Are you a New York State resident? Write to your New York State Senator and Assembly Representative!
ECPAT USA asks for your support in contacting senators and assembly members in Albany to improve protection for children victimized in the human trafficking and sex trade. We specifically support passing a new law – the Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act (Paulin/Lanza, A.2240/S.2135) – to address shortcomings in the NY State law. The TVPJA would:
• recognize that buying children for sex is child abuse, and aligning penalties for patronizing with those for statutory rape of a child;
• acknowledge that all prostituted children under the age of 18 are trafficking victims, bringing State law in line with Federal law in removing the requirement of force, fraud or coercion in prosecutions for the sex trafficking of children;
• defend trafficked people from criminal prosecutions;
• improve victim access to social services;
• increase penalties for traffickers and close loopholes for exploiters;
• eliminate stigmatizing language for victims of trafficking.
TVPJA is supported by multiple advocacy groups members of the NY State Anti-Trafficking Coalition where ECPAT USA is a Steering Committee member. For more information about TVPJA click here TVPJA Outline-May2
If you would like to add your voice to this campaign, please fill in the information below. We will not sell your personal information or use it for any purpose other than sending out an Advocacy Letter on your behalf. Click here to see the letter. You may choose to keep informed about the outcome of this campaign.
Thank you for your support to protect child victims of the trafficking and sex trade in New York State!