Erik Paulsen: “The trafficking of young girls and boys continues to be a crime that plagues many of our communities. While I am proud…”

“The trafficking of young girls and boys continues to be a crime that plagues many of our communities. While I am proud to have led efforts last year to help pass important legislation to combat this problem, law enforcement on the ground needs to remain vigilant to stop this horrific crime. With the Super Bowl taking place on Sunday in California, concerns are once again being raised that traffickers will bring children in from out of town for exploitation. It is also an opportunity for law enforcement to reach out to these victims to try to bring them out of the shadows and bring traffickers to justice. That is why it is encouraging to see the FBI take a different victim- centered approach this year that focuses on first gaining the trust of young victims, sometimes as young as 12, 13, and 14 years old. This helps victims get the services they need and brings the traffickers to justice with their arrest. Madam Speaker, a victim-centered approach is the right way to attack this problem. I commend the FBI on their efforts during the Super Bowl this week. ____________________”