Washington, D.C.– Legislation authored by Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) to combat sex trafficking was included in a comprehensive anti-sex trafficking bill signed into law by the President. The bill, H.R. 4980, the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act included Paulsen-authored legislation that would improve data and law enforcement reporting for youth who are most at-risk of exploitation from pimps and traffickers. A Department of Health and Human Services study found that 1 in 3 children are lured into sex trafficking within 48 hours of becoming homeless. By improving reporting standards, law enforcement will be better able to recognize potential victims before they are exploited by pimps and traffickers.   

“Part of what makes the crime of sex trafficking so reprehensible is how it steals the innocence from so many youth,” said Paulsen. “The fact that many of these children are society’s most vulnerable makes the prevalence of human trafficking even more disturbing. This law puts into action concrete steps that foster care, child welfare agencies, and law enforcement can take to protect children that are most at-risk from exploitation.”

In addition, H.R. 4980 makes critical changes to the foster care system to decrease the likelihood that children will run away or become homeless.

Congressman Paulsen is a long-time advocate for combating sex trafficking and testified in front of a Ways and Means Subcommittee about what can be done to address the issue. He also is the author of H.R. 3610, the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act, which expands safe harbor laws and ensures that minors who are trafficked are treated as victims instead of criminals. That legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in May. A recent report released by the Polaris Project, an anti-sex trafficking group, found that a majority of states lack safe harbor laws to protect victims.     

For more information on Congressman Paulsen’s work in Congress visit paulsen.house.gov. 

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