Donald Trump Declares January 2018 Month For Combating Human Trafficking

President Donald Trump, Friday, declared January 2018 "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month."

According to an issued proclamation, Trump stated that in the month of January, "we recommit ourselves to eradicating the evil of enslavement."

The proclamation further described human trafficking as a "sickening crime" which was "at odds with our very humanity." It also stated that around 25 million people at present were the victims of human trafficking, both sex and labor.

Trump in the proclamation talked about how his administration was working to "drive out the darkness" that "human traffickers cast" on the world. As an example of his commitment, Trump mentioned about an Executive Order signed in February which worked towards breaking transnational criminal organizations which included groups who were involved in human trafficking.

In February 2017, Trump signed three executive orders in order to further his stance on the "law and order" issue.

The first order looked towards disbanding international criminal groups especially the ones involved in drug trafficking. The second order stressed the prevention of crimes committed against law enforcement agencies and looked to establish new minimum sentences for such crimes.

The third order looked towards preventing crime on a broader basis. The order included legislation which enabled the government to establish task forces directed at developing tactics to decrease crimes, especially offences related to human trafficking and illegal immigration.

Trump in the proclamation stated the U.S. was a country "that values and protects human life and dignity."

According to a recent report by the Hill, Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama did a similar thing during his presidency when he declared January 2017, "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month."

Trump stated that he will be signing two anti-trafficking bills in January — the "Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act" and the "No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act."

The report stated that Trump complained about the rise in crimes in the country regardless of the fact that crimes rates have lowered in big cities.

According to reports, the number of homicide cases in New York City hit a record low in 2017, as stated by New York Police Department (NYPD) officials.

Police officials said the department investigated 290 homicide cases in 2017, the lowest seen in the last 70 years. Reports further stated that in 2016, 335 murder cases were recorded and the number dropped by 45 in 2017.

The number of homicide cases in NYC was an all-time low since the end of World War II. According to NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill, factors such as "precision" policing against key offenders, anti-gang initiatives along with anti-gun investigations, were responsible for the low number of crimes.

O’Neill also stated that due to his neighborhood policing strategy, new ways of communications were established between police authorities and communities.

He stated that the number of cases can be lowered in 2018.