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New law combats high rate of human trafficking in Gwinnett, neighboring counties

SB 158 will go into effect July 1. It will extend protections to human trafficking victims and increase penalties for traffickers.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Human trafficking has been a longstanding issue in the state of Georgia.

Georgia lawmakers and nonprofit leaders worked together in order to combat human trafficking throughout the state. Senate Bill 158, also known as the “Anti-Human Trafficking Protective Response Act,” will become a law July 1.

“Atlanta has been known for its human trafficking problem,” Camila Zolfaghari vice president of policy for Street Grace said. 

Street Grace is an Atlanta-based human trafficking advocacy organization.

“Atlanta has, in the last 10-12 years, focused on addressing the issue of human trafficking and not hiding from it,” she said.

Zolfaghari of Street Grace said that Gwinnett County sees instances of human trafficking by way of the illicit massage business.

“There are more illicit massage businesses advertised online than there are McDonald’s in the United States,” she said.

This new law will provide additional safeguards and protections against human trafficking. It also allows the Department of Family and Children Services to provide care and supervision to children who are victims of human trafficking.

“Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable and that’s so often boys and girls who are in our foster care system,” Zolfaghari said.

“When we started doing statistical analysis of where it [human trafficking] was occurring, we found that it was outside of 285,” Senate Bill 158 co-sponsor Renee Unterman said.

When this law goes into effect July 1, it will expand prohibitions against trafficking persons of labor or servitude.

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