Upholding International Law Critical To Protecting Children Affected By Armed Conflict

Annual Report of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to the General Assembly

The Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to the General Assembly showcased once again the scale and severity of the grave violations committed against children from the period of August 2022 to July 2023.

Armed conflict causes human casualties and physical destruction but also massive displacement of civilian populations, including children. The need to better understand the risks to and vulnerabilities of children displaced owing to conflict is critical and highlighted in her Annual Report.

“Displacement foments commission of violations and abuses including the recruitment and use by armed groups and abduction, sexual violence, and trafficking in children. Often, where children are displaced, health and education is disrupted and humanitarian assistance is denied. Climate shocks in conflict-affected areas further exacerbate displacement, while risks of killing and maiming to displaced or returning children in areas contaminated by mines and explosive ordnance present a real danger. Given this context, data collection is critical,” said Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

The recent erosion of international protection frameworks, including the lack of compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child by Member States continue to increase the vulnerability faced by conflict-affected children.

‘Looking forward, we must remember that all persons under 18 years of age are entitled to the protections enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child including rights to education and documentation. Erosion of the international protection frameworks poses a grave threat to children’s rights, particularly for those between 13 and 18 years old, often treated as adults or subjected to counter-terrorism measures at a risk of having their own rights as children curtailed,’ emphasized the Special Representative.

Addressing grave violations against children by parties to conflict

As requested by UN Security Council Resolution 1261 (1999), the Special Representative continues her engagement with parties to conflict, but her Annual Report also highlights areas where efforts must be improved to enhance the safety of children from grave violations in armed conflict.

‘In 2022, the United Nations’ successful engagement with parties to conflict resulted in about forty new commitments and agreed measures, as well as the release of over 12, 460 children. New legislation and accountability measures were adopted in several situations because of this engagement,’ she explained.

Strengthening regional partnerships

Engagement with regional organisations continued to be a priority for the Special Representative. Among many other initiatives, in 2022, the Office of the Special Representative participated in the annual meeting of the African Union coordination group on children in situations of conflict to discuss cooperation on implementing African Union policies on mainstreaming child protection in the African peace and security architecture and on child protection in African Union peace support operations, as well as joint initiatives on children and armed conflict. The Office of the Special Representative also briefed cabinet members of several European Commissioners and of the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on children and armed conflict issues. In 2023, the Office of the Special Representative and the League of Arab States jointly organized a regional conference in Doha on the prevention of grave violations against children in armed conflict. The League of Arab States adopted an outcome document following the event.

Global awareness and building partnerships

The Special Representative continues strengthening partnerships with Member States and other stakeholders, including UN entities, civil society, and academia, reinforcing global alliances and advocacy efforts aimed at ending and preventing grave violations against children.

‘Working with partners across the UN system, as well as with regional and subregional organizations, academia, and civil society, continues to be critical to the delivery of my mandate. Among the many partnership activities, I led this year were a Memorandum of Understanding between my office and UNESCO to exchange expertise on education in the reintegration of conflict-affected children, several consultations with civil society and academia, and the issuance of joint public statements with other United Nations offices to better protect children used and abused for, in and by armed conflict. Through my visits to Colombia, Ethiopia, Israel and the State of Palestine, Mozambique, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, I was able to follow up directly on the realities faced by children, but also to support governments and regional organizations in determining concrete ways to prevent and end violations,’ added Virginia Gamba.

In collaboration with the University of Malta, the Special representative created a virtual summer school to deepen child protection expertise of the UN, governments, regional organizations, and UN country task forces as well as NGOs and academics.

Click to read the full report

TBI, MNPD, DCS Partner on “Operation Music City Missing”

 

NASHVILLE – 12 missing children from Davidson County have been located following a two-day collaborative operation in Nashville.

The effort, dubbed Operation Music City Missing, was a partnership between the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

During the planning phase weeks before the operation, authorities identified 111 missing juveniles who were reported or otherwise listed as runaways for potential follow-up. After gathering intelligence, authorities determined that 11 of the juveniles were believed to be out of the country and 35 had turned 18 or were located prior to the operation. At the time of the operation, there was insufficient intelligence to lead to the recovery of 23 of the juveniles, but investigative efforts on each continue.

During the two-day effort, on September 26th and 27th, five teams – comprised of TBI special agents, DCS Absconder Unit members, DCS Human Trafficking Unit members, and MNPD detectives – located the missing juveniles. Efforts to locate the remaining remain active and ongoing.

