January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
In honor of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, President Obama named January as the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month with the hopes of raising awareness of gross human rights violations occurring around the world and encouraging individuals, businesses, faith-based organizations and non-profits to recognize the role they can play in ending slavery in the U.S. and abroad.
Human trafficking is an egregious form of modern day slavery where individuals profit from the exploitation of others. As defined by federal law, human trafficking victims include minors involved in the sex trade, adults who were forced or coerced into engaging in commercial sex acts and anyone forced into labor against their will.
In order to commemorate National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, government agencies, non-profit organizations and the media are engaging in efforts to increase public awareness of human trafficking and its victims.