The very concept of child prostitution and sex slavery in the modern developed world seems difficult to believe, but it is still hiding closer than we’d like to think. Colorado and Wyoming officials working in tandem with Federal Bureau of Investigation task forces brought this heartbreaking reality to light recently with the arrest of multiple pimps and customers across the region, at the same time rescuing nine children.
In Colorado, the proliferation of various social media platforms has given way to the spread of child sex trafficking, according to authorities. Many enterprising individuals are taking advantage of the platforms to build prostitution businesses or patronize them. In many cases, individuals advertise their prisoners on social media, believing that they can stay one step ahead of the law.
Authorities suggest that throughout the Colorado and Wyoming region, there could be as many as 2,000 children being forced into prostitution at any given time.
According to current legislation, a conviction of sex trafficking does not necessitate jail time, either for the pimp who is charged or the sex buyer. State prosecutors are insistent that laws should be remedied to provide harsher penalties for sex trafficking charges.
While certainly no one should be expected to excuse sex trafficking, especially that of a child, these situations are sometimes more complex than a single label or sentence can encompass. Those who have been charged with a sex crime are just as deserving of an excellent defense as those charged with any other variety of crime, with representation by an attorney who will fight to ensure that the rights of the accused remain protected while the case is heard fairly.
Source: Denver Post, “FBI recovers 9 child sex trafficking victims in Colorado, Wyoming as part of national operation,” Jesse Paul, Oct. 18, 2016