ECPAT USA is part of a global network of organizations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes. It seeks to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation."Advocating for Survivors In The Criminal Justice System”
Dear Friends of ECPAT-USA,
Since our founding, ECPAT-USA has been at the forefront of the fight for legislation that will protect children who are commercially sexually exploited. With a new administration sworn in and a new session of Congress starting in Washington, D.C., we are also excited to welcome our new Director of Public Policy, Nina DeJonghe. Nina will be helping shape our advocacy efforts this year, including our work on sex trafficking and the criminal justice system.
Cases involving child sex trafficking are complex and require a multijurisdictional approach. It is imperative that victims receive sufficient protection from law enforcement and that the judicial system upholds the law by prosecuting sexual predators whose sole purpose is to victimize children by subjecting them to a harmful life for monetary gain.
We must also acknowledge the level of irreversible trauma placed on children subjected to this lifestyle, which sometimes leaves them unable to navigate their lives after being victimized. To achieve this, it is crucial that trauma-informed practices and measures are in place to support victims.
Take Action - Help #FreeZephi
Baldenegro’s attorney claims that Zephi is the one who lured the two victims to the apartment and that he and Zephi were in a consensual romantic relationship. But to hear Zephi and her parents describe the situation, it is clear that Zephi was being exploited and manipulated. Her trafficker is reported to have physically abused Zephi and threatened to harm her and her family if she told them what was happening. Zephi was sold for sex at the age of 16. There is no other way to describe the circumstances than child sex trafficking. Take action now and demand justice for Zephi.
Trafficking in the News
Exploitation affects communities in every state in the U.S. Below, you can learn more about cases related to sex trafficking across the country that made headlines this month.
• Houston man gets life for trafficking girls for sex - A 45-year-old Houston man has been sent to prison and ordered to pay nearly $1 million following his convictions on five separate counts of sex trafficking involving adults and minors.
• b>FBI finds 33 missing children in an anti-trafficking operation - Thirty-three children were recovered in an anti-trafficking operation in Southern California dubbed "Operation Lost Angels.”
• b>United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe Maintains Priority on Seeking Justice And Recovery For Victims Of Child Exploitation – United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe of the Northern District of Florida announced that a total of 39 defendants were indicted in 2020 on federal charges involving the exploitation of children, ranging from production, distribution, and possession of child pornography to sex trafficking of minors.
Your support helps us to continue our meaningful work protecting children from the threat of sexual exploitation and trafficking. Together, let’s keep fighting to create a world where no child is bought, sold, or used for sex.
For more information on this and other ECPAT USA efforts, please email us at info@ecpatusa.org
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