1Designating January 2014 as "National Human Trafficking
2Awareness Month."

3WHEREAS, Human trafficking endangers the lives of millions of
4people around the world through domestic and transnational
5trafficking networks; and

6WHEREAS, Human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry
7that is one of the fastest growing criminal activities in the
8world; and

9WHEREAS, Human trafficking takes many forms, including forced
10labor, debt bondage, forced commercial sexual exploitation and
11involuntary domestic servitude; and

12WHEREAS, Victims of human trafficking are men, women and
13children of all ages, but disproportionally women and girls; and

1WHEREAS, There are at least 12.3 million victims of human
2trafficking worldwide; and

3WHEREAS, The Joint State Government Commission of the
4Commonwealth has reported that Pennsylvania is a pass-through
5state for human trafficking, as well as a source and destination
6for human trafficking victims; and

7WHEREAS, Many strides have been made to bring awareness to
8the issue of human trafficking, and more needs to be done to
9combat the perpetrators of these crimes; and

10WHEREAS, This Commonwealth stands with the victims of human
11trafficking around the United States and the rest of the world
12to bring traffickers to justice and empower survivors to reclaim
13their lives; and

14WHEREAS, Public awareness is essential to educate people
15about the signs and consequences of human trafficking and bring
16an end to the injustice suffered by the victims of this crime;
17therefore be it

18RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
19month of January 2014 as "National Human Trafficking Awareness
20Month" in order to bring awareness to the crime of human
21trafficking in this Commonwealth.