Op-ed: Human trafficking, a growing threat to Florida's children

By STEPHANIE WIENDL | Special To The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 27, 2013
Updated: February 27, 2013 - 8:23 AM

Bayshore Boulevard — famous for its beautiful homes and the Gasparilla parade — is now also infamous for being home to a victim of human trafficking. Treasure Island can claim the same distinction, and so can many other communities in the Tampa Bay area. In fact, Florida is one of the most notorious states for human trafficking activity, with the Tampa Bay region serving as a central hub. Child sex trafficking makes up a large part of this underground industry.

Traffickers prey on our most vulnerable. Victims tend to be overwhelmingly female and range from 11 to 14 years old. Many are in foster care or have been involved in the juvenile justice system. Many are runaways. And still others have unhealthy home environments or simply trust the wrong person. While the 2008 movie "Taken" dramatized the issue on an international scale, the perils remain a reality.

Legislators and community leaders are waking up to this growing epidemic. Last year, the state Legislature strengthened Florida's human trafficking laws and also created the Florida Safe Harbor Act, which decriminalized prostitution for sexually exploited children and provided them with much-needed treatment. It also required the creation of safe houses and collaboration with other community organizations to provide services for victims.

In addition to a handful of other bills already filed this year, Gov. Rick Scott recently announced a significant investment — almost $4.5 million — to support human trafficking victims, with a focus on safe housing, law enforcement and efforts to fight sexual abuse.

Working to bring an end to child sex trafficking are Junior Leagues around the country. The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. was honored by the United Nations Association of New York for its League-based initiatives to fight human trafficking. The Junior Leagues of Florida State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) is actively partnering with other organizations to help raise community awareness and identify ways, legislative or otherwise, that attention can be drawn to this issue to bring about change.

With the help of Stetson University College of Law, The Junior League of Tampa is playing host today to some of Florida's most influential members of the judiciary, law enforcement and victim services providers for a provocative conversation about sex trafficking in our community — where and how it's happening, how to identify victims, what's being done, and how we can help fight this underground industry.

The event is an opportunity to educate our community — from business leaders and elected officials to parents and educators — about a real danger to our children, one that's not restricted to immigrants or minorities. Child sexual exploitation is child abuse at its worst, and in addition to the trauma it causes its young victims, it also takes a toll on our courts, law enforcement and other state resources. The challenge is upon us to continue the conversation so that no more children become victims of this heinous crime.

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