As you may know, January is the month where we focus on International Human Trafficking Awareness, and January 11th is selected for International Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Senator Cris Dush works with many international and state renown organizations that have been fighting Human Trafficking for years. His recently enacted legislation, Pennsylvania Act 39, depicts his desire to improve victim support and provide the legislation necessary for law enforcement and social services to better assist those who have been trafficked. Furthermore, Senator Dush’s background in law enforcement has allowed him to effectively fight those who are responsible for trafficking innocent children throughout the years. Act 39, signed into law by Governor Shapiro in December 2023, allows victims to now receive social services without having to identify (for whatever reason) their traffickers, protecting victims and helping them to receive assistance and move away from this deadly environment.
In recognition of this important month, Senator Dush will be presenting short synopses of interviews he recently completed with not only victims of Human Trafficking, but also benchmark organizations that are currently fighting Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania and around the world.
Below is his schedule of interviews for January 2024:
Today, Senator Dush will be interviewing…
Anne Basham
CEO and Founder of Ascend Consulting
Chair of Interparliamentary Taskforce on Human Trafficking
Anne Basham has worked in both the Legislative and Executive branches of the federal government as well as the private sector. Focused primarily on human rights issues such as human trafficking, domestic violence, child welfare, and education, Anne has crafted legislation, policies, and appropriations requests to serve and protect the most vulnerable. Dedicating her personal and professional life to stopping human trafficking, violence against women, and child abuse, Anne has also helped survivors safely leave dangerous situations, navigate the legal system, and secure safe housing and restorative care
As the Chair of the Parliamentary Task Force on Human Trafficking, she leads a coalition of government leaders, survivor leaders and policy experts from around the world in discussions about effectively combatting human trafficking globally As the Senior Advisor for the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), she developed strategies for over $2 billion in federal funding and other projects directed to nonprofit organizations serving victims of human trafficking, terrorism, sexual assault, and child welfare
Vanessa Morris
Executive Assistant/Communications Director
The Foundation United
Vanessa Morris is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She has worked in the anti-sex trafficking movement since 2011. When The Foundation United launched in 2018, she was excited to be a part of building a global umbrella to fight sex trafficking, exploitation and abuse. As the daughter of a survivor of sex trafficking, she is passionate about eradicating this issue worldwide. She is passionate about using creative outlets to educate and empower the masses, especially the faith community, to take action, recognize the red flags, and give a voice to those who are not free to speak up for themselves… yet!
She is co-creator of REAL TALK, which empowers the Church and schools (Ohio has been the most recent state to adopt the ability of schools to use REAL TALK) to heal from past trauma, secrets and shame, and prevents the next generation from being entrapped by abuse, exploitation and the footholds of the enemy.
For more information, the complete interviews can be viewed here.