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Home>Archives for SHI Staff

November 20, 2014 by SHI Staff

Oregon’s First Federal Sentencing of Buyer Who Purchased Sex with Minor Results in Two Years in Prison

On November 19, 2014, Oregon issued its first federal sentence for a buyer of sex with a child. Ben Allen Riggs, 64, of Oregon City was sentenced in the District of Oregon under federal charges for transporting a person across state lines for purposes of engaging in prostitution – a federal offense under the Mann Act. In this case, the person was a 14-year-old girl. The hearing decided Riggs’ penalty; but it further solidified a developing precedent that buyers of children must be held accountable for their actions by facing jail time.

Historically, buyers have not commonly faced full punishment under law, but research has shown (see Shared Hope International Amicus Brief) that serious punishment would be an effective deterrent. Therefore, buyers must face maximum sentencing to be held accountable for their crimes which drive the commercial sex market by making it a profitable industry.

Shared Hope International attended the sentencing hearing to show support and solidarity in prioritizing prosecution for those who purchase sex with children. Below is an inside account of the proceedings:

The defense attorney acknowledged that Riggs was guilty of transporting a person across state lines for the purpose of prostitution and deserved punishment for this crime; but argued that Riggs was unaware that the 14-year-old child victim was a minor and asserted that Riggs should not be held liable for engaging in sex with a minor. The defense attorney argued that Riggs is sincerely sorry for this crime and will “never purchase a prostitute again.” (Note: children cannot be “prostitutes;” they are always trafficking victims if used in commercial sex.) Many of Riggs’ family members and friends attended the hearing and submitted letters of support explaining the kindness and positive moral of Riggs. One of the letters stated “nobody has been a better friend than Mr. Riggs.” According to the defense, Riggs’ was raised by a mother who operated a brothel, which he left after his sister was brutally raped, contributing to his inability to engage in a healthy sexual relationship. This attributed to Riggs’ reliance on paid sex, a crime he admits to engaging in 20-30 times previously.

U.S. Attorney Stacie Beckerman clarified the horrible consequences of this crime and Riggs’ extreme lack of innocence in this case. She reminded the court of his history of purchasing sex on a regular basis, which showed intent in this case. He requested Laura Lambden (the victim’s trafficker) bring him a “young girl” to perform oral sex on him. When the victim arrived at his home Riggs engaged in sex acts with the 14-year-old- victim and took photos of those acts, which were later found on his phone. He made the excuse that had he not been drunk on “vodka and orange juice mixed with prescription drugs, he never would have made this mistake.” Beckerman countered that Riggs knew he requested Lambden “bring someone young,” knew the 14-year-old child victim was a minor, and paid to have sex with her and that the penalty needs to reflect the seriousness of the crime. She highlighted that this is the first federal case of a buyer who purchased sex with a minor in the District of Oregon, a crime that is receiving increased attention in courts across the nation, according to studies by Shared Hope International.

In summary, the judge concluded the victim made poor life choices before and after the crime. He asserted that based on psychosexual evaluations of the defendant, Riggs is not a pedophile and had successfully overcome many obstacles in his life from his horrible childhood to his career success in spite of continuous health problems. On the contrary, he acknowledged that Riggs asked Lambden to “bring someone young,” and that he did not turn the victim away when she showed up at the door. The judge’s final remarks , while citing victim-blaming evidence asserted by the defense (and unfortunately referring to the victim as a prostitute), nevertheless acknowledged the egregiousness of purchasing sex with a child:

“We understand that the prostitute was engaged in prostitution and that she would regularly accuse men of rape if they didn’t pay her and so on, but we cannot put the blame on her! You (Riggs) are an adult! As a grown adult, you do not purchase sex with a child…period! I sentence you to 2 years jail time, 5 years’ probation and you are to register as a sex offender…”

The prosecution asked that Riggs have no access to pornography of any kind. The defense argued that adult pornography is legal, but the judge cut the defense off with the remark “I do not want this man to ever get aroused again from pornography, so yes…he is prohibited.”

November 6, 2014 by SHI Staff

Why Some State’s Stricter Laws are Creating a Threat of Trafficking for Others

New Study by Shared Hope International Reveals One of America’s Greatest Threats Is Going Dangerously Unaddressed

WASHINGTON, D.C., Child sex trafficking affects an estimated 100,000 American children each year. While many states have worked aggressively to combat the crime by strengthening state laws, several states have slipped dangerously behind the nation, according to a new study by Shared Hope International.

The Protected Innocence Challenge, a report on the state of child sex trafficking laws in the U.S., found that four years of sweeping legislative advancements allowed 42 states to raise their grade. In 2014, 37 states enacted 123 bills regarding domestic minor sex trafficking, resulting in the improvement of eight state grades. Louisiana earned the highest score in the nation, a 96 per cent.