Facebook Continues To Block, Restrict And Suppress Trinity Mount Ministries - Part II

 Image: ECPAT-ICMEC | 103 Certificate | ICMEC

This Certificate of Completion is awarded to: Brett Fletcher to mark your successful completion of the course: ECPAT-ICMEC | 103: Agents of Change Tools for Frontline Workers to End Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Being on #Facebook is becoming anti-productive with all of the negative attacks on the content that Trinity Mount Ministries shares, which focuses on helping missing and exploited children. I'm in the process of dedicating more time on X (Twitter), that doesn't discriminate against Trinity Mount Ministries. As my activity decreases on Facebook, it will increase on X (Twitter). Please follow. 👍❤️🙏

Brett Fletcher - Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries 

Trinity Mount Ministries on X (Twitter)

https://www.twitter.com/TrinityMount @TrinityMount

Trinity Mount Ministries 

https://www.TrinityMountMinistries.com

https://www.TrinityMount.Info

Facebook Continues To Block, Restrict And Suppress Trinity Mount Ministries

By Brett Fletcher - Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries

Image: ECPAT-ICMEC | 103 Certificate | ICMEC - This Certificate of Completion is awarded to: Brett Fletcher to mark your successful completion of the course: ECPAT-ICMEC | 103: Agents of Change Tools for Frontline Workers to End Sexual Exploitation of Children.

Facebook Admin continues to block, restrict and suppress Trinity Mount Ministries from:

1. Sharing AMBER Alerts and updates.

2. Sharing child safety information.

3. Sharing missing children posters and updates.

4. Sharing police and public safety alerts and updates. 

4. Sharing Community events and services.

5. Sharing posts of faith and inspiration. 

6. Sharing news articles and reports.

Facebook treats their users as if they were little children, attempting to punish their disobedience with restrictions and time outs. I've been to Facebook HQ several times for paid research sessions, being surprised by how young the Facebook staff and employees were, which might explain their rules, policies and procedures and how they are implemented. Their disciplinary actions cause laughter, anger and disbelief. 

In order to maintain their control over free speech and/or anything that goes against their agenda - blocking, restricting and suppression[a] are their modus operandi.[b] Facebook is not in the business of respecting people's rights and can block, restrict, suppress or remove anything that they want to without any repercussions. That is just they way their culture is and I accept that. Nevertheless, my hope is that Facebook Admin might read this without bias, recognizing what type of content they are blocking, restricting and/or suppressing (such as posts to help and protect missing and exploited children), and reconsider some of their policies that cause more harm than help.

Brett Fletcher - Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries 

[a] the action of suppressing something such as an activity or publication.

[b] a particular way or method of doing something, especially one that is characteristic or well-established.

Trinity Mount Ministries

https://www.TrinityMountMinistries.com

https://www.TrinityMount.Info

HSI Phoenix helps identify and locate sex-trafficked minors

Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICEReport Crime

PHOENIX, Ariz. — HSI Phoenix and other law enforcement agencies identified and located five minor sex trafficking victims as part of Operation Cross Country, a nationwide enforcement campaign. During the operation, authorities arrested one alleged trafficker and 31 additional subjects for allegedly attempting to have sexual contact with minors.

“These dedicated professionals who worked on this operation demonstrate honor, service and integrity,” said HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown. “Many have dedicated their careers to keeping our communities safe, holding accountable those who exploit our most vulnerable, and seeking justice for victims of unthinkable crimes. HSI is proud to partner with federal, state, local and international law enforcement in furthering investigations into people who are knowingly and willingly exploiting children for their perverse desires.”

The nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, focused on identifying and locating sex trafficking victims. It also focuses on investigating criminal enterprises and people involved in child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantle criminal networks and prevent further harm to victims. Identified suspects will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.

The FBI’s Greater Phoenix Area Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which conducted the operation, comprises officers from the Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe police departments. The task force received help from HSI special agents and Scottsdale and Surprise police.

Though Operation Cross Country is an annual national initiative, the Greater Phoenix Area Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force works with the Phoenix Police Department’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) Unit throughout the year. With its leadership, the Phoenix Police HEAT Unit and the task force routinely collaborate on human trafficking operations with other law enforcement agencies across the greater Phoenix area.

HSI, a leader in the global fight against human trafficking and child exploitation, encourages the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

HSI special agents utilize their broad range of authority and international footprint to identify, investigate and disrupt domestic and transnational criminal organizations engaged in human trafficking. Further, HSI special agents work closely with the HSI’s Victim Assistance Program to ensure that human trafficking and child exploitation victims are afforded their rights and have access to the services to which they are entitled by law.

