Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, flanked by state lawmakers, law enforcement officials and advocates at a ceremony at Washington Dulles International Airport, signed legislation on Tuesday intended to combat human trafficking, including stiffer penalties for offenders and more resources for crime victims.

“Unfortunately, the subjugation of human beings who are forced against their will into labor or worse, into the sex trade, is not something relegated to the history books or to underdeveloped third-world counties,” McDonnell said. “What we’re talking about here is a vile, despicable offense.”