[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 154 (Tuesday, December 4, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              JESSICA FORD

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 4, 2012

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Jessica Ford had big dreams of 
becoming a doctor when she was growing up. Like many young girls, 
Jessica was just trying to find her way in life when she ran away from 
home. After she ran away, she met a man who made her feel safe. He 
claimed to have all the answers to her problems. She fell in love. 
Unfortunately, Jessica didn't realize she was falling in love with a 
predator.
  Unbeknownst to Jessica, her new love identified her as prey and lured 
her in to his control by taking advantage of her vulnerability. Before 
she knew what was happening, she was his slave--threatened, raped and 
force into prostitution. Her predator sold her for sex in her city and 
trafficked her in other places. This nightmare--living in slavery--
lasted for thirteen years.
  Jessica lived in constant fear of the men who owned her during those 
years. Not only did they steal her childhood, they stole her identity. 
She was an object to them, sold on an underground market just like any 
other commodity in demand. The sick reality of this market is best 
explained by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack: ``With selling a girl 
there's a huge advantage. After you sell a kilo of cocaine, you have to 
then buy another kilo of cocaine, but you can sell a girl or boy over 
and over again. It's an incredible renewable resource.'' Jessica's 
nightmare didn't start in a third world country; it started right here 
in Houston, Texas.
  Human trafficking is the second largest organized crime business in 
he world, generating $32 billion a year. This dastardly deed occurs all 
over the world, but most people don't know that it occurs right here in 
the United States. Unfortunately, Texas has become a hub for human 
trafficking--in 2007 nearly 1/3 of the calls to the National Human 
Trafficking Hotline came from our state. The many interstates, airports 
and ports in Houston make our city convenient for traffickers. 
Trafficking rings operate in places that you see along the streets in 
our communities, like some massage parlors where women are sold for 
sex. This modern day slave trade occurs right in our own backyard. It 
seems like a Hollywood movie, but this is reality.
  There are many faces of trafficking victims, but typically the 
victims are women--both adult and child. In less frequent instances, 
the victims are men. Some are people who are smuggled here from another 
country believing they will have a job. Others are vulnerable American 
children. In many cases, these victims are forced into sex and/or labor 
trafficking to repay a debt. Sadly, too many of them are treated as 
criminals and not what they really are--victims of crime.
  When I came to Congress, I founded the bipartisan Congressional 
Victims Rights Caucus. The Caucus works to bring attention to human 
trafficking. Legislatively, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act has 
brought about considerable changes in the way that the federal 
government responds to trafficking and coordination worldwide. We are 
working towards reauthorizing this important bill.
  On the state and local levels, Texas has taken significant steps 
forward to prevent trafficking, prosecute traffickers, and help 
victims. In Harris County, Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman and County 
Attorney Vince Ryan have made cracking down on human trafficking a top 
priority. They're working hard to close illegitimate businesses and 
arrest and prosecute those exploiting the vulnerable. The biggest 
challenge we face to battling this crime is the endless demand by 
customers.
  Human Trafficking is modern day slavery. It's a human rights issue. 
Bringing awareness to the problem is the first step. We must continue 
to tell stories like Jessica's. Collaboration between federal, state 
and local governments is also key. Together, we can strengthen 
penalties for traffickers and buyers. And most importantly, we can't 
forget that those who have been trafficked are the victims. We must 
treat them like victims. They need assistance as they recover from 
servitude and rebuild their lives. Together we can eradicate the 
scourge of human trafficking. And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________