[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 81 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 81

Expressing the sense of the Senate that children trafficked for sex in 
     the United States should not be treated or regarded as child 
 prostitutes because there is no such thing as a ``child prostitute'', 
only children who are victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2015

     Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. 
Feinstein, and Mr. Grassley) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that children trafficked for sex in 
     the United States should not be treated or regarded as child 
 prostitutes because there is no such thing as a ``child prostitute'', 
only children who are victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking.

Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that hundreds of thousands 
        of children in the United States are at risk of being commercially 
        exploited through sex trafficking;
Whereas children as young as 11 years old may be subjected to the commercial sex 
        market as victims of sex trafficking;
Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking have experienced previous physical 
        or sexual abuse, vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit to manipulate 
        the victims into a life of sexual slavery through sex trafficking;
Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking are hidden in plain view, standing 
        at bus stops, in runaway and homeless youth shelters, and advertised 
        online; and
Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking who have not yet attained the age 
        of consent are arrested and detained for juvenile prostitution or status 
        offenses directly related to their exploitation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) encourages the Departments of Justice, Health and Human 
        Services, and Labor, and all other relevant Federal entities, 
        to treat children trafficked for sex as victims or survivors of 
        rape and sex trafficking;
            (2) supports efforts to arrest and prosecute sex 
        traffickers and buyers of children trafficked for sex, in 
        accordance with applicable State and Federal sex trafficking 
        statutes, and State child protection laws against abuse and 
        statutory rape, in order to take all necessary measures to 
        protect the most vulnerable children in the United States;
            (3) supports survivors of child sex trafficking, including 
        efforts to raise awareness of this tragedy and of the 
        comprehensive services necessary to heal from the trauma of 
        sexual violence and exploitation;
            (4) urges lawmakers, law enforcement, the media, and the 
        public to reframe the trafficking of children for sex as an act 
        of violence against children and not as mere vice, 
        prostitution, or sex work, because there is no such thing as a 
        ``child prostitute'', only children who are victims or 
        survivors of rape and sex trafficking; and
            (5) supports an end to the demand for children in the 
        commercial sex market, by supporting efforts to ensure that 
        children in the United States are not for sale and that any 
        person who is trafficking or purchasing a child for sex shall 
        be punished under the full force of the law.
                                 <all>