HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-16 ProclamationItem Number: 2.a.
CITY OF IOWA CITY
COUNCIL ACTION REPORT
January 16, 2024
Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness month
Attachments: Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Month proclamation
a, .
City of Iowa City
PROCLAMATION
Whereas, Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person
into commercial sex acts or labor services against their will. Exploitation of a minor for
commercial sex is human trafficking, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion was
used; and
Whereas, one of the world's fastest growing crimes is the buying and selling of people,
whose growth has been accelerated in recent years. Communities in rural Iowa are seeing
a significant increase in the number of children victimized by labor trafficking; and
Whereas, there is a large disparity between the number of persons victimized by this
horrific crime and the number of persons prosecuted as offenders, with more than 661
victims receiving services in Iowa's direct service programs in 2022, and only three
individuals being convicted in Iowa's federal courts for human trafficking, and four in
Iowa's state appellate courts; and
Whereas, every business, community organization, faith community, family and
individual can make a difference by working to protect the vulnerable within their sphere
of influence and;
Whereas, the City of Iowa City, joins Chains Interrupted in their dedication to
providing community outreach and education, legislative advocacy, training, promotion
of services to survivors of human trafficking, and collaboration with law enforcement.
Now, Therefore, I, Bruce Teague, Mayor of Iowa City, do hereby proclaim the month
of January to be
Human Trafficking Prevention
and Awareness month
in Iowa City and encourage all our citizens to become more informed on this growing
problem, to be vigilant and report suspicious activity, and to work towards solutions to
end trafficking in all its forms in our community. For assistance with this, reach out to
Chains Interrupted at (319) 364-0222. If you see something that doesn't look right, reach
out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Signed in Iowa City, Iowa,
this 2nd day of January 2024.