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Sex trafficking affects us all

When many people think of sex trafficking, ruthless thugs from abroad or, perhaps, from domestic street gangs, may come to mind.

Think again. Sex trafficking charges have been filed against a man and woman in Mingo County. They are accused of conspiring to convince a 14-year-old girl to prostitute herself. Police say they advertised her “for a commercial sex act.”

Officials in West Virginia and Ohio have launched new initiatives against sex trafficking during the past few years. But it appears that, if anything, instances of the crime are increasing.

It is important to note that federal law targets sex trafficking of minors — because they appear to be the majority of victims.

And there are lots of them. Last year, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center received reports of more than 3,500 cases in the United States. That probably is only the tip of the iceberg.

It is a very lucrative crime. In Atlanta, viewed by some as the U.S. hub of sex trafficking, the scum responsible rake in an estimated $290 million a year.

As much as one-third of sex trafficking victims are taken to other countries after being coerced or forced into prostitution. Especially in communities like many of ours, it often is not difficult to spot them.

But as the Mingo County case shows, “homegrown” sex trafficking is a big concern, too. That places a responsibility on us all — to alert police when we suspect it in our own communities.

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