MONTGOMERY – Attorney General Luther Strange has urged members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to support legislation that would help prevent children from being trafficked on the internet.
Human trafficking is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world, generating about $150 billion each year. There are numerous cases nationally of children as young as 12 being used in prostitution as young as 12. The FBI estimates that nearly 300,000 American youths are at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
“The great tragedy is while human trafficking is a pervasive and fast-growing crime, it is often undetected,” said Attorney General Strange. “Victims may go unrecognized and not even realize that what is being done to them is illegal or that they can ever escape. Victims are isolated from those who might help them, and trapped in a terrifying web of violence, intimidation and control. We are asking Congress to pass legislation that would help in breaking this web and freeing its victims.”
In a letter co-sponsored by the Indiana and Washington attorneys general, and joined by 53 attorneys general, Attorney General Strange asked members of the Senate Judiciary Committee for their support of the Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation (SAVE) Act (S. 2536), which would provide more oversight of websites that facilitate “adult services,” such as Backpage.com.
Attorney General Strange said federal courts have recognized that the internet has become a favored means for advertising the availability of children for sex. Internet ads can be purchased in multiple locations with the click of a button. This allows human traffickers to maximize their profit and evade detection by moving victims quickly to lucrative venues where there is significant demand for commercial sex. Attorney General Strange said organized crime groups and street gangs use the internet to sell their victims as well, which is why passage of the SAVE Act is particularly critical.
The use of the “adult services sections” on websites such as Backpage.com created virtual brothels where children are bought and sold using euphemistic labels such as “escorts.” The SAVE Act would require these websites that are facilitating trafficking through their business model to take steps to verify the identity of individuals posting advertisements and the age of those who appear in these advertisements.
In just one week this June, law enforcement arrested 281 alleged sex traffickers and took 168 children out of prostitution in a nationwide FBI crackdown where many child victims were offered for sale on “escort” and other “adult services” websites.
Preventing kids from being trafficked on the internet has been a long-term interest of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). NAAG has taken several actions regarding Backpage.com and similar websites, including requesting that these exploitive websites shut down their “adult services” sections which fuel the online trafficking of youth.
The states and territories that signed today’s letter are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
AG Strange presents Beauregard Elementary School with 2014 Attorney General’s Safe School Initiative Award of Excellence
MONTGOMERY – Attorney General Strange recently presented Beauregard Elementary School in Lee County with the 2014 Attorney General’s Safe School Initiative Award of Excellence for Alabama State School District 2. One school was selected as the winner from each of the Alabama State School Board of Education districts.
“The Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Awards of Excellence are presented to schools that have performed exceptionally to provide a safe environment for students, with special emphasis on implementation of the Best Practices my office compiled based on last year’s recipients,” said Attorney General Strange. “I’m pleased that Beauregard Elementary School was selected as one of the eight winning schools in Alabama for 2014. In making this decision, the judges noted many things that distinguished Beauregard Elementary School: its continuous involvement and coordination with local law enforcement, an association that has produced a system-wide safety plan with consistent language throughout the county; as well as implementation of several ‘Best Practices’ that include a safety plan flip book and providing each classroom with a safety bag of essential safety supplies. I am honored to personally present the safe schools award to Beauregard Elementary School.”
“Beauregard Elementary School is very honored to receive the 2014 Alabama Safe School award from Attorney General Strange,” said Principal Lisa Harris. “Beauregard is a close-knit community and our teachers and students need to be commended for their combined efforts to make BES a safe and great school to attend. Lee County continues to work closely with our local sheriff’s office and school resource officers to instill the best practices in our schools. A special thanks goes to Mrs. Erin Redden (safety chairperson), who took the initiative to write the application and complete the necessary action that got us recognized.”
Attorney General Strange is personally presenting the awards for the 2014 Awards of Excellence to the eight winning schools during the month of October. Other winning schools throughout the state include Orange Beach Elementary School in Baldwin County, Northington Elementary School in Tuscaloosa County, Lincoln High School in Talladega County, Meadow View Elementary School in Shelby County, Hayden Elementary School in Blount County, Haleyville High School in Winston County and Oak Park Middle School in Morgan County.
AG STRANGE PRESENTS MEADOW VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
WITH 2014 ATTORNEY GENERAL’S SAFE SCHOOL INITIATIVE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
(MONTGOMERY)—Attorney General Strange today presented Meadow View Elementary School in Shelby County with the 2014 Attorney General’s Safe School Initiative Award of Excellence for Alabama State School District 5. One school was selected as the winner from each of the Alabama State School Board of Education districts.
“The Alabama Safe Schools Initiative Awards of Excellence are presented to schools that have performed exceptionally to provide a safe environment for students, with special emphasis on implementation of the Best Practices my office compiled based on last year’s recipients,” said Attorney General Strange. “I’m pleased that Meadow View Elementary was selected as one of the eight winning schools in Alabama for 2014. In making this decision, the judges noted many things that distinguished Meadow View Elementary School: the addition of the Quick Access Program to monitor guests coming into the school, as well as its Notify Me system that can communicate with students and parents during emergencies; and in addition to having a full time Safety Resource Officer, the school conducts school bus safety drills for its students. I am honored to personally present the safe schools award to Meadow View Elementary School.”
“It is a true honor to receive the Award of Excellence from the Attorney General’s Safe School Initiative,” said Principal Rachea Simms. “The mission of MVES is to love and educate students in a SAFE environment where everybody teaches and everybody learns. The top priority of Meadow View Elementary School is to ensure that our children and staff are safe. We know that if we create this environment for our staff and students they can accomplish their goals in the classroom. This could not have been achieved without the efforts and support of our city council and mayor, PTO Board, local fire and police departments, MVES Staff, and the Alabaster City School Board of Education. Meadow View Elementary School will continue to improve our safety precautions to ensure that our children and staff have every opportunity to become ‘Champions of our Future.’”
Attorney General Strange is personally presenting the awards for the 2014 Awards of Excellence to the eight winning schools during the month of October. Other winning schools throughout the state include Orange Beach Elementary School in Baldwin County, Northington Elementary School in Tuscaloosa County, Haleyville High School in Winston County, Lincoln High School in Talladega County, Hayden Elementary School in Blount County, Beauregard Elementary School in Lee County and Oak Park Middle School in Morgan County.
