California

Nicknamed the “Golden State,” California is the third largest state in area after Alaska and Texas. The discovery of gold and the immigration in 1849 of thousands of “forty-niners” in search of the precious metal helped California’s admission into the Union in 1850. Today, California, land of the giant redwoods, has the highest population of any state in the nation and is America’s principal agricultural state. It is also the home of Hollywood, the center of America’s movie and television industry. Its capital is Sacramento and the state flower is the golden poppy.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all over the world, including in California. It is defined as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit someone for the purpose of forced labor, sexual exploitation, or other forms of abuse. Human trafficking can take many forms, including labor trafficking, domestic servitude, and sex trafficking.

In California, human trafficking is a major problem, particularly in urban areas. There have been many reported cases of labor trafficking in industries such as agriculture, restaurants, and domestic work. There have also been numerous cases of sex trafficking, particularly in the illegal commercial sex industry.

To combat this issue, California has enacted laws to criminalize human trafficking and provide support for victims. The California Department of Justice has a Human Trafficking Task Force, which works to investigate and prosecute cases of human trafficking in the state. There are also many non-profit organizations and advocacy groups in California that work to support victims of human trafficking and raise awareness about this issue. If you are a victim of human trafficking or know someone who may be a victim, there are resources available to help you. You can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or contact local law enforcement for assistance.

 

 

Alabama deputies rescue teen human trafficking victim suffering broken collar bone; 2 arrested
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Alabama deputies rescue teen human trafficking victim suffering broken collar bone; 2 arrested

Two California residents were arrested and booked into the Baldwin County Jail on charges of human trafficking. Benjamin M. Sapp, 20, and Breanna Chanthanam, 20, both of Sacramento, California, were both arrested on Wednesday and each charged with human trafficking related to alleged profiting of an 18-year-old victim. According to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department,…

Council, supervisors support efforts to reduce human trafficking – Le Mars Daily Sentinel
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Council, supervisors support efforts to reduce human trafficking – Le Mars Daily Sentinel

LE MARS — Human trafficking is a scourge against humanity, a crime that damages thousands of lives across the country, including in northwest Iowa, and more than 27.6 million people — adults and children — around the world, including in the United States. DeAnna Faris of the Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking talked about human…

Desperate SB Sun Reporter Joe Nelson Blasted for Pushing “Wrong Info” about Olivet
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Desperate SB Sun Reporter Joe Nelson Blasted for Pushing “Wrong Info” about Olivet

Days away from millions celebrating the ball drop to ring in 2023, investigative reporters have a lot to worry about. Media trust remains near an all-time low; data and technology trends increasingly pressure the media sector; and consumers are the new producers, making reporters more and more irrelevant. How much moreso for old-dogs trying to…

Identifying Human Trafficking Victims in Healthcare Settings
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Identifying Human Trafficking Victims in Healthcare Settings

This post is co-written by Brittany Blevins, an MPH Student at the University of Southern California. The pervasiveness of human trafficking juxtaposed with its concealed nature can often make it difficult for victims to be identified in a clinical setting. There is no single manifestation of symptoms or diagnostic tools available to readily alert providers…

Activists, survivors raise awareness of human trafficking before Super Bowl – Arizona's Family
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Activists, survivors raise awareness of human trafficking before Super Bowl – Arizona's Family

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The City of Phoenix is working to prevent human trafficking during the Super Bowl. For years, headlines in host cities have sounded the alarm about potential increases in sex labor and human trafficking ahead of the big event. Amid the bright lights of the Super Bowl, there is another billion-dollar industry….

How traffickers are targeting area kids – Oakridger
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How traffickers are targeting area kids – Oakridger

Vulnerable children in East Tennessee are being targeted by traffickers seeking to get them to perform free labor or sex for profit, according to Lisa Bolton of the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking (CCAHT). She spoke online recently to the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue of Oak Ridge. Offering various real-life scenarios during her online presentation, Bolton…

Migrant workers in U.S. to receive protection when reporting labor abuses
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Migrant workers in U.S. to receive protection when reporting labor abuses

Under new guidance announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security migrant workers with insecure immigration status or under temporary work visas have are able to be temporarily protected from the risk of deportation if they report workplace abuses, including forced labor and exploitation. A win for migrant workers This is a significant win for…

California pastor gets jail time for using homeless in benefits fraud scheme – WFIN
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California pastor gets jail time for using homeless in benefits fraud scheme – WFIN

​A California pastor and his wife were sentenced to prison time earlier this month after pleading guilty to a charge related to what federal prosecutors described as a church labor trafficking scheme that victimized the homeless. Victor Gonzalez, the head pastor of California-based Imperial Valley Ministries (IVM), was sentenced to six months in prison and…

Church pastor, wife sentenced after using homeless for forced labor, stealing benefits
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Church pastor, wife sentenced after using homeless for forced labor, stealing benefits

A California pastor and his wife will serve time behind bars after pleading guilty to forcing homeless people to give up their welfare benefits and panhandle for up to nine hours a day, six days a week, in what federal prosecutors call a church labor trafficking scheme. Victor Gonzalez, the head pastor of Imperial Valley…