Drafter
Clerk 10/15/2013
title
A MOTION acknowledging receipt of a report regarding human trafficking in King County in compliance with the 2013 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17476, Section 57, Proviso P1; and authorizing the release of $125,000 to the sheriff's office and the release of $125,000 to the Seattle-King County department of public health.
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WHEREAS, the 2013 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17476, Section 57, Proviso P1, requires the executive to transmit a motion and report by September 1, 2013, and
WHEREAS, the King County executive convened an interagency workgroup of representatives from the department of community and human services, Seattle-King County department of public health, the sheriff's office, the transit division, the prosecutor's office, the council, superior court, youth-serving organizations, faith-based organizations, organizations serving refugees and human trafficking victims and other organizations as appropriate, to produce a report on human trafficking in King County, and
WHEREAS, the 2013 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17476, Section 20, Proviso P1, requires the King County sheriff's office to submit data and recommendations regarding human trafficking in King County to the director of public health by June 1, 2013, and
WHEREAS, the sheriff's office sent the report with data and recommendations regarding human trafficking to the council on June 25, 2013, and
WHEREAS, the sheriff's office convened a working group of federal, state and local law enforcement, the prosecutor's office, superior court, council staff, executive staff, the United States Attorney's Office, the Washington state Attorney General's Office and other appropriate county or local agency representatives, to gather data and make recommendations to the council on the most appropriate methods for the suppression of human trafficking in King County, and
WHEREAS, the data gathered by the sheriff's office includes: identification of incidences of intelligence, investigations and arrests, related to commercially sexually exploited youth and human traffic victims; data on the linkage of human trafficking to interaction with gangs, transnational criminal organizations and other criminal enterprises; identification of the number of youth and adults involved as victims, including their entry point and mode of entry into the sex trade and their entry into King County; identification of trends and geographic data; and information on pimps, prostitution rings, massage parlors and points of contact where individuals are approached for entry into illegal sex trafficking or engage in related behavior, and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of the opportunities for federal or other grant funding to support services that suppress human trafficking; and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of strategic investments that the county could make into interdiction and suppression of human trafficking in the region, and
WHEREAS, the report includes a recommendation regarding the establishment of a multijurisdictional task force with the primary goal of the interdiction and suppression of human trafficking in the region;
WHEREAS, the full report includes data on individuals who are victims of human trafficking, including children who are involved in commercial sex trade, adults who are coerced or deceived into commercial sex acts and anyone forced into labor or services against their will, and
WHEREAS, the report includes demographic data on how the trafficked individuals entered the county and entered into the human trafficking activities, and how the activity was identified and demographic data on the perpetrators of human trafficking, and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of best practices and necessary services for human trafficking prevention and intervention, and to assist individuals to exit human trafficking, and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of best practices and necessary services to aid formerly trafficked individuals into successful community reentry, including, but not limited to, family reunification, education, housing and employment services, and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of the opportunities for federal or other grant funding to support services for individuals involved in human trafficking, and
WHEREAS, the report includes identification of strategic investments that the county could make into prevention, intervention and exit services for victims of human trafficking, and
WHEREAS, the report includes a recommendation on the establishment of a countywide task force with the primary goal of coordinating the prevention, intervention and exit services for victims of human trafficking;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The report relating to human trafficking in King County in compliance with the 2013 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17746, Section 57, Proviso P1, which is Attachment A to this motion, is hereby acknowledged and the $125,000 held in reserve for the
sheriff's office and the $125, 000 held in reserve for the Seattle-King County department of public health is hereby released.