Erik Paulsen: “I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I want to thank her for her leadership, along with Representative Wagner, in…”

“I thank the gentlelady for yielding, and I want to thank her for her leadership, along with Representative Wagner, in coordinating and drawing attention to what this horrific crime truly is, spending a little bit of time on the House floor. When you hear the words ``sex trafficking'' and ``human trafficking,'' a lot of people just think this is something that happens in faraway countries, that it doesn't happen in the United States. It is very sad to say that it is happening right here in our own backyards, knowing that these traffickers are exploiting young girls for their own financial gain, right in our own communities. We are talking about 12-, 13-, and 14-year-old young girls. It is pretty hard to imagine, but it is true. It is happening in our cities. It is happening in our suburbs. It is happening in rural towns. I will say I realize how critical it is now to educate our community about what I have learned from actually speaking and talking with some of these victims. I remember speaking with Deyanna. Deyanna is age 13. She tells the story about how, within days of meeting this so-called boyfriend, she finds herself in Philadelphia, in Chicago, being trafficked and has the wherewithal to escape with her life. Then I meet the mother of another young girl who was violently raped and murdered this last February. The only good news I can tell you, Mr.…”