Rights4Girls: "JVTA Marks a Pivotal Step Forward in the Fight Against Trafficking"
Trafficking victims are just a step away from getting the services and help they deserve
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Human Rights Project for Girls (Rights4Girls) released the following statement today after the United States House of Representatives passed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA). The legislation was recently passed unanimously by the United States Senate.
"After two years of tireless work, we are so pleased to see that Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have come together to give the victims of child sex trafficking the services and protections they deserve," said Yasmin Vafa, Director of Law and Policy. "JVTA marks a pivotal step forward in the fight against trafficking. This legislation not only increases services to survivors but it gets to the root of the problem by cracking down on the demand that fuels the sex trafficking market.
"Child sex trafficking is happening in our backyards and it will take a committed bipartisan effort to combat this growing problem in the United States. We encourage President Obama to send a strong message to the buyers of child sex that our children are not for sale by swiftly signing this legislation into law."
JVTA clarifies federal law to remove all doubt as to its criminal applicability to buyers of sex trafficking. The bill also requires anti-human trafficking task forces throughout the country to increase the investigative capabilities of state and local law enforcement to pursue child sex buyers. It creates a survivor advisory council for the U.S. government and critically, it creates a committed funding stream for domestic human trafficking victims.
SOURCE Rights4Girls
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