Item Description:
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Recognizing National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Hennepin County - offered by Commissioner Fernando
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WHEREAS:
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WHEREAS, human trafficking is defined as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of forced labor including domestic servitude, or commercial sex acts; and
WHEREAS, human trafficking remains a significant national and global public health and safety issue impacting individuals of all ages; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 27.6 million people are subjected to human trafficking globally, with cases reported in every U.S. state and territory; and
WHEREAS, human trafficking can happen to anyone, but certain populations are at greater risk, including marginalized communities and people affected by abuse, violence, poverty, unstable living situations, or social disconnection; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County is committed to ensuring that those impacted by human trafficking receive services that are trauma-informed and responsive to their individual needs; and
WHEREAS, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has a human trafficking unit, a detective assigned to work with the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force, and has recently partnered with the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office to expand awareness efforts; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County’s No Wrong Door program promotes prevention and early intervention for at-risk youth and supports victims and survivors of sex trafficking or exploitation by providing a range of services to help young survivors heal, including access to health care, counseling, emergency shelter, and case management; and
WHEREAS, Hennepin County’s Safe Spaces program features posters and phones in public bathrooms in county facilities, providing immediate and discreet assistance for individuals experiencing trafficking or domestic abuse; and
WHEREAS, every year since 2010, The President has designated January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month to raise awareness about how we can prevent this crime by learning how to identify and report human trafficking; therefore
Resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners hereby proclaims January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, with special focus on victims and those whose lives have been impacted by human trafficking.
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Background:
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Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval