Addressing commercial sexual exploitation in Georgia : national sex trade problem

National Sex Trade Problem

Commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) has emerged in recent years in the U.S. as a significant problem on both the national and regional level. At least 100,000 to 300,000 youth are commercially sexually exploited annually in the U.S.1
In recent years, the United States has adopted powerful federal legislation criminalizing trafficking and providing assistance to victims. In 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act made human trafficking a federal crime. The passing of the federal Trafficking Victims

Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) in 2005 called on government to eliminate the need to prove force, fraud, or coercion for a minor involved in a commercial sexual act. The TVPRA also states that these minor children should not be held accountable for prostitution crimes committed as a result of their condition of being trafficked and under the control of a pimp or traffiker.2 Through the TVPRA funding was authorized for programs to provide shelters and services to CSEC victims however the funds were not appropriated. The PROTECT act, passed in 2003, is another important act

that criminalized child sex tourism and established jurisdiction over U.S. citizens and residents who travel abroad to exploit children.
In 2001, Georgia legislation was passed that made pimping and pandering of a minor a felony. To further create a highly functioning system, the passing of Senate Bill 69 in 2009 ensures Georgia's mandatory child abuse reporters account for victims of sexual exploitation in all cases not just those where a "parent or caretaker" is suspected.

What is Commercial Exploitation of Children?
Sexual activity involving a child in exchange for something of value
In Georgia, CSEC is a form of violence against children and considered child abuse
Children can be commercially sexually exploited through prostitution, pornography, sex tourism, stripping or other erotic entertainment

Georgia's Sex Trade Problem

In 2005, the FBI named Atlanta as one of 14 cities in the nation with the highest incidence of children used in prostitution. Each month, approximately three to five hundred girls are commercially sexually exploited throughout Georgia and

research has indicated that the average age of entry is between 12 and 14 years old.3,4 Children who are runaways or throwaways are at even greater risk of being lured into sexual exploitation, most within 48 hours of leaving home.5

1Estes, R. J., & Wiener, N. A. (2001). The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Work, Center for the Study of Youth Policy.
2VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING AND VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT OF 2000, Pub. L. No. 106386, 22 U.S.C. 7101 (2000).
3Schapiro Group,. T. (2010) Adolescent Girls In Georgia's Sex Trade: Tracking Study Results. Atlanta, GA: The Schapiro Group.
4Smith, L. A., Vardaman, S. H., & Snow, M. A. (2009). The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children. Vancouver, WA: Shared Hope International.
5Chesney-Lind M, Sheldon R. (1992). Girls, Delinquency, Juvenile Justice. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Who is a child sex trafficking victim?
A child who has received food, drugs, money or shelter in exchange for sex.

Georgia's Statewide Response: A System to Protect Georgia's Children

In response to this escalating form of abuse, Georgia is leading the way in the national effort to protect our children. Such work in Georgia began at the grassroots level nearly 10 years ago and more recently a systemic, state-level response in 2008 was created by the Governor's Office for Children and Families (GOCF). GOCF recognizes commercial sexual exploitation of children as a serious problem and established the nation's first statewide response to identify

child sex trafficking victims and create a single unified protocol to serve children who have been victimized. This collaborative effort began by establishing a state task force led by GOCF. The purpose of the task force is to work collaboratively to reduce commercial sexual exploitation of children in Georgia by promoting multi-disciplinary collaborations among public and private sectors to align resources that foster successful prevention, intervention and prosecution strategies.

