While human sex trafficking is typically associated with developing countries, advocates for women and girls, human rights activists, and law enforcement agencies are sounding a disturbing alarm bell: this practice is happening in our own back yards! Indeed, over 100,000 American minors are exploited in the domestic minor sex trafficking trade each year. Despite commonly held perceptions that this is a "foreign problem," the majority of these children are American citizens, many of whom are inducted into this industry at the unthinkably young age of 12 - 14 years old. In the context of this practice, children, most of whom are girls, are coerced and forced into engaging in sex with "johns" in exchange for money. However, the girls receive no financial gain from this practice, all proceeds go to the "pimps," street gangs, and organized crime networks that control this trade. The girls are literally sex slaves - they are forced or coerced into sex with men, receive no financial gain for doing so, and possess few resources to break free from this exploitation.
The story of how girls (and less frequently, boys) become and stay victim to this practice is complicated. While the majority of victims come from under-resourced communities, are runaways, or in the foster care system, some are recruited from middle class households. Many victims have the shared experience of sexual abuse in their homes or extended families. Girls are often manipulated into this trade by a young man who poses as a "love interest" to the victim, pretending to pursue a romantic relationship with her, involving sex. Once intimate with the victim, he cajoles her (often gradually) into the practice of having sex with other men or "johns." This situation usually develops into a violent relationship in which girls are forced to continue the practice of sex with johns through beatings, rape, emotional abuse, and threats to harm family members. The once beloved "boyfriend" emerges as a brutal pimp or organized crime member, reaping profits from minor sex trafficking.
Unfortunately, California serves as fertile ground for this despicable trade, due to its international borders and the vast size and diversity of it's major cities, populations, and economy. Indeed, California houses 3 of the top 10 cities with the highest frequency of minor sex trafficking activity. Alarmingly, San Diego ranks #8 in the nation for high intensity minor sex trafficking. The prevalence of minor sex trafficking in California is made possible by the incredulously weak penalties for the crime in the state. Remarkably, penalties for minor sex trafficking range from only 4 - 8 years! Many drug related offenses garner much harsher penalties.
Citizens enraged by the practice of minor sex trafficking and the current weak penalties that don't come close to fitting the crime are organizing to make a difference. California Against Slavery (CAS) is a non-partisan organization that seeks to end minor sex trafficking in California, by significantly strengthening criminal penalties for engaging in this abhorrent crime. While CAS recognizes this is a complex issue, that must be addressed on many different levels, they feel the most immediate and effective action can be taken by significantly raising the risks and penalties to criminals, making the practice much less lucrative. To do so, CAS seeks to have a initiative on the November 2012 ballot that would enact stricter penalties. CAS and it's supporters are confident once California voters learn about minor sex trafficking and have the opportunity to impose harsher penalties for the crime, they will do so overwhelming.
As members of WGSD we can work with California Against Slavery to get this important intitiative on the ballot and help end the horrendous practice of minor sex trafficking. Join the WGSD team at the upcoming:
California Against Slavery "Move to Stop Modern Day Human Trafficking in San Diego!"
5K competitive timed race & 5K walk.
Sunday, August 28th Harbor Island Park, San Diego
7:30am registration | 8:30am race | 8:45am walk
registration: http://californiaagainstslavery.org/get-involved/walk/
Coordinator: Cassie, sd@californiaagainstslavery.org
WGSD Team Coordinator Debra Rappaport Rosen, d_rappaport@yahoo.com
The walk will be followed by speakers Brian Marvel (SDPOA), Detective Chappie Hunter, Daphne Phung (CAS), and Nikki Junker (survivor), and there will be informational tables from local organizations working against human trafficking.
For other ways to get involved, visit the California Against Slavery web site at http://californiaagainstslavery.org.
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