LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim May 13, 2014, as Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the State
of New York

WHEREAS, As part of executing its mission, the New York State Anti-Traf-
ficking Coalition seeks to eradicate human trafficking and to ensure the
use of best practices in the provision of effective and appropriate
services to trafficking victims through community outreach, education,
training, and policy development; and
WHEREAS, The Coalition is a group of organizations that have joined
forces to increase public awareness of human trafficking in our communi-
ties, enact anti-trafficking laws, improve law enforcement response and
increase social services to help victims escape trafficking; and
WHEREAS, New York is a leading entry, transit and destination point
for trafficking victims; and
WHEREAS, New York is committed to the abolition of human trafficking;
and
WHEREAS, Trafficking victims experience a host of health and mental
health-related consequences at far greater rates than their counterparts
who have not been trafficked; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, as many as 27 million women, men, and children were
trafficked according to the United States Department of State Traffick-
ing in Persons Report; and
WHEREAS, As many as 80% of trafficking victims are women and girls;
and
WHEREAS, Each year, 15,000 to 18,000 people are trafficked into the
United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and
WHEREAS, The demand for cheap labor and for prostitution has made
trafficking in persons a worldwide industry that generates $32 billion
annually; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, the average age of entry into prostitu-
tion is 13 years old and the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children estimates that over 100,000 American children and youth are
victims of sex trafficking; and
WHEREAS, Buying children for sex is child abuse; and
WHEREAS, Public awareness has the potential to increase the identifi-
cation and reporting of human trafficking by the public, professionals,
and victims themselves, and can act as a catalyst to promote long-term
prevention and abolition of this form of modern-day slavery; and
WHEREAS, Survivors of human trafficking have first-hand knowledge of
the trauma and severe violations that occur in trafficking situations,
but also have a deep understanding of necessary solutions for prevention
and response; and
WHEREAS, Listening to survivors and fostering survivor leadership
allows survivors to connect with their strength and resilience and is
critical in the fight to end human trafficking; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 13, 2014, as Human
Trafficking Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York, and the New York State Anti-Trafficking Coalition.