HARTFORD - State Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, hailed House passage of legislation (HB
5666) that strengthens the state’s human trafficking and prostitution laws.
“Prostitution
is not a victimless crime,” Conroy said. “Every year women and
children are forced into the meat grinder that is the sex industry. This legislation
targets those that profit from prostitution and hits them in the
wallet.”
According
to the state’s Permanent Commission of the Status of Women, the
state identified 100 human trafficking victims between 2008 and 2011 –
82 were
children and all were female.
The Commission's
executive director, Teresa Younger said, “We applaud the members of the
House on their passing of an enlightened piece of public policy that
strengthens the laws
on the books and sends a very clear message about how seriously
Connecticut takes the deplorable crime of human trafficking.”
This bill closes a loophole in current law (Public
Act 10-112) that establishes a civil forfeiture procedure
for seize tainted funds and property from sexual offenses.
The law currently does not include prostitution and promoting prostitution on the list of offenses that would trigger a forfeiture of funds or property.
The law currently does not include prostitution and promoting prostitution on the list of offenses that would trigger a forfeiture of funds or property.
The
legislation increases criminal penalties for anyone hiring persons
under the age of 18 for sex, makes it easier to convict the perpetrators
of human trafficking and
allows the courts to vacate criminal convictions involving victims of
trafficking.
This information is taken from a press release from Conroy's office.
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