The fight to combat modern
slavery ended one decade on a high note, and entered the next on yet again another high note. The new administration
has given considerable focus to the increasing the fight globally. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, continued to
raise her voice against human trafficking on December 2, 2009, the International Day for
the Abolition of Slavery, stating;
Modern slavery is a global phenomenon and must be addressed with
global partnerships between governments, non-governmental organizations, and civil society. Through new partnerships, the
United States and the international community will work to rescue and serve survivors, bring traffickers to justice, and create
a world where every person has the freedom and opportunity to fulfill his or her God-given potential.
On January 4th, President Barack Obama proclaimed January 2010 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention
Month. The announcement was set to preclude the
nation’s annual celebration of National Freedom Day on February 1. The announcement of this years recognition is hopefully only the beginning,
as currently Congress is looking to permanently set January as National Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Month, of which the Senate has already take action
to place a similar measure into consideration.
This Monday marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which was set by the 110TH CONGRESS - 1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 40 - CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, passed by the Senate on June 22, 2007. The resolution was established to support the goals and
ideals of observing an established National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness to be recognized each year on January 11.
The day is set to raise awareness of, and opposition to human trafficking/modern slavery, both domestically and across
the globe. In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11, 2010, various events will be taking place
across the country, so please look for events in your community…better yet, organize your own!
Trafficking
is all acts involved in the recruitment,
abduction, transport, harboring,transfer, sale or receipt of persons;
within national or across internationalborders; through force,
coercion, fraud or deception; to place persons insituations of
slavery or slavery-like conditions, forced labor or services, such asforced
prostitution or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshoplabor
or other debt bondage
