Legislation calls to increase battle against human trafficking, but some call it a paper tiger

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan heralded Tuesday’s House of Representatives passage of legislation to provide funding to train prosecutors and law enforcement officers to better battle human trafficking, as a crack down on a “vile and monstrous crime against women and children.”

The Put Trafficking Victims First Act provides federal grants for prosecutors and law enforcement officers to better investigate, prosecute and, hopefully, prevent human trafficking. The only problem is that it’s similar language to legislation passed two years ago under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which called for funding for the same things.

“This really isn’t a good start because if you look at the bill passed two years ago, it references all of the same things,” said Giselle Rodriguez, outreach coordinator for the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking. “That bill called for the Department of Justice to put funding toward all of the same things. The problem is, it never happened.”

The Suncoast area is considered to be the second most active area in the nation for human trafficking. Elizabeth Fisher, founder and head of Selah Freedom, headquartered in Sarasota, said, “Our region is a hotbed of human trafficking. We’re making progress in turning the tide and appreciate Congressman Buchanan’s attention to this too-often overlooked issue.”

Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, called it, “modern day slavery” and hopes the U.S. Senate will take action quickly as the bill advances to the next step. “Those responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Buchanan said in a press release Thursday.

But without funding, this bill, much like the 2015 bill, is nothing more than a paper tiger, Rodriguez said.

“On paper, this bill is wonderful and is exactly what is needed,” Rodriguez said. “But if it’s just paper, and nothing is put into action, then it’s worthless. Human trafficking victims are still there, and it’s getting harder and harder to get them the help they are entitled to another act passed in 2000.”

Though human trafficking agencies are making progress on an individual basis, it is difficult to keep up with the increasing problem. Human trafficking increased 36 percent in 2016 across the nation and the abduction of children account for half the cases. Florida overall is ranked third highest in human trafficking cases behind California and Texas. Florida saw a 54 percent increase in human trafficking cases in 2016.

“We are obviously in favor of this bill,” Rodriguez said. “But what needs to happen is to let our representatives know to urge that funding be put toward these issues. We are just seeing less and less money allocated. That’s the biggest challenge we face in Florida and throughout the nation.”

This story was originally published May 25, 2017 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Legislation calls to increase battle against human trafficking, but some call it a paper tiger."