IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 649 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should 
work to eliminate the facilitated sexual exploitation and trafficking of 
minors over the Internet. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2012 
Mr. BARROW submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
Congress should work to eliminate the facilitated sexual 
exploitation and trafficking of minors over the Internet. 
Whereas according to the Department of Justice, there was 
a 59 percent increase in identified victims of human traf-
ficking worldwide between 2009 and 2010; 
Whereas according to the Department of Health and Human 
Services, human trafficking is the fastest-growing crimi-
nal enterprise in the world; 
Whereas experts estimate that up to 300,000 children are at 
risk of sexual exploitation each year in the United States; 
Whereas experts estimate that the average female victim of 
sex trafficking is forced into prostitution for the first 
time between the ages of 12 and 14, and the average 
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•HRES 649 IH 
male victim of sex trafficking is forced into prostitution 
for the first time between the ages of 11 and 13; 
Whereas the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 40 per-
cent of incidents investigated by federally funded task 
forces on human trafficking between 2008 and 2010 in-
volved prostitution of a child or the sexual exploitation of 
a child; 
Whereas according to the classified advertising consultant 
Advanced Interactive Media Group (AIM Group), 
Backpage.com is the leading United States website for 
prostitution advertising; 
Whereas the National Association of Attorneys General 
tracked more than 50 cases in which charges were filed 
against persons who were trafficking or attempting to 
traffic minors on Backpage.com; 
Whereas according to AIM Group, Backpage.com earned an 
estimated $26,000,000 from prostitution advertisements 
between February 2011 and February 2012; 
Whereas in September 2010, Craigslist.com removed the 
‘‘adult services’’ section of its website following calls for 
removal from law enforcement and advocacy organiza-
tions; and 
Whereas according to AIM Group, 80 percent of online pros-
titution advertising revenue for the month of February 
2012 was attributed to Backpage.com: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the efforts of law enforcement 
agencies to provide training to law enforcement 
agents on how to identify victims of sex trafficking, 
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investigate cases of sex trafficking, prosecute sex 
trafficking offenses, and rescue victims of sex traf-
ficking; and 
(2) calls on all Internet media providers to im-
mediately eliminate ‘‘adult entertainment’’ sections 
and classified advertising that facilitate online sex 
trafficking. 
Æ 
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