| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Human trafficking is an insidious crime that |
|
|
exploits the most vulnerable members of society, robbing victims of |
|
|
their freedom and dignity and weakening the very foundation of our |
|
|
communities; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, As defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act |
|
|
of 2000, human trafficking primarily occurs in the form of sex or |
|
|
labor trafficking, which may be compelled through the use of force, |
|
|
threats, deception, or other means of coercion; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Although anyone can fall victim to this crime, |
|
|
certain populations are at higher risk due to a lack of prevention |
|
|
and services, including boys and young men, people who have been |
|
|
affected by sexual violence or prior abuse, people experiencing |
|
|
poverty, homelessness, or unstable living conditions, and |
|
|
individuals who are systemically marginalized and underserved; |
|
|
victims can be trafficked in person and online, in industries such |
|
|
as food service and construction, and by both strangers and people |
|
|
they know, including intimate partners, parents, and other family |
|
|
members; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The keys to preventing human trafficking include |
|
|
raising awareness and building resilience within our communities, |
|
|
reducing social inequities, and addressing the social determinants |
|
|
of health in underserved populations; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Human trafficking requires a coordinated, |
|
|
community-wide response, and one of the organizations working to |
|
|
serve human trafficking victims in North Texas is Bob's House of |
|
|
Hope in Argyle, which was founded by Robert "Bob" Williams in 2021; |
|
|
Bob's House of Hope is the first safe house in the country dedicated |
|
|
to adult male survivors of sex trafficking, and it endeavors to |
|
|
provide person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally and |
|
|
linguistically appropriate care, along with other resources to help |
|
|
these victims attain education and employment and rebuild their |
|
|
lives; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Human trafficking is a violation of the fundamental |
|
|
rights that are owed to every man, woman, and child, and the |
|
|
observance of Human Trafficking Prevention Month calls on all of us |
|
|
to affirm our commitment to preventing and responding to human |
|
|
trafficking in our communities and to ensuring the safety, |
|
|
security, and well-being of human trafficking survivors; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby recognize January 2023 as Human Trafficking |
|
|
Prevention Month and encourage all Texans to learn more about human |
|
|
trafficking and the ways they can help the victims of this terrible |
|
|
crime. |