Monday,  Jan. 27, 2014 • Vol. 16--No. 195 • 7 of 34

(Continued from page 6)

• We are so blessed in South Dakota to have groups like Lutheran Social Services, My Sister Friends' House, and Be Free Ministries helping trafficking victims while local law enforcement officers work to dismantle trafficking networks.  We must make sure these organizations have the tools they need. 
• These tools come in many shapes and sizes.  In New York and New Jersey - the hosts of this year's Super Bowl - more focus is going into training law enforcement officers, hospitality workers, high school students and airport employees.  They are being trained to look for women and children who aren't in control, who owe large debts, who are anxious, submissive or tense.  These are signs all of us should keep an eye out for.
• I visited with state lawmakers this week about figuring out ways to better combat this illicit industry on the state level.  For the kids that are at risk of being pulled into this terrible industry, their focus on sex trafficking is the most important thing they'll do this legislative session.
• I'll be working to complement their efforts on the federal level.  I recently signed onto legislation that creates a National Safe Harbor Law, which ensures minors who have been forced into trafficking are treated as victims, not as criminals.  I know this is something lawmakers at the state level are working on too.
• Because children under the state's care are at greater risk of becoming a trafficking victim, I have also supported legislation that would ensure kids in foster care and adoption assistance are reported to authorities for entry into the FBI's National Crime Information Center within 24 hours of being found to be missing.  As sad as it is, that doesn't always happen.
• I also helped introduce the End Sex Trafficking Act last summer, which addresses the issue from the demand side - these are the "johns" who solicit or obtain the services of a trafficked person.
• There's no question this is a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted approach, but making sure we dismantle human trafficking networks and help survivors rebuild their lives is critical.  Sadly, there are 300,000 children at risk for sexual exploitation every year in the United States and many like Clemmie Greenlee will be dragged into this deplorable industry.  We owe it to these kids to be aggressive, to put traffickers out of business, to bring those who exploit others to justice.  And when we don't get there in time, we must help the survivors rebuild.

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