AAUW Florida Public Policy Committee member Kay Smith has been researching human trafficking and recently attended a conference in Tampa. She has also identified and is tracking three bills related to the issue. We will be advocating for these bills during Lobby Days.
Here’s her report:
- Florida has the 3rd largest number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline
- 1 in 3 girls have been sexually abused
- HT is a 152 billion dollar business globally
- Keys to combating HT
- Education/Prevention/Awareness
- Education is the key at an early age K-12
- Victims who have been abused early, by time they are teenagers it’s too late, they are usually recruiting victims
- Training is needed by law enforcement, business owners, healthcare providers, and general public in identifying and reporting HT
- Methodology needed to identify barriers to prevention
- Deterrents to HT via strong criminal penalties are needed
- Reintegration of victims via employment, healthcare, and life skills training is essential
- Education/Prevention/Awareness
In my review of the Bills, the below drew my attention because they addressed education/prevention or proposed deterrents via criminal penalties:
- HB 219 and its related bill CS/SB 370 – Mandatory minimum term of incarceration, as a deterrent
- HB 259 and its related bill SB 982 – Human Trafficking Education PreK-12
- HB 851 and its related bill SB 540 – Education and training for owner/operator of public lodging establishments