Title
To honor and recognize the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Rescue and Restore Campaign for helping educate the City of Columbus on the severity and pervasiveness of human trafficking.
Body
WHEREAS, the Rescue and Restore Campaign educates the public on the severity and pervasiveness of human trafficking and teaches community members how to identify victims of modern-day slavery; and
WHEREAS, approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders worldwide, and between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the U.S.; and
WHEREAS, the Rescue and Restore Campaign sheds light on the egregious forms of trafficking, including forced labor, sweat shops, forced prostitution, and domestic servitude, and provides a clear, compassionate understanding of what victims of these crimes endure; and
WHEREAS, the Rescue and Restore Campaign raises awareness to the vulnerability of geographic borders; and
WHEREAS, the Rescue and Restore Campaign recognizes that the crime of human trafficking is indiscriminate, with no regard to national borders, color, or culture, and strives to reach out to all communities to protect all people from the exploitation of traffickers; and
WHEREAS, this campaign has helped the City of Columbus educate City employees on identifying victims, and recognizes that not only police officers, but employees from the offices of planning, fire, building services, and even water and electricity, may come into contact with trafficking victims everyday; and
WHEREAS, on July 30, 2007, HHS officially launched the Columbus Rescue and Restore coalition at this mornings press conference at the Ohio Statehouse and provided half-day training at the Hyatt on Capitol Square to raise awareness of the issue of human trafficking; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby honor and recognize the U.S. ...
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