Nothing draws a crowd like the phrase
"human trafficking" or "21st Century slave," and so no less than eight
lawmakers from both major parties packed a press conference Wednesday
in Richmond to discuss the transnational exploitation of human beings
lured into prostitution or other forced labor against their will.
Even Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) was there---in spirit, anyway. In
an unusual cross-party alliance, one of the legislature's most liberal
members, Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria), read aloud the governor's
proclamation of support combatting human trafficking.
The lineup -- Sen. Stephen D. Newman
(R-Lynchburg), and Dels. David B. Bulova (D-Fairfax), Barbara Comstock
(R-Fairfax), Tim Hugo (R-Fairfax), Mark L. Keam (D-Fairfax), Kaye Kory
(D-Fairfax), Vivian E. Watts (D-Fairfax) -- stood behind measures such
as Ebbin's HB2190, which would require the Department of Social Services to develop a comprehensive program to combat human trafficking.
Others would make the penalties more severe for human trafficking, and especially on those who deal in children.
Watts' HB1893,
would expand the kidnapping statute to cover anyone who "recruits,
entices or solicits" someone to perform services or work under duress
and deprives the person of liberty.
Comstock's measure, HB2440
would allow someone charged with prostitution to interpose an
affirmative defense evidence that he or she had been coerced into the
act, thereby excusing the crime. Comstock's bill would also allow a
person to expunge a prostitution conviction by showing that he or she
was coerced.
"Trafficking isn't limited to Thailand, it is happening in Tysons,"
Comstock said, quoting a letter from Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) pledging
federal help for the problem.
Michelle Rickert, who is a Liberty University professor, and several
other advocates depicted the problem as both widespread and yet
invisible. Another speaker cited the U.S. State Department estimate
of 12.3 million adults and children in bonded labor or forced
prostitution. Nathan D. Wilson, chief executive and founder of Project
Meridian Foundation, said as many as 84 percent of all escort service
employees are enslaved.
Wilson called for longer prison time for those who are convicted of
having lured other adults into prostitution or operated a network of
prostitutes, and going after pimps with stronger prosecutions the way
that the federal government has gone after drug traffickers.
"We can't call them pimps anymore," Wilson said. "But if I call him
a trafficker--because he's actually making mobile, one person from one
location to another -- that's trafficking. Now, guess what -- we can
bring in the RICO Act."
In explaining the need for more resources, they said that Virginia
ranked among the top 10 states as the source of calls to a national
human trafficking hotline, and yet ackowledged that the state has only
had a few convictions in recent years.
But skeptics, while
acknowledging that human trafficking for forced labor and prostitution
exists, say the problem has also been exaggerated in recent years.
Several have challenged the numerical estimates of human trafficking,
particularly in light of the very low number of proven cases and
convictions.
Reason.com, citing the work of an
independent consultant, said Congress "prefers to address the
embarrassing lack of victims by creating more of them" and suggested
that the real target of the campaign is the global sex trade, not
trafficking.
Ebbin said he understands that the numbers are difficult to pin down.
"I'm not suggesting that numbers are hundreds of thousands of Virginians," Ebbin said,
"but even if the numbers are low it still needs to be combatted."