Ted Poe: “Too often victims of human sex trafficking are ashamed. But, Mr. Speaker, the traffickers and the buyers are the ones…”

“Too often victims of human sex trafficking are ashamed. But, Mr. Speaker, the traffickers and the buyers are the ones who should be ashamed and shamed. Buyers and sellers want to remain anonymous, but those days are over. It is time to use public punishment for their dastardly deeds. As a judge in Texas, I successfully used public punishment. The SHAME Act will give Federal judges the discretion to publish the names and photographs of convicted human sex traffickers and buyers as well as sending them off to prison. Buyers and sellers who force victims to repeatedly sell their bodies should be publicly shamed for all of us to see. Photos of slave traders and buyers that appear on billboards will also deter other would-be criminals. Such photographs should appear before large conventions or sporting events--events where trafficking, unfortunately, increases. Let the public see the faces of slave traders and buyers of children--children that are sold on the marketplace of sex trafficking. Shame traffickers, and shame on them. And that is just the way it is. ____________________”