Gathering information about the scale of the problem of sex trafficking in Alaska will be the focus of a state hearing on the issue next week. The lengthily titled State of Alaska Task Force on the Crimes of Human Trafficking, Promoting Prostitution and Sex Trafficking will hold hearings in Anchorage and Bethel. Cori Badgley is an assistant Attorney General with the state. She says domestic violence and sexual assault of children are usually in the backgrounds of victims of sex trafficking. She says it’s important for Alaskans to weigh in on this crime.
“We just would really encourage those that have something to say on this topic to either give us their written comments, come in and testify before the task force or call in to one of our hearings because we really do want to hear perspectives around the state.”
Badgley says many Alaskans don’t realize sex trafficking is an issue within the state.
Today on the statewide call in program Talk of Alaska, the topic was sex trafficking and Internet prostitution. Sergeant Kathy Lacey who heads up the Vice unit for the Anchorage Police Department said Alaska was one of the first states to prosecute a sex trafficking case in 2003. Segeant Lacey says APD received a federal grant to address foreign born victims of trafficking in 2005.
“But what we were seeing, in Anchorage, on the streets of Anchorage were the girl next door was working and being trafficked. So domestic sex trafficking was far larger than anyone had an idea, but that’s what we found. We found run away kids being trafficked right on the streets of Anchorage. So it kind of changed the way we looked at it and the internet changed the way that we did business, it’s just incredible the amount of sexual exploitation that goes on on the internet.”
Lacey says online trafficking has made it easier for pimps or traffickers to hide their businesses. She says although prostitution may involve adult women, sex traffickers target young girls, bringing them in to a life of misery at 14 or 15 years old. She says the problem is enormous.
“It is literally everywhere and I’ve said to people, it’s almost as basic as if you have men and women, you’re going to have prostitution and if you have prostitution, you’re going to have sex trafficking. It’s almost that basic.”
The task force hearing on human and sex trafficking will be held at the legislative information office in Anchorage on Monday November 5th. Another is scheduled for Bethel in December.
Lori Townsend is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism and senior host for Alaska Public Media. You can send her news tips and program ideas for Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight at ltownsend@alaskapublic.org or call 907-550-8452. Read more about Lori here.
