With tougher laws on the books to punish human traffickers and more awareness about those forced into sexual slavery, prosecutors, lawmakers and police met Friday to plot a plan to eradicate human sex trafficking. District Attorney Jackie Lacey Wednesday announced a diversion program aimed at getting young victims of sex trafficking off the streets. Hundreds of residents, along with community leaders, gathered in Compton Thursday night to march against sex trafficking.
A Long Beach man is being charged with Child Sex Trafficking after allegedly forcing a year-old girl to perform sexual activities with up to 50 or more men for profit. A Long Beach man has been charged with forcing women he recruited online to work as prostitutes.
Two young girls were rescued and 15 people were arrested during a sex trafficking sting in Riverside and San Bernardino counties last week. Some children in L. County's foster care system are reportedly being recruited as child prostitutes and officials want a new task force to address the problem. The number of people identified as victims of human trafficking in California has increased steadily since as the crime has become a growing threat, California Attorney General Kamala Harris reported Friday.
Law enforcement, transit and business leaders Thursday unveiled a multimedia ad campaign aimed at raising awareness of child sex trafficking. A Long Beach was arraigned Monday in federal court after being indicted by a grand jury with sex trafficking and forced labor charges.
When you think about the horrors of human trafficking or sex slaves, you likely think of it as a problem happening "over there. Sex trafficking is often associated with Eastern Europe or Asia, but few recognize to what extent people are exploited in the United States. Maria Suarez was one such victim who's now working to raise awareness about sex trafficking in Los Angeles.
