Carlos Villapudua, State Assembly Declares January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton), a joint author of ACR 125, joined his colleagues in the Assembly this morning to declare January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

“While nobody needs to be convinced of how heinous this crime is, we all need to understand how complicated this issue is and the types of resources victims and survivors need to escape this vicious cycle,” said Assemblymember Villapudua. “We remain committed to working with survivors who can help us craft policy and provide support for those who need it most.”

This morning, Assemblymember Villapudua joined Assemblymember Pellerin, Senator Grove, Senator Ochoa Bogh, and leaders in the nonprofit, law enforcement, and trucking industries to show unity and support in combatting human trafficking. The bipartisan coalition emphasized the need for greater publicity, training, and response opportunities for Californians.

A more educated, vigilant, and aware society is needed to identify the signals of human trafficking and pull victims out for good. Assemblymember Villapudua emphasized the role law enforcement and truck drivers can play, as the eyes and ears of our roads, to put an end to this in California.

“Continued collaboration between public and private entities, as well as partnerships between federal, state, and local officials will play critical roles in ending this horrific crime once and for all,” said Villapudua. “I am grateful for the support from my colleagues in the Legislature this morning in declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.”