President Felipe Calderon said that the amendments—one guaranteeing anonymity to victims, and one requiring those accused of human trafficking to remain behind bars during trial—would ensure swifter and more efficient prosecution of perpetrators.
He stressed the need for greater national awareness of the crime of human trafficking.
“There are thousands and thousands of cases, in a society that is still unaware of the seriousness of this crime,” he said in his announcement.
Calderon said more and more drug cartels are widening their criminal activities to include human trafficking. He said that victims needed to be provided anonymity because of the danger of reporting such a crime.
In Mexico City alone, a reported 10,000 women have been victims of trafficking, but only 40 investigations and 3 convictions took place last year, according to a study released earlier this year by the city’s human rights commission.
Mexico’s Congress has 180 days to approve Calderon’s proposal.
Calderon said all parts of the government needed to work with citizens to decrease the number of people being trafficked in the country.
“We have to create a unified front to end human trafficking in Mexico,” Calderon said in his statement. “This front is not limited to police or officials, this front starts in the streets, in the neighborhoods and in the communities.”
