Panelists report alarming increase in U.S. child prostitution

Published: 2005-06-08

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Law enforcement and child advocacy officials are reporting an alarming increase in child prostitution in the United States, with children being forced to enter the sex trade at a younger age, said speakers at a congressional panel. Among the reasons for the increase are widespread use of the Internet and a lack of capacity within law enforcement to fight child prostitution, said a federal law enforcement official. Chris Swecker, assistant director of the FBI's criminal investigative division, said the bureau has about 45-50 agents assigned to combat child trafficking. If the number of agents seems low, Swecker said, it is because the bureau must dedicate most of its resources to fighting the war on terrorism. The Justice Department's "Innocence Lost" domestic trafficking program has resulted in nearly 300 arrests and has rescued 80 children since the initiative began two years ago, Swecker told members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission June 7 in Washington.

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