4/23/2015
NEW YORK – On April 22, the Senate unanimously passed The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Marcie Natan, President of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., released the following statement:
On behalf of Hadassah’s 330,000 members, associates and supporters, I applaud the Senate’s passage of this crucial legislation, which will increase penalties for traffickers and expand funding for law enforcement training programs and critical victims’ services.
Hadassah's members have tirelessly worked to educate and inform their communities and policymakers about the issue of human trafficking through symposiums, coalitions, and advocacy opportunities. In January we joined with the National Council of Jewish Women to raise a collective Jewish and women’s voice during Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
We commend the Senate on reaching this bipartisan agreement that enabled this legislation to move forward, ensuring federal reproductive health restrictions are not expanded at the expense of women and girls who need our assistance the most.
Tragically, slavery remains a modern-day reality for an estimated 27 million people worldwide and its related crimes not only harm the women involved but undermine the social, political and economic fabric of the nations where they occur. The Senate’s passage of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking act is an important step in addressing the epidemic of human trafficking and we urge Congress to continue this momentum.