Washington D.C., Jun 26, 2010 / 16:06 pm
A new bill introduced in Congress this week aims to fight child sex trafficking in the United States, a problem that is often overlooked, say the bill's authors.
The Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010 was introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Human Trafficking.
A press release Thursday explained that the bill is a response to a 2009 report conducted by Shared Hope International which details commercial sexual exploitation of children in America. Experts estimate that at least 100,000 American minors are victims of child sex trafficking within U.S. borders each year.
“Human trafficking is a worldwide problem and the United States is no exception,” said Rep. Smith, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee. “Traffickers claim new victims in our country every day, destroying childhoods and damaging lives.”