WHEREAS, January 11th has been designated a National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness by the United States Congress; and
     WHEREAS, Washington state has been in the forefront, nationally, in the fight against human trafficking; and
     WHEREAS, In 2002, the Washington state task force against the trafficking of persons was created, the first of its kind in the nation, and that same year Washington was the first state in the nation to pass the mail-order bride act, which requires international matchmaking agencies to provide, upon request, criminal and marital background information on Washington state residents using the agency to meet prospective brides in other countries; and
     WHEREAS, In 2003, Washington became the first state to criminalize human trafficking and to extend protections to mail-order brides; and
     WHEREAS, In 2005, Washington again led all other states in establishing protocols for providing services to victims of trafficking, and in providing funds for legal aid to noncitizens who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, or human trafficking; and
     WHEREAS, in 2006, Washington became only the second state to place restrictions on sex tourism, and it provided funding for the Washington State Task Force Against the Trafficking of Persons to resume its work leading to the creation of a Comprehensive Response to Human Trafficking; and
     WHEREAS, In 2008, the Washington State Legislature enacted Senate Bill 6339 that passed into law and added victims of trafficking to the list of victims eligible for the address confidentiality program; and
     WHEREAS, Victims of human trafficking needs support in order to escape and recover from the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual trauma associated with their victimization; and
     WHEREAS, Human traffickers use many physical and psychological techniques to control their victims, including the use of violence or threats of violence against the victim or the victim's family, isolation from the public, isolation from the victim's family and religious or ethnic communities, language and cultural barriers, shame, control of the victim's possessions, confiscation of passports and other identification documents, and threats of arrest, deportation, or imprisonment if the victim attempts to reach out for assistance or leave;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize those people and organizations that fight daily against the scourge of human trafficking, and encourage others to observe the National Day of Trafficking Awareness with appropriate ceremonies and activities to combat human trafficking; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the department of community, trade, and economic development office of crime victims advocacy, to Dr. Sutapa Basu, Executive Director of the University of Washington Center for Research on Women, to the Washington state task force against the trafficking of persons, and to Trong and Rani Hong and the Tronie Foundation.