Critical anti-human trafficking bill approved by PA House, Senate

The Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking (BCAT) and other regional anti-human trafficking advocates are applauding the General Assembly passage yesterday of Pennsylvania’s Senate Bill 75, which sets forth important anti-human trafficking legislation.

In a joint statement issued yesterday, BCAT and Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group (PAHTAWG) said:

“BCAT and PAHTAWG are thrilled with the General Assembly’s passage of Senate Bill 75, as a result of today’s concurrence vote by the Senate.

“Currently, Pennsylvania is one of only two states in the country, the other being Colorado, that lacks a comprehensive legal definition of human trafficking. Senate Bill 75 will address this critical need, strengthen protections for victims of human trafficking, and will help to bring the perpetrators of this horrific crime to justice.

“The General Assembly’s passage of Senate Bill 75 is a huge step forward for Pennsylvania, which could not have been achieved without the support and leadership of members of the House and Senate, particularly Senator Stewart Greenleaf, Senator Andy Dinniman and Senator Daylin Leach.

“We look forward to the Governor signing the bill into law.”

The statement was released by BCAT co-chairs Kathy Bennett, associate director of Network of Victim Assistance in Bucks County, and Lucianna Alderfer, and PAHTAWG co-chairs Jen Horwitz, MSPPM, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy for WOMEN’S WAY and co-chair of the Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition’s Advocacy & Outreach Committee, and Kathy Weir, Esq., chair of the Legislative Committee for the Chester County Anti-Trafficking Coalition.

BCAT acknowledges that forms of slavery still exist in the modern era, and is committed to stopping human traffickers. Human trafficking includes children involved in the sex trade, adults age 18 or over who are coerced or deceived into commercial sex acts, and anyone forced into different forms of labor, such as domestic workers held in a home or farm-workers forced to labor against their will.

BCAT was founded a year and a half ago with a mission to eradicate human trafficking through a four-pronged strategy: victim focus by working with existing organizations to prevent, intervene and rehabilitate victims; community awareness through education and outreach; prosecution and law enforcement training; and public policy through advocating for effective legislation.

All are welcome to learn more about the very real problem of trafficking and fight towards ending modern-day slavery. To learn more about the Bucks Coalition Against Trafficking, visit the coalition website at www.bcatpa.org.