LWV Wisconsin supports community-wide collective impact efforts to eliminate human trafficking of adults and children, especially sex trafficking. Further, LWV Wisconsin endorses and supports the collaborative work of county health and human service departments, law enforcement agencies and multiple nonprofit agencies such as Sexual Assault Crisis Centers and Counseling.
Position was adopted by concurrence from LWV Appleton by members at the LWVWI Annual Meeting in 2019.
Whereas the LWV-US opposes all forms of domestic and international human trafficking of adults and children, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking; and
Whereas the LWV-US believes that legislation and changes in public policy should be taken to prevent human trafficking; and
Whereas the LWV-US urges that prosecution and penalization of traffickers and abusers should be established and existing laws should be strictly enforced; and
Whereas the LWV-US recommends extensive essential services be applied where needed and education and awareness programs be established in our communities and in our schools; and
Whereas police records indicate a significant presence of sex trafficking in certain areas of Wisconsin.
LWV Wisconsin supports community-wide collective impact efforts to eliminate human trafficking of adults and children, especially sex trafficking. Further, LWV Wisconsin endorses and supports the collaborative work of county health and human service departments, law enforcement agencies and multiple nonprofit agencies such as Sexual Assault Crisis Centers and Counseling.
• Prevention: through raising awareness and educating the community and elected officials, including citizens, elected officials at all levels, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, judges, medical and mental health professionals, school personnel, adoption agencies and others. Also by reducing community factors that lead to vulnerability of our youth, including poverty, serious family conflict, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home placement, running away from home, etc.
• Protection: through providing safe housing for adult and juvenile victims and their families to protect them from harm from her/his traffickers and provide guardianship/protective custody for trafficked minors.
• Treatment: through providing all needed services for victims from arrest to normalcy, requiring strong collaboration across all relevant agencies: safe housing/safety and security, self-care training, medical services, legal services, trauma counseling and therapy, job training, financial training, addiction services, education, etc.
• Prosecution: through updated laws and public policies, applying appropriately severe penalties including rehabilitation services to perpetrators (pimps, johns and other exploiters of the victims), and seeking to protect rather than prosecute victims.
