1Recognizing January 11, 2013, as "National Human Trafficking 
2Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has a tradition of advancing
4fundamental human rights; and

5WHEREAS, It is imperative to eliminate human trafficking,
6including early or forced marriage, commercial sexual
7exploitation, forced labor, labor obtained through debt bondage,
8involuntary servitude, slavery and slavery by descent; and

9WHEREAS, To combat human trafficking in this Commonwealth and
10globally, the people of Pennsylvania and State and local
11governments must be aware of the realities of human trafficking
12and must be dedicated to stopping this contemporary
13manifestation of slavery; and

14WHEREAS, Efforts shall be made to actively oppose all
15individuals, groups, organizations and nations who support,
16advance or commit acts of human trafficking and to work to end
17human trafficking around the world through education; and

1WHEREAS, Victims of human trafficking need support in order
2to escape and to recover from the physical, mental, emotional
3and spiritual trauma associated with their victimization; and

4WHEREAS, Human traffickers use many physical and
5psychological techniques to control their victims, including the
6use of violence or threats of violence against the victim or the
7victim's family, isolation from the public, isolation from the
8victim's family and religious or ethnic communities, language
9and cultural barriers, shame, control of the victim's
10possessions, confiscation of passports and other identification
11documents and threats of arrest, deportation or imprisonment if
12the victim attempts to reach out for assistance or to leave; and

13WHEREAS, Although laws to prosecute perpetrators of human
14trafficking and to assist and protect victims of human
15trafficking have been enacted in the United States, awareness of
16the issues surrounding human trafficking by those people most
17likely to come into contact with victims is essential for
18effective enforcement because the techniques that traffickers
19use to keep their victims enslaved severely limit self-
20reporting; and

21WHEREAS, The effort by individuals, businesses, organizations
22and governing bodies to promote the observance of "National
23Human Trafficking Awareness Day" on January 11 of each year
24represents one of the many examples of the ongoing commitment to
25raise awareness of and to actively oppose human trafficking;
26therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the Senate support the goals and ideals of
28observing "National Human Trafficking Awareness Day" on January
2911, 2013, and all other efforts to raise awareness of and
30opposition to human trafficking; and be it further

1RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize January 11, 2013, as
2"National Human Trafficking Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania.