New laws target human trafficking

By Michael W. Savage
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 18, 2010

A burst of activity among state legislatures to target human trafficking has ushered in dozens of laws to step up criminal penalties against traffickers and offer new help to victims.

The laws focus on practices that have remained largely hidden -- traffickers who coerce victims into becoming prostitutes, forced laborers or domestic slaves. Some states have introduced measuresthat criminalize human trafficking specifically for the first time. Advocates say the efforts signal that lawmakers are gaining a fuller appreciation of the scope of human trafficking.

So far this year, more than 40 bills have been enacted and roughly 350 introduced. That compares to just eight bills adopted across the country in 2006, according to the Polaris Project, an anti-trafficking group based in the District.

Ann Morse, a director at the National Conference for State Legislators, said bills tackling human trafficking are "the latest big trend." The efforts have followed coverage of high profile cases and a growing grassroots campaign among advocates.

(More here.)