Pennsylvania, Colorado and Delaware enacted the greatest law changes, raising two grades.  View your state grade.

These improvements enable more aggressive investigation and prosecution, leaving traffickers searching for states with lower risk and greater tolerance. As neighboring states crack down, the only four remaining states with failing scores, California, Maine, Michigan and South Dakota, could become the next trafficking hotspot. Yet, the migration of trafficking activity may be more accurately linked to states with weak laws against buyers, those who fuel the trafficking industry by creating a profitable market for the crime. Two of America’s largest states, New York and California, are sorely lacking in this area and are at risk of becoming key trafficking destinations.

“While many states rose to the challenge and significantly strengthened laws to combat child sex trafficking, America’s most populous states are safety zones for predators,” Shared Hope International President and Founder Linda Smith said. “Failing to adequately address demand poses a significant threat to America’s children.”

The study found that buying sex with a minor is a felony in 50 states and in 49 states buyers could face human trafficking charges for their crime. However, many states struggle to enact laws that provide stricter penalties. California and New York are among 20 states that do not require a buyer to register as a sex offender if convicted of human trafficking. Buyers can benefit from a loophole in over 30 states that allows them to limit their liability by claiming they did not know the age of the victim.

Protected Innocence Challenge Press Conference

When:         
11:30 – 12:00 pm
Thursday, November 6, 2014
 
Where:
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center | HVC-201
First St SE
Washington, D.C. 20515
 

Watch the free livestream of the conference at sharedhope.org/events/event/2014-protected-innocence-challenge-press-conference/

Speakers:

  1. Congresswoman Linda Smith, President and Founder, Shared Hope International
  2. Jen Spry, RN, Sex Trafficking Survivor
  3. Margie Quin, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
  4. Savannah Sanders, Author and Training Coordinator, O’Connor House Safe Action Project, Sex Trafficking Survivor
  5. Delegate Timothy D. Hugo, Fairfax (VA-40)

November 6, 2014 by SHI Staff

Washington Named One of Three Toughest States Against Trafficking

WASHINGTON, D.C., Washington’s laws pertaining to child sex trafficking were named some of the strongest in the nation, according to a new study by Shared Hope International. The Protected Innocence Challenge reports on the sufficiency of state laws relating to domestic minor sex trafficking. Washington earned a 92.5 per cent and is one of only three states in the nation with an “A” grade. Watch the release of the state grades.

Washington has consistently been at the forefront of enacting state laws that protect minor victims of domestic minor sex trafficking and bringing justice to those who have been exploited. Washington created the first state Task Force Against Trafficking of Persons in 2002. It was one of the earliest states to enact a state trafficking law in 2003. In 2007, Washington overhauled its laws criminalizing commercial sexual exploitation of children by removing these penalties from the prostitution context and clarifying that these are crimes of sexual exploitation. In 2013, Washington law enforcement called on the state to further strengthen laws to enable greater accountability for buyers of sex with minors. In response, Senator Mike Padden championed a comprehensive anti-trafficking bill that passed with unanimous bipartisan support that specifically addressed the criminalization of buyers by making the purchase or attempt to purchase sex with a minor for a commercial sex act a class B felony. Washington has the highest rate of felony convictions for buyers of sex acts with minors, based on data from four target sites in the Demanding Justice Project.  

“The alliance of law enforcement and legislators tackling sex trafficking from a policy and practice perspective is what enables Washington to develop some of the toughest laws in the nation,” President and Founder of Shared Hope International Linda Smith said. “The effort to crack down on trafficking must be informed and supported by the diverse array of key stakeholders. Washington learned that and is leading by example.”

The Protected Innocence Challenge was first conducted in 2011 and found 26 states earned failing scores. However, after four years of sweeping legislative advancements, 42 states have raised their grade. Three states, Louisiana, Tennessee and Washington, have earned “A” grades. Only nine states have not raised their grade since 2011 and California, Maine, Michigan and South Dakota are the only remaining states earning failing scores.

Previously, many states also relied on federal statues to address the crime. However, a majority of trafficking crimes were not being accepted for federal prosecution, forcing states to handle the cases locally and relying on weak or insufficient laws. The Protected Innocence Challenge was created to respond to this dynamic. The Challenge addresses key legislative gaps and makes recommendations for improvement so states can strengthen laws and implement effective state response.

November 6, 2014 by SHI Staff

Absence of Critical Law Threatens Virginia’s Kids at Risk for Trafficking

Why Some State’s Stricter Laws Are Creating a Threat of Trafficking for Others

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Virginia is the only state in the nation that lacks a law against human trafficking for sexual exploitation, a crime that impacts an estimated 100,000 U.S. children each year. According to a new study by Shared Hope International, Virginia is one of seven least protective states for at-risk kids, based on the insufficiency of its anti-trafficking laws.

