In the Press...
TAPinto Middletown article on the 25th anniversary of Smith's TVPA'Human Trafficking Fight Marks 25 Years as Rep. Chris Smith Urges Action on Updated Federal Protections''On a local level Sheriff Golden and County Prosecutor Santiago partner with Smith to advance awareness and prevention, combat trafficking.'By Jeanne Wall WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) marked the 25th anniversary of his Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), landmark legislation that established the foundation of the United States’ modern fight against human trafficking. Right now as you are reading this, people are being tortured in unimaginable ways, many of them children. An estimated over 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery worldwide, 35% are children, 71% women and children. Human trafficking is the second most profitable illegal business in the world. It is a $150 Billion business. Victims often feel hopeless. The crimes are so ugly, it's hard to even think about them. Rep. Chris Smith has been leading the battle against evil, working to save the victims of human trafficking, for over 25 years. This week, Smith called on the U.S. House of Representatives to advance HR 1144, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025, which would reinforce and expand anti-trafficking efforts across the country and around the world. Smith is widely regarded as one of the earliest national voices to identify human trafficking as a global human rights crisis. At a time when trafficking was rarely discussed in the United States and victims were often overlooked or criminalized, Smith pressed for a comprehensive policy that treated trafficking survivors as victims rather than offenders. Smith is recognized around the world for being a tireless advocate in the global fight against human trafficking. Over the course of this past quarter-century, Smith has continued to lead in advancing U.S. and international efforts to combat human trafficking through five major anti-trafficking laws: the original TVPA of 2000, three reauthorizations of the TVPA (2003, 2005, 2018) and the International Megan’s Law (PL 114-119). Together, these statutes have created the comprehensive framework for prevention, protection, and prosecution both in the United States and around the world. His work helped shape the modern understanding of human trafficking as a crime rooted in coercion and exploitation, requiring coordinated international and domestic solutions. “When I first introduced the TVPA in the late 1990s, the legislation was met with a wall of skepticism—even ridicule,” said Smith. “Many saw it as a solution in search of a problem. At the time, the word ‘trafficking’ was widely associated with drugs or weapons—not human beings. Back then, stories of women and children being bought and sold—treated as commodities—were often met with disbelief or indifference—but we persisted. And with bipartisan support, the TVPA became law in 2000.” Sadly, law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations have noted that some criminal networks once focused primarily on drug trafficking are increasingly shifting to human trafficking. The grim reality is that traffickers view human beings, especially children, as reusable commodities. A drug shipment can be sold only once, but a victim can be exploited repeatedly, making human trafficking a highly profitable crime for those who perpetrate it. For example, a child can be sold for sex 20 times in one day, but the drug delivery, just once. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, approximately 1,000 children are reported missing each day in the United States, though the vast majority are recovered. However, among runaway youth, roughly one in six are believed to be vulnerable to human trafficking or exploitation, underscoring the need for strong prevention and intervention efforts. The TVPA created a national and international strategy based on prevention, protection for survivors, and prosecution of traffickers. Since the law’s passage, more than 2,225 traffickers have been convicted, reflecting thousands of victims identified, freed, and assisted. The framework has since been strengthened through TVPA reauthorizations in 2003, 2005, and 2018, and through the International Megan’s Law, which increased international safeguards and travel notifications for convicted child sex offenders. “Since the passage of the TVPA, the progress we have achieved has been remarkable,” Smith said. Over the past 25 years, all 50 states have enacted anti-trafficking laws, and more than 180 countries have implemented legislation informed in part by the TVPA and international protocols. Smith is now urging passage of the Frederick Douglass TVPRA of 2025, which would increase coordination among federal agencies, continue support for the Angel Watch Center, and expand awareness and prevention initiatives in schools. Kenneth B. Morris Jr., the great-great-great grandson of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Co-Founder of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, stated: “My great-great-great-grandfather Frederick Douglass once said, ‘It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.’ The Frederick Douglass TVPRA embodies that principle. It ensures that our nation continues to prevent exploitation, support survivors, and uphold justice. Passing this bill is a profound act of unity — a reminder that freedom is still our shared work.” Smith also highlighted the importance of continuing the International Megan’s Law, which requires notification to foreign governments when convicted U.S. child sex offenders seek to travel abroad. More than 27,000 travel notifications have been issued to date. On the state level, Smith voiced support for New Jersey Senate Bill 1990, which would require transportation network drivers, including rideshare drivers, to receive training to help recognize and report signs of trafficking. LOCAL EFFORTS IN MONMOUTH COUNTY In Monmouth County, Sheriff Shaun Golden and Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago have continued to advance local prevention, training, and coordination initiatives. Earlier this year, Golden and Santiago partnered with Congressman Smith to host a Human Trafficking Symposium in Freehold at the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office. The event, held in May, brought together trafficking survivors, law enforcement, educators, service providers, government agencies, and community partners to focus on prevention strategies, emergency response coordination, survivor support, and increasing public awareness.
The symposium emphasized the global scale of human trafficking and its presence in local communities. Law enforcement agencies across New Jersey are preparing for the anticipated increase in trafficking attempts during the FIFA World Cup due to the large influx of visitors and hospitality activity. In response, county and state agencies have been working with hotels, entertainment venues, and hospitality staff to recognize indicators of trafficking, understand reporting procedures, and strengthen front-line awareness to prevent exploitation. These efforts underscore the importance of collaboration among federal, state, county, and local stakeholders. Smith pointed to Monmouth County’s training and outreach initiatives as a model of community-based prevention and early detection. “As we mark this 25th anniversary, we recommit to the promise we made in 2000: that all persons shall live free from coercion, exploitation, and modern-day slavery,” Smith said. “We must act with courage, compassion, and resolve to ensure that freedom is more than a word—it is a lived reality for every human being. May this silver anniversary inspire leaders to carry on this fight so that we may one day see a world where human trafficking is not merely reduced—but entirely eradicated.” Back in May of 2024, Rep. Chris Smith joined ChamberCast with the Monmouth Regional Chamber of Commerce at Bell Works to inform the audience, both in-person and those streamed live, about the crisis of human trafficking. See something? Say something. You can confidentially report human trafficking⬇️: To report human trafficking in New Jersey, call the NJ Office of the Attorney General NJ Human Trafficking Task Force, launched via's Smith's trafficking laws, at its toll-free hotline (855) 363-6548 (855-END-NJHT) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To report human trafficking anywhere in the U.S., call the national human trafficking hotline, which also was created and maintained via Smith's laws, through its toll-free hotline (888) 373-7888, or texting 233733, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. |
