WHEREAS, For more than two centuries, the United States has worked to advance the cause of freedom, serving as a beacon of hope for those who cherish liberty and opportunity and leading the fight for the dignity and inalienable rights of every person; and

WHEREAS, Classified as a felony, human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. It is a crime that involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to recruit, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain a person for the purpose of labor or sexual exploitation; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking was established by Congress and sits as the world’s preeminent human trafficking advisory body led by survivors of human trafficking and advises federal policy makers on antitrafficking policies; and

WHEREAS, The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated that there were 49,600,000 victims of human trafficking globally in 2021, of which 27,600,000 were in forced labor and 22,000,000 in forced marriage; and

WHEREAS, According to the ILO, of the total number of global human trafficking victims, 4,900,000 are women and girls in forced commercial sexual exploitation; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of State’s 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report, human trafficking cases have been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories. The United States is among the top three countries of origin of human trafficking victims; and

WHEREAS, In 2021, the National Human Trafficking Hotline stated that there were 1,334 cases of human trafficking documented in California, and in 2021 alone, federal law enforcement initiated more than 1,100 new investigations into human traffickers; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes the continuously growing crime of human trafficking within California due to its ever-increasing population, extensive international border, large immigrant population, and primary airports and harbors; and

WHEREAS, The State of California is committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, recovering victims, prosecuting offenders, advocating on behalf of victims, raising community awareness, and strengthening collaborative partnerships; and

WHEREAS, National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month culminates in the annual observation of National Freedom Day on February 1, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Founded on the principles of justice and fairness, the United States continues to lead the global movement to end modern slavery, with agencies and skilled professionals at the local, state, and national levels conducting investigations, collaborations, and trainings, organizing public outreach and promoting awareness, and directly assisting the victims of human trafficking; now, therefore, be it