California Assembly Members Miguel Santiago (D-53rd), Mike Gipson (D-64th), Blanca Rubio (D-48th), and Senator Henry Stern (D-27th) introduce comprehensive legislation and budget proposals to ensure California enacts better measures to prevent human trafficking.
Los Angeles, California – The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast) is proud to sponsor two state budget requests and comprehensive legislation that collectively work to ensure human trafficking can be prevented. As the largest service provider in the nation for survivors of human trafficking, Cast knows first-hand that California must do more in its 2020 legislative cycle to combat this crime.
“We must invest in training first responders across California to identify and prevent human trafficking. After 20 years of learning, we know that trafficking happens in diverse industries and locations, meaning California’s educators, child welfare workers, health care providers, and labor inspectors may not realize it, but quite often, they are on the front lines of this fight. It will take vigilance across our communities to end this scourge”
Senator Henry Stern
Through extensive research and national partnerships in the anti-trafficking movement over the last 22 years, Cast has identified that California is in need of a victim-centered approach to preventing human trafficking, focusing on identifying vulnerable populations and enacting measures that stop human trafficking before it starts.
It is time California ensures that all child victims—of sex and labor trafficking—are equally protected by our child welfare system. Through the bill I have introduced and asked the legislature to consider this year, all forms of trafficking can be prevented and early identified by those who are already on the ground and come into contact with trafficked children.”
California Assembly Member, Blanca Rubio
This Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Cast, its partners, and policy champions in the California legislature will ask California to consider a package of legislative and budgetary provisions as first steps in addressing the complex problem of human trafficking in a press conference.
“These proposals combined ensure that California begins to invest in the research and evaluation needed to eliminate human trafficking from our state, ensure the state is investing in early identification, prevention, and coordination of services statewide; and ensures that child victims of sex and labor trafficking are treated similarly in our child welfare system, so that all child victims of this crime receive the support they need and deserve.”
Kay Buck, CEO of Cast
Cast will hold a press conference in Sacramento on Wednesday, January 29, to examine an intersectional approach to human trafficking prevention that will enable California to take initial steps to eradicate this grave human rights abuse that is happening across the state. Speakers will include a trafficking survivor and policy leaders including California Assembly Members Miguel Santiago (D-53rd), Mike Gipson (D-64th), Blanca Rubio (D-48th), Senator Henry Stern (D-27th), and remarks made by Cast’s CEO, Kay Buck.
The press conference will begin at 11:30 am (PST) on the North (L Street) side of the Sacramento Capitol steps and is open to the public. For more information and registration please visit Eventbrite.com/Cast.
For all media inquiries please contact Danielle Wright at mediarequests@castla.org or (213) 201-6887.
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The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (Cast) is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that is working to put an end to human trafficking through providing comprehensive and life-transforming services to survivors and a platform to advocate for groundbreaking policies and legislative change. Cast is dedicated to enacting and implementing creative approaches to preventing human trafficking and best supporting those impacted at the local, state and federal level through its (add policy information in one sentence). To find out more visit: www.castla.org/human-trafficking/policy/