Heitkamp Joins Bipartisan Group of Senate Women in Call for Action Against Human Trafficking Ahead of International Women's Day

Press Release

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today joined a bipartisan group of women in a call to action against human trafficking across the United States and around the world. The effort to combat human trafficking comes ahead of International Women's Day on Saturday, March 8 -- a globally recognized day which is dedicated to the advancement of a bright, safe, and rewarding future for women and girls worldwide.

This united push to crack down on human trafficking follows Heitkamp's efforts to raise awareness about the harsh realities of sex trafficking and to fight back against the crime. Last month, Heitkamp joined a bipartisan group of all 20 women Senators in calling for a Senate hearing on sex trafficking -- which the Senate Committee on the Judiciary agreed to and held last week -- an effort that built on momentum from the hearing Heitkamp held in September 2013 on combating human trafficking. Before her hearing in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, there had been little discussion on the issue in the Senate. Heitkamp's hearing focused on efforts underway at the federal, state, and local levels to combat trafficking, including in Indian Country.

As a result of this combined push, two bipartisan bills to raise awareness about human and sex trafficking-related crimes -- which Heitkamp specifically pushed for throughout the last year and a half -- unanimously passed last week in the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Heitkamp has been a leader in the Senate and in North Dakota on the effort to combat these crimes and will continue to take steps toward prosecuting its perpetrators and providing services for victims in North Dakota and nationwide.

"Standing up to horrific crimes that violate the basic human rights of any person -- man, woman, or child -- requires standing with a united front. And that's exactly what my colleagues and I are doing today," said Heitkamp. "By standing against human trafficking today, we are showing our firm resolve to prosecute the perpetrators and provide the necessary services for the victims. We must give voice to the voiceless on this issue, which exactly what I've worked to do since the hearing I held in 2013 on how federal resources were being used in the fight against human trafficking -- and we're finally beginning to see momentum. After the Senate women from both sides of the aisle spoke loud and clear on the need to follow up on these efforts, the Senate Judiciary Committee heeded our call -- holding a hearing to examine these crimes and address the needs of victims, then unanimously passing two bills I've been fighting for that will raise awareness about the issue. This upcoming International Women's Day could not come at a better time -- as men and women around the world look to find ways to make sure women and girls live in a brighter, safer world, the United States is paving a clear path forward to eradicate human trafficking. I'll continue to fight with my colleagues for the tools our communities need to keep our future generations stronger, safer, and standing taller in years to come."

Heitkamp worked on and supported bills to fight this growing threat by focusing on providing much-needed support for victims -- both of which unanimously passed the in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. The Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act -- which Heitkamp helped introduce -- is modeled after Minnesota's "Safe Harbor" law and would enable minors involved in sex trafficking to come forward and be treated as victims, not criminals. Additionally, the bill would improve victims' access to resources to help them recover and give prosecutors more tools to address sex trafficking. The Senate Judiciary Committee also passed the Heitkamp-backed Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which would help increase resources for law enforcement, improve victims' support services, and strengthen penalties against perpetrators of sex trafficking and human trafficking. In addition, Heitkamp has advocated for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Prevention Act to be brought to the Senate floor -- the legislation she helped introduce last fall would work to protect some of North Dakota's most vulnerable against human trafficking to be brought to the Senate floor

Heitkamp has been working to stop the pipeline of sex trafficking in North Dakota and throughout the United States and raise awareness of both sex and human trafficking. In the past year, Heitkamp has led three training sessions in North Dakota with U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials to train North Dakotans, women leaders in the state, and law enforcement and victims service providers on how to identify, report, and investigate incidents of human trafficking.

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