Passage of Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act a Win for Disrupting the Business of Trafficking

Washington, D.C. – Human Rights First today applauded the Senate’s passage of key provisions included in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (S. 178), noting that these measures would enhance current efforts to disrupt the business of human trafficking. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act passed in the Senate by a vote of 99-0. It includes four measures that would enhance current efforts to disrupt the business of human trafficking: improvements to victim restitution and law enforcement reporting, increased victim empowerment in the context of criminal procedures, and further funding and implementation of law enforcement training.

“The bipartisan passage of this bill in the Senate is an important step forward in the fight to dismantle the horrific criminal enterprise of human trafficking,” said Human Rights First’s Annick Febrey. “The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act includes crucial tools needed to increase the number of criminals being brought to justice, including measures that would improve law enforcement reporting and training, offer greater restitution to victims, and improve protection in criminal proceedings. We urge the House of Representatives to swiftly move on these key provisions and send them to the president’s desk so that they may soon become law.”

As 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of passage of the 13th amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery in the United States, Human Rights First has joined together with prominent leaders from the business and financial sectors, law enforcement, the military, federal, state and local government, and civil rights community to urge the U.S. government to develop common sense policies to disrupt the business of human trafficking.

For more information or to speak with Febrey, contact Mary Elizabeth Margolis at [email protected] or 212-845-5269.