You may report crimes, suspicious activity and suspected human trafficking to the HSI Tipline at 866-347-2423. You may also contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-THE-LOST to report suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 to connect human trafficking victims and survivors with critical support and services.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

THORN - Parenting in the digital age — made easier.

 

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The Guide will help you feel confident and in-the-know about how kids view and approach online spaces.

Join thousands of parents and get the Digital Parenting: Device Access Guide today.

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Las Vegas Man Sentenced To Over 12 Years in Prison For Sex Trafficking Children While Visiting Metro-Detroit

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan

DETROIT – A Las Vegas man who sex trafficked children in metro-Detroit while visiting the area in December 2020 was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division.

Jquon Wroten, 31, pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor in April 2023. Wroten was sentenced today by United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman.

Law enforcement first began investigating Wroten while attempting to locate two minor females who had run away from the Lansing area in late 2020. A relative of one of the minors contacted law enforcement with information and expressed fears that the minors were being trafficked in the Detroit area. Law enforcement recovered the minors from a motel room in Southfield, Michigan in December 2020 and learned that Wroten had recruited the minors to work for him after meeting them in a local motel while he was in town. Wroten and an adult female associate took the minors to a local beauty supply store and bought items in an effort to make them look older. Wroten then set up a commercial sex date for the minors at a residence in metro-Detroit and drove the minors to the date, where they engaged in commercial sex with multiple men. Wroten took proceeds from the sex trafficking for his own use.

“The sex trafficking of children is a hideous crime that preys on some of our district’s most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Ison. “The court’s sentence today is a just punishment and will prevent the defendant from further victimizing children here or anywhere else.”

“Protecting young people from dangerous predators is a top priority for the FBI in Michigan and across the country,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mr. Wroten in an example of how manipulative these criminals can be. I commend the work of the special agents, deputies, police officers, and prosecutors who worked to make our children safer by ensuring he remains behind bars for a significant period of time.”

This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Division, FBI Las Vegas Division, FBI San Francisco Division, SEMTEC (Southwest Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes), and State of Michigan Children’s Protective Services.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Sweeney Bean and Eaton Brown.

Wagner Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Victims of Child Sexual Abuse

Help Find Missing Children. Let's Put An End To Child Abuse And Exploitation... Care.

The legislation enhances reporting of online child exploitation and requires online platforms to report child sex trafficking

Washington, D.C.  –  Today, Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO), along with Representatives Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Zach Nunn (R-IA), released the following statement after she introduced the Child Online Safety Modernization Act:

“In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 32 million reports of online child sexual abuse material, sometimes called ‘child pornography.’ That’s equal to approximately 87,600 reports per day of images and videos of children being sexually exploited. My legislation, the Child Online Safety Modernization Act, will advance common-sense, bipartisan, and bicameral solutions to help law enforcement investigate these cases, rescue vulnerable children, and apprehend online predators,” said Wagner.  “Additionally, this bill will make it clear that images and videos of children being raped is not ‘pornography,’ it is sexual abuse of a child. America cannot, and should not, accept a reality where innocent children are sexually exploited for financial gain. Congress must do everything in its power to end this scourge against humanity, and my legislation will help protect innocent victims from some of the most destructive criminals in our society.”

“In today’s modern society, it has become increasingly important to hold accountable those individuals that would sexually coerce and extort our children. As elected officials, there is no greater responsibility than ensuring we are keeping our children safe,’ said Garcia. “This is why I’m proud to co-lead the Online Safety Modernization Act of 2023 because it is a step toward preventing online sexual abuse from occurring in our society today.”

“As a father with six young children, there’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do to protect them,” said Nunn. “The appalling number of reports of sexual abuse to the CyberTipline indicate that we have a crisis on our hands. We must take action to stop this horrific abuse and ensure victims get justice.” 

“It is troubling and heartbreaking to see the rise of child sexual exploitation on the internet and we must do everything we can to save these children by supporting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as fully as we can,” said Bacon. “By requiring reports from online platforms to provide more information to help law enforcement identify and locate the child victim and the individual who posted the image, we can save more children from a life of sexual trauma.”

Read the one-pager on this legislation here.

Supporting Organizations

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

“NCMEC thanks Representatives Ann Wagner and Sylvia Garcia for their leadership in online child safety and the introduction of the Child Online Safety Modernization Act (COSMA).

“COSMA addresses the significant impact of child sex trafficking and enticement of children for sexual abuse by requiring online platforms to report these crimes to the CyberTipline. The bill also extends the preservation of CyberTipline data from 90 days to one year and ensures reports will be more actionable, which will help law enforcement safeguard victimized children. Lastly, COSMA provides a much-needed update to the criminal code by replacing the term "child pornography" with "child sexual abuse material" to more accurately reflect the rape and sexual abuse of children that is depicted in these images.

“NCMEC is proud to support this important legislation and applauds Representatives Wagner and Garcia for their continued dedication to the safety of our children.”  - Michelle DeLaune – President & CEO – NCMEC

National Children’s Alliance

“We cheer the introduction of COSMA by longtime Congressional champion for children, Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, to modernize and fix many of the paths by which children exploited online might be saved from their abuse,” said Teresa Huizar, CEO of National Children’s Alliance, the national association of Children’s Advocacy Centers. “Child sexual abuse materials are exploding in volume as our systems for online reporting and holding offenders accountable are stretched past their limits. The important changes to the CyberTipline and enhanced reporting requirements, plus the changes to federal law forever eliminating the inaccurate and victim-blaming term ‘child pornography’ from our federal laws, make the passage of the act a critical step toward an internet that minimally protects our children. We thank Rep. Wagner for her ongoing bipartisan leadership on behalf of children around the country, online and off.”

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)

 "Technology companies must effectively collaborate with law enforcement to address online sexual exploitation of children", said Stefan Turkheimer, Interim Vice President of Public Policy for the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network. "The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is a major step forward to ensure technology companies are doing their part to rescue victims and catch predators seen in child sexual abuse material that they host and show on their platforms.

International Justice Mission

“International Justice Mission (IJM) is pleased to support the Child Online Safety Modernization Act (COSMA). We are grateful for the leadership of Rep. Ann Wagner (R-TX) and Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) in introducing this much-needed legislation. This bill will enhance reporting and preservation requirements for technology companies to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  In 2022, 89.3% of all CyberTipline reports were linked to potential offenders outside the U.S. and referred to law enforcement agencies in more than 140 countries. From IJM’s experience in training international law enforcement partners on CyberTipline investigations, it is clear that updates are desperately needed to the existing reporting framework. COSMA will help improve consistency, quality and timeliness in reports of suspected OSEC sent from electronic service providers to the CyberTipline. IJM’s 2020 study of livestreamed child sexual abuse in the Philippines found that victims were abused on average for two years prior to intervention, in part because of failures to detect, report or disrupt these crimes. These updated reporting requirements will help international law enforcement receive and respond to reports faster, helping to identify and remove more children from abuse sooner. IJM also supports COSMA’s increase in the period of time electronic service providers are required to keep content from reports submitted to the CyberTipline – from 90 days to 1 year. This critical change will give investigators much-needed time to conduct their important work.” – Nate King, Director of Congressional Affairs at International Justice Mission

Raven

"Today our children live and interact in an online environment. There are not enough reporting mechanisms, guidelines, and legislation to find victims and protect them. COSMA will do just that and more importantly ensure that the horrific victimization of children is described accurately as - child sexual abuse material.” – John Pizzuro, CEO of Raven

Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition

"Online sexual exploitation and abuse of children has increased exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic", said the Ending Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC) Coalition. "In 2019, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received over 16.8 million reports of suspected OSEAC. In just 3 years, that number has nearly doubled to over 32 million. The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is essential in ensuring that law enforcement has the necessary information to successfully investigate reports and identify child victims. We applaud Representatives Ann Wagner and Sylvia Garcia for their leadership on this important issue."

Missouri KidsFirst

“Online sexual exploitation is an issue of great concern to providers who serve victims of child abuse, including Missouri’s Child Advocacy Centers (CACs). While we know the presence of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) is becoming more frequent in child abuse investigations, reliable data has been a consistent challenge to the field. This can delay the system response by law enforcement and child protective services and limit access to victim services,” said Jessica Seitz, Executive Director of Missouri KidsFirst, the state’s network of CACs. “We thank Representative Wagner for introducing this legislation which will promote justice and healing to children who have been exploited.”

Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV)

“The Child Online Safety Modernization Act seeks to replace the term “child pornography” with “child sexual abuse material” throughout U.S. federal statutes. Child victims depicted in such imagery have no consent and no control over their sexual exploitation, and U.S. federal law should accurately reflect this abuse. MOCADSV supports Representative Wagner’s efforts to increase online safety for children, and update federal statutes to accurately name this abuse.” – Matthew Huffman, Chief Public Affairs Officer.

Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT)

"Our nation's laws have failed to catch up with technology and the internet. By holding online platforms accountable, The Child Online Safety Modernization Act is a step forward to ensuring all children can access the internet free from exploitation and abuse." – Alexander Delgado, Director of Public Policy.

National Center on Sexual Exploitation

"It's time for the House of Representatives to act to protect children online. COSMA provisions mainly match bills already approved by Senate Judiciary Committee. Let's see a Child Protection Congress this year!” - Dawn Hawkins, CEO, National Center on Sexual Exploitation.

Man Accused Of Trying To Kidnap, Offering To Buy Child: Norwalk PD

Police said the man is accused of trying to remove a child from a parked car, then asking a woman if she wanted to sell the child for money.

RJ Scofield,Patch Staff

A man accused of trying to take a child out of a parked car in Norwalk, then offering to purchase the child for money, was arrested Sunday evening, according to police. (Al Branch/Patch)

NORWALK, CT — A man accused of trying to take a child out of a parked car in Norwalk, then offering to purchase the child for money, was arrested Sunday evening, according to police.

In a news release, Police Lt. Joe Dinho said officers were called to Bouton Street around 5:30 p.m. after receiving a report of a man trying to take a child out of a parked car.

A woman told police once she unbuckled the child's seatbelt in the back of the vehicle, an unknown man reached in and began to remove the child from the car, Dinho said.

When responding officers found a man that matched the description, he was slurring his words and appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance, police said. The man was then identified by the woman as the person who tried to take the child, Dinho said. 

Jose Domingo, 37, of Norwalk, was arrested and taken to police headquarters for processing, where he was found to have a substance that tested positive for cocaine in his possession, Dinho said.

Domingo was charged with risk of injury to a child, possession of controlled substance, second-degree breach of peace and second-degree kidnapping. He was held on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month, according to Dinho.

For The Children...

 

By Brett Fletcher @TrinityMount

I urge The Congress, The Senate and all the people on The Hill - please, for the sake of Missing and Exploited Children stateside and worldwide: do not allow partisan blindness to steer you view of a global catastrophe - the sex trafficking of children. While bickering and fighting for partisan superiority takes priority over the well-being of the only innocent among us, children, this despicable crime yields the highest profits globally.

Do not take my word for it, look to the people and organizations that deal with this human tragedy on a daily basis: NCMEC, ICMEC, INTERPOL, International and national Law Enforcement, police departments, DOJ, DHS, FBI, as well as other child advocates and organizations who are sounding the alarm, and have been for years and years.

This must be a bipartisan concern, anything else is shameful and disgraceful. Listening to people who have a voice, failing to recognize the enormity of this issue is appalling and turning a deaf ear to the cries of children waiting to be rescued from the grips of pure evil. Open your heart, open your eyes and join the fight to rescue these children by all means possible. This is not a political problem... please stop treating it as if it were.

Brett Fletcher - Founder of Trinity Mount Ministries

https://www.TrinityMountMinistries.com

https://www.TrinityMount.Info

Photo: ECPAT-ICMEC | 103 Certificate | ICMEC

This Certificate of Completion is awarded to:

Brett Fletcher

to mark your successful completion of the course

ECPAT-ICMEC | 103: Agents of Change Tools for Frontline Workers to End Sexual Exploitation of Children.

County arrests six suspects in human trafficking operation

 Massage parlors in Morgan Hill also investigated

By

 Staff Report

-

 

In a wide ranging law enforcement operation targeting perpetrators of sex crimes, a multi-agency Santa Clara County taskforce arrested six traffickers and recovered dozens of women who had been exploited by the suspects, District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office announced Aug. 3. 

The taskforce, working with the Morgan Hill Police Department, also investigated six massage parlors that had been suspected of commercial sex activity, resulting in citations for code and workplace violations at the establishments, the DA’s office said. 

Operation Cross Country was spearheaded by the DA’s office and recently wrapped up its investigation into human traffickers who were exploiting young female sex workers at South Bay hotels, says a press release from the DA’s office. Investigators had set up stings at local hotels and arrested the trafficking suspects when they dropped off the sex workers. 

Two of the traffickers brought guns to the arranged hotel encounters, and one brought his 2-year-old baby, authorities said. In all, the operation recovered 23 women—several of them teens—who had been victimized by the trafficking suspects, the DA’s office said. The women were released after authorities provided them with services, including counseling, medical care, housing assistance and services for economic stability. 

