CONCORD, N.H. –  This morning, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) hosted a roundtable at the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence to discuss local efforts to curb human trafficking and provide support for victims at home and abroad. Congresswoman Kuster discussed her recent efforts in Congress to fight back against Boko Haram, the terrorist group that kidnapped nearly 300 girls in Nigeria, and also announced a package of legislation that she’s cosponsoring in Congress to address human trafficking across the globe.

The horrific kidnapping of the female Nigerian school students has captured the world’s shock and horror. However, human trafficking is not just a foreign issue, and during today’s roundtable Kuster heard from community leaders, law enforcement officials, academic researchers, advocates, and trafficking victims about the ongoing occurrences of human and sex trafficking taking place around the world – including in our own backyard. Roundtable participants shared their own stories with Kuster, which underscored the need for Congress to better help prevent human trafficking and provide increased support for victims.

“I sincerely thank all of today’s roundtable participants for highlighting why we must come together to prevent human trafficking from ever occurring, and for their dedicated work on this issue,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “In particular, I offer a special thanks to the women here today who shared with me their own personal experiences with human trafficking. It is because of women and men like these that I’m proud to cosponsor a number of bills to put a stop to this horrifying practice, and I pledge to continue fighting in Congress on their behalf to get this done.”

“We are grateful that Congresswoman Kuster convened us to address a comprehensive response to trafficking. This is a complicated issue and in a time when resources are stretched so thin, it is even more important that we work collaboratively to best serve these victims. Her congressional leadership will help us do that,” said Lyn Schollett, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Kuster recently signed on to a package of both Republican and Democratic sponsored legislation that aims to prevent human trafficking and provide support to victims around the world. Among others, these bills include comprehensive measures to: help law enforcement officials rescue domestic victims, track down their exploiters, and provide additional tools for prosecutors; close marketplaces that host advertisements for the commercial exploitation of minors and trafficked victims; promote safe harbor laws in states so we treat trafficked minors as victims instead of criminals and ensure they can access protective services, counseling, and skill building programs; and require states to take steps to identify, prevent, and address the sex trafficking of youth in foster care.  

Since taking office, Kuster has been a strong proponent of human and women rights. In addition to her work on the Nigerian kidnapping crisis, Kuster has advocated for a number of bills that support women’s rights, including her bipartisan legislation to improve whistleblower protections, which was passed into law last year to protect military members who report instances of sexual abuse. Kuster also recently unveiled her Women’s Economic Agenda, a plan for Congress to prioritize initiatives that help level the playing field for New Hampshire women and their families.

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