NATIONAL

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, provides the tools to combat trafficking in persons both worldwide and domestically. The Act authorized the establishment of the State Department’s TIP Office and the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to assist in the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts.

STATE

The New York State Human Trafficking Law, was signed into law on June 6, 2007. This law is unique in that it imposes substantial penalties on traffickers for the use of subtle yet powerful manipulation tactics. The statute also targets buyers of sex in addition to traffickers.

Another law, enacted in 2008, is called the Safe Harbor Act. This law mandates that children arrested on prostitution charges be treated as victims and their cases be handled under the Persons In Need of Supervision sections of the Family Court Act.