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HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH
<br />WHEREAS, The United States Senate designated January 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness
<br />Day in 2007 and, beginning in 2010 by Presidential Proclamation, each January has been designated
<br />National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; and
<br />WHEREAS, human trafficking involves commercial sexual exploitation and labor exploitation. Sex
<br />trafficking is defined as "a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, " but if the
<br />person has not attained the age of 18 years old, force, fraud or coercion is not required. Labor trafficking
<br />is defined as, "the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or
<br />services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude,
<br />peonage, debt bondage, or slavery "; and
<br />WHEREAS, human trafficking is a human rights violation, and a violation of both federal and California
<br />law, it also promotes the breakdown offamilies and communities, fuels organized crime, deprives countries
<br />of human capital, undermines public health, and imposes large economic costs; and
<br />WHEREAS, the crime of human trafficking is present in every country and every U.S. state; and
<br />WHEREAS, the FBI has identified California and the San Francisco Bay Area as an area of high
<br />prevalence for human trafficking. Although human trafficking is illegal, victims often do not recognize their
<br />victimization, do not know that help is available, or where to seek assistance; and
<br />WHEREAS, forced labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation of adults
<br />and youth and have been found to exist within local communities; and
<br />WHEREAS, public awareness about human trafficking still needs to reach broader communities and
<br />communicate more information about the nuances of this crime; and
<br />WHEREAS, the County of San Mateo has dedicated resources including the San Mateo County Human
<br />Trafficking Program, and has supported the efforts of the San Mateo County Police Chiefs and Sheriff
<br />Association, and has partnered with other governmental and non-governmental organizations to identify
<br />and address human trafficking within San Mateo County;
<br />NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, DIANE HOWARD, MAYOR OF REDWOOD
<br />CITY, on behalf of the City Council and the people of Redwood City, do hereby proclaim January 2021
<br />as Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the City of Redwood City.
<br />Date: January 25, 2021
<br />Diane IYwwd, Atayor
<br />G ' elle Hale, Vice Mayor
<br />C
<br />Alicia Agu re, Coun l ber
<br />Lissette Espinoza-Garnica, Counc ber
<br />e Gee, Counci Member
<br />1 t ;X-7 /
<br />Diana Reddv[ Council Afem er
<br />Michael Smith, Council Member
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