Cedar Grove Honors Human Trafficking Awareness Day

In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which is Friday, January 11, The Township Council of Cedar Grove presented a proclamation to the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking during its Monday night meeting.

Deputy Mayor Bob O'Toole presented the proclamation in place of Mayor Peter Tanella who was absent from the meeting.

“The United Nation’ International Labor Organization has estimated that at least 12.3 million adults and children worldwide are currently in forced labor, bonded labor, or forced prostitution,” said O'Toole.

“It is estimated that more people are now harmed by Human Trafficking worldwide than have been at any other point in human history,” he continued. “Approximately 80 percent of the victims are women and girls, and 50 percent are younger than age 18.”

The award was accepted by Elizabeth Santoramo, League of Women Voters of New Jersey board member and chair of the League’s Women and Family Issues Committee, Patricia Devine Harms, Junior Leagues of New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee and Ingrid Johnson, member of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

“My daughter happens to be a survivor and I happen to be a lucky employee of Atlantic Health Systems, who is supporting this New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking and tonight we thank you for honoring us,” said Johnson.

The Coalition will be holding a rally at the State House in Trenton from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 11. They invite the community to:

• “Learn about Human Trafficking, the scourge of modern day slavery.”
• “Hear about Legislative Updates to strengthen laws in NJ.”
• “Join with concerned citizens and organizations to raise awarness of this rapidly growing criminal industry to involves the use of force, fraud, and/or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor.”

Click here for more information on the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking and read the full proclamation in the photo section of this article.