Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation would Establish Penalties for Criminals Creating, Fueling Substance Abuse to Control Victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to crack down on drug-facilitated human trafficking. The Protecting Rights of Those Exploited by Coercive Trafficking (PROTECT) Act would specifically address the use of drugs to facilitate human trafficking and protect vulnerable victims of trafficking.
Human traffickers often introduce or exploit drug addiction to control or force victims into prostitution or forced labor. This compounds the trauma experienced by human trafficking victims and undermines recovery efforts for individuals suffering from addiction.
“We should do everything in our power to bring human traffickers to justice, particularly those who use drugs to control their victims,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to join this bipartisan legislation that will strengthen the penalties for these criminals and help ensure human traffickers are held accountable for their atrocious crimes.”
Senator Tillis introduced the legislation with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rob Portman (R-OH). U.S. Representatives John Ratcliffe (R-TX-4) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY-4) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.
The PROTECT Act would amend existing law to specify that the use of drugs or illegal substances to cause a person to engage in a commercial sex act or forced labor constitutes a form of coercion. The PROTECT Act also contains a provision to protect trafficking victims from prosecution, recognizing that victims are often forced to commit crimes by virtue of their own victimization.
The bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by a number of law enforcement organizations and human trafficking victim advocacy groups including: the Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriff’s Association, National District Attorney’s Association, Polaris Project, Shared Hope International, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Truckers against Trafficking.
A one-pager on the bill can be found HERE.
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