01/10/2019 12:13 PM EST
Press Statement
Michael R. Pompeo
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
January 10, 2019
On Tuesday, the President signed into law the last of four bills that together reauthorize and reaffirm the ground-breaking protections of the original Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 and fortify the foundation of United States’ global efforts to combat all forms of human trafficking.
Since 2000, the TVPA has served as the cornerstone of comprehensive federal anti-trafficking efforts, and it has exemplified bi-partisan and legislative-executive cooperation to combat trafficking in persons. The Department plays a leading role in implementing this legislation and in advancing the national security priority at home and abroad of fighting all forms of sex and labor trafficking, including debt bondage, domestic servitude, and the unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers.
With this reauthorization, federal agencies are well-poised to both improve and expand their work. For the Department of State, this includes pressing other governments to do more to identify and provide trauma-informed care to victims – both citizens and non-citizens alike – and to prosecute the perpetrators using a victim-centered approach. We will also continue to partner with other governments, NGOs, businesses, survivors, and faith communities to build on lessons learned and implement proven strategies that stop traffickers, care for survivors, and prevent the crime from happening in the first place. Modern slavery simply has no place in the world.