Key Takeaways:
• Two decades ago, Kamala Harris, the Democratic Presidential nominee, took significant steps to reform laws regarding child sex traffic.
• Harris played a pivotal role in reframing minors involved in sex work as victims, not criminals.
• Through legislation she sponsored, penalties for adults soliciting sex from minors increased, and human trafficking became a felony.
• Harris contributed to dismantling Backpage.com, a website that allegedly promoted sex trafficking.
Advocacy for Child Sex Trafficking Victims
Poised at the beginning of her political career two decades back, Kamala Harris made her stand clear on child sex trafficking. As the District Attorney of San Francisco, Harris disapproved arresting minors as “child prostitutes” and charging them for their abuse. Instead, she insisted on treating minors involved in sex work as victims needing support.
Driven by her belief, Harris sponsored a bill that revolutionized the treatment of minors in sex work by increasing penalties for adults soliciting sex from minors. Signed into law by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, this law played a crucial part in refocusing attention on the real culprits – adults exploiting children for sex.
A Step Ahead in Advocacy
Over the years, this dedicated effort by Harris on an issue that concerned both Democrats and Republicans got often eclipsed by her other achievements. Yet, this demonstrative instance of advocacy sparked a “sea change” according to Harris, which is evident now more than ever.
Harris’s commitment to countering sex trafficking went beyond legislation. In 2005, she opened a shelter for former child prostitutes and spearheaded an anti-human trafficking task force two years later. Propelling the momentum forward, she continued these efforts later in her tenure as California’s Attorney General as well.
Open Challenge to Status Quo
Harris’s approach to dealing with minors in sex work marked a drastic shift in the status quo, implying an acknowledgment of systemic failure. While operating in City Hall, Harris refused to use the term “child prostitute,” emphasizing the need to recognize these miners as victims, a practice that continued over a decade later.
In her relentless attempt to restructure the handling of child sex work cases, she advocated for legislation that didn’t allow sex traffickers to retain money earned from their crimes. She also initiated training for first responders to identify potential victims of sex trafficking effectively.
Assailing Online Sex Trafficking
Notably, Harris was the first to charge the operators of Backpage, a website accused of facilitating sex trafficking and earning millions from its “adult services” segment. She termed the website as an “online brothel” and sought pimping charges for its leaders. Following a complex legal ordeal, the government pulled Backpage from the internet, leading to the arrest and sentencing of its founder on charges of money laundering.
Harris stands out in her early and consistent position against sex trafficking, a remarkable deviation from her otherwise cautious political stand. Nonetheless, her persistence did bring a moderate shade to her career, making her an effective advocate against child abuse, a crime no one could argue against.
In retrospect, Harris’s decisive action against sex trafficking marked the beginning of a long journey towards justice for the victims. It demonstrated the compatibility of her compassion for victims and her stern approach towards perpetrators with her background as a prosecutor. Consequently, it helped secure bipartisan support for an issue that was facing resistance from Democrats.
Overall, Kamala Harris’s revolutionary push to address child sex trafficking exemplifies her ability to steer change and ensure justice.