Jim Costa: “I include in the Record these excerpts from a series of articles entitled ``Slaves of the Sex Trade'' by Rory Appleton…”

“I include in the Record these excerpts from a series of articles entitled ``Slaves of the Sex Trade'' by Rory Appleton from the Fresno Bee: ``Don't kid yourself. Sex slaves are all around us--and you may know some of them'' (November 2, 2017), ``She was a hospital worker. He sold her for sex before, during and after her shifts'' (November 2, 2017), ``Police: 'Every 16-year-old girl in Fresno' has been targeted by sex trade recruiters'' (November 9, 2017), ``Once sold for sex, she now helps lead the fight against human trafficking'' (November 15, 2017), ``How do you rescue women forced to walk the streets at night? It's not easy'' (November 16, 2017), ``To break the cycle of children sold for sex, the legal system is trying something new'' (November 28, 2017), ``All of us must help beat the scourge of human trafficking. Here's what you can do'' (December 7, 2017). The full series can be found at http://www.fresnobee.com/news/ special-reports/human-trafficking/. These seven articles demonstrate the impact of sex trafficking on our communities. I commend the Fresno Bee on their important reporting. [From the Fresno Bee, Nov. 2, 2017] Don't Kid Yourself. Sex Slaves Are All Around Us--and You May Know Some of Them (By Rory Appleton) Rebecca Rodriguez-Brown still remembers the room where he imprisoned her--the charming man she met and fell in love with while still a teenager. She mapped it out with her hands as she sat in a central Fresno office nearly 20 years later.…”