Cortez Masto to introduce human trafficking bill

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto Introduces Human Trafficking Bill

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., center, on Friday discusses the Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act with (from left) Awaken Executive Director Melissa Holland, Deal’s daughter, Jessica Dyess, Deal’s son, David, and his widow, Cathy.
Photo by Jessica Garcia.

Introduction

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., joined with the family of former Transportation Security Agency Jimmy Deal on Friday at the Bruce R. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Reno to mark the 10th anniversary of her law as attorney general that made human trafficking a felony in the state. She also announced she will be introducing legislation called the Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act in honor of Deal’s work helping survivors who sought to escape from their traffickers. Deal’s family, including his widow Cathy, daughter Jessica and her husband David and their daughters, were present for the announcement.

Continuing Jimmy Deal’s Legacy

Cortez Masto said she hoped her new bill would continue Deal’s legacy. “Jimmy Deal was always at the forefront,” she said. “Every time I came back through Reno, he would stop me and meet me at the airport to address human trafficking.”

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 5: Gender Equality
2. Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
3. Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
4. Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Human Trafficking in Nevada

• Nevada ranks second for states with the highest rates of human trafficking with 5.77 per 100,000 residents, according to the World Population Review report.
• Nevada recorded 201 cases from 571 tips, with most cases categorized as sex trafficking.
• Nevada recorded 157 sex trafficking incidents.

Impact of Legislation

Serena Evans, policy director for the Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, who provided opening remarks to Friday’s conference, said passage of Cortez Masto’s legislation a decade ago has been monumental in shifting how the community thinks about trafficking today. Washoe County Undersheriff Jeff Clark also shared how frustrated he was in a regional street enforcement unit before trafficking became a felony.

Melissa Holland, executive director of Awaken, a faith-based nonprofit in Reno that works to eliminate commercial sexual exploitation, said she was introduced to Deal in 2015 when Cortez Masto was attorney general and became aware of a victim who needed to leave the community immediately with her 5-year-old daughter. After calling friends in North Carolina who were willing to provide shelter for the both of them, Deal said he would assist without any hesitation. “He was the go-to guy and he made it happen for every survivor,” Holland said.

Other Legislation by Cortez Masto

• The Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act: Address missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous women and girls.
• The Debt Bondage Repair Bill: Protects the credit scores of trafficking survivors who have been financially exploited.
• The FIND Human Trafficking Act: Requires the Government Accountability Office to examine virtual currencies and the dark web in human and drug trafficking.
• The Safe Connections Act: Assists survivors of trafficking in keeping their phone line apart from a family plan while maintaining their own phone number as well as the privacy of survivors in need of protection.

In January, President Joe Biden signed two Cortez Masto bills as part of an anti-human trafficking legislation package. The Interdiction for the Protection of Child Victims of Exploitation and Human Trafficking Act bill trains officers to recognize and rescue at-risk, trafficked, and exploited children. The second bill is the Human Trafficking Online Research Act, which helps to combat human trafficking activity on social media platforms. The bill gives the National Science Foundation the ability to find out how social media, human trafficking, and online trafficking recruitment methods intersect and to investigate the preventive measures used by the social media platforms to help stop crime and raise awareness.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual exploitation.
• SDG 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
• SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of human trafficking cases reported and prosecuted.
• Number of survivors assisted and provided with support services.
• Number of bills passed and implemented to combat human trafficking.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: nevadaappeal.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.