[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 16, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1752-S1753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. WYDEN (for himself and Mr. Cornyn):
S. 596. A bill to establish a grant program to benefit victims of sex
trafficking, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join today with my partner,
Senator Cornyn, to reintroduce the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Deterrence and Victims Support Act. This bi-partisan legislation, which
was approved unanimously by the Senate in
[[Page S1753]]
the 111th Congress, just a few months ago, as S.2925, is the first
comprehensive approach to combating the terrible and fast-growing
criminal enterprise of trafficking of children for sex right here in
the U.S.
Many people don't have any idea how many children in the U.S. are
forced into sexual slavery. It is truly a moral abomination that an
estimated 100,000 minors are trafficked for sex in the U.S. each year.
The reason that this crime has reached epidemic proportions is simple:
the resources are not in place to help innocent victims escape from
trafficking, nor to punish the violent, ruthless pimps who are
trafficking them.
In talking to law enforcement officials in Oregon, I learned that
gang members, pimps, and traffickers have figured out that trafficking
a person is a lot less risky, and just as profitable, as trafficking
drugs. A pimp can make $200,000 a year on one trafficking victim. And
they know they can exploit vulnerable minors and not get caught because
law enforcement lacks the training and resources to stop this crime.
The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act
aims to turn that around.
This bill would, for the first time, provide a comprehensive solution
for addressing this problem. The bill would establish a pilot project
of six block grants in locations in different regions of the country
with significant sex trafficking activity. The block grants would be
awarded by the Department of Justice to state or local government
applicants that have developed a workable, comprehensive plan to combat
sex trafficking. The grants would require a multi-disciplinary approach
to addressing trafficking problems. Applicants for the grants would
have to demonstrate they can work together with local, State, and
Federal law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and social service
providers to achieve the goals of the bill.
Government agencies that get the grants would be required to create
shelters where trafficking victims would be safe from their pimps, and
where they could start getting treatment for the trauma they have
suffered. The shelters would provide counseling, legal services, and
mental and physical health services, including treatment for substance
abuse, sexual abuse, and trauma-informed care. The shelters would also
provide food, clothing, and other necessities, as well as education and
training to help victims get their lives on track.
The bill would also provide training for law enforcement officers. I
worked with some of the pioneering officers out there like Doug Justus
in Portland and Byron Fassett in Dallas who really understand this
issue. But, unfortunately, what Doug and Byron have told me is that
most officers don't have the training to recognize a sex trafficking
victim and don't know how to handle those victims in a way that will
allow them to feel like they can turn away from their pimp. Without
this training--and without shelters--there's no way to begin building
criminal cases against the pimps, and no way to get these victims to
come to court to testify in criminal trials.
That is why it is going to take a comprehensive plan to finally turn
the tables on pimps. Without trained officers and service providers,
and available shelters, there is no support and safe place for children
who are being trafficked. Right now there are only between 50 and 70
shelter beds in the entire country for minor victims of sex
trafficking. That is unacceptable. This bill will change that, and
begin to provide hope for trafficking victims.
Another serious aspect of this problem that this bill would address
is the issue of repeat runaways. Evidence shows that the children at
greatest risk of becoming involved in sex trafficking are kids who have
run away from home over and over again. Many of them are children who
have been in the foster care system. The problem is that there is often
no report made when a child runs away, and thus no way to know when a
child is a repeat runaway and at greatest risk.
This bill would strengthen reporting requirements for runaway or
missing children, and encourage the FBI to enhance the National Crime
Information Center, NCIC, database, which is where missing child
reports are filed. Doing so would give law enforcement officers better
information on the children at greatest risk by flagging repeat
runaways.
Before I conclude, I want to express that this is a very personal
issue with very personal consequences. I had a chance to feel this
personal heartbreak last year when I accompanied police officers along
82nd Avenue in my hometown of Portland. I will never forget a 15-year-
old girl working out there with the tools of the trade. She had a cell
phone to stay in constant contact with her pimp and report how much
money she had made. She had a 15-inch butcher knife because she knew
she needed to protect herself. She had a purse full of condoms, because
she knew she couldn't stop until she'd had more customers during the
course of the evening.
The fact that there are thousands of young girls like her out on the
streets, all across the country, every single day, is nothing short of
a national emergency. This bill sends a clear and powerful message to
the victims of this abuse, that somebody cares about her health and
wellbeing. That is why I hope Congress will act quickly to provide help
for young girls like the one I met by passing this bill.
Last year, this legislation passed the Senate by unanimous consent
and the House by voice vote. Unfortunately, the bill passed the House
shortly before Congress adjourned, and there was no time to resolve the
minor differences between the two chambers' bills. But I will do
everything I can to see that this bill moves forward promptly so that
sex trafficking victims can begin to receive the care they need and
deserve.
Finally, I want to acknowledge the efforts of the non-profit and
faith-based organizations in working on this issue. There are a lot of
deeply committed groups and individuals working to help victims of sex
trafficking. Their good work has laid the foundation for our efforts
here in the Congress.
I want to acknowledge the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children, the FBI's Innocence Lost Project, Polaris Project, Shared
Hope International, ECPAT-USA, Rebecca Project for Human Rights,
Soroptimists, and the YWCA; and there are many other fine groups that
deserve thanks.
I also want to recognize the work of champions--like Ambassador Luis
CdeBaca, filmmaker Libby Spears, and local officials like Multnomah
County Commissioner Diane McKeel, who have raised awareness and made it
their priority to fight this horrific crime. The effort to save
children from sex trafficking would not be possible without the
involvement of all of these groups and individuals.
Again, I want to thank Senator Cornyn for his dedication and
cooperation in combating sex trafficking. I am also indebted also to
the members of the Judiciary Committee who played a constructive role
in shaping the bill; and I particularly thank Chairman Leahy, Senator
Sessions, Senator Durbin, Senator Franken, and Senator Coburn for their
input and work to move this legislation forward in the last Congress.
Finally, I want to acknowledge our House partners, Representatives
Carolyn Maloney and Chris Smith, who introduced companion legislation
last Congress. I look forward to working with them again to quickly
move this legislation forward to passage.
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