designed to specifically address the needs of those who have been victims of Human Trafficking.

How would we pay for this?

• Ensure the Office of Victims of Crimes is fully funded with multi-year budget plans approved

• Commitment to a balanced budget that does not require debt financing so any additional amounts that cannot be absolved by the existing budget will be financed by reductions in other areas.