In May 2014, a Roanoke County Police officer pulled over a van after she noticed rocking and other abnormal behavior. She found 16 people inside, piled on top of each other, the van smelling of sweat and urine. The driver indicated the individuals inside believed they were being taken to get a job or a visa; instead, they had been sold for $200 each. The officer was unable to arrest the driver because Virginia does not have a specific human trafficking law and federal law enforcement agents were unavailable to help with the arrest.

Shared Hope International launched the Protected Innocence Challenge, an annual evaluation of the sufficiency of state laws that impact child sex trafficking, in 2011 to respond to this dynamic. Previously, many states relied on federal statutes to address the crime; yet, many trafficking crimes were not accepted for federal prosecution, forcing states to handle the cases locally and relying on weak or insufficient laws. The Protected Innocence Challenge aims to advocate for stronger state laws to activate the nearly 30,000 state prosecutors across the nation. Over half the nation earned failing scores on the inaugural 2011 report card. Since then, 42 states have raised their grade and today only 4 states are earning failing grades.

As states strengthen laws, enabling more aggressive investigation and prosecution, traffickers may be searching for states with lower risk and greater tolerance. Only six states earned a lower score than Virginia, one being neighboring district, Washington, D.C., making the area at greater risk of attracting human trafficking.

Delegate Tim Hugo (VA-40) will announce his plans to strengthen Virginia’s human trafficking laws and raise the grade at a press conference on November 6 at the Capitol Visitor Center. Watch livestream or attend.

“I believe there is no worse crime than one committed against a child,” Delegate Tim Hugo said. “As a father, I am dedicated to ensuring child sex traffickers remain behind bars longer for such horrific behavior, so that neither my children nor any child in Virginia falls prey to those who seek them harm.”

Additionally, Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf will receive Shared Hope’s Lifetime Pathbreaker Award for a lifetime dedication to eradicating trafficking. Congressman Wolf is one of the House of Representatives’ leading crusaders for human rights. He actively implored the Obama Administration to increase its efforts to combat child sex trafficking facilitated through online classified sites like Backpage.com. Rep. Wolf has historically supported increases for Victims of Trafficking grants to develop stronger programs for victims. 

November 6, 2014 by SHI Staff

South Dakota at Risk of Becoming Trafficking Destination

Why Some State’s Stricter Laws Are Creating a Threat of Trafficking for Others

WASHINGTON, D.C., South Dakota’s laws pertaining to child sex trafficking were named some of the weakest in the nation, according to a new study by Shared Hope International. The Protected Innocence Challenge reports on the sufficiency of state laws relating to domestic minor sex trafficking. South Dakota earned 58.5 per cent and is one of only four states in the nation with a failing score. Watch livestream or attend. 

The study was first conducted in 2011 and found 26 states earned failing scores. However, after four years of sweeping legislative advancements, 42 states have raised their grade. Three states, Louisiana, Tennessee and Washington, have earned “A” grades. Only nine states have not raised their grade since 2011 and California, Maine, Michigan and South Dakota are the only remaining states earning failing scores. As states strengthen laws, enabling more aggressive investigation and prosecution; traffickers may be searching for states with lower risk and greater tolerance. Growing concerns that these inactive states are at risk of attracting trafficking crimes from neighboring states with stronger laws are serious.

South Dakota is surrounded by fracking operations in three bordering states, contributing to an influx of transient workers in the area. Increasing the population of men who could be commercial sex consumers, compounded by weak state laws to deter the crime could entice traffickers to the region to meet the demand for this illicit business. 

South Dakota has strong federal leadership under U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson, a 2014 Shared Hope International Pathbreaker Award Recipient for his dedication to anti-trafficking efforts. U.S. Attorney Johnson has overseen the prosecution of more than 25 human trafficking cases in five years, including three life-sentences and the federal prosecution of numerous men who attempted to purchase sex from trafficking victims. His office pursued the case of United States v. Jungers through the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, securing the critical decision that buyers of sex acts with minors are committing crimes of sex trafficking under the federal law, upping the risk of such activity by those who drive the sex trafficking markets.

The strength of South Dakota’s ability to adequately respond to trafficking crimes is currently contingent on federal leadership, and is conditional on the continued investment and political will of federal leadership. The Protected Innocence Challenge was created to respond to this dynamic. Previously, many states also relied on federal statues to address the crime. However, a majority of trafficking crimes were not being accepted for federal prosecution, forcing states to handle the cases locally and relying on weak or insufficient laws. The Challenge addresses key legislative gaps and makes recommendations for improvement so states can strengthen laws and implement effective state response.

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