We tend to think
that human trafficking and modern-day slavery happen only in
distant third-world countries, not here in America.
But they do, more than any of us can imagine. Consider Susana Blackwell, from the Philippines, who was killed by her husband right outside Seattle's King County courtroom in 1995. And Anastasia King, from the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyztan, who was murdered just north of Seattle in 2000, also by her husband. Both women came to Washington believing they had found happiness.
But they do, more than any of us can imagine. Consider Susana Blackwell, from the Philippines, who was killed by her husband right outside Seattle's King County courtroom in 1995. And Anastasia King, from the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyztan, who was murdered just north of Seattle in 2000, also by her husband. Both women came to Washington believing they had found happiness.
Human trafficking is
happening right here, right now. A recent story comes from a survivor, Yasmin
Christopher, born in Bangladesh, who endured childhood hardship and abuse when
members of her family were held captive on a remote farm by her father. Read her
story in this
February 16 Seattle Times report.
According to a 2009 United
Nations study, it is very difficult to assess the real size of
human trafficking because it takes place underground, and is often not even
identified. But a conservative estimate puts the number of victims at any one
time at 2.5 million. Sexual exploitation is the most commonly identified form of
human trafficking (79%), followed by forced labor (18%).
Human trafficking is
an enormous and widespread problem, but Washington and other states
have taken important steps to prevent it. In fact, Washington
passed 28 laws from 2002 to 2012 to fight human trafficking, modern-day slavery
and sexual exploitation of children, making us the leader among all states in
addressing this issue. Some of those laws:
- Prohibited human trafficking
- Created the Washington State Task Force against the trafficking of persons
- Improved services for human trafficking victims
- Prohibited sex tourism
- Created a new crime of the commercial sexual abuse of a minor
- Improved surveillance authority for human trafficking cases
- Expanded definitions to increase convictions
- Are helping provide a safe home for trafficking victims and their families
All those laws took a lot of time,
work and collaboration among lawmakers, law enforcement agencies and
stakeholders, but they are making a difference. We’re far from done, however, so in
this legislative session, Rep. Tina
Orwall is working on two new measures to continue
helping victims of human trafficking:
- HB 1291 builds on last year’s HB 2692. Under this year’s legislation, fees from impounded vehicles involved in prostitution-related offenses would be directed to local governments to reduce the commercial sale of sex through more enforcement and rehab services for victims.
- HB 1292 would allow victims of trafficking forced into prostitution to clear their records of related convictions. This legislation passed the House today on a 91-1 vote.
