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Adopt a resolution recognizing the month of January 2024 as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Solano County
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _x_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _x_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution recognizing January 2024 as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Solano County.
SUMMARY:
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is observed in January to increase awareness of human trafficking. Human trafficking involves exploitation which comes in many forms including: forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude and compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month reminds all Solano County residents to be aware of their surroundings. One hundred and fifty-eight (158) years after the United States ratified the 13th Amendment officially abolishing slavery, human trafficking has become the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, entrapping an estimated 49.6 million victims globally according to the International Labor Organization. According to Hope for Justice, there are more than one million human trafficking victims in the United States. Victims of modern-day slavery can be found in virtually every state and city in America, working in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, as domestic workers, in brothels and in many other industries.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2023/24 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparing and purchasing the resolution materials are included in the Board’s FY2023/24 Working Budget. There is no additional financial impact on the County General fund.
DISCUSSION:
National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role they can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking. Human trafficking is an illegal trade in human beings and involves the recruitment, transfer or obtaining of an individual through coercion, abduction, fraud, or force to exploit them. That exploitation can range from forced labor to forced marriage or commercial sex work - and the exploiter can be anyone, including strangers, neighbors, or family members. Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims. Most people are trafficked within their own countries and the majority are entrapped into forced labor.
Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Human trafficking continues to be a growing problem in the United States and around the world. California, with its large immigrant communities, the world’s 5th largest economy, and extensive international border, is considered one of the top three locations in the United States for human trafficking.
According to the International Labor Organization:
• There were 49.6 million victims living in modern slavery in 2021, of which 27.6 million were in forced labor and 22 million in forced marriage.
• Women and girls account for 4.9 million of those in forced commercial sexual exploitation, and for 6 million of those in forced labor in other economic sectors.
• 12% of all those in forced labor are children. More than half of these children are in commercial exploitation.
• It is estimated that worldwide human trafficking amounts to an annual estimated $150 billion industry that takes place in all industries, to individuals of all genders, ages, and socio-economic status.
Other recent data:
• The Polaris Project, an organization recognized for their work in fighting sex and labor trafficking, has identified 25 industries in which both labor and sex trafficking thrive in the United States.
• In 2021, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 50,123 signals for trafficking situations in the United States, of which 5,257 were received from California. A signal includes calls, texts, and online chats and tips.
• According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), there were more than 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation made to NCMEC’s Cyber Tipline in 2022, up from 29.4 million in 2021.
• Of the more than 25,000 cases of children reported missing to NCMEC in 2022 who had run away, 1 in 6 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
• Children and youth in foster care and probation systems have a higher risk of experiencing trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Solano County endeavors to address all forms of human trafficking facing adults and children. Because human trafficking is a multifaceted and complex challenge, multiple agencies and County departments work to address different components. Some local partners specifically focus on the work of preventing and addressing commercial sexual exploitation of children and youth and they strive to meet the needs of children and youth utilizing innovative approaches and practices.
The Solano and Napa Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner - Sexual Assault Response Team (SANE-SART), in collaboration with the Solano Anti-Trafficking Coalition, started a comprehensive program in 2022 for human trafficking victims that provides a 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter, intensive case management, legal support, victim advocacy and mental health treatment. SANE-SART also operates the Solano County Child Advocacy Center and Courage Center 2, which provides 24-hour emergency forensic interviews for commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC).
To support at-risk youth living in foster care, Child Welfare Services partners with Seneca Family of Agencies to coordinate and convene multi-disciplinary team meetings on behalf of families and youth facing CSEC issues. Multi-disciplinary team meetings with youth and families are victim-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based. Additionally, Seneca Family of Agencies conducts outreach to the community, raising awareness of this critical issue.
In October 2023, the Solano College Foster Kinship Care Education Program (FKCE-Solano) partnered with the Vacaville Police Department to present on Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention at the California State Foster Parent Conference. They also continued their commitment to CSEC training for the community and foster parents. In 2023, resource parents and community members heard from survivors and mental health professionals on identifying, protecting, and providing healing homes for survivors. FKCE-Solano continues integrating a CSEC/Human Trafficking Awareness module into pre-service training for families preparing to become approved Resource Families. To date (January to November of 2023), approximately 213 new Resource Family parents have received this awareness training. Seventy-three (73) adults have attended ongoing training on Human Trafficking/CSEC Awareness and Prevention.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt the resolution. This is not recommended because this is an opportunity to raise awareness and promote community discussion regarding the prevention of human trafficking.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Solano County Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Steering Committee are collaborative teams of the Health and Social Services Department’s Child Welfare Services and Behavioral Health divisions, law enforcement, SANE-SART, the District Attorney’s office, Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), and a host of community-based organizations, who are committed to increasing awareness and supporting victims so they may be routed to appropriate services.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION