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THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ~' V `~ /`'~~~
<br />,~ e
<br />RESOLUTION SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NORTH
<br />CAROLINA
<br />WHEREAS, human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery in which men, women,
<br />and children are exploited for commercial sex and labor purposes; and
<br />WHEREAS, human trafficking is currently the second largest criminal industry in the
<br />world after drug dealing, and is the fastest growing; and
<br />WHEREAS, victims of human trafficking can frequently be found in domestic labor
<br />situations, sweatshop factories, construction, farm work, hotel, restaurant and tourist
<br />industries, janitorial work, and the commercial sex industry; and
<br />WHEREAS, traffickers use force, fraud and coercion to draw victims into lives of
<br />servitude and abuse, frequently subjecting victims to rape, beatings, confinement, debt
<br />bondage, involuntary servitude, and psychological and emotional abuse; and
<br />WHEREAS, systematic approaches to detecting trafficking, creating protocols for
<br />assisting victims, providing services to trafficking victims, and holding traffickers
<br />accountable are all crucial steps in eradicating trafficking; and
<br />WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress responded to the problem of human trafficking by
<br />passing the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, a comprehensive
<br />statute designed to hold traffickers accountable and provide services for trafficking
<br />victims; and
<br />WHEREAS, North Carolina's location on the I-95 corridor, large military bases, large
<br />immigrant population and demand for immigrant labor creates an environment
<br />hospitable to trafficking in our area; and
<br />WHEREAS, U.S. government studies estimate that approximately 800,000 persons are
<br />trafficked across international borders each year, with 18,000 to 20,000 persons
<br />trafficked into the United States and thousands more trafficked domestically; and
<br />WHEREAS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates that 23% of those
<br />trafficked into the United States are trafficked into the southeast; and
<br />WHEREAS, the General Assembly of North Carolina passed House Bill 1896 into law in
<br />August, 2006, which addresses human trafficking and sexual servitude by increasing
<br />criminal penalties, especially for those individuals who harbor children; and
<br />WHEREAS, there are currently two anti-trafficking bills -Senate Bill 1079, sponsored by
<br />Senator Ellie Kinnaird, and House Bill 974 -being considered by the North Carolina
<br />General Assembly;
<br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of County
<br />Commissioners supports efforts locally, statewide, and nationally to combat human
<br />trafficking, including asking local state legislators to support the current legislation.
<br />This the 12'" day of June 2007.
<br />Moses Carey, Jr., Chair
<br />Orange County Board of
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