The House has voted to send to the Pennsylvania Senate legislation aimed at extending help to those forced or coerced against their will into labor or sexual exploitation, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).
House Bill 235 would require advertisement of the National Human Trafficking Resource Hotline in various establishments across the state. The hotline directs individuals to a national, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week, toll-free call center that refers callers to local agencies that can provide a range of comprehensive services, including crisis intervention.
Under the bill, the hotline would have to be advertised in establishments where victims are most likely to be found, such as: massage parlors, spas, restaurants, bars, taverns, hotels, airports, train stations and bus stations. It would also apply to adult entertainment enterprises and clubs that hold a valid liquor, malt or brewed beverage license. Establishments that fail to post the signs would be subject to civil penalties.
Human trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world, with an estimated 27 million victims around the globe.