Texas' 2011 legislative session saw major progress in the fight against human trafficking, elevating the state to the forefront of efforts to tackle this issue.
Human trafficking bills received bipartisan support during the 82nd legislative session. That led to six new bills addressing the problem, enabling Texas to rank No. 1 nationally in efforts to fight domestic minor sex trafficking.
The ranking was issued in a report by Shared Hope International, in partnership with the American Center for Law & Justice.
States received a score for addressing six categories—criminalization of domestic minor sex trafficking; criminal provisions addressing demand; criminal provisions for traffickers; criminal provisions for facilitators; protective provisions for child victims; and tools for investigation and prosecution.
Experts agree four primary policy issues must continue to be addressed in Texas to combat domestic minor sex trafficking—eliminating demand; prosecuting traffickers; identifying victims; and providing victim access to services and shelter.
Rep. Randy Weber of Pearland introduced a bill to decrease demand of prostitutes in Texas. HB 1994 permits local communities to create "john schools." These schools hold a mandatory, daylong session for first-time "johns"—offenders who seek a prostitute—that emphasize their role in creating the demand for human trafficking victims, among other topics. Waco has operated a "john school" since 2002 and has seen only three repeat offenders in the last eight years.
A major blueprint for positive change in Texas is the result of work of the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force convened by Attorney General Gregg Abbott.
Texas' prosecution laws recently were strengthened through implementing key recommendations from SB 24, including an extension of the criminal statute of limitations for a human trafficking crime.
With the passage of this bill, Texas now lists human trafficking as a specific crime in the penal code, government code, family code, code of criminal procedure and civil practice remedies code, strengthening prosecutors' cases.
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
Although progress has been made, there still is room for growth in identifying victims and providing protection, access to services, and shelter for victims, observers note.
Discrepancies between state and federal laws have allowed underage victims of sex trafficking to be arrested for prostitution.
While the state of Texas and the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act both define a minor as younger than 18, Texas state law maintains the age of consent for sex is 14. Children between ages 14 and 18 still can be picked up under prostitution charges, due to the low age of consent.
Because of a lack of safe houses across the state, children are picked up on prostitution charges in an effort to take them off the streets and away from their harmful traffickers.
Children are placed in juvenile centers and many times treated as criminals, leaving them to believe that is what they are.
Legislation spearheaded by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio seeks to raise the age of consent at least two years, with no child under 18 legally participating in commercial sexual activity or child pornography, in hopes that Texas will recognize these children as true victims and provide protective services.
The 82nd legislative session proved successful in incrementing penalties for traffickers as evidenced by the high national rank Texas received.
Representatives and sena-tors, along with nongovernmental agencies like the Christian Life Commission, are looking forward to the 83rd legislative session to continue implementing policy in areas in which Texas currently lacks. They hope to see Texas remain a leader in the fight against human trafficking.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.