Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act

On March 7, 2013, President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), restoring this country’s most important tool to combat human trafficking. This reauthorization reasserts the U.S. Government’s leadership role in the fight against modern-day slavery and was passed as an amendment to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA), which strengthens protections for women threatened by domestic violence. Led by Senator Leahy the reauthorized TVPA (P.L. 113-4) renews critical federal anti-trafficking programs, provides invaluable resources for the provision of specialist services for survivors of human trafficking, grants prosecutors new tools to go after the traffickers who exploit others, and enhances partnerships with focus countries to protect children and prevent child trafficking.