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California Against Slavery has just launched their petition campaign to get their initiative, California Against Sexual Exploitation Act, on the November 2012 ballot.
If passed the CASE Act will
-Increase prison terms for human traffickers. ( the maximum sentence is 8 years. they are seeking a maximum of life.)
– Increase fines for human traffickers, up to $1.5M to fund victim services
– Remove the need to prove force to prosecute sex trafficking of a minor. (By federal law, a minor involved in commercial sexual exploitation is a human trafficking victim, regardless if force, fraud, or coercion were or were not involved.)
– Mandate human trafficking training for law enforcement
– Make sex traffickers register as sex offenders
– Require all sex offenders to disclose internet accounts
– Prohibits use of sexual history to impeach or prove criminal liability of trafficked victims.
See full text here.

We need volunteers in the Central Valley to help gain enough petitions for the initiative to make it on the November ballot. If you are interested in getting involved in any way, please sign up on the California Against Slavery website.

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In the fight against slavery, a great need are stronger laws to prosecute those who commit human trafficking crimes and protect victims. Currently
California Against Slavery, a non-profit grassroots looking to strengthen anti-human trafficking laws in California, is working on initiative to pass such kaws.
They are currently launching a signature campaign to place an initiative on the 2012. Visit WWW.CaliforniaAgainstSlavery.org for more details or leave questions at their Fremont office (510)473-7283.

CAS will have a training for those interested in helping gain signatures for their initiative in Visalia:

“CASE Act Initiative – Stronger anti-human trafficking laws for CA.” Training for CAS Volunteer Petition Circulator
Tuesday, November 29th, from 6-8pm
At Community Service Employment Training (CSET)
312 N. W. 3rd Ave. Visalia, Ca. 93291
The training is being hosted by ACT For Girls and Women Co-Director Erin Garner-Ford

RSVP: Space is limited. *$10 fee includes T-shirt & campaign materials*
Email: @yahoo.com
Phone: 559.738.8037

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So we have many bills currently proposed in the state legislature. (see our previous post)
However, even if these pass, there are still needs to be addressed that are not in the current law. One major need is for the state law to reflect the federal definition of human trafficking of minors in prosecution of perpetrators of such a crime. In order to prove that a suspect is guilty of sex trafficking of an adult, it must be proven that there was force, fraud, or coercion involved. However, any juvenile who is being sold for sex is a sex trafficking victim, regardless if force, fraud, or coercion was used, according to the federal definition of human trafficking. As of yet, though, California state law requires that force, fraud, or coercion be proven for all human trafficking cases, including those involving juvenile victim. (Fortunately, California has one of the highest ratings for key Human Trafficking provisions, granted by Polaris Project)
California Against Slavery is working to get an initiative on the 2012 California ballot.
According to the group, this ballot initiative would strengthen California’s human trafficking laws by:
Increasing penalty for human trafficking from the current 8-year maximum in prison to a maximum of life in prison and fines up to $500,000
Protecting minors by allowing prosecutors to prove sex trafficking of a minor without a showing of force
Mandating human trafficking training for law enforcement officers.

To get the initiative on the ballot, they need to get 700,000 signatures and raise $1 million.
CAS has a list of their needs and volunteer opportunities on their website at http://californiaagainstslavery.org/get-involved/