Virginia

The Virginia Company founded the first permanent English colony at Jamestown in 1607. One of the original 13 states (it entered the Union in 1788), Virginia was named for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen of England. Virginia holds an important place in American history, as it was home to many of the founding fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Mason, and Patrick Henry. Four of America’s first five presidents were Virginians. During the Civil War, Richmond, Virginia’s capital, was the capital of the Confederacy. Today, Virginia is a popular tourist spot where people can visit historic places such as Alexandria, Williamsburg, and Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate. Dogwood is the state flower and the cardinal is the state bird of the “Old Dominion.”

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all around the world, including in Virginia. It is a form of modern slavery in which individuals are exploited for labor, sexual exploitation, or other purposes.

According to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Virginia has consistently ranked among the top states in the United States for the number of human trafficking cases reported. In 2020, the state ranked tenth in the country for the number of cases reported to the hotline, with a total of 103 cases.

Human trafficking can take many forms in Virginia, including forced labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation. It often affects vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, children, and people who are homeless or in poverty.

If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, there are steps you can take to help. You can report the situation to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by text at 233733. You can also contact local law enforcement or a trusted organization that provides services to victims of human trafficking. It is important to remember that the safety of the victim should be the top priority and to handle the situation with care and sensitivity.

 

 

‘America’s Darkest Secret’: Sex Trafficking, Child Abuse and the Biden Administration
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‘America’s Darkest Secret’: Sex Trafficking, Child Abuse and the Biden Administration

The criminal practice of trafficking and abusing hundreds of thousands of migrant children who cross the southern border is now, thanks to the open-border policy of the Biden Administration, apparently “normal” inside the US: “According to Customs and Border Protection, since January 2021 when Biden took the oath of office, there have been 5,118,661 encounters…

New tax, mandatory human trafficking training for Central Va hotels starts July 1
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New tax, mandatory human trafficking training for Central Va hotels starts July 1

RICHMOND, Va. — Hotels in Central Virginia will begin charging an additional 2% fee on nightly rates starting Saturday. The Richmond Tourism Improvement District (TID) impacts hotels in Hanover, the town of Ashland, Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield with 41 rooms or more who will implement the new tax. The funds will go to Richmond Region…

Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement
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Testimony by Tara Lee Rodas for The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement

Editor’s note: We are non-partisan. Children are being hurt. Please, watch, read, learn, and act accordingly. Hearing Date: Wednesday 04/26/2023 – 3:00 PM Hearing Location: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building The hearing, “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,” will examine the unprecedented surge of unaccompanied alien children at the southwest border and…

U.S. House Democrats push for congressional hearing on child labor violations – Wisconsin Examiner
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U.S. House Democrats push for congressional hearing on child labor violations – Wisconsin Examiner

WASHINGTON — Top Democrats on the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee are urging Republican Chair Virginia Foxx of North Carolina to hold a hearing this month on the uptick in child labor violations. Democratic Reps. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the ranking member of the committee, and Alma Adams of North Carolina, the ranking member…

Missing Migrant Children: 85,000 Disappear Under Biden Administration
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Missing Migrant Children: 85,000 Disappear Under Biden Administration

Why aren’t more people concerned about the missing migrant children under the Biden administration? By Victor Huyke Conquistador News editor, special to Wisconsin Right Now According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in the United States, an estimated 460,000 children are reported missing yearly. However, this is only a tiny…

Migrant Children Released into United States by Biden Admin Are Being Put to Work, Lawmakers Say
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Migrant Children Released into United States by Biden Admin Are Being Put to Work, Lawmakers Say

‘Many children are being trafficked and forced to work illegally following their release from federal custody’ Migrants swarm the U.S.-Mexico border following the end of Title 42 / Getty Images Immigrant children trafficked into the United States and released into the country by the Biden administration are being put to work illegally, according to a…

Marine lieutenant colonel stymies alleged human-trafficking ring in DC suburb
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Marine lieutenant colonel stymies alleged human-trafficking ring in DC suburb

A Marine Reserve officer’s quick thinking is credited with busting a gang’s alleged human-trafficking operation in Alexandria, Va., where the lieutenant colonel was staying during a recent drill weekend in nearby Washington, according to service officials. The Marine Corps dubbed the lieutenant colonel “a hero” in a news release this week announcing he had been…

Richmond Police names new LGBTQ+ community liaison
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Richmond Police names new LGBTQ+ community liaison

By Anna Chen The governor recently signed a bill that will require public higher education institutions to develop and implement a human trafficking awareness and prevention training program for first-year students to take during orientation.  Del. Emily Brewer, R-Isle of Wight, introduced House Bill 1555 which was signed into law on March 17 by Gov….

Exploitative Child Labor Is Hurting Kids’ Ability to Stay in School
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Exploitative Child Labor Is Hurting Kids’ Ability to Stay in School

When Guatemalan immigrant Jose Velasquez was 13, he began spending his summers working alongside his mother in North Carolina’s tobacco fields. “I worked 10 to 12 hours a day, five days a week in the Goldsboro area,” he told Truthout. “I had to get up at 4:30 am. A rusty van would come by, cram…

Opinion | Kids Know Books About Abuse Are Not Pornography. 'Moms' Should, Too.
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Opinion | Kids Know Books About Abuse Are Not Pornography. 'Moms' Should, Too.

 EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a good look at American “book burning” culture. Last year, a parent at a Virginia school board meeting stepped up to a microphone and read a passage from my book, “Sold.” The scene she chose to read, informed in part by my own experiences of sexual abuse, describes the sexual assault…