CHAMPIONING LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTS TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS  

The sexual exploitation and abuse of a child are incredibly harmful and pose significant long-term and irreversible damage. It is imperative that the courts, law enforcement, and lawmakers sufficiently address this issue through policy and the legal system.  

Children who are exploited and trafficked are often predisposed to sexual abuse and violence, leaving them incredibly vulnerable to the continuous perpetuation of these crimes against them. To that end, ECPAT-USA has signed onto letters to both the White House and the Senate Committee on Appropriations urging the prioritization of federal funding and research that aid in child sexual abuse prevention.

The Trafficking Victims and Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 and its subsequent reauthorizations provide the legal definition and framework for prosecuting and addressing human trafficking in the United States. While federal laws exist to confront exploitation and trafficking, states retain autonomy in creating statutes, which tend to differ across jurisdictions, making uniformity of prosecutorial procedures challenging. The TVPA is due to be reauthorized this year, and ECPAT-USA is actively engaging with Congressional offices to discuss the need to provide additional support services for survivors and take further steps to protect children from all forms of exploitation and trafficking. 

Last week in Congress, the House of Representatives passed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Trafficking victims are at increased risks for both sexual and physical violence, and this bill helps provide resources for victims of both crimes. Some view the most recent authorization as transformative for its expanded protections and support for marginalized and disadvantaged communities, including Native American, immigrant, and transgender women. Considering this, combined with the emphasis on addressing child poverty in the United States of the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, ECPAT-USA is confident that the Biden-Harris Administration will continue to prioritize protecting and supporting this nation's children. 

Learn more about cases related to sex trafficking across the country that made headlines this month:

• Superseding Federal Indictment Implicates Augusta Woman in Child Exploitation Investigation: A Georgia woman has been charged with sex trafficking in a newly unsealed federal indictment that files additional charges against the man to whom she was married at the time of the alleged offenses. The charges carry a penalty upon conviction of a minimum of 15 years in prison.
• Jacksonville Couple Charged With Conspiracy To Sex Traffic A Child And Other Child Exploitation Offenses: According to the indictment, a Floria couple conspired to traffic a girl for sex, knowing that she was under the age of 18. Charges of possessing child sexual abuse material have also been brought.
• Federal Indictment Brings Additional Charges Against Georgia Man Accused Of Transporting A Minor For Sexual Activity:  The man is accused of knowingly picking up a minor and transporting them across state lines for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation.

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