The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to support Assembly Bill 1276 (Santiago – Los Angeles) which would authorize human trafficking victims under the age of 15, to utilize closed circuit televisions to testify against their alleged perpetrator.
“Asking young victims of trafficking to testify in court is intimidating and terrifying, especially when they have to recount the horrors of their abuse causing them to painfully relive the ordeal,” said Supervisor Antonovich. “This legislation meant to protect minors and effectively prosecute criminals, supports Los Angeles County’s own efforts to address and combat human trafficking.”
A.B. 1276 has a long list of supporters including Sheriff Jim McDonnell and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Children’s Law Center of California; Court Appointed Special Advocates of Los Angeles; California Coalition for Youth; and the California District Attorneys Association, among others.
If enacted, this legislation would prevent the minor victim from the horrors of facing their perpetrator in court and reliving the personal and emotional details of the abuse from which they suffered, which can be traumatic. Furthermore, some minors are unable to effectively communicate in the presence of their alleged perpetrator, thus diminishing the efforts to effectively prosecute the case.
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