The arrest of one of Indiana's celebrities forces us to acknowledge what many still don't want to believe — the underground business of sex trafficking exists and is thriving.
When the Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficking Humans Task Force, which I co-chair, first started talking about human trafficking in our state, we were met with skeptics. People could not believe this was happening here. Fortunately — and very unfortunately — it's now impossible for even the skeptics to ignore the reality of the sex industry.
Crimes against children in our society, especially sex crimes, are all too frequent. According to law enforcement experts, children are bought, sold and used in the sex industry every day. Child pornography cases are numerous …show more content…
Combined with the work of my office on a national human trafficking committee and on the Indiana Children's Commission, I know all too well how prevalent these crimes are in Indiana. We simply must do more.
The Victims Services and Outreach Division in my office was developed as a continuation of earlier efforts on sex trafficking as we noticed a need to provide better, more cohesive assistance to victims.
This is an unpleasant subject and one that is uncomfortable for me to discuss, but we Hoosiers must fight this battle on all fronts. We have to stop the demand for commercial sex that victimizes children and the adults they become. The Indiana's Not Buying It campaign is one way we are refuting myths about the sex industry and urging people to stand up against the purchase of another human being. We have worked with legislators on seeking enhanced penalties for perpetrators of child sex crimes.
But we also have to support victims to get them out of this life and prevent others from getting pulled in. I am calling on everyone to take responsibility for those we see who may be victims. If you see a teen who may be homeless or a runaway, call law enforcement for help or call 2-1-1, a service providing statewide
When the Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficking Humans Task Force, which I co-chair, first started talking about human trafficking in our state, we were met with skeptics. People could not believe this was happening here. Fortunately — and very unfortunately — it's now impossible for even the skeptics to ignore the reality of the sex industry.
Crimes against children in our society, especially sex crimes, are all too frequent. According to law enforcement experts, children are bought, sold and used in the sex industry every day. Child pornography cases are numerous …show more content…
Combined with the work of my office on a national human trafficking committee and on the Indiana Children's Commission, I know all too well how prevalent these crimes are in Indiana. We simply must do more.
The Victims Services and Outreach Division in my office was developed as a continuation of earlier efforts on sex trafficking as we noticed a need to provide better, more cohesive assistance to victims.
This is an unpleasant subject and one that is uncomfortable for me to discuss, but we Hoosiers must fight this battle on all fronts. We have to stop the demand for commercial sex that victimizes children and the adults they become. The Indiana's Not Buying It campaign is one way we are refuting myths about the sex industry and urging people to stand up against the purchase of another human being. We have worked with legislators on seeking enhanced penalties for perpetrators of child sex crimes.
But we also have to support victims to get them out of this life and prevent others from getting pulled in. I am calling on everyone to take responsibility for those we see who may be victims. If you see a teen who may be homeless or a runaway, call law enforcement for help or call 2-1-1, a service providing statewide