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Matt Gaetz paid the accused sex trafficker, who later sent the same amount of cash to teen girls In 2017, Gaetz was the only member of Congress to vote against a law that gave the federal government more power and money to fight human trafficking. Today, Gaetz is at the center of an investigation involving sex trafficking of a minor across state lines. While Matt Gaetz continues to deny the allegations, the evidence showing his payments to a sex trafficker, and payments in those exact amounts made from that trafficker to the victims, is a clear indication of his purchasing sexual access to those girls from their trafficker. Additionally, the manipulation and coercion by an adult who wants sex from a youth can occur without a direct cash payment, and is equally illegal if they buy access to a minor's body through similar goods like flights, clothes, or food. On top of the traditional form of trafficking where Gaetz paid their pimp for access to the victims, Gaetz also facilitated their travel across state lines for the purposes of sex trafficking. Transporting a youth for the specific purposes of having sex with them is the act of a predator and is a violation of the Mann Act.

We all should know more about child sex trafficking.

• According to a report by Save the Children US, children make up 27% of all human trafficking victims worldwide, and two out of every three identified child victims are girls.
• Studies show that about 90% of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser, and only 10% of sexually abused children are abused by a stranger.
• Traffickers target victims through their vulnerabilities. All children are vulnerable and depend on people in power to provide care and support.
• Factors that make some children more vulnerable than others include housing insecurity, food insecurity, lack of community, previous abuse, and more. Ultimately, because children can be more trusting and easily coerced, all children are susceptible to the manipulative tactics of traffickers.
• Media typically portrays child sex trafficking as commercial sex, but the reality is far more vast. Sex trafficking of children can include pedophilia or the creation or dissemination of child pornography - particularly devastating as the internet gives these types of traffickers an accessible avenue for their crime.
• Child sex trafficking, as other types of trafficking, doesn’t require crossing jurisdictional borders: Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex acts.

We are excited to present our Impact report 2020. Despite a year filled with uncertainty and turbulence, we’ve remained laser-focused on our commitment to those who have become even more vulnerable during this pandemic year. From training anti-trafficking professionals to changing systems with policymakers to collaborating with service providers, elevating survivors, and supporting victims, we’ve continued to make an impact in a big way in the anti-trafficking space. We are proud of the progress we and our partners have made, and excited to do even more in 2021!

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The lack of regulation across the nation has allowed thousands of human traffickers to hide behind the guise of massage therapy - and it is great to see more cities join the effort to remedy their part in that regulatory gap.

• Billings. Our CEO Rochelle Keyhan was asked by city leaders in Billings, Montana to provide assistance, subject matter expertise, and testimony in support of an IMB ordinance in a city council meeting. Our law enforcement partner Joseph Scaramucci also testified, lending his enforcement expertise to the conversation. The ordinance was drafted collaboratively with the massage therapy industry and human trafficking professionals, and is aimed to equip city code enforcement and law enforcement with the tools necessary to effectively combat human trafficking within IMBs.
• Sacramento. Our team was happy to see that the recommendations we made years ago were successfully codified in Sacramento. The new rule will force violators to shut their business for five years at that site so that bad operators cannot open a new business under a different business name. The new law connects survivors of human trafficking to support services.

Pastor, girls high school basketball coach among 79 arrested in Hillsborough County human trafficking operation As always, we are honored to be asked to support our federal partners in Tampa in support of their human trafficking operations. The great work of these men and women is leading the charge in the Middle District of Florida. “This operation helped rescue three females from the perils of human trafficking,” said Chronister. “Unfortunately, the only thing wrong with this number, is that we know there are more victims. I want to remind everyone that if you see something, say something. By reporting anyone you think maybe a victim of these heinous crimes, you could be saving a life.”

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