A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that children trafficked for sex in the United States should not be treated or regarded as child prostitutes because there is no such thing as a "child prostitute", only children who are victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking.

Bill: 114-sres-81
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2015-02-12
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare

Crime victims

Crimes against children

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Domestic violence and child abuse

Human trafficking

Sex offenses
Latest action: action_date: 2015-02-12
text: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1011; text as passed Senate CR S1009)

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-02-12
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Encourages: (1) all federal entities to treat children trafficked for sex as victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking; and (2) lawmakers, law enforcement, the media, and the public to reframe the trafficking of children for sex as an act of violence against children.</p> <p>Expresses support for: (1) efforts to arrest and prosecute sex traffickers and buyers of children trafficked for sex in accordance with applicable state and federal sex trafficking statutes and state child protection laws; (2) survivors of child sex trafficking and efforts to raise awareness of the comprehensive services necessary to heal from the trauma of sexual violence and exploitation; and (3) ending the demand for children in the commercial sex market by ensuring that children in the United States are not for sale and that any person who is trafficking or purchasing a child for sex is punished under the full force of the law.</p>

action_date: 2015-02-12
action_desc: Passed Senate without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)</p> <p>Encourages: (1) all federal entities to treat children trafficked for sex as victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking; and (2) lawmakers, law enforcement, the media, and the public to reframe the trafficking of children for sex as an act of violence against children.</p> <p>Expresses support for: (1) efforts to arrest and prosecute sex traffickers and buyers of children trafficked for sex in accordance with applicable state and federal sex trafficking statutes and state child protection laws; (2) survivors of child sex trafficking and efforts to raise awareness of the comprehensive services necessary to heal from the trauma of sexual violence and exploitation; and (3) ending the demand for children in the commercial sex market by ensuring that children in the United States are not for sale and that any person who is trafficking or purchasing a child for sex is punished under the full force of the law.</p>

tv_txt: III 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 81 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 12, 2015 Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Rubio , Mr. Blumenthal , Mrs. Feinstein , and Mr. Grassley ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate that children trafficked for sex in the United States should not be treated or regarded as child prostitutes because there is no such thing as a child prostitute , only children who are victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking.

Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that hundreds of thousands of children in the United States are at risk of being commercially exploited through sex trafficking; Whereas children as young as 11 years old may be subjected to the commercial sex market as victims of sex trafficking; Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking have experienced previous physical or sexual abuse, vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit to manipulate the victims into a life of sexual slavery through sex trafficking; Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking are hidden in plain view, standing at bus stops, in runaway and homeless youth shelters, and advertised online; and Whereas many child victims of sex trafficking who have not yet attained the age of consent are arrested and detained for juvenile prostitution or status offenses directly related to their exploitation: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) encourages the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Labor, and all other relevant Federal entities, to treat children trafficked for sex as victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking; (2) supports efforts to arrest and prosecute sex traffickers and buyers of children trafficked for sex, in accordance with applicable State and Federal sex trafficking statutes, and State child protection laws against abuse and statutory rape, in order to take all necessary measures to protect the most vulnerable children in the United States; (3) supports survivors of child sex trafficking, including efforts to raise awareness of this tragedy and of the comprehensive services necessary to heal from the trauma of sexual violence and exploitation; (4) urges lawmakers, law enforcement, the media, and the public to reframe the trafficking of children for sex as an act of violence against children and not as mere vice, prostitution, or sex work, because there is no such thing as a child prostitute , only children who are victims or survivors of rape and sex trafficking; and (5) supports an end to the demand for children in the commercial sex market, by supporting efforts to ensure that children in the United States are not for sale and that any person who is trafficking or purchasing a child for sex shall be punished under the full force of the law.