Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 97,which recognizes the month of January 2024 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in California. Last year, Senator Grove also authored Senate Bill 14, which classifies the crime of child sex trafficking as a serious felony and a strike offense under California’s Three Strikes law.
SB 14, which took effect January 1, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the state’s fight against child sex trafficking. Those who profit from the sale of children will face longer prison sentences, ensuring that justice is served and emphasizing California’s dedication to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.
"This new law sends a clear message to traffickers that we are not going to stand by and allow children to be exploited,” said Senator Shannon Grove. “If you sell a child for sex you are going prison for a very long time, where you can no longer commit this horrific crime."
California has sadly earned the distinction of being one of the largest sites of human trafficking in the United States. However, with the implementation of SB 14, California has sent a clear message that this crime must stop and we will not tolerate the exploitation of our children.
Although California is moving in the right direction to combat Human Trafficking, there remains a significant amount of work to address this crisis. In order to raise public awareness and promote education surrounding the prevalence of this crime, Senator Grove introduced SCR 97, which officially recognizes January 2024 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
"As a community, we must come together to promote awareness, educate ourselves and our loved ones, and take a stand against human trafficking," added Senator Grove. "Through SCR 97, we are declaring our state is committed to combating this form of modern slavery while offering support to survivors and their families."
Senator Shannon Grove urges every Californian to join her in observing National Human Trafficking Month by learning the signs of human trafficking at www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign. Together, we can make a difference and protect our children from the grips of exploitation.