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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing the month of January 2019 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Solano County (Supervisor Hannigan)
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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 and present a resolution recognizing the month of January 2019 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Solano County.
SUMMARY:
In January 2010 President Obama instituted an annual month of awareness events on human trafficking with a proclamation declaring January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Throughout the month, advocates, organizations, and individuals unite globally to raise awareness about human trafficking prevention. It is estimated that more than 25 million men, women, and children around the world are victims of human trafficking. Human trafficking victims are forced to work in various forms of labor exploitation including, but not limited to, commercial sex and other services that are induced through force, fraud, or coercion. Raising awareness is key to effectively ending human trafficking which starts with acknowledging its existence.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The cost associated with preparing this agenda item is included in the Department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget. The costs associated with preparation and purchase of the resolution materials are included in the Board’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
Human trafficking is a devastating crime that threatens society’s most vulnerable, exploiting them for sex, labor, and servitude. It is an illegal trade in human beings through recruitment or abduction, by means of force, fraud or coercion for purposes of forced labor, debt bondage or sexual exploitation.
Global research reveals the most common form of human trafficking (79%) is sexual exploitation. The victims are predominantly women and girls. Surprisingly, in 30% of the countries which provided information on the gender of traffickers, women make up the largest proportion of traffickers. In some parts of the world women trafficking women is the norm.
The second most common form of human trafficking is forced labor (18%), although this may be a misrepresentation because forced labor is less frequently detected and reported than trafficking for sexual exploitation. Worldwide, almost 20% of all trafficking victims are children. However, in some parts of Africa and the Mekong region, children are the majority (up to 100% in parts of West Africa).
Some common precursors to exploitation include a history of sexual abuse. At least 90% of identified commercially sexually exploited children have a prior history of sexual abuse. Sadly, the average age of entry into commercial sexual exploitation is 12-14 for girls and 11-13 for boys. Often young people are not identified right away, but rather later, after many years of experiencing the compounded trauma of being sold into what is commonly referred to as “modern day slavery.”
Solano County’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Steering Committee, a countywide committee of elected, health, justice, education and community-based organization representatives, is seeking a proclamation naming January 2019, as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Solano County.
Solano County CSEC Steering Committee brings concerned professionals and community members together to coordinate a countywide system of support for victims; raise awareness so that the invisibility of the issue is erased and human trafficking is visible and on the public radar; hold traffickers and purchasers accountable and provide intervention to greatly reduce the demand for labor and sex trafficking; support the court, justice, education and social service systems to become trained and educated to understand the dynamics of commercial sexual exploitation so that youth are not blamed or criminalized for their own victimization; assist the community in identifying sex trafficking victims and those at-risk so they may be routed to appropriate services; identify and build resources within the community to aid in the recovery of the victims; and create opportunities and partnerships with a shared mission of ending human trafficking in Solano County.
This year the CSEC Steering Committee expanded its prevention outreach efforts to incorporate the PROTECT curriculum, a human trafficking prevention education program that educates teachers and students about red flags, protocols, and ways to prevent exploitation through an online curriculum. The program is funded by Child Welfare Services. In partnership with the Solano County Office of Education the PROTECT training will be incorporated in all school districts in an effort to eradicate human trafficking in Solano County. The target population for this training are students in the 7th, 9th and 11th grade.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, community partners have planned countywide activities in an effort to create awareness and prevent human trafficking.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to adopt and present 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 CSEC Committee endorses the resolution and activities planned throughout Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION