Bipartisan legislation proposed on May 26 by U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) aims to end the global sex trafficking crisis by creating a coordinated strategy with other countries to target the individuals purchasing trafficked victims.
“One of the major ways to eliminate the power of the criminal networks that traffic victims worldwide is to disrupt the horrific demand fueling the international sex trade,” Rep. Wagner said on Wednesday. “This is a global issue and it requires a global response.”
The congresswoman sponsored the Sex Trafficking Demand Reduction Act, H.R. 9043, alongside two original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), to bolster existing federal criteria by requiring the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report to evaluate whether countries are actively working to reduce demand.
Specifically, H.R. 9043 would change the current requirement of making serious and sustained efforts to “reduce” demand for commercial sex (a.k.a. prostitution) to whether or not a foreign nation has made serious and sustained efforts to prohibit the purchase of commercial sex acts or enact a policy against the purchase of commercial sex acts; educate buyers of commercial sex on how traffickers exploit prostituted persons for human trafficking; and reduce demand for participation in international sex tourism by nationals of that country.
“The United States is the most powerful nation in the world, and we must use that power to bring accountability against foreign countries that do not take the necessary steps to extinguish sex trafficking and protect victims who need our help,” said Rep. Wagner.
World Without Exploitation; Impact, Exodus Cry; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; Rights4Girls; and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women support the proposed bill, which has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“To eradicate the inhumane network of sex trafficking, we need a coordinated global effort,” said Rep. Dean. “I’m thankful to Congresswoman Wagner’s leadership on this effort to protect the dignity and humanity of every person.”