Assemblyman Leland Yee: Fighting Human Trafficking

In January, immigration agents raided four suspected brothels in quiet San Francisco neighborhoods. Neighbors were shocked when agents uncovered a human trafficking and prostitution ring right in our midst. Sadly, this type of illegal activity is all too common in our community and, in fact, often involves children as young as nine years old.

According to the advocacy organization Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE), 200,000 to 300,000 children are involved in prostitution nationwide and an estimated 10 million children worldwide are involved in the $20 billion-a-year sex industry. Each year, an additional one million children enter the industry. At an age when most children are riding bikes and playing with toys, juvenile prostitutes will confront sexually transmitted diseases and suicide attempts as the two greatest risks to their health.

As a result of the alarming rates of child prostitution and intrastate human trafficking, I have teamed up with SF District Attorney Kamala Harris to help bring an end to the exploitation of children in San Francisco and throughout California. I have introduced two bills, Assembly Bills 3042 and 571, to bring greater penalties to those who solicit child prostitutes and who engage in intrastate human trafficking.

AB 3042 will enhance penalties for those who sexually abuse children through prostitution by providing that a person convicted for any offense where the crime was committed with a minor for money or other consideration is punishable with an additional year of imprisonment.

AB 571 reflects federal interstate human trafficking law by criminalizing intrastate trafficking. Under the bill, a person is guilty of trafficking of victims when that person recruits, harbors, transports, provides or obtains by any means another person, knowing that fraud or coercion will be used to engage in involuntary servitude or commercial sex acts.

Current law holds that human trafficking is only illegal for foreign or interstate transport. AB 571 will make it a crime if transport occurs between counties within the state of California.

Child prostitution is a devastating problem that few people want to talk about ­ and many want to cover up. Rarely do child prostitutes begin selling their bodies of their own volition. Many are coerced into the lifestyle and forced into virtual slavery. They are often runaways and/or victims of abuse and neglect. In fact, 85 percent of American child prostitutes previously suffered incest, rape or abuse.

To make matters worse, child prostitutes are not only abandoned by their parents but by the social services system as well. There are no comprehensive government programs and few social services for these children. Child prostitutes require specialized care for effective intervention.

These children need assistance from our health and human services and the adults sexually abusing them should face strict punishment for these deplorable acts. The problem with the current system is children who are engaging in this type of activity are hit with the heavy hand of the law, while the adults who solicit juvenile prostitutes are given a slap on the wrist.

It is my hope that my legislation will help put a stop to the cycle of victimization and abuse that ruins the lives of so many women and children in California.

Leland Yee is the speaker pro tempore at the California Assembly.