December, 2010 - The Advocates for Human Rights

This month, Minnesota's Human Trafficking Task Force voted to endorse our legislation to combat child sexual exploitation. The Advocates' Safe Harbors bill won the endorsement of the Human Trafficking Task Force.

The Advocates appreciate the Task Force's important work in battling sex trafficking in Minnesota. We've seen stories about the alleged Somali ring, the so-called "Nice Guys" group of male professionals who purchased and sold women for sex, stories of young Native American women being trafficked onto ships at Duluth's port, local sex trafficking websites like MyFastPass.com, and more.

Tragically, the sale of women and girls for sex is a worldwide problem that affects all ages, ethnicities, and nationalities. All of our communities in Minnesota, both immigrant and native born, are affected by sex trafficking. In fact, a recent 2010 study by The Schapiro Group finds that 124 girls were sold on the internet in the month of August alone, which is a 55% increase since February.

Minnesota has recognized the need to more effectively address this reality. Sex trafficking will only end when we prioritize the safety of women and girls and commit ourselves to punishing those who exploit their vulnerability and violate their rights.  This is the commitment of the Human Trafficking Task Force, and we are very grateful for it.  To get a comprehensive view of this problem and recent progress in combating it, please see The Advocates' website www.StopVAW.org.