Dated: January 25, 2023
RECOGNITION OF JANUARY AS NATIONAL SLAVERY AND
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE BAY AREA
WHEREAS, 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 nongovernmental organizations to identify and address human trafficking within San Mateo County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of South San Francisco does hereby proclaim January 2023 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and encourages its employees and residents to support the County of San Mateo’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking.
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Buenaflor Nicolas, Mayor
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Mark Nagales, Vice Mayor
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Mark Addiego, Councilmember
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James Coleman, Councilmember
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Eddie Flores, Councilmember