Newscenter. South Dakota, United States. <\/p>\n
A measure that would more broadly define methods used to coerce victims into human trafficking has been signed into law.<\/p>\n
Gov. Kristi Noem approved House Bill 1198 on Tuesday. The bill passed through the House and Senate without a single vote against it.<\/p>\n
According to proponents of the legislation, it\u2019s become evident that the prior law did not do enough to define many of the techniques used by traffickers to pressure their victims into prostitution.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking with victims and local law enforcement these past years, we have seen a trend used by traffickers which is difficult to prove based on the current definition, or lack of definition of coercion,\u201d said Becky Rasmussen, the executive director of Call to Freedom, an organization that helps victims of sex trafficking. \u201cThat is why we are here today. To strengthen the definition so that traffickers should not have the ability to victimize more individuals in our great state.\u201d<\/p>\n