January 17, 2017
Kamala Harris
201 I Street
Suite 7-600
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator Kamala Harris:
As a woman and activist, I have always advocated against child sex trafficking: an industry of abuse, manipulation and sexism. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 20.9 billion people are trafficked worldwide, almost 30% of victims are children, trafficking is a lucrative industry (making $150 billion dollars worldwide), and 1 out of 5 endangered runaways are likely child sex trafficking victims.
Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery, and is a major problem in first-world countries. It is vital to assure trafficking victims that help is there for them. We can ensure this by decriminalizing prostitution for minors and spreading awareness of child trafficking.
Background (Overview):
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This law has alarmed social media after Republican politician, Travis Allen, published his op-ed on the Washington Examiner, claiming that “California Democrats legalize child prostitution”. This can’t be further from the truth, since according to the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol, any child under the age of 18 cannot give valid consent for a commercial sexual act; they are considered victims of exploitation. Senator Holly Mitchell, who introduced Senate Bill 1322, explained to NBC News that "the law is supposed to protect vulnerable children from adult abuse, [however, we still] brand kids enmeshed in sex-for-pay ... and leave them subject to shame and