PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO TAKING A
STAND AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING
WHEREAS, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and January 11 is National Human Trafficking AwarenessDay; and
WHEREAS, The United States Senate designated January 11 as National Human Trafficking AwarenessDay in 2007 and, beginning in 2010 by Presidential Proclamation, each January has been designated National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; and
WHEREAS, human trafficking involves commercial sexual exploitation and labor exploitation. Sex trafficking is defined as “a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion,” but if the person has not attained the age of 18 years old, force, fraud or coercion is not required. Labor trafficking is defined as, “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.”; and
WHEREAS, human trafficking is a human rights violation, and a violation of both federal and California law, it also promotes the breakdown of families and communities, fuels organized crime, deprives countries of human capital, undermines public health, and imposes large economic costs; and WHEREAS, the crime of human trafficking is present in every country and every U.S. state; and WHEREAS, the FBI has identified California and the San Francisco Bay Area as an area of high prevalence for human trafficking. Although human trafficking is illegal, victims often do not recognize their victimization, do not know that help is available, or where to seek assistance; and WHEREAS, forced labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation of adults and youth and have been found to exist within local communities; and WHEREAS, public awareness about human trafficking still needs to reach broader communities and communicate more information about the nuances of this crime; and WHEREAS, the County of San Mateo has dedicated resources including the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program and has supported the efforts of the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff Association, and has partnered with other governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify and address human trafficking within San Mateo County.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of East Palo Alto, by adopting this resolution, does hereby proclaim January 2023 as HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH in the City of East Palo Alto; and does encourage its Council Members, Employees, and Residents to support the County of San Mateo’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking and take action in one or more of the following ways:
Report Suspicious Activity:
• Add the National Human Trafficking Hotline to your contacts: 1-888-373-7888 or text BE FREE (233733); and
• Call the Hotline to report suspicious activity.
Organize an Awareness Training for Your Workplace, Faith Community or Neighborhood Group:
• Contact the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program to learn about available training opportunities. Email [email protected] to make a training request.
Educate Yourself About Your Slavery Footprint and How to Buy Slave Free:
• Take the “slavery footprint” survey at slaveryfootprint.org • Check out the End Slavery Now website http://www.endslaverynow.org/act/buy-slave-free and learn how to be a better consumer and buy slave free
Get Involved:
• Join the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Initiative (SMCHTI) to help out with local educational and advocacy efforts. E-mail [email protected] to be added to the SMCHTI mailing list and find out about local events.
Encourage Businesses to Post Anti-Trafficking Poster:
• California Civil Code Section 52.6 requires certain businesses to post a notice that promotes resources available to victims of human trafficking and the community. • These businesses include:
o (1) On-sale general public premises licensees under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (Division 9 (commencing with Section 23000) of the Business and Professions Code ). o (2) Adult or sexually oriented businesses, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 318.5 ofthe Penal Code .
o (3) Primary airports, as defined in Section 47102(16) of Title 49 of the United States Code . o (4) Intercity passenger rail or light rail stations.
o (5) Bus stations.
o (6) Truck stops. For purposes of this section, “truck stop” means a privately owned and operated facility that provides food, fuel, shower or other sanitary facilities, and lawful overnight truck parking.
o (7) Emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals. o (8) Urgent care centers.
o (9) Farm labor contractors, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682 of the Labor Code . o (10) Privately operated job recruitment centers.
o (11) Roadside rest areas.
o (12) Businesses or establishments that offer massage or bodywork services for compensation and are not described in paragraph (1) ofsubdivision (b) of Section 4612 ofthe Business and Professions Code.
o (13) Hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 24045.12 of the Business and Professions Code , not including personal residences. • Where similar posting requirements have been enacted, there has been an increase in the number of reported human trafficking situations and rescues of victims. • A copy of the notice is available free of charge from the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program.
E-mail [email protected] to request a copy. • Encourage businesses to display the notice and participate in conducting compliance checks by contacting the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program email [email protected].
Dated: January 17, 2023
Lisa Gauthier, Mayor