Several hundred rally against human trafficking

|

February 20th, 2012

Hundreds wore purple scarves Wednesday as they stood in front of the state capitol to rally against human trafficking.

Georgia lawmakers, state and local officials and child advocates celebrated last year’s passage of a House bill that increased the penalties for those engaging in  child sex trafficking. State Representative Ed Lindsey says the bill would not have passed without the support of those attending the rally.

“You all talked to your legislators, you all worked in the committee rooms, and you all got the bill passed with only one dissenting vote in the House and unanimous in the Senate.”

But Lindsey says the bill’s passage is just the start of what’s needed to end child sex trafficking in Georgia.

“We still have an awful lot of work to do: working with Mayor Reed, working with our friends in GBI, working with the Attorney General’s office and our prosecutors, working with the shelters that take care of these young girls who are so often so horribly abused.”

Those speaking at the rally say every night in the city of Atlanta 100 adolescent girls are sold for sex. To prevent that from happening, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed pledged to devote additional resources to the city’s police department. And Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan told attendees the protection of Georgia’s children is one of bureau’s top priorities.

“Every opportunity we have to arrest and prosecute a despicable, evil person who prostitutes children that’s what we’re going to do.”

Others at the rally say they will not rest until the number of sex trafficking victims reaches zero.

 

Top Stories