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PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE TO FILE 24-1768
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
PROPOSED RESOLUTION REQUESTING A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS THE TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MEN AND BOYS IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WHEREAS, in the U.S. Department of State’s fact sheet on ‘Understanding Human Trafficking’, it identifies “trafficking in persons” and “human trafficking” as umbrella terms-often used interchangeably-to refer to a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex; and
WHEREAS, in that same fact sheet, the U.S. Department of State further identifies that both labor and sex trafficking entails the use of force, fraud, or coercion that exploits the labor or services of another person or to compel their engagement in a commercial sex act; and
WHEREAS, under Illinois statute, 720 ILCS 5/10-9 , trafficking is defined as (1) the recruitment, enticement, harboring, transport, provision, or obtainment by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means, another person, intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude, or (2) the benefiting, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act of involuntary servitude or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor; and
WHEREAS, the statute goes on to define that a company commits trafficking in persons when the company knowingly benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act of involuntary servitude or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor; and
WHEREAS, based on these definitions, it bears emphasizing that adult consensual sex work is not trafficking; and
WHEREAS, according to the United Nations Office of Drugs & Crime Global Report on Trafficking Persons (2022), the majority of human trafficking occurs outside of sex trafficking - with sex trafficking making up 39% whilst the other 61% encompasses human trafficking that occurs in other industries, fish & farming, domestic, cleaning, hospitality, and other purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board reaffirms that trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation are crimes, grave violations of human rights, and public health issues that affect individuals across gender, sex, age, and nationality, with a significant yet underrecognized impact on men and boys; and
WHEREAS, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has described Chicago, Cook County’s largest city, as having a robust sex trade, a claim that is further supported by the following: a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) study estimated that 3,303 young adults ages 18-24 are engaged in the sex trade in the city; and
WHEREAS, this data parallels informed estimates from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless that Chicago has 15,744 homeless youth ages 14-24, a quarter (27.5%) of whom have likely sold sex to survive, with 60% of Chicago's homeless youth identifying as male; and
WHEREAS, a conservative estimate places nearly 2,500 male-identified individuals as having sold sex in Chicago, for whom there are virtually no gender-specific services available; and
WHEREAS, an additional study exploring the relative participation of male- to female-identified victims found that 36% of youth (14-24) engaged in the sex trade are male; and
WHEREAS, societal misunderstandings, stereotypes, and stigma around victimhood lead to a lack of identification of men and boys as victims and survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation from those from whom they seek help, including law enforcement, healthcare providers, and social services, and handicaps prevention by parents who are significantly less likely to use filtering software on their son’s computers versus their daughter’s; and
WHEREAS, the current landscape of support services and resources for male-identified victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, including only one residential program for males in the nation and a small minority of social service agencies nationally and locally who are willing to serve males, is significantly lacking in provisions for male-identified victims, including contributing to their further marginalization and suffering; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board acknowledges the necessity of a comprehensive, inclusive, and intersectional approach to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation, which includes addressing the specific needs of male-identified victims; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cook County Board hereby commits to the following actions to address trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation of men and boys in Cook County, Illinois: and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Cook County Board of Commissioners request a convening of the Cook County Human Relations Committee to conduct a hearing; and
1. Establish a task force or a subcommittee within the current Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force: Create a dedicated task force or a subcommittee within the current Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force to encourage effective cooperation and coordination of efforts in partnership with other anti-trafficking advocates such as law enforcement, social-service agencies, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and survivor advocacy groups to combat trafficking in persons and exploitation of men and boys in Cook County.
2. Develop Specialized Support Services: Allocate funding and resources to develop and implement specialized support services for male victims and survivors of trafficking in persons and exploitation, including safe housing, medical care, psychological support, legal assistance, job training, and more.
3. Raise Awareness and Training: Launch public awareness campaigns to shed light on male victimhood, including the social, economic, cultural, and political factors that make men and boys vulnerable to trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation. These factors include, but are not limited to, poverty, unemployment, inequality, sexual violence, gender discrimination, social exclusion, and marginalization, as well as the social and cultural bias around males. Additionally, develop comprehensive training programs for law enforcement, healthcare providers, educators, and social-service personnel to identify male or male-identified victims among vulnerable populations through appropriate, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory measures.
4. Promote Research and Data Collection: Encourage and support research initiatives to gather data on the trafficking and exploitation of men and boys to better understand their needs and improve the effectiveness of interventions and support services. Conduct research and collect suitable disaggregated data to enable proper analysis of the nature and extent of trafficking in persons for men and boys specifically.
5. Engage Community and Survivor Voices: Foster strong partnerships with community organizations and ensure the meaningful involvement of survivors in shaping policies, services, and awareness efforts to ensure that interventions are survivor-informed and culturally sensitive.
6. Advocate for Policy Changes: Advocate for changes in local, state, and federal policies to recognize the needs of male victims of trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation and to ensure that laws and regulations are inclusive and supportive of all victims, regardless of gender.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cook County Board shall review the progress of these initiatives annually and adjust as necessary to ensure that Cook County is a leading example of comprehensive and inclusive support for all victims of trafficking in persons and sexual exploitation. That a suitable copy of this resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body this 29th day of February 2024.
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