National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

34:53We have resolution number four. And if you are here for National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, please step up to the podium. Thank you.

35:05All right, resolution number 22-037, a resolution by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, declaring the month of January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and January 11th, 2022 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Pasco County. Whereas human trafficking is a crime against a person whereby, through exploitation, an individual is compelled to work or engage

35:33Fraud. or coercion, thereby being stripped of his or her rights and humanity, Traffickers typically use multiple means to control their victims, including beatings, rape, isolation, forced drug, alcohol dependency, withholding of documentation, and psychological and emotional abuse. And RAS, the International Labor Organization conservatively estimates that there are over 40.3 million victims. of human trafficking worldwide, and that this crime is second only to the illegal

36:03drug trade in terms of the speed of its growth and the profits that it generates as human beings can be sold over and over again. Whereas human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states, Florida consistently ranks third in the nation for the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. N H T H 3,258 cases of human trafficking were reported to the NHTH from Florida between 2015 and 2019.

36:34And RAS human trafficking is occurring in Pasco County. Through the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking, our community has united to combat this horrific crime and restore dignity to survivors by bringing together the sectors deemed criminal. Critical to effectively combat human trafficking, such as law enforcement, schools, child welfare, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, survivors, et cetera. And whereas, despite these dedicated local efforts, more awareness,

37:05education, and advocacy advocacy are needed to eradicate human trafficking. Every resident of Pasco County is called upon to declare that the exploitation of people for profit has no place in our world and that we need to work together to restore freedom, dignity, and justice to all. And whereas January is annual declared, is annually declared as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Now, therefore,

37:35be it resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, Florida, that said board hereby declares January 2022 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Pasco County, Florida. and that all citizens are be encouraged to participate in education, awareness, advocacy, and prevention efforts to combat human trafficking, done and resolved in regular session with a quorum president and voting this eleventh day of january twenty twenty two.

38:01Motion to approve.

38:02Second, second. All all

38:03in favor? Aye. Opposed? Well welcome. Um wow. That's a heavy, that's a heavy uh subject there. Um does someone want to uh address the word? Property Lianna.

38:18Good morning. Thank you so much for having us today. I just wanted to start by thanking you as a board for your continued support at the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking. This is actually our eighth year in existence. I don't know if you guys recognize that, but we want to thank you for your continued support. Um over the years, as is noted in the resolution, Florida continues to rank third in the nation in the number of calls and the number of cases made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. It is something that is happening here in Pasco as we can attest to via child welfare data and law enforcement data. I

38:48do want you to be aware of the work that the Commission has done. Over the years, excuse me, we've gotten curricula into Pasco County schools the year before it was mandated by the state. It's reaching all of our students. That's K through twelve with some form of human trafficking curricula. We have reached Across 10 counties, well over 4 million individuals with the messaging that we've put out via our various campaigns. We have trained over 10,000 individuals in the community and across the state on human trafficking. And we've been looked to

39:18by other counties, namely Hillsboro and Penellis, who have actually, Hillsboro County's commission is actually modeled after Pasco. They use the documents that you all created to set up their own commission. This month alone, the commission is pushing out law enforcement PSAs that we created with our law enforcement partners. All four police departments in the Sheriff's Office came together and created three public service announcements targeting traffickers, buyers, and survivors and victims. And those are going to be on television starting this week. ABC Action

39:49News and CBS, they'll also be on social media. And we partnered with the Tampa Bay Times to put together very comprehensive information for parents so that they know what to look for when it comes to human trafficking. How to talk to their children, things like digital recruitment, things of that sort. We're also doing a billboard campaign, and this is all just January. So this is the work that we're accomplishing this month. And then we have other initiatives that we'll be rolling out throughout the year. But I just wanted you all to know that we are looked to as a leader in the fight against human trafficking, both here

40:19locally and around the state. We've actually had other states reach out to us and ask for information and assistance. assistance and to replicate some of the work that you all have been a part in creating. So I just wanted to say thank you for your support.

40:31Yeah. We'll go down this way.

40:33Um Liana of course I've served there on the uh human trafficking board there with you for four years and uh turned over to Christina when she got elected and or on that board, but uh This board has been great for for Pasco County, for the citizens of Pasco County. They're not nationally known. I mean, because all the good work that's come from this commission and it it's a great thing for Pasco County that we have y'all working for us in that

41:04area. 'Cause we all support you and we We want the best coming from from your work. So Certainly want to thank you for all all your sacrifices and what you do to help us. Thank you.

41:18Thank you, Madam Chair. Um again, thank you each and every one of you for everything you do. Um I've known Kelly for quite some time now, gosh long before I was even, I think, elected to office, right? And I remember uh visiting your facility and you telling me the stories and you know it definitely resonated with me. So, you know, to the people that are watching today, there's so much you can do when it comes to volunteerism, especially donating to you're not for profits. Um they need help. You know, we do as much as we can, obviously as a county and as government, but at the same

41:48time, you know, these people s standing here in front of us can use everybody's help. So when you're making your charitable contributions in the future, think about them.

41:58thank you. Yeah, okay. Um It's just uh When you when they said the stat about one of the fastest growing, um I don't know what the word was, fastest growing. What uh Uh Criminal entities, I guess. That's really Frankly it's disgusting. And um I'm glad that this county has stepped up. And taking the actions that we have and you know, whatever else we can do. I hope you

42:28bring it to us and We're we're there to to help in any way. Thank you so much for what you do.

42:35Well, thank you for handing it over to me when I became a commissioner. I remember meeting Liana nine years ago at the Substance Exposed Newborn Committee meetings. Um I'm honored to be able to sit on the Human Trafficking Commission. I would like to continue to s be there and continue to raise awareness to end human trafficking and not just, I would like to not just continue to raise awareness to end human trafficking, I would like to see human trafficking erased

43:05from Pasco County altogether. So thank you for everything that you do. Thank you for raising awareness. Thank you for making it known and I was just at the Lightning game, the human trafficking Some of them just once earn some of the funds. So I'll look more into that and see how we can funnel that some of that our way. Um again. I'm very excited to be on the board. We do have light up the night, January

43:36twenty second from six to eight at Liregrass. So Let's get as many people as we can out to that night and let it be known. Thank you.

43:45Like I thank you all for your service as well. Um I'm sure this past year is you the increases have just been even more dramatic. So the work you're doing is probably never more important than it is right now. So thank you again.

43:58All right, um whose resolution was this? Yeah. Okay. So uh how d how do you want to handle this now?

44:06Think in here. Yeah. We're all going down. Yeah, I'll I'll take it down, Christina. Okay.

44:14Trying to figure out who this person is to my left over here. I didn't I didn't recognize you. Um I looked to my left. I thought someone I thought somebody else was sitting in your chair.

44:24I'll go to the photo with yeah and add the next to the channel.

44:30I'm gonna put the extra one here so don't forget it.

44:34Last time.

44:40Hopefully.

44:45Uh

44:51Yeah, you have one of those.

45:28All right, I think we have one more.