News for today's 2018

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING: NEVADA'S OMNIBUS HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL

<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         After a church-sponsored presentation here on child sex trafficking last Spring, one person in the audience asked the panel, “What can we do about this?” The panelist answered, “Just be aware.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         That doesn’t help. Telling us the world is a mess and there’s nothing we can do about it doesn’t help. But there are things we can do about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         Nevadans for the Common Good has already been instrumental in combatting child sex trafficking as we have worked with schools, law enforcement, and social services. We are positioning ourselves to do a great deal more. Human trafficking is a large, complex problem, a tangled evil. There is not a single silver bullet solution. We cannot solve this problem through legislation alone. But we cannot effectively combat it without legislation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">        We have advocated for legislative reforms in the past. We have won some and lost some. But now we have the Big Battle. Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto will present an Omnibus Human Trafficking Bill (currently, BDR 403) to the next legislative session.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         Here’s what that Bill will do:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Broaden the definition of the criminal conduct to include all aspects of pimp activity – recruiting, harboring, soliciting, etc. At present many aspects of the pimping process are not criminal. This bill will allow proof of any one aspect of the process to result in a conviction.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Remove the violence requirement for those who traffic children. While violence and coercion would still be an element in the charge of trafficking adults, children are more likely to be enticed and manipulated into prostitution. This statute would remove the violence requirement in cases against child sex traffickers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">For each of the crimes covered, the penalties would be increased by one felony level. In the case of a child sex trafficker, the penalty would go from 1-5 years with the possibility (in fact the likelihood) of probation to 3-20 years with no probation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">The law would apply criminal penalties to Johns (customers) so as to attack the problem from the demand side.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Provide specific authorization of wiretaps based on probable cause to suspect human trafficking is being conducted via telephone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Apply racketeering, conspiracy, and gang enhancement penalties to human trafficking. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Add human traffickers to the sex offender registry. (In my opinion, this is one of the most important and potentially effective parts of this bill in actually preventing human trafficking of children.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Strengthen the existing (new) provisions allowing law enforcement to seize the trafficker’s assets that are the fruits of illegal activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">   </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Use the proceeds from seized assets to provide restitution to the victims of human trafficking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">       </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Create a civil cause of action so that a victim of human trafficking can sue the trafficker for money damages.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">11.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">       </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Give the state the right to a preliminary hearing. This can preserve the testimony of trafficking victims who often disappear or become unavailable before trial resulting in dismissal of the charges. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">12.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">       </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">Extend the statute of limitations on rape charges arising out of child sex trafficking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">This is not about the legalized and regulated prostitution in some rural Nevada counties. There are arguments for and against that. But this legislation is about a very different situation. This is about the coercion of adults and the manipulation of children into the illegal sex trade.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         Our task now is to persuade legislators to pass this Bill. Do you think it is a slam-dunk? Think again. Bills increasing the penalties for child sex trafficking have repeatedly been defeated in our State Assembly. They don’t even make it out of committee. Human trafficking is a highly lucrative business. Passing this legislation will require a concerted effort by the faith community.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         So, let’s get organized! Nevadans for the Common Good will have a strategy session on how we can pass this bill:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">                                    Thursday, Nov. 29<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">                                    7 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">                                    Zion United Methodist Church<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">                                    2108 Revere St.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">                                    North Las Vegas</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt;">                   </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">We need 5 or 6 people from each Episcopal Church (2 or 3 from the smaller ones), and each Church, Synagogue, Mosque, or non-profit organization that is working with Nevadans for the Common Good. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt;">         This Bill will not solve the problem. But it is a huge first step. See you at Zion UMC on Nov. 29.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING: NEVADA'S OMNIBUS HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL

After a church-sponsored presentation here on child sex trafficking last Spring, one person in the audience asked the panel, ...

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING: NEVADA'S OMNIBUS HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL

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