February 28, 2011 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and a coalition of Legislators, District Attorneys, law enforcement, and victim advocates to announce the filing of An Act Relative to the Commercial Exploitation of People; comprehensive legislation that would for the first time, establish human trafficking for sexual servitude or labor as a crime in Massachusetts.  Massachusetts is currently one of only five states without human trafficking laws.

The bill gives law enforcement the necessary tools to investigate and prosecute the crimes and attempts to address all three aspects of human trafficking - supply, demand, and victim services. Human trafficking is considered the second largest and single fastest growing illegal industry in the world. Experts estimate that 27 million people are trafficked internationally and domestically, bringing in $32 billion annually.

"Abuse of any person is intolerable in modern society. It's critical that no one in our state be treated as a commodity and subject to horrendous working or living conditions that pose very serious physical, mental and economic abuse. This bill would be another major step in the historic role of Massachusetts in opposition to slavery in any form" said Sen. Moore.

"This bill is one step toward combating the egregious crime of human trafficking, which is a fundamental issue of public safety and human rights in our Commonwealth," Attorney General Coakley said. "Let there be no doubt - people of every background are victims of human trafficking across the world, in this country, and right in our own backyard. This bill sends a clear message that human trafficking is unacceptable in Massachusetts and will give law enforcement the tools to address it. I want to thank Sen. Montigny, Chairman O'Flaherty, and other legislators who support this proposal, my partners in law enforcement, the labor community, and those who advocate on behalf of victims, for their efforts and support on this important issue."

The legislation's main components are: the creation of two new crimes: "Trafficking of persons for sexual servitude" which carries a penalty of no more than 20 years creates and "Trafficking of person for forced labor" that carries a penalty of no more than 15 years in state prison. Secondly, it creates an inter-agency task force led by Coakley, to study human trafficking. Third, it amends penalties regarding existing statutes to address the demand side of human trafficking.

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