REMARKS
Council Member Stevens opens hearing on supporting young victims of human trafficking
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ยท
4 min
Council Member Althea Stevens opens the hearing on supporting young victims of human trafficking, outlining the purpose of the meeting and key issues to be discussed. She highlights the city's efforts to combat trafficking, including the work of ACS and DYCD, while also addressing concerns about gaps in services and allegations of abuse in ACS-run detention facilities.
- Introduces Intro 831, which would require NYPD to report on missing persons
- Mentions that ACS and DYCD identified 760 youth as sexually exploited or at risk in 2023
- Expresses concern over allegations of sexual abuse at ACS-run detention facilities
Althea Stevens
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Good afternoon, and welcome to today's hearing on supporting young pea young victims of human trafficking.
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I'm Althea Stevens, chair of the Committee on Children and Youth.
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Sex trafficking sex trafficking is a horrendous crime that preys on some of the most vulnerable members of New York City.
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Our goal is to assess the city's progress in identifying supports for young victims, strengthening, protections for at risk youth and ensuring that no child in our care falls through the cracks.
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We will also be hearing the following bill, intro 831 sponsored by council member Lewis in in relations to requiring the police department to report on missing persons.
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The commercial and sexual exploitation of young people is a perverse issue that thrives in the shadows.
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The nature of this crime makes it difficult to capture reliable data, but we do know it's alarming.
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Youth in foster care, runaway, and homeless youth, LGBTQ plus, LGBTQ plus youth, and those with histories of abuse and neglect are disproportionately affected.
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Traffickers often prey on the the vulnerabilities, offer false promises of love, stability, and basic necessities such as food and shelter.
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In response, the city has taken a response, the city has taken steps to combat the crisis.
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ACS established the Office of Child Trafficking Preservation and Policy, OCTPP, which raises which raises awareness, provides direct services, and collaborate with agencies to deliver resources.
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In 2023, ACS and DYCD identified 760 youth as sexually exploited or at risk an increase from previous years.
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Those numbers include children children to serve through preventative services, foster care placements, and homeless homeless support programs.
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How however, despite the efforts in 2022, audit by the New York State controller offers revealed significant gaps in the implementation and documentation of these services.
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Issues such as, failures to screen for trafficking indicators and insufficient preservations of critical support serves for safe housing and mental health care.
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While our focus today topic today is on youth, we cannot ignore the troubling allegations of sex to you sexual abuse at ACS run detentions.
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Those allegations which have spanned many years, rises urgent questions about why failure and persistent measures have not been taken to prevent further, harm.
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Even today, there was a press conference addressing issues in our facilities.
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It is wholeheartedly unacceptable that young people entering the city care facing such risks.
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We must examine what steps are necessary to ensure the facility's most basic standards of safety and accountability.
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Our primary responsibilities is to ensure the safety and well-being of all children in our care.
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We cannot allow systematic gaps to jeopardize the lives of young people who are already vulnerable.
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I look forward to hearing from ACS, DYCD, NYPD, and ENGBV advocates and other stakeholders about how we can close those gaps and improve outcomes about sex trafficking and at risk use.
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Finally, I would like to thank my committee staff, Christina and Elizabeth, for their hard work and preparing for this hearing, and all of my staff and team back at, district 16 in 18.
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And so at this time, I will turn it over to, my co chair, council member Lewis, but I would like to recognize deputy speaker Ayanna Ayala, who has joined us here for today's hearing.
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Thank you.
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Oh.
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Oh, and Holden.
Ina Mendez
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Oh, hello.
Kathleen Baer
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How are
Althea Stevens
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you doing?
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And Holden, who's also here.
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Thank you.