Trafficking victim supports legislation that would prevent forced labor | Opinion
I never thought I’d be trafficked. I came to the U.S. hoping for a better life. Instead, I was trapped in a nightmare: I was forced to work in a garment factory in Los Angeles under awful conditions. I was tired, hungry and scared, and I wasn’t allowed to leave.
I lived in constant fear for my kids back home in Mexico. My traffickers controlled every part of my life and threatened to hurt my family if I didn’t do what they said.
This happened right here in California — one of the richest places in the world. Now, Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, D-San Francisco, has introduced Assembly Bill 381, aimed at preventing human trafficking and forced labor.
This bill gives me hope because it has the potential to save lives.
AB 381 is about making sure California doesn’t ignore the human suffering behind the products we buy with public money. In just one year, the state spent almost $19 billion on things like uniforms and cleaning supplies, but many of those items might come from companies that use forced labor. That means we — as California taxpayers — are unknowingly helping fund abuse.
If a law like AB 381 had been in place back when I was trafficked, it could have made a difference: A written contract might have told me my rights; a process for helping workers leave dangerous jobs could have given me a way out. But back then, there was nothing.
I felt invisible.
AB 381 changes that by updating California’s rules to match federal anti-trafficking laws that have been in place since 2016. It makes sure companies doing business with the state follow basic, common-sense steps, such as having a plan to stop trafficking, training workers and making sure subcontractors do the same. If they don’t, they shouldn’t get taxpayer money.
California has led the way on many important issues, including trafficking. Now, we must lead the way for workers who are still trapped.
I escaped trafficking by convincing my trafficker to let me go to church. Instead, I went to a coworker’s house and got helped. It was a terrifying risk, but it gave me a chance to take my life back.
California should not be using tax dollars to support forced labor. The legislature and the governor can make a real difference — not just for workers here in California, but for people around the world caught in abusive supply chains. Our public spending has power. Let’s use it to fight trafficking.
This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Trafficking victim supports legislation that would prevent forced labor | Opinion."