Texas lawmakers urged to ramp up laws to fight human trafficking
The Brief
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Advocates for victims gathered at the state capitol
They are asking lawmakers to pass major reforms
AUSTIN, Texas - January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Advocates for victims gathered Thursday at the state capitol. They are urging lawmakers to pass major reforms.
The backstory
The State of Texas launched a comprehensive drive to eliminate human trafficking 20 years ago.
Since then, many bills have been passed to crack down on the problem. But lawmakers were told this fight is far from over during a rally held on the south steps of the Texas Capitol Thursday.
In 2023, more than 2,300 people from Texas contacted the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
What they're saying
In a prepared statement, Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk, noted the work accomplished in previous Legislative Sessions.
"Our state has made great strides in strengthening zero tolerance for human trafficking, but there is still work to do," stated Sanborn in a news release.
The rally at the Texas Capitol involved members of organizations and agencies that advocate for victims of human trafficking. Cosponsors of the event included:
Allies Against Slavery
Crime Stoppers
Demand Disruption
Dallas CASA
Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office
Gracious Hearts
Houston 20
Lone Star Justice Alliance
No Trafficking Zone
North Texas Coalition Against Trafficking
Project Protect Our Children
Reflection Ministries
Texas Family Leadership Council
Texas Society of Medical Assistants
Street Grace
Traffick 911
Unbound Now
The coalition is pushing several legislative priorities for the regular session. Key issues include:
Screening and prevention for vulnerable youth
Improving protections and support for survivors
Training frontline workers to recognize human trafficking
Reducing illicit massage businesses
Improving laws that protect children and hold traffickers accountable
The group also wants legislation to get local prosecutors to do more to shut down sex-exploitation businesses.
"When we think about ending trafficking, there's so much that needs to be talked about. And one of the big things is collaboration and collaboration with the legislative branch here in Austin and with all the great groups across the state of Texas that are focusing on ending trafficking now. Those that are really focused on making sure that every single victim, survivor of human trafficking is taken care of, that we are beginning to work at ending demand in our state," said Sanborn during the rally.
The number of businesses involved in illicit digital massaginghas more than doubled in Texas in the past six years, according to information released by Sanborn.
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski
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Let's ensure the real experiences of trafficking survivors, especially women of color, are not erased in favor of spectacle. Beck Sullivan, a licensed clinical social worker, is the CEO of Restore NYC, where she has led nationally recognized programs that earned the 2024 Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons. She has more than 16 years of experience in the anti-trafficking field, including prior roles at the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition and as cofounder of the Valley Against Sex Trafficking (VAST).
