HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-06 Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month ,.r .�,t Cityof South Bend
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Tim Scott January 23, 2019
Filed in Clerk's Office
President
Oliver Davis [ JAN232019
Vice-President South Bend Common Council
4th Floor, County-City Building KAREENiAN r WLER
Gavin Ferlic South Bend, IN 46601 CITY CLERK,SOUTH BEND.IN
Chairperson,Committee
of the Whole
Re: A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND,
Tim Scott INDIANA WARNING AREA RESIDENTS OF THE DANGERS AND PREVALENCE OF
First District HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THIS AREA
Regina Williams-Preston
Second District
Sharon L.McBride Dear Council Members:
Third District
Jo M.Broden Human Trafficking is a global abomination that reaches even into our community.
Fourth District Many people, however, do not realize the dangers that face young people in our
Jake Teshka community. I am filing this proposed resolution for consideration at the January
Fifth District 28, 2019 Council meeting to not only inform our residents of the dangers in our
Oliver Davis area, but also to identify resources for those who want more information or who
Sixth District need to take action. I hope that each member of the Common Council will support
the resolution.
Gavin Ferlic
At Large
John Voorde Thank you for your consideration.
At Large
Karen White
At Large
Sincerely Yours,
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Jake Teshka, South Bend Common Council
Member, District 5
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BILL NO. 19-06
RESOLUTION NO. 4759-19
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA WARNING
AREA RESIDENTS OF THE DANGERS AND PREVALENCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THIS AREA
members of the public are generally aware of, and are sympathetic to, those who face the dangers
of human trafficking; and
Ofimmii,the true nature and extent of this crime against helpless individuals is nothing less than staggering;
and
G, The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 defines sex trafficking as, "a commercial sex act
that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not
attained 18 years of age." 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
Ifc.s,human trafficking is the fastest growing and second largest criminal enterprise in the world today,
generating an estimated $150 billion dollars annually; and
throughout the world over 27 million people are exploited through human trafficking with an
estimated 300,000 American youths at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation with an
additional 14,500-17,500 humans trafficked into the United States annually; and
41‘.0=4 these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg due to underreporting and with the number of cases
increasing exponentially each year through the use of social media and the internet; and
6Xf.ead, South Bend and the surrounding areas are not safe from these dangers as shown by the recent
discovery and rescue of five victims in southwest Michigan and the arrests of traffickers in South Bend and Ft.
Wayne in late 2017 as part of an FBI nationwide operation, which in a four-day period, rescued 84 minors and
arrested 120 traffickers; and
G,i the youngest victim recovered in the FBI operation was 3 months old and the average age of the
victims being 15.; and
the children and young adult victims are not just nameless and faceless unknowns, but include
our sons, daughters, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and the children playing outside next door; and
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Of it is no longer enough to know"of'the problem, but now necessary to know"about"the problem
by independently seeking out information and, more importantly, when seeing anything that raises suspicion,
doing something to inform the proper authorities or agencies.
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Section I. Human trafficking in any form is morally reprehensible and contrary to our cherished
freedoms.
Section II. Everyone has a duty to do what is in their ability to end human trafficking and protect the
victims.
Section III. In addition to local and regional First Responders, the following are some of the resources
available to learn more or to take action:
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888; (TTY: 711); Text 233733;
Indiana Attorney General: https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2963.htm
Indiana Trafficking Victim Assistance Program: http://www.indysb.org/itvap
Polaris Project: https://polarisproject.org/
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign: https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign
In Our Backyard: http://inourbackyard.org/
Section IV. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from after its adoption by the Common
Council and approval by the Mayor.
Dia 28,4,fanaarf 20/9
Tim Scott, 1st District Council Member Oliver J. Davis, 6th District Council Member
Regina Williams-Preston.,2"d District Council Member John Voorde,At Large Council Member
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Sharon L.McBride, 3'd District Council Member Gavin Ferlic,At Large Council Member
Jo M.Broden,4`11 District Council Member Karen L.White,At Large Council Member
Jake Teshka, 5t1 District Council Member Robert J. Palmer, Council Attorney
28'day,yjrznaa7 2019
Kareemah Fowler, City Clerk Pete Buttigieg,Mayor of South Bend, Indiana