The bill would extend current funding for anti-trafficking programs, bolster survivor support, and strengthen global partnerships against trafficking.

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, January 9, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Exodus Road, a leading organization in the global anti-trafficking sector, officially announces its robust support for U.S. H.R. 5856, known as the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023. The bill, sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), promises to extend essential funding and strengthen measures against the rampant global crisis of human trafficking.

Laura Parker, CEO of The Exodus Road, remarked on the urgency and importance of this legislation, “Human trafficking continues to have a widespread and life-changing impact on millions of the most vulnerable in our societies. It represents a systemic and expanding human rights violation of our time, and we need policymakers to continue to lead the effort in valuing the lives and freedom of every man, woman, and child. H.R. 5856 is an excellent step towards ensuring those freedoms globally in the anti-trafficking sector, and The Exodus Road is in full support.”

H.R. 5856 is a comprehensive response to a global crisis, extending current funding for anti-trafficking programs and introducing critical initiatives like the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants. These grants are vital for empowering communities with the knowledge and tools to identify and combat trafficking threats.

The bill also extends grants, improves tier standards for evaluating countries' efforts against trafficking, and enhances USAID's prevention efforts. It ensures that development and humanitarian aid do not inadvertently contribute to trafficking and includes reports to monitor organ harvesting for the purpose of trafficking.

Additionally, the bill introduces a human trafficking survivors' employment and education program, authorizing Health and Human Services (HHS) to collaborate with NGOs to provide comprehensive services to survivors. These services can include housing assistance, mental health care, educational support, job skills training, and more.

The Exodus Road's extensive experience collaborating with law enforcement and community partners drives their recognition of the critical need for the measures proposed in H.R. 5856. "This year alone, The Exodus Road has worked alongside law enforcement in six countries combatting cases of organ trafficking, forced labor, the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC), and commercial sex trafficking cases involving male, female, and gender-nonconforming survivors of a sweeping variety of backgrounds and ages," added Parker.

As a signatory of numerous collective calls for justice and human rights, The Exodus Road stands united with fellow anti-trafficking organizations in urging swift and decisive Congressional action on H.R. 5856. "This legislation is a comprehensive step to achieving a new global reality as it relates to human trafficking. Now, more than ever, we must rally together, leveraging our collective voice and resources, to ensure the passage of this crucial legislation. We call upon our supporters, partners, and policymakers to stand together in this vital moment," Parker stated.

The Exodus Road remains steadfast in its commitment to envisioning a world where no human is bought, sold, or exploited. For further details on The Exodus Road's endorsement of H.R. 5856 and to understand more about the fight against human trafficking, refer to their in-depth article, A Vital Step in the Global Fight Against Human Trafficking: The Urgent Need to Pass H.R. 5856.

About The Exodus Road

The Exodus Road is a global nonprofit disrupting the darkness of modern-day slavery by partnering with law enforcement to fight human trafficking crime, equipping communities to protect the vulnerable, and empowering survivors as they walk into freedom. Working side-by-side with local staff, NGO partners, and law enforcement around the world, The Exodus Road fights to liberate trafficked individuals, arrest traffickers, and provide restorative care for survivors. Since its founding in 2012, the organization has assisted police in the rescue of 2,400 survivors and the arrests of more than 1,200 offenders, numbers that grow almost daily. The Exodus Road’s approach to freedom incorporates intervention, training and education, and aftercare efforts.

In training and education, The Exodus Road offers a suite of online and in-person curriculums, including: TraffickWatch: Brazil, an online training curriculum specifically designed for law enforcement partners; INFLUENCED, a curriculum equipping United States parents and teens to participate in the online world while avoiding the dangers of exploitation; and Equip and Empower, a human trafficking prevention education curriculum for at-risk youth in Thailand. Cumulatively, the organization has trained more than 27,000 officers and citizens through their educational curriculums.

The Exodus Road combats human trafficking in the U.S., Thailand, the Philippines, India, Brazil, and in another undisclosed Latin American country. The nonprofit was founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2012, and its U.S. country headquarters still call the city home.

For additional information or to make a donation to help stop human trafficking, please visit The Exodus Road’s website at https://theexodusroad.com/, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Preston Goff
The Exodus Road
+1 719-941-9755
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.