In USA, sex trafficking of minors is the fastest growing business. Increased demand, continued ignorance and ostrich-style denial of its local infestation are the factors that contribute greatly to the growth of trafficking.
At least 100,000 children are exploited through pornography or prostitution every year in the United States. Human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states in the U.S. – with the highest rates of trafficking occurring in California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
Like ordering from a restaurant menu, minors are sold by race, color — including white — and especially by age; commonly offered for $400 an hour or more on America's streets and online, six to 10 times on average per night.
The majority of victims are with "boyfriends," neighbors, family friends and family members identified as their traffickers. The average age of recruitment into commercial sex trafficking is 13 years old. To meet growing demand traffickers hang where youth hang, just off school grounds, in malls, parks, coffee shops, near group homes, youth clubs and shelters.
Traffickers force other girls under their control to pose as a friend to recruit new victims. But most often, they themselves pose as loving, caring "boyfriends" until "pay-back day," when they use physical, emotional and psychological abuse to coerce their prey into a life of sex trafficking.
The majority of these children have experienced sexual abuse in their own homes and placement homes and do not immediately recognize that something is out of line. Other times, they are runaways and easy prey to traffickers and gangs.
Traffickers play heavily on these emotional needs to entrap and eventually control their victims physically and psychologically, and make threats to their families if they do not do exactly as told.
Team requested to sign petition and urging the Senate to pass the bipartisan Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. This bill has already passed the House (H.R. 3530) A good first step. Now they are asking to get the bill (S. 1738) passed in the Senate.
Along with the education for children about trafficking, effective strategy to focus on concrete measures that will eradicate trafficking will add values, says sociologists
( Ref: http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_26087599/marin-voice-trafficking-education-protect-our-children )
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