On Monday, July 29th the Federal Bureau of Investigations completed its 7th Operation Cross Country. This 72-hour sweep for underage victims of prostitution resulted in the rescuing of 105 sexually exploited children and the arrest of 150 pimps, which was good news for all of us at CHILDREN AT RISK who are deeply troubled by the rampant problem of child sex trafficking in the United States. This effort was spearheaded by the FBI, but was implemented on a large scale through collaboration with multiple federal, state, and local agencies in 76 cities. The operation was part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, a joint program by the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This initiative has resulted in the rescuing of more than 2,700 children since it’s creation in 2003. Despite the successes of Innocence Lost in the past ten years, the Polaris Project estimates that there are still approximately 100,000 children involved in the domestic sex trade each year. Moreover, investigations show that 1 in 3 runaway children are lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home, and there are approximately 244,000 American children estimated to be at risk of sexual exploitation.
Although this is a nationwide problem, it hits very close to home for those of us in Houston. The Department of Justice has identified I-10 as the #1 human trafficking route in the U.S., estimating that as many as 1 in 4 victims nationwide pass through Texas. In fact, in the recent Operation Cross Country efforts 3 of the victims rescued were in Houston. Thankfully we’ve seen our city take some very proactive steps towards combating this huge threat to our children. The Houston Police Department has received training on how to spot human trafficking victims that are often picked up for offenses such as failure to ID or prostitution. This training aids police in identifying those that have been trafficked as victims rather than offenders. Additionally, Houston’s mayor has established an advisory committee on human trafficking that brings together key stakeholders and law enforcement officials to develop strategies to combat all forms of trafficking in the city. At the state level, anti-trafficking omnibus bills were passed in the past four Texas legislative sessions that have enhanced penalties against traffickers and increased protections for child victims.
The legal systems in Texas have been crucial to combating the criminalization of victims of sex trafficking. In 2010 the Texas Supreme Court made a decision In the Matter of B.W. maintaining that children under the age of 14 cannot be charged with prostitution. Harris County has also emerged as a leader in its implementation of the GIRLS Court. This court, established in 2011, is a juvenile specialty court for girls who are actively engaged in or at risk of becoming involved in prostitution or human trafficking. The purpose of this court is to address the underlying trauma associated with these girls’ at-risk behavior and delinquent conduct, rather than treating them as criminal offenders. Addressing this trauma is no easy task, as many of these minors experienced trauma long before making it into the world of trafficking. The majority of youth at risk for sexual exploitation are runaways who have left home because of prolonged neglect and abuse. These children have voids that recruiters and pimps are able to pick up on and fill to gain the trust and affection of their victims. Unfortunately, these bonds and loyalties between a pimp and a trafficking victim can be so strong that many victims are unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement and service providers.
After examining how Houston, Harris County, and Texas have set forth these proactive initiatives and legislation combating trafficking we must be reminded that there is still a lot of work to be done. CHILDREN AT RISK remains committed to the fight against child trafficking in Texas and beyond.
Listen to our radio commentary below to learn more about Operation Cross Country.
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