The six trafficking suspects face felony charges. If convicted, they face substantial prison sentences, the DA’s office said. 

“Paying for sex is not a victimless crime,” Rosen said. “These young women are groomed, assaulted and exploited. If you spend money on these services, you are part of the problem. If you are a trafficker, you are the problem—and you are going to prison.”

Operation Cross Country was initiated by the FBI’s Innocence Lost national initiative, aiming to reduce sexual exploitation of juveniles by recovering trafficking victims. Efforts to recover the victims of these sex trafficking crimes took place July 19-30, with the DA’s Human Trafficking Taskforce leading the operations in coordination with San Jose Police and multiple federal and local law enforcement agencies, the press release continues. 

Authorities are not naming the hotels where the stings and recovery efforts took place, in order “to protect future recovery operations,” says the press release. 

In addition to the recent operations, the taskforce and the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking also conduct regular outreach and training with hotel personnel to identify and report suspected human trafficking. 

Also as part of Operation Cross Country, the taskforce worked with Morgan Hill Police to inspect six massage parlors that had been suspected of hosting commercial sex activity, the press release says. Most of the businesses are located along Monterey Road, and the investigation uncovered unspecified code violations at all six. One of the massage parlors was ordered to be closed for unsafe working conditions. 

“DA Rosen would like to thank all participating agencies, including the SJPD Human Trafficking Taskforce, the Milpitas, Morgan Hill, and Santa Clara police departments, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State, FBI, NCRIC, Community Solutions, YWCA, and AACI advocacy services,” adds the press release. 

FBI-Led Sweep Targeting Sex Traffickers Recovers Dozens of Minor Victims

13th iteration of nationwide ‘Operation Cross Country’ involved hundreds of agencies

B-roll video footage of Operation Cross Country 13, an FBI-led nationwide law enforcement initiative—now in its 13th year. The coordinated operation, which included other federal agencies, state and local police, and social services agencies across the country, aims to find and assist victims of human trafficking, particularly child victims.

Transcript / Visit Video Source

More than 200 victims of sex trafficking were rescued during a nationwide enforcement campaign last month that also included the identification or arrest of more than five dozen suspected human traffickers and 126 individuals accused of child sexual exploitation and trafficking offenses.

The FBI-led “Operation Cross Country,” which involved nearly every FBI field office and their respective state and local partners, also located 59 minor victims of child sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, and another 59 children who had been reported missing.  

The two-week law enforcement initiative—now in its 13th year—is a coordinated operation among the FBI, other federal agencies, state and local police, and social services agencies across the country to find and assist victims of human trafficking, particularly child victims. Law enforcement agencies conduct targeted operations to identify traffickers, their networks, and their victims. FBI victim specialists, working alongside local agencies, then provide immediate support and access to the extensive resources that are available to all federal crime victims. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a significant partner in the initiative. The private non-profit is a clearinghouse of information and has assisted in more than 400,000 cases of missing kids who were recovered since its founding in 1984.

“Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights that preys on the most vulnerable members of our society,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in an August 1 announcement of the arrests and recoveries. “The FBI’s actions against this threat never waver as we continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated.”

“The FBI’s actions against this threat never waver as we continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated.”

Christopher Wray, FBI Director

FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces across the country work throughout the year to locate victims and their traffickers. Often, victim specialists are embedded in operations. They serve as a liaison between the victims and FBI agents. They also help victims find services to rebuild their lives. The FBI’s Victim Services Division has a team of child and adolescent forensic interviewers, or CAFIs, who are specially trained interviewers skilled at gathering evidence without further traumatizing children and others with mental or emotional disabilities. These multi-disciplinary teams work with state and local partners to make resources available for victims, which might include counseling, medical services, housing, or job placement.  

“Our victim specialists, victim service coordinators, child and adolescent forensic interviewers, and other victim service professionals work collaboratively with special agents to ensure a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach is taken when engaging with victims,” said Regina Thompson, assistant director of the Victim Services Division. “This is especially important when engaging with victims of human trafficking as it is a very complex, traumatic crime.”  

Operation Cross Country grew out of a 2003 FBI initiative to identify and recover minors who have been sexually exploited. While the national sweeps draw attention to the issue of trafficking, the FBI and its partners work to investigate and stop trafficking every day.

“Behind every statistic, there is a person with dreams, aspirations, and the right to live a life free from child sex trafficking and exploitation,” said NCMEC President and CEO Michelle DeLaune. “We applaud the FBI and their partner law enforcement agencies for their unwavering dedication to protecting children.”