The Rape Trade -- child prostitution
Introduction to The Rape Trade (full article available by link in the title.
This is an update on an earlier hub, "52 children recovered, 60 alleged child pimps arrested but have you heard about it,' which I wrote in response to a 'non-news' item of October 2009. My outrage at that time was triggered by a disturbing story on the CNN streamer.
In the first nation-wide operation of the FBI's Innocence Lost Initiative, in cooperation with local law enforcement reported 52 children had been recovered and 690 people arrested, including 60 alleged pimps.
Surprisingly -- no that's too mild a word. Shockingly, the media treated this as a non-event with no actual news story for three days. Three days! And then it was given a hurried two minute reportage. More on this below.
Now, a year later, another FBI/ local law agency initiative, Operation Cross Country, has successfully recovered 69 children from the sex trade, and arrested "nearly 889" people including 99 pimps.
Bravo, say I.
This time, the media is on the ball -- well almost. This story made the screen and in prime time, too. But the coverage spawned a number of background informational broadcasts that left me feeling rather uneasy.
The education given the American listeners didn't jive with what I knew of the child-sex trade or those caught up in its destructive net.
I made a few calls, sent a few emails and conferred with some other child protection workers around the country. They concurred.
Hence, this hub was born.
For those of you too busy, or upset by the reality of this world, I've prepared a short video giving you the facts as many of us with experience in the field know them. It runs for 3 minutes and 45 seconds. If you do nothing else on this page, please watch it.
And if you still have some time, read the section directly below the video.
You may watch the video here, on Hubpages, or for best quality, at Youtube. (click on the Youtube button on the screen below.)
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Lynda
This article is available through the link embedded in the title.
ReplyDeleteFor those that don't know, I spent many years in child protection work. Recent events, the FBI Operation Cross Country, which liberated 69 children from a life of hell (out of the 230,000 bought and sold on our streets and the 100,000 children trafficked every year) prompted this hub. Thanks for reading.