Two women rescued during a search warrant at a massage parlor in Canyon Country on Wednesday are believed to be victims of human trafficking. Wednesday morning, Crime Prevention Unit deputies, alongside the Human Trafficking Task Force, FBI and Homeland Security, served a search warrant at the Clarita Therapy Spa in Canyon Country as part of an ongoing investigation. “Two females ...

Thursday, Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, bill that would have established California’s first statewide coordinated response to human trafficking was killed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 1022, the California Multidisciplinary Alliance to Stop Trafficking Act, or the MAST Act, would have created a statewide task force to evaluate and strengthen collaboration between government agencies and the nonprofit ...

Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) announced Friday that all three bills in her public safety legislative package have successfully cleared committee and are headed to the Senate floor for a full vote. The bills target human trafficking, long-term protections for crime victims, and illegal dumping across California. “I am proud that this entire public safety package has advanced out ...

A club at College of the Canyons aims to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking through volunteer work and school partnerships. Our People, Our Fight COC is a student-led club that raises awareness about human trafficking through education, events, and film screenings. The club also works with the college’s on-campus human trafficking task force, according to a representative ...

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, Soroptimist International of Greater Santa Clarita Valley (SIGSCV) held its 15th annual Las Vegas-themed Wine Affair on Main Street to raise funds for the fight against human trafficking alongside ZOE International.  “The Wine Affair is really popular because we have such great wineries and we have great good options,” said Josh Rivas, Co-Chair of SIGSCV. ...

College of the Canyons (COC) held its annual SCV Human Trafficking Summit in Valencia on Friday.  On Friday, COC held its annual Human Trafficking Summit event at the University Center where attendees came from all over the country to discuss their experiences and share prevention and rescue processes.  Kia Dupclay shared her story of how she was human trafficked twice, ...

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 14 into law on Monday, strengthening the penalties for individuals caught trafficking minors in California. The law considers the trafficking of minors for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex as a major offense, including heavier penalties and enhanced sentences for those found guilty. “I applaud the Governor for signing SB 14 by ...

A Valencia woman was arrested by Ventura County law enforcement for her alleged involvement in human trafficking after a raid at two Oxnard massage parlors earlier this month. In March of this year, detectives with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) began investigating VIP Therapy Massage in Oxnard on the suspicion that it was operating as an illicit massage business ...

Host: Pastor Jerry Cook Guest: CA Senator Shannon Grove Topic: Human Trafficking Politics & The Pulpit – CA Senator Shannon Grove – August 02, 2023 Does God want a separation of church and state? Should Christians be voting for biblical principles? Does it really matter who you vote for? Join Pastor Jerry Cook as he endeavors to answer these and ...

The annual SCV Human Trafficking Prevention Summit was held at COC Friday, including professional speakers and survival stories. On Friday, the summit held at Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center on the college’s Valencia campus aimed to bring awareness of human trafficking – which has become a growing concern with the rise of social media. “Signs of online trafficking ...