HR6552, the Frederick Douglas Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 is a five-year reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, which expired September 30, 2021. HR6552 authorizes approximately $1 billion for FY 2022 through 2026 to continue currently enacted appropriation and authorization levels for successful anti-trafficking programs. Additionally, the bill reauthorizes and enhances programs, strengthens laws, and adds accountability that reflects the critical need for prevention, protection, and prosecution to combat human trafficking domestically and abroad.

Human trafficking is the second most profitable criminal enterprise in the world.

The federal Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act defines human trafficking, in part, as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purposes of commercial sex acts or labor services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Human trafficking is a unique crime, and one that is often hard to identify, investigate, and prosecute. Human trafficking activities often occur in conjunction with other crimes, which may mask the trafficking components of the activities. Victims of human trafficking may be unwilling or afraid to cooperate with first responders, law enforcement, and victim advocates. Language and cultural barriers can hinder even voluntary communication with trafficking victims.

The State Department estimates there are about 24.9 million victims of human trafficking worldwide at any given time. However, human trafficking is also a domestic issue. Between 2007 and 2020, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 73,946 cases of human trafficking in the United States. Across the country, traffickers compel victims to engage in commercial sex and to work in both legal and illicit industries and sectors, including hospitality, agriculture, janitorial services, construction, landscaping, restaurants, factories, salon services, massage parlors, retail services, drug smuggling and distribution, child care, and domestic work.

While trafficking affects all demographics, traffickers often target vulnerable populations that are marginalized by society. This includes people who may be homeless or housing insecure; live in poverty; involved in the juvenile and criminal legal systems; involved in foster care; a member of the LGBTQIA+ community; a member of a racial or ethnic minority; have developmental or physical disabilities; or undocumented. In a report by the Office of Victims of Crime, of the confirmed sex trafficking victims, 40.4% of victims were African-American. This is almost four times higher than the percentage of African-Americans living in the United States, which the U.S. Census Bureau currently lists as 13.4% of the total population. The FBI claims an even more surprising statistic for arrests under the age of 18, Black children make up 57.5 % of all prostitution-related arrests in the U.S.

$1 Billion in funding that prevents human trafficking, prosecutes traffickers, and protects victims is at risk.

To break the cycle of exploitation and victimization, funds are needed to raise awareness of human trafficking and support victims through trauma-informed services. Victims of human trafficking are robbed of their identities and their self-esteem. Many have already experienced severe trauma from physical and psychological abuse before they became victims of human trafficking. Once survivors leave their traffickers, they have a variety of immediate, short-and long-term needs that must be addressed. This includes ensuring safety; finding medical care, food, shelter, clothing, and counseling; and acquiring identification, language interpretation services, and legal and immigration assistance. By addressing the complex needs of survivors, Congress can help to mitigate the vulnerability that can lead to re-trafficking or other forms of exploitation and, ultimately, help victims in their journeys towards healing. However, it is important to note that survivors are often met with substantial challenges while seeking basic services. For instance, many programs may be underfunded or ill-equipped to handle the high demand for services. This reaffirms the crucial need to pass HR6552 to ensure that survivors do not lose the critical services available to help them live self-determined lives. HR6552 reauthorizes annually: $16 million to the State Department’s Diplomatic and Consular programs; $89.5 million to State Department anti-trafficking programs, including $37.5 million to the Program to End Modern Slavery; $25 million to Health and Human Services for victim benefits and assistance, including $5 million to the National Human Trafficking Hotline; and $77 million for Department of Justice victim protection services, including $35 million for Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Human Trafficking. Losing this funding would be devastating to victims of human trafficking and to the agencies and organizations that serve them.

Accordingly, HR6552, the Frederick Douglas Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 as necessary in the prevention, protection, and prosecution to combat human trafficking domestically and abroad and urge its passing.