By: Ishita Goel J
October 6 2020
President Trump signed an executive order to tackle human trafficking and the exploitation of children online, which is handled by PITF.
President Trump signed an executive order to tackle human trafficking and the exploitation of children online, which is handled by PITF.On March 13, 2018, the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) met to discuss the Administration’s efforts to tackle human trafficking. Then on January 31, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on combating human trafficking and online child exploitation in the United States. He also pointed out that the Federal Government has been committed to preventing these crimes. It required a comprehensive and coordinated response to prosecute human traffickers and individuals who sexually exploit children online, to protect and support victims of human trafficking and child exploitation, and to provide prevention education to raise awareness and help lower the incidence of human trafficking and child exploitation into, from, and within the United States. It shall be the policy of the executive branch to prioritize its resources to vigorously prosecute offenders, to assist victims, and to provide prevention education to combat human trafficking and online sexual exploitation of children. Then on June 24, 2020, another executive order was signed on strengthening the child welfare system for America’s children by the president. The Administration has been focused on prevention strategies that keep children safe while strengthening families so that children do not enter foster care unnecessarily. It included the development of community-based, abuse-prevention, and family support services. The state held accountability for recruiting an adequate number of foster and adoptive families. The Health and Human Services (HHS) will increase the availability of trauma-informed training, support guardianship through funding and grants. There is no evidence that a Child protection force was formed for children to protect them from traffickers. There was a team formed to tackle human trafficking and online child exploitation. Another order was signed for the welfare of the children and strengthening the families so that children do not enter foster care unnecessarily.