Council designates January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and hears survivors advocates call for expanded services

Philadelphia City Council on Jan. 23 adopted a privileged resolution recognizing January 2025 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and placed related advocacy and oversight measures on the record during public comment.

The resolution honoring the month was introduced by Majority Leader Catherine Gilmore Richardson on behalf of Council Member Nina Ahmad and was adopted by voice vote. Several nonprofit providers and coalition members addressed the council during the public‑comment period and at the podium, urging strengthened citywide coordination, funding for survivor services, and better prevention. Speakers included Captain Felicia Lyle of The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia operations; Heather Larocca, director of the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking program; Jocelyn Rico of the Nationality Service Center’s Immigrant Survivor Services Program; Natalie Proud, program director of Covenant House Pennsylvania; and Lakeisha Anthony, senior manager of advocacy at WAR Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence.

Captain Felicia Lyle said, “January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It's a time to raise awareness, support survivors, and come together to end human trafficking.” Lyle described The Salvation Army’s combination of safe housing, drop‑in centers, employment training, counseling and case management and urged stronger citywide coordination.

Heather Larocca described recent service volumes and partnerships: “Last year, my team … served over 1,300 survivors” through drop‑in services, diversion, case management, housing and a hotline in Kensington, she said, and listed coalition partners including the Philadelphia Anti‑Trafficking Coalition and the Philadelphia Anti‑Trafficking Task Force.

Jocelyn Rico said the Nationality Service Center serves more than 5,000 immigrants and refugees annually and, in the past three years, provided services to 166 survivors from more than 36 countries. Natalie Proud of Covenant House said, “At Covenant House, Pennsylvania, 1 in 5 people under the age of 21 who come through our doors have experienced trafficking,” and warned that traffickers often know the victim beforehand: “80% of survivors knew their trafficker before their exploitation began.”

Advocates offered concrete service details on the record: the Salvation Army’s hotline at 267‑838‑5866 was shared for those seeking help, and speakers asked the city to expand housing, legal assistance, interpretation, mental‑health care and coordinated diversion programs for youth. Council members from multiple caucuses thanked the witnesses and supported the resolution. The clerk later read the resolution into the record and the council adopted it on a voice vote.

Several companion items and committee actions related to criminal‑justice and oversight were also on the agenda that day, including a privileged resolution authorizing the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings on detainer policy and other measures the council had introduced or held for later consideration. The transcript shows broad support on the floor for survivor services and a call from providers for long‑term funding and cross‑system coordination.