New law will help protect kids from human trafficking

There are signs of human trafficking all around us. But, like most of us, if you don’t know what to look for you probably miss them.

The same is true for our children. Not only do they not know what to look for, but they are also especially vulnerable because of their age and their access to technology. However, when someone, especially a young person, knows how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, they can — and do — avoid becoming victims.

Because of forward-thinking legislators and a governor committed to protecting our children, every student in California will learn about both sex and labor trafficking and how to avoid victimization.

The Human Trafficking Prevention Education and Train- ing Act was introduced as AB 1227 by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D- Oakland, and sponsored by the California-based nonprofit 3Strands Global Foundation. With Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature, it has made California a national and global leader in the fight against human trafficking.

Beginning Jan. 1, California public schools will be required to provide our school-age population with comprehensive human trafficking prevention education. This will protect our most vulnerable youth by teaching them how to avoid victimization, better understand the problem and recognize trafficking tactics.

According to Bonta, “It is necessary for counties to implement comprehensive prevention education and training procedures in order to reduce incidents of human trafficking.

“By training teachers and administrators about the signs of human trafficking and their county’s response protocol, we can help provide the tools necessary to identify when a child is at risk of being trafficked and connect them with the services they need.”

Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal enterprise, generating an estimated $150 billion a year in global revenue. In 2016, there were more than 40 million victims of modern slavery worldwide. More than 1 million children globally and at least 100,000 people in the United States are commercially sexually exploited every year.

Because of California’s homeless and foster youth populations, immigrant communities, and industries that may be vulnerable to forced labor practices, California has the highest human trafficking rates in the nation. According to Assembly- man Evan Low, D- Campbell, “AB 1227 will provide instructors and students with valuable tools to help combat this terrible crime.”

More than 70 percent of those who suffer from human trafficking do not know they are victims. This is why it is so vital that AB 1227 has amended the education code to require that school personnel learn how to understand and recognize human trafficking. San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan states that “AB 1227 will also help train educators, among others, on how to identify children who may be at risk of being exploited and what to do about it.”

Brown’s signing of AB 1227 is a groundbreaking commitment to protect California’s children, arming students with tools to fight exploitation. By increasing education and awareness about human trafficking in California, we will continue to fight human exploitation and empower our youth.

The goal is to not only identify students who are actively being trafficked, but also to reduce the number of students who could become victims, buyers or traffickers. Successful education has the potential to prevent the trauma endured by those who are exploited.

We are profoundly grateful that Brown stood with us to make sure that California has the opportunity to prevent the exploitation of our children. We look forward to its implementation and the positive impact it will have on California’s children.