“A lot of people are aware of the global human-trafficking problem, but many of us have no clue about the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and forced labor occurring right in our own backyard,” said Delvin, a retired Richland police officer who also is promoting the coalition and its meeting on a special legislative webpage.
“This is a billion-dollar industry and is occurring across the world, the United States, the Northwest, and right here in the Tri-Cities. We must do everything in our power to raise awareness of the problem, help give our law enforcement officials the additional tools they need to prevent and stop these crimes, and provide help for the victims.”
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that includes but is not limited to forced labor, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, child prostitution and forced marriages by use of fraud and/or coercion. An estimated 15,000 people are trafficked into the country each year and forced into prostitution or manual labor, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Finding a solution to this problem is what the Tri-Cities Coalition to Stop Human Trafficking is all about,” said Delvin.
The three Soroptimist clubs in the Tri-Cities are sponsoring the coalition and its first meeting. Featured participants will include Tirsa Butler of Soroptimist International of 3 Rivers, Rose Gundersen of Washington Engage, Kennewick police chief Ken Hohenberg, Benton County prosecutor Andy Miller, Richland police chief Chris Skinner, Franklin County prosecutor Shawn P. Sant, and others.
Public-policy efforts to combat child prostitution and human trafficking have been under way in Washington for years. A task force on human-trafficking operations was formed in 2002, and the following year Washington was the first state to criminalize trafficking. Every year since, laws have been added to the books and/or funding provided to strengthen penalties against traffickers and improve support services to victims.
This year Delvin led the effort to pass a measure that permits law enforcement to record a communication with one party’s consent if there is probable cause to believe the communication involves the crimes of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor, or promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
The measure was just one in a series of bills introduced by Delvin and Seattle Democratic Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles during the 2011 legislative session to help combat human trafficking and support the victims of these crimes. It went into effect on Aug. 1.
“The success of this year’s legislative efforts to curb human trafficking was just a beginning,” said Delvin. “I look forward to working with community leaders, local law enforcement, and organizations like the Soroptimists, Washington Engage and Shared Hope International to raise awareness of this issue and make sure we in the Tri-Cities do everything we can to bring an end to the abuse of our children.”
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