Georgia Care Connection Office
In 2009, support and advocacy by GOCF led to the creation of the Georgia Care Connection Office (GCC0).GOCF contracted with Gwinnet Rockdale Newton Community Service Board to create GCCO. This office coordinates a comprehensive care plan for victims and links individuals to services that best meet physical and emotional needs. The office serves a critical role as it offers a single point of contact for anyone who seeks help for a sex-trafficked child. GCC0 also provides information and technical assistance in its efforts to support victims, family members, community members, law enforcement, medical personnel and service providers.
Working in partnership with state and national organizations, GCCO proactively tracks both actual and potential sexually exploited children and helps "connect the dots" of the child's actions to identify opportunities for intervention.
To connect with this office, visit www.georgiacareconnection.com or call 404-602-0068

Sandy Springs Sex Trafficking Assessment Team
Sandy Springs Sex Trafficking Assessment Team (STAT) is the nation's first partnership that brings together law enforcement, state government and a children's hospital to provide expert victim advocate support, forensic interview services and medical exams.
Once law enforcement identifies a child whom they suspect to be a victim of sex trafficking, the CSEC victim advocate is

engaged. The child is brought to the Child Protection Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta for an exploitation-specific forensic interview and medical exam. The child is simultaneously referred to the GCCO to be connected to treatment services. The victim advocate stays engaged with the child and their family as the investigation proceeds to bring the trafficker to justice.

"When I entered the Victory Program I had no plans to reunite with my family or finish high school. As a result of my individual counseling and academic work. I am going home today and will graduate with my high school class."
Child victim of commercial sexual exploitation served by Georgia Care Connection and Victory Program.

Training Initiative
The statewide response also includes a training initiative implemented by A Future. Not A Past. campaign. Through research, prevention, intervention, and education, this campaign works to end the prostitution of children in Georgia by building a barrier between children and those who seek to harm them through commercial sexual exploitation. Under contract with Governor's Office for Children and Families, A Future, Not a Past. campaign provides training to law enforcement agencies and district attorneys to increase successful investigation and prosecution of traffickers.

Trial Liaison for Victim Witnesses
Children who have been victims of this horrific crime need individualized strategies to become effective victim witnesses. Victims referred to the Georgia Care Connection Office who choose to participate in the prosecution of an exploiter will have access to a dedicated CSEC-specific trial liaison to ensure optimal communication between the child/family, investigators, prosecutorial staff and mental health providers involved in restorative care. GOCF has contracted with The Barrocas Group, to provide this service. A final report will summarize the features of a successful CSEC victim witness assistance approach for practitioners who rely on domestic minor sex trafficking victims for testimonial evidence. This report will be available in summer 2011.

Local Community Support
Georgia has 14 safe home beds available to serve victims. If a victim is placed in a safe home they typically stay for six to nine months to receive therapeutic services. While living at a safe home, girls are required to attend school similar to home school in order to keep up with their studies. Staff from the safe homes work directly with GCCO, investigating detectives and the district attorney's offices on an ongoing basis to ensure the safety of each girl, both while at the safe home and after their departure.
Roughly half of the girls identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation are not committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice or in the custody of Department of Family and Children Services, thus do not have a stable

funding source to cover the cost of a safe, restorative setting where they can recover. Blended funding is available to help pay for needed therapies, but children in parental custody lack a stable funding source for residential care (room/ board and watchful oversight) which is calculated at $5,600 a month per child.
In order to cover the cost of a safe, structured setting, the Safety Gap Fund has been established at the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia to cover the gap for rescued girls who need residential care. Donations from community partners to this scholarship fund, in addition to GOCF funding, will allow for all needs of commercially sexually exploited children to be met.

To make a donation to support the restoration of a victim's childhood, please visit www.safetygapfund.com

How Can You Help?

In order for these efforts to continue to succeed, support from the local community is necessary. As a community, we can help identify possible victims and get them into care.

POSSIBLE WARNING SIGNS:
Branding or tattooing: victims branded by their pimp with tattoos that include a male name or initials, street name, gang or money symbols; these are often found on legs, neck, chest, hands or arms (this is one of the ways that pimps maintain physical and psychological control over emotionally vulnerable girls)
An older boyfriend or male friend or relative Withdrawn and uncommunicative Possession of large amounts of money (girls turn the money over to the pimp) Poor personal hygiene and/or inappropriate dress Runaway or lack of adult supervision/support

To access all Georgia CSEC specific reports visit www.children.ga.gov under the Family Violence section.

GOCF blended state funds, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding pursuant to HB 900 and American Recovery and Reinvestment ACT (ARRA) funding through Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) to support this statewide response.