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Bush signs ground-breaking human trafficking law
by Scott Gilbreath ~ December 23rd, 2008
President Bush today signed into law the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. This legislation is considered so important and valuable that he was applauded by a Democratic Congressional Representative, Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus.
“Thousands of human trafficking victims are being held in often deplorable conditions in cities and towns throughout America. Let there be no mistake: human trafficking is modern-day slavery,” Maloney said. “The bipartisan Wilberforce Act will dramatically strengthen our efforts to fight human trafficking, giving prosecutors the tools they need to hold traffickers accountable and providing a helping hand to victims, as well.”
It is estimated that 800,000 people, mostly women and children, are trafficked across international boundaries every year. Millions more are believed to be trafficked within their own country.
The state of Iowa had earlier passed its own anti-trafficking act. Yesterday the first person convicted under that act was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for enticing two teenage girls into prostitution.
Prosecutors allege [Leonard Ray] Russell took the girls to Davenport, Denison and Rockford, Ill., and had them perform at strip clubs and engage in prostitution over several days. The girls were 15 and 16 at the time.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said the case helped prosecutors understand that human trafficking is more common than they realized.
Marcia Ryan was arrested along with Russell and faces the same charges. She is alleged to have supplied the girls with illicit drugs and alcohol.
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December 24th, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Check out”happy endings” a doc film on Asian massage parlors in Rhode Island where prostitution is legal. Check the blog and youtube channel and leave comments. Sign up on the website to get updates on the release.
http://www.happyendingsdoc.com
http://happyendingsdoc.wordpress.com
http://www.youtube.com/happyendingsdoc
Some people think RI is a destination for traffickers because of the prostitution laws.
December 28th, 2008 at 11:06 PM
[...] MODERN SLAVERY, under our smug Canucki noses… Human traffickers have set up shop in Canada; Bush signs ground-breaking human trafficking law …. [...]
December 29th, 2008 at 06:15 AM
[...] MODERN SLAVERY, under our smug Canucki noses… Human traffickers have set up shop in Canada; Bush signs ground-breaking human trafficking law …. [...]