Buyers who Purchase Sex Acts with Minors are Subject of New Study by Shared Hope International

Shared Hope International, Arizona State University Release Findings of New Study on Buyers of Sex with Children

PRESS RELEASE

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – According to a new study which will be released on August 25 by Shared Hope International, in partnership with Arizona State University, buyers who purchased sex acts with minors are avoiding sex trafficking charges. The Demanding Justice Report documents the criminal justice outcomes of buyers, with the ultimate goal of identifying gaps in anti-demand law enforcement in order to generate creative solutions to develop effective strategies to combat demand. The report explores national trends in the enforcement of anti-demand laws. The research also tracks 134 cases from arrest to sentencing in four target locations (Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Baltimore, MD/Washington, D.C.) to determine whether buyers are being sentenced to the fullest extent of the law. On the corresponding campaign website, www.demandingjustice.org, users can view convicted buyers in their state and take action to combat demand.

Demanding Justice Report and Campaign Website Release Press Conference

Speakers:

1. Congresswoman Linda Smith (1995-99), President and Founder, Shared Hope International
2. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota
3. Commander James Gallagher, Phoenix Police Department and Associate Director of Research Innovation, Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research at Arizona State University
4. Prof. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, Director, Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research at Arizona State University
5. Sex trafficking survivor and advocate

All speakers will be available for individual interviews immediately following the press conference from 12:00-12:30 pm MST.

On August 26, Shared Hope International, in partnership with AZPOST, is hosting a training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors on how to investigate and prosecute the buyer in child sex trafficking crimes.