Child sex trafficking is happening in every community, town and state in America.  Therefore, successful responses to domestic minor sex trafficking must start at the state level.  Research conducted by Shared Hope has documented that child victims of sex trafficking continue to be misidentified and often times end up incarcerated for the crime committed against them!  Additionally, criminal provisions for traffickers and buyers fail to provide the proper level of justice necessary to deter trafficking.  Furthermore, law enforcement often lack resources and investigative tools that can ensure successful prosecution.  We cannot continue to fail the children and allow traffickers a free pass to operate in our communities.

Starting today, Shared Hope is sounding the alarm and invites community members, activists, parents, teachers, students, and professionals will stand with them as they launch the Protected Innocence Initiative.  This initiative establishes a state legislative framework that creates safe environments for children.  Shared Hope is going state by state and applying this legislative framework to the existing laws related to combating child sex trafficking including:

·         Criminalization of domestic minor sex trafficking

·         Criminal provisions for demand (buyers)

·         Criminal provisions for traffickers (pimps)

·         Criminal provisions for facilitators (hotels, transports, websites, etc.)

·         Protective provisions for the child victims

·         Criminal justice tools for investigation and prosecutions

 

Each state will receive a grade based on the laws currently in place.  The grade will reveal how vulnerable children are in each state to the tricks and tactics of traffickers.  As well as the strengths and gaps within the laws that allows traffickers to operate.

Does your state have a “Welcome” or “Not Welcome” sign out for pimps?  The Protected Innocence Report Card will provide us with the answer.  Join me in letting your Governor know that the quality of our laws mean the difference between safety and danger for children in our state.  Let’s demand that combating child trafficking be the priority for 2011!!

Photo credit: KThompsonstudios