Officials in Los Angeles recently announced an educational program to alert drivers and bus riders to the problem of sexual trafficking of young people. L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca says they are victims, not criminals.
"There are hundreds and hundreds and perhaps thousands of young women, young girls under the age of 18, who are engaged in prostitution for pay, and the man that's handling this prostitution of bondage is someone that we're really going after, the pimps," said Baca.
A measure on the November election ballot in California would increase penalties for traffickers, provide help for trafficking victims and require convicted sex offenders to disclose their Internet identities. Chris Kelly, the man behind the drive, is a former executive with the Internet site, Facebook.
"We want to make sure that the worst of the worst, the convicted sex offenders, that Facebook and other online sites - Craigslist and Backpage and whoever else - have the means to track them and basically say, 'You're not going to be able to ply your trade in this online environment,'" said Kelly.
Virginia Isaias says trafficking survivors must reclaim their dignity.
"It doesn't matter what happened or what you are living through, what matters are your values and your strength. No one can take that away from you because you were born free," said Isaias.
Isaias wants others to know there is hope for trafficking victims.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25