Governor Tom Wolf recently signed a law, endorsed by our region’s lawmakers, that requires trafficking offenses to be considered when applying for custody of an individual.

We agree with this legal text, but find it very sad and frustrating that such legal provisions are even necessary.

It would be easy to say that this type of crime doesn’t exist until you look at the numbers.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 271 cases of human trafficking in Pennsylvania in 2019, the last year for which statistics are available.

There were many more in the neighboring states to the north and west. 454 cases were reported in New York and 450 in Ohio.

The vast majority of these cases involved sex trafficking, the victims of which were often minors.

We fear that nearby Interstate 80 will be used for the transportation of human trafficking victims.

There have been examples of this.

Don’t you think this is going to happen?

Then explain to Jeffrey Epstein, who recruited young women for sex in an international scandal involving several powerful men.

After his arrest in July 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell the following month. While avoiding a court ruling, his alleged collaborator Ghislaine Maxwell is charged with allegedly assisting Epstein’s sexual abuse of young girls.

That’s just one example of the sex trafficking here in the United States, where both U.S. citizens and foreigners are bought and sold like modern slaves, according to the FBI.

“Traders use violence, manipulation or false promises from well-paid jobs or romantic relationships to exploit the victims.” it says on the FBI website. “Victims are forced to work as prostitutes or take jobs as migrants, domestic servants, restaurant or factory workers with little or no pay.”

In our area, Interstate 80 and nearby Route 15 are believed to be a major human trafficking artery between Ohio, New York and New Jersey and Washington DC

In fact, according to the 2019 hotline, the capital of our country was the top city for this type of crime with 401 cases.

Also, consider that one in seven children reported missing in 2018 was a victim of sex trafficking, according to State Representative David Rowe, R-East Buffalo Township, sponsor of the legislation just released by Gov. Wolf was signed.

Rowe said the median age of those forced into sex slavery is 12 years.

Yes, 12 years old.

It’s absolutely disgusting.

The US Department of Justice estimates that 200,000 children are sex trafficked annually in America.

If you suspect human trafficking, please report this to the authorities. Call 911 for local authorities or 1-888-373-7888 for the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

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