Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 102

Introduced by Senator Yee

(Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Olsen and Pan)

March 25, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 102—Relative to commercially sexually exploited children.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 102, as introduced, Yee. Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Awareness Week.

This resolution would recognize April 21, 2014, though April 27, 2014, as California’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Awareness Week.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, President Obama declared January 2011 National
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, culminating
in National Freedom Day on February 1, 2011; and

WHEREAS, President Obama called “upon the People of the
United States to recognize the vital role we can play in ending
modern slavery,” and that fighting this scourge is a shared
responsibility; and

WHEREAS, Our nation was founded upon the principle of
freedom, and we affirmed this principle with the ratification of the
13th Amendment to the United States Constitution that guaranteed
people within our borders protection from slavery; and

WHEREAS, Americans are committed to individual freedom
and will do all that they can to help eliminate modern day slavery,
which includes human trafficking; and

WHEREAS, Human trafficking can occur in many forms. Sex
trafficking, a modern form of sex slavery, is one type of trafficking
that men, women, and children are subjected to; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of State’s
“Trafficking in Persons Report 2013” describes how the United
States is a growing magnet for traffickers to conduct their illegal
and inhumane business; and

WHEREAS, Americans widely recognize children as a
vulnerable population worthy of, and in need of, protection from
those who would seek to take advantage of them, and children are
not currently safe from commercial sexual exploitation. The
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates that 100,000
children are sold for sex each year in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Despite national, state, and local efforts to address
sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation is a growing
industry; and

WHEREAS, California is a prime destination for human
trafficking, along with other states including New York, Texas,
and Nevada; and

WHEREAS, California’s large international border, numerous
ports and airports, and overall large economy make children in
this state particularly vulnerable to human trafficking; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature has recognized January 2013, and
each January thereafter, as National Slavery and Human Trafficking
Prevention Month, and has recognized February 1, 2013, and each
February 1 thereafter, as California’s Free From Slavery Day; and

WHEREAS, Forms of child sexual exploitation include child
sex trafficking, child pornography, and child sex tourism; and

WHEREAS, Children in California are particularly vulnerable
to commercial sexual exploitation. The FBI has determined that
three of the nation’s 13 High Intensity Child Prostitution Areas
are located within California in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
San Diego; and

WHEREAS, Children who fall prey to sexual exploiters are
frequently those with prior involvement in the child welfare system.
The California Child Welfare Council reports that 50 to 80 percent
of victims of commercial sexual exploitation are or were previously
involved with the child welfare system. Many of these children
have a history of sexual abuse; and

WHEREAS, Commercial sexual exploitation of children in
California was previously perceived as primarily an international
issue, the domestic nature of this problem is becoming increasingly
evident. California’s nine human trafficking task forces identified
1,277 victims over two years, 72 percent of whom were from the
United States; and

WHEREAS, Commercial sexual exploitation of children usually
begins during adolescence. For boys, the average age of onset is
between 11 and 14 years of age, and for girls the average age of
onset is between 12 and 14 years of age; and

WHEREAS, It is presumed that many more cases of commercial
sexual exploitation of children are not identified. The concealed
nature of these crimes poses a barrier to identifying and rescuing
commercially sexually exploited children. Raising awareness is
vital to addressing the commercial sexual exploitation of children;
and

WHEREAS, Children who are or were commercially sexually
exploited often suffer chronic health problems. This includes high
rates of mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress
disorder, depression, and sleep disorders. Sexually transmitted
infections such as HIV and AIDS are the most common medical
consequences of commercial sexual exploitation of children; and

WHEREAS, Many commercially sexually exploited children
are funneled into the juvenile justice system as delinquents rather
than focusing on providing intervention and rehabilitation services
as victims; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes the vital role California
can play in preventing, and one day ending, this modern day sex
slavery of children; now, therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes April 21, 2014,
though April 27, 2014, as California’s Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children Awareness Week; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon all Californians to
follow the charge of the Congress of the United States to adopt
the approach of the “4Ps--prosecution, protection, prevention,
and partnership,” in order to end sex slavery of children; and be
it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.