Ending the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children - California ...

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AcknowledgementsSpecial thanks are extended to Kate Walker, Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow withthe National Center for Youth Law. Kate conducted the research and authored the report onbehalf of the Work Group. She led numerous discussions, made presentations to the Council, andincorporated comments and suggestions to strengthen the findings and add clarity. Her skills,knowledge and passion were essential to the completion of the report.The report was sponsored by the National Center for Youth Law and the Pillsbury WinthropShaw Pittman LLP Foundation. Thomas V. Loran III, a partner at Pillsbury, facilitated fundingto Kate throughout her Fellowship and provided invaluable support and encouragement.We are grateful to the following members of the Leadership Team who worked with Kate tooversee the process of organizing the report and getting widespread involvement in reviewingthe contents: Judge Stacy Boulware Eurie, Presiding Juvenile Court Judge, Superior Court ofCalifornia, Sacramento County; Nola Brantley, Executive Director of MISSSEY (Motivating,Inspiring, Serving and Supporting Sexually Exploited Youth); Sylvia Pizzini, Assistant Secretaryof the California Department of Health and Human Services, and Patrick Gardner, President ofYoung Minds Advocacy Project.The following individuals who served on a subcommittee to develop and refine the recommendationspresented in the report are recognized for their ability to envision what we can doright now to effectively respond to the commercial sexual exploitation of children: Paniz Bagheri,SAGE – Standing Against Global Exploitation; Ellyn Bell, SAGE – Standing Against GlobalExploitation; Stacey Bell, and youth representatives, Sacramento City Unified School District;Diana Boyer, County Welfare Directors Association of California; Cailey Bronny, SacramentoCity Unified School District; Kimberly Chang, M.D., Asian Health Services; Angela Chung,CAST - Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking; Kevin Gaines, California Departmentof Social Services; Hannah Haley, WestCoast Children’s Center; Leslie Heimov, Children’sLaw Center of California; Stacey Katz, WestCoast Children’s Center; Jodie Langs, WestCoastChildren’s Center; Barbara Loza-Muriera, Alameda County Social Services Agency; AnnMizoguchi, California Department of Social Services; Casey Powers, California Department ofSocial Services; Commissioner Catherine Pratt, Superior Court of California, Los Angeles; FizaQuraishi, National Center for Youth Law; and Wesley Sheffield, Young Minds Advocacy Project.Thanks to all of those involved in the production of the report. The primary editors werePatrick Gardner, Fiza Quraishi, and Wesley Sheffield. Maia Sciupac of the Alameda CountyDistrict Attorney’s Office assisted with the graphic displays. Sylvia Pizzini provided tirelesssupport to Work Group members.vi |
Executive SummaryWithin the United States, California has emerged as a magnet for commercial sexualexploitation (“CSE”) of children (“CSEC”). The FBI has determined that three of the nation’sthirteen High Intensity Child Prostitution areas are located in California: the San Francisco,Los Angeles, and San Diego metropolitan areas. Child sex trafficking, child pornography, andchild sex tourism are all forms of CSEC. Frequently, victims are exploited through more thanone form of abuse, and they cycle through the stages of exploitation many times before they areable to leave their exploitative relationships. To address this problem, California must develop acomprehensive and collaborative response to ensure CSE victims are identified and receive theservices they need to overcome trauma and live healthy, productive lives.The children who fall prey to exploiters are frequently those with prior involvement withthe child welfare system, such as through child abuse report investigations and placement infoster care. Other victims should have received Child Welfare services and protections butnever gained access to the system, and are instead treated like criminals and funneled into thejuvenile justice system.Chapter One portrays the horrors children experience through commercial sexualexploitation. Chapter Two of this report discusses the prevalence of CSEC and definesthe scope of the problem. Chapter Three focuses on the need for child-serving systems toidentify CSEC and children at risk of CSE. Chapter Four outlines models and approaches foraddressing the needs of CSEC. Chapter Five identifies strategies for preventing CSE, includingreducing demand for commercial sex. Chapter Six describes the response by the internationalcommunity, and also explores the federal and state governments’ responses to combattingCSE. Finally, Chapter Seven provides recommendations for a collaborative and comprehensiveresponse to CSE in California.There are many difficulties and barriers to identifying victims of commercial sexualexploitation. Paramount is inadequate education and awareness among agencies, organizations,and providers who come into contact with CSEC. Additionally, many CSEC are not able to seethemselves as victims; and either rationalize or actively deny that they are being exploited. Theconcealed nature of this crime also acts as a barrier to identifying and rescuing CSEC.Exploring ways to overcome these barriers with education strategies and cross-systemscreening protocols may reduce the number of children who become victims of CSE. It alsomay give CSEC access to services and supports they need to escape a life of violence andCalifornia Child Welfare Council | 1
Page 6 and 7: We commend the members of the CSEC
Page 11 and 12: and track progress. The United Stat
Page 13 and 14: IntroductionEvery day of the year,
Page 15 and 16: Several months later, police found
Page 17 and 18: Prevalence of CommerciallySexually
Page 19 and 20: foster care. A study of Los Angeles
Page 21 and 22: now subject to prosecution in the U
Page 23 and 24: if a girl brings $800 back after a
Page 25 and 26: Despite growing recognition of thep
Page 27 and 28: directly recruit girls from these s
Page 29 and 30: Reflecting this gender distinction,
Page 31 and 32: conditioned to distrust law enforce
Page 33 and 34: avoid law enforcement involvement,
Page 35 and 36: Whereas other models focus on patie
Page 37 and 38: in the media; and community factors
Page 39 and 40: of the harm reduction model to less
Page 41 and 42: CSEC through trauma-informed practi
Page 43 and 44: twenty-five youth each. 217 The STA
Page 45 and 46: hall. The workshop meets once a wee
Page 47 and 48: In order to provide a continuum of
Page 49 and 50: Connecticut, California, Minnesota,
Page 51 and 52: Sexual Exploitation.” 291 The pro
Page 53 and 54: LegislationAs human trafficking has
Page 55 and 56: And, the minor’s consent to explo
Page 57 and 58: DecriminalizationDecriminalization
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1. No previous adjudication for eng
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excess of their tax liability to th
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The recommendations set forth below
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IdentificationNeedsDepending on the
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InterventionRecommendations (Contin
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LegislationNeedsThere are policies
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In addition to the CSEC Action Comm
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youth-radio-trafficked-teen-girls-d
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Approach To Human Trafficking, 89 N
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305. Human Trafficking in Californi
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APPENDIX AGUIDELINES FOR IDENTIFYIN
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APPENDIX AGUIDELINES FOR ENGAGING C
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APPENDIX A■ ■■ ■“Do you f
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APPENDIX AWHAT YOUTH SAY WORKSMost
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APPENDIX BStage of Change: Pre-Cont
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APPENDIX BStage of Change: Action
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APPENDIX CInterventions: Models for
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APPENDIX CDistrict Attorney’s off
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APPENDIX C15. Shelby French, Execut
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APPENDIX DSTREAT TeamIn California,
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California ChildWelfare Council
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