PRINTER'S NO. 1473
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
282
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER, PHILLIPS-HILL, FONTANA,
KEARNEY, SCAVELLO, BROWNE, MARTIN, J. WARD, DINNIMAN, BLAKE,
COSTA, KILLION, HUGHES, MASTRIANO, SCHWANK, SANTARSIERO,
MENSCH, AUMENT, PITTMAN, TARTAGLIONE, BAKER, K. WARD,
YUDICHAK AND MUTH, JANUARY 27, 2020
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JANUARY 27, 2020
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of January 2020 as "National Slavery and
Human Trafficking Prevention Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has a tradition of advancing
fundamental human rights; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative to eliminate human trafficking,
including early or forced marriage, commercial sexual
exploitation, forced labor, labor obtained through debt bondage,
involuntary servitude, slavery and slavery by descent; and
WHEREAS, To combat human trafficking in this Commonwealth and
globally, Pennsylvania's State and local government officials
must be aware of the realities of human trafficking and be
dedicated to stopping this contemporary manifestation of
slavery; and
WHEREAS, Efforts should be made to actively oppose all
individuals, groups, organizations and nations who support,
advance or commit acts of human trafficking and work to end
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
human trafficking in this Commonwealth and around the world
through education; and
WHEREAS, Victims of human trafficking need support in order
to escape and recover from the physical, mental, emotional,
sexual and spiritual trauma associated with their victimization;
and
WHEREAS, Human traffickers use many physical and
psychological techniques to control their victims, including the
use of violence or threats of violence against the victim or the
victim's family, isolation from the public, isolation from the
victim's family and religious or ethnic communities, language
and cultural barriers, shame, control of the victim's
possessions, confiscation of passports and other identification
documents, threats of arrest, deportation or imprisonment and
withholding or depriving the victim's basic needs to survive,
such as shelter, food, nutrition, medication, health care and
essential goods, if the victim attempts to reach out for
assistance or to leave; and
WHEREAS, Although laws to prosecute perpetrators of human
trafficking and assist and protect victims of human trafficking
have been enacted in the United States, awareness of the issues
surrounding human trafficking by those people most likely to
come into contact with victims is essential for effective
enforcement because the techniques that traffickers use to keep
their victims enslaved severely limit self-reporting; and
WHEREAS, The effort by individuals, businesses, organizations
and governing bodies to promote the observance of "National
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month" in January of
each year represents one of the many examples of the ongoing
commitment to raise awareness of and to actively oppose human
20200SR0282PN1473 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
trafficking; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of January 2020
as "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate support the goals and ideals of
"National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month" during
January 2020 and all other efforts to raise awareness of and
opposition to human trafficking.
20200SR0282PN1473 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8