Frederick County Proposes Bill to Improve Sex Trafficking Numbers

FREDERICK COUNTY, Maryland (DC News Now) — Frederick County is taking another step toward making the county safer from sex trafficking crimes.

The county has proposed the Bodyworks bill, which would strengthen county regulations for businesses, like spas and massage parlors, to provide detailed information about their operations.

“They will send basic information about their business, the employees who work there, the owners of the business, and then any licenses and state requirements they need for the professional service they provide,” said the director of Government Affairs, said Victoria Venable.

Inga James is the executive director of Heartly House in Frederick, and she says she knows firsthand how impactful this legislation can be in preventing more victims of human trafficking.

“I think it creates a shell around Frederick because if you're a business that has nefarious goals, you're not going to want to work or move to a county where you're going to be trapped and the government is going to find out what business you're running and what your employees are doing,” James said.

She said that while she believes the new legislation is a first step in the right direction, she hopes more funding for resources for sex trafficking survivors will also be considered.

“We have no offerings, no services to offer to the people who are actually doing the work or who are being exploited in any way,” James said. “So we need more bills to ensure that we're not putting trafficking victims back on the streets. »

The bill on bodywork should be voted on next month by the departmental council.