Res. No. 1925
Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign S.1118, legislation that would amend the Social Security Act to better enable State child welfare agencies to prevent the sex trafficking of children and serve the needs of children who are victims of sex trafficking, and for other purposes.
By Council Members Palma, Barron, Brewer, Cabrera, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Eugene, Jackson, James, King, Koppell, Koslowitz, Mendez, Richards, Vann, Wills and Rodriguez
Whereas, Human sex trafficking is the most common form of modern-day slavery with victims being mostly women and children; and
Whereas, Domestic child sex trafficking is a serious problem in the United States, in which the U.S. is one of the top 3 destination countries for human trafficking; and
Whereas, There are an estimated 293,000 youth at risk of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking in the United States; and
Whereas, In 2007, 1,160 children were arrested in the U.S. for prostitution and commercial sex; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of Justice reports that between 2008 and 2010, 40% of the sex trafficking acknowledged in the United States involved the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children; and
Whereas, According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI"), the majority of child sex trafficking victims are runaways or have been thrown out of their homes, and consequently live on the streets; and
Whereas, Approximately ninety-five percent of suspected or confirmed child victims of sex trafficking that were taken in by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ("NCMEC") nationwide from 2004 to 2010 were classified as Endangered Runaways, defined as individuals that have run away and are in potentially dangerous situations; and
Whereas, In New York State, eighty-five percent of trafficking victims have been involved in the child welfare system; and
Whereas, The Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act of 2013, ("the bill"), amends part E, Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, of title IV of the Social Security Act; and
Whereas, If passed, this legislation would require state plans for foster care and adoption assistance to provide for each child under the state's placement, care, or supervision and to identify and document in agency records all children identified as victims of sex trafficking; and
Whereas, The bill also requires states to report within 24 hours, information on missing or abducted children to law enforcement authorities for entry into the National Crime Information Center ("NCIC") database within the FBI; and
Whereas, Additionally, the bill provisions require the NCIC, FBI, and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System ("AFCARS") to coordinate with state law enforcement, juvenile justice, and social service agencies in order to provide national information on the number of children in foster care identified as victims of sex trafficking; and
Whereas, The bill also amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 and states that any law enforcement agency that reported a missing child into the NCIC must notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and submit reports on the number of children reported missing from foster care, family homes, or childcare institutions; and
Whereas, The legislation also amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and requires that state plans include provisions and procedures for identifying and assessing all reports involving child victims of sex trafficking and additionally requires training for child protective service workers on identifying and providing such necessary services for them; and
Whereas, Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services ("HHS") to report to Congress on issues relating to identifying and providing services for victims of labor trafficking in the child welfare system; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign S.1118, legislation that would amend the Social Security Act to better enable State child welfare agencies to prevent the sex trafficking of children and serve the needs of children who are victims of sex trafficking, and for other purposes.
LS# 5003
NS/EH
8/16/13