With overwhelming support, the House has approved more than a half dozen bills aimed at stopping the scourge of human trafficking in the Commonwealth. State Representative Aaron Bernstine appeared on Teleforum with Frank Sparks this mornimng and said the problem of human trafficking exists in big cities, small towns and everything in between…including Beaver County:

Human trafficking defined as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or purchase of persons for the sole purpose of exploitation. Since 2007, more than 1,200 human trafficking cases have been reported in the Commonwealth. In addition, Pennsylvania is ranked 10th on Insider Monkey’s list of top human trafficking states.

The International Labour Organization estimates human trafficking is a $150 billion industry, of which $99 billion is generated by sexual exploitation. Bernstine says that among the bills passed by the House are those that would increase penalties for anyone knowingly patronizing a victim of human trafficking and anyone connected to trafficking victims…

Other bills would assist victims and aim to increase resources and protections. To further draw attention to the problem, the House also approved a resolution to recognize the month of January 2020 as “National Human Trafficking Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.