Human trafficking is often in the news, but do you know what it really is? It is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, or deception. This exploitation, or taking advantage of, includes sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. Are you aware that these heinous crimes are not limited to foreign countries and that they are a threat to our children? Sadly, in fact, Florida is one of North America’s primary trafficking locations because of our thriving tourist and agriculture industry.
Who are the victims of human trafficking? Young children, teenagers, men and women. The victims may be U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents or foreign nationals. They can be found in urban, suburban and rural areas. The most at risk are: homeless youth, refugees, migrant workers, those with substance abuse, survivors of other forms of violence in their past, people with disabilities and members of minority populations based on their sexual or gender identity.
What can you do for the victims of human trafficking and raising awareness of their plight? Be aware of whether someone is a victim of human tracking. For example, there are multiple people living in a cramped space, you see a person with signs of physical abuse, you cannot speak to the person alone, the person lives with his or her employer, the person is submissive or fearful.
Additionally, everyone should be aware that there is a National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 available 24-hours, toll-free and multilingual. This Hotline can handle calls from all regions of the United States and from anyone from victims to community members to medical professionals and more.
Currently in Florida there is a new Human Trafficking Bill, HB 1439. It would raise the penalty for first-time sex buyers from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony, ban hourly rates at hotels, motels and vacation rentals and give sex trafficking survivors the opportunity to make petitions to expunge their records confidential. This bill will also create a statewide human trafficking data repository at the University of South Florida.
At the Law Offices of Suzanne St. Luce, P.A., our staff is qualified to offer a wide range of legal services. Our attorney has over 20 years of experience and we want to help you with your case. We take all cases… Personally. Please contact us for questions related to your specific situation.