Pete Springer/OPB
Oregon lawmakers are considering several different approaches to quell child sex trafficking in the state. Two identical bills (one in the House, one in the Senate) would increase sentences and fines for anyone caught soliciting sex from a minor. These bills seek to target pimps as well as johns.
Sara Hunt is a survivor of the sex trafficking trade and she recently shared some of her experiences with Think Out Loud:
“I was actually recruited out of Lloyd Center. There's a lot of different recruiting areas in Portland, Lloyd Center being a huge one...If a 16-year-old runs away from home and she takes the bus out to 82nd, within 72 hours she will be picked up by a pimp. The scary thing about pimps is they are masterminds.”
Has child sex trafficking affected you or someone you know? What do you see as the best way to stop it?
GUESTS:
- Sara Hunt: Survivor of sex trafficking
- Mike Geiger: Sergeant with the Portland Police Bureau's Human Trafficking Unit
- Joel Shapiro: Lobbyist for the Kids Are Not For Sale Coalition