Rep. Paulsen Speaks Out on Human Trafficking Awareness Day

In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and Rep. Erik Paulsen spoke Wednesday at an event with survivor leaders and advocates to protect victims. "Human trafficking is a horrible practice that we must take action to end and provide support for its victims," Paulsen said in a statement.

Minnesota has seen numerous human trafficking cases in the last year. In July, a Woodbury woman was charged with human labor trafficking after another woman was found with two black eyes, broken ribs, a broken sternum and numerous bruises.

"I am proud of all the work we have accomplished to combat human trafficking, including my legislative initiatives (such as the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, which was signed into law by the President in the last Congress) and other efforts (such as my round table discussion last year with my congressional colleagues, stakeholder, and other leaders in the fight to stop human trafficking)."

"We have made huge strides, but there is still more work to be done, " Paulsen continued.

• New Report Spotlights Minnesota's Labor Trafficking Problem

In October, four Minnesotans were charged for participating in an international sex trafficking organization that allegedly transported hundreds of female sex slaves from Thailand and trafficked them throughout the United States.

On Wednesday, Paulsen signed on to be cosponsor of Congresswoman Ann Wagner's Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, which aims to help vacate of certain convictions and expungement of certain arrests of victims of human trafficking.

Image via Congressman Erik Paulsen