Trafficking of innocence

Mar 20

Episode

Trafficking of innocence

The Stream talks to former victims of sex trafficking.

Image from Al Jazeera's 'People & Power'.

They lurk in the dark corners of society and few are brave enough to speak out: they are the victims of sex trafficking. One group says as many as 200,000 sex workers in the US are children. Congress is moving on legislation to focus more attention on the problem, but is it enough?

In this episode of The Stream, we speak to:

Brook Bello @BrookBello
Executive director, More Too Life
moretoolife.org

Kwame Fosu @RebeccaProject
Policy director, The Rebecca Project for Human Rights
rebeccaproject.org

Tina Frundt @CourtneysHouse
Executive director & founder, Courtney's House
courtneyshouse.org

Andrea Powell @FAIR_Girls
Executive director & founder, FAIR Girls
fairgirls.org

Staca Shehan @MissingKids
Director of Case Analysis Division, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
missingkids.com

Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew
Domestic human trafficking advocate
T Goes To College

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

View the story "Trafficking of innocence" on StorifyTrafficking of innocenceStorified by The Stream· Wed, Mar 20 2013 08:18:17Sex trafficking in the U.S. is often misunderstood as an issue only affecting foreign nationals who are illegally trafficked into the country.
number of people trafficked into USAAJstreamHowever, the trafficking of American children and youth for sex is a common occurrence -- it is estimated that between 100,000 and 300,000 children and youth are in danger of being trafficked.
I'M A VICTIM NOT A CRIMINAL: CHILD SEX SLAVERY IN THE USA3GenerationsOrgMinors - some as young as 5 years old - are trafficked widely and forced into sex slavery.
The majority of victims are female-childrenAJstreamThe video below puts a spotlight on child sex slavery in Los Angeles. It reveals the dangers minors face when forced to walk the streets. It also shows how the threat of prosecution and fear of their pimp makes many victims feel they don't have a way out.
MANIPULATED: Child Sex Trafficking in Los Angeles CountyDon KnabeMost US states have passed legislation to combat sex slavery. The Polaris Project, one of the leading organisations fighting global sex trafficking and modern day slavery, ranked the states in different tiers according to the scope, number and effectiveness of those laws.

The green states have the most legal initiatives to combat human trafficking, followed by yellow, orange, and red states.
State ratings human traffickingAJstreamHowever, advocates argue more needs to be done to combat sex slavery and protect victims of trafficking. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed in 2000 and expired in 2011. It has yet to be re-instituted, which has put some organisations' funding at risk.
renew TVPA facebookAJstreamMany NGOs and local initiatives aim to eradicate sex slavery through different means.

The poster below, issued by the US Department of Health and Human Sciences, urges people to identify victims of trafficking.
Sex Trafficking PosterAJstreamJubilee Project, an organisation that works to motivate people for philanthropic causes, created this video to raise awareness about sex trafficking.
Back to Innocence | Jubilee Project short film on sex traffickingjubileeprojectPolaris Project urges netizens to sign the Safe Harbor Petition, which would make any minor arrested on prostitution charges treated, by Connecticut law, as a victim of trafficking.
Polaris project victim assistanceAJstreamCourtney's House, an initiative founded by Tina Frundt in 2007, aims to discover victims of human trafficking, help victims and families recover from the trauma of trafficking, and raise awareness.
Courtney's HouseAJstreamArk of Hope for Children is a non-profit dedicated to helping children heal from trafficking and bullying.
Ark of HopeAJstream