This week, State Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) was appointed to serve on Illinois’ Human Trafficking Task Force by House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). Keicher has been a strong advocate for improving Illinois’ record of supporting victims of abuse during his time in the General Assembly, unanimously passing legislation last year that is now law and recently joining several legislators to propose a package of legislation to further improve protections for victims and hold abusers accountable.
“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation, especially of children, are deeply disturbing crimes that are far more prevalent than many of us realize,” said Keicher. “Despite some recent progress, the research shows our state is failing when it comes to preventing these horrific crimes and helping victims heal.
“These victims represent our most vulnerable, and while I wish a task force like this wasn’t necessary, I hope my participation leads to tangible policy changes that not only help victims recover but prevent exploitation in the first place.”
This issue has been something personal for Keicher since joining the General Assembly, as a family member who was abused as a child tragically died due to a lack of resources to help victims recover.
The Human Trafficking Task Force consists of twenty-two regular members and four ex officio members who serve without compensation. The overall goal of the Task Force is to produce policy recommendations that prevent trafficking, improve assistance for victims and educate the public about the problem to assist in prevention.
Like one of the primary goals of the Task Force, Keicher also stresses how important it is to raise awareness by requesting that members of the media and public utilize the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 888-373-7888, to report any suspected trafficking taking place in their communities.
More information about the package of legislation recently proposed by Keicher and his colleagues can be found on RepKeicher.com. For more information about the Human Trafficking Task Force, click here.
Rep. Keicher serves the 70th District, which includes portions of DeKalb, Kane, and McHenry Counties.