Home » News » Crime
January 18. 2013 12:05AM
CONCORD - Attorney General Michael Delaney wants to stop human trafficking in underage prostitutes and forced laborers through a 33-member commission to both raise public awareness and train first responders on how to better identify victims.
At a press conference Thursday, Delaney said an estimated 200,000 American children, some as young as 11 years old, are recruited each year by pimps who force them into prostitution.
A federal report found the majority of domestic victims enslaved in the sex industry are runaway and homeless youth.
Nationally, 450,000 children run away from home each year. One of every three teens on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home, state and federal officials say, meaning at least 150,000 children are lured into prostitution each year.
Delaney noted the problem exists in New Hampshire, where state residents pay the pimps every weekend while the children are exploited.
He said one problem is the victims are sometimes treated like criminals by the system when they really need to be treated as the victims they are.
Delaney hopes the new commission will help standardize the treatment of trafficking victims.
The attorney general wants to use the commission to build a network of New Hampshire agencies and organizations to work collaboratively against human trafficking in the state.
The task force members include representatives from state, federal and local agencies; social service providers; law enforcement; attorneys and victim advocates.
New Hampshire was among the first states to make human trafficking a crime in 2009, but to date there has not been a unified effort, Delaney said. He said part of the commission's work will be to develop better training for law enforcement and other emergency personnel on how to recognize the victims of human trafficking.
"The Commission to Combat Human Trafficking hopes to continue to fight human trafficking in New Hampshire by identifying victims of human trafficking and creating pathways to connect them to services, by developing protocols on the handling of these cases, by providing multidisciplinary trainings throughout the state and by strengthening our state law," he said.
Delaney's announcement coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
State AG forms commission to combat human trafficking
At a press conference Thursday, Delaney said an estimated 200,000 American children, some as young as 11 years old, are recruited each year by pimps who force them into prostitution.
A federal report found the majority of domestic victims enslaved in the sex industry are runaway and homeless youth.
Nationally, 450,000 children run away from home each year. One of every three teens on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home, state and federal officials say, meaning at least 150,000 children are lured into prostitution each year.
Delaney noted the problem exists in New Hampshire, where state residents pay the pimps every weekend while the children are exploited.
He said one problem is the victims are sometimes treated like criminals by the system when they really need to be treated as the victims they are.
Delaney hopes the new commission will help standardize the treatment of trafficking victims.
The attorney general wants to use the commission to build a network of New Hampshire agencies and organizations to work collaboratively against human trafficking in the state.
The task force members include representatives from state, federal and local agencies; social service providers; law enforcement; attorneys and victim advocates.
New Hampshire was among the first states to make human trafficking a crime in 2009, but to date there has not been a unified effort, Delaney said. He said part of the commission's work will be to develop better training for law enforcement and other emergency personnel on how to recognize the victims of human trafficking.
"The Commission to Combat Human Trafficking hopes to continue to fight human trafficking in New Hampshire by identifying victims of human trafficking and creating pathways to connect them to services, by developing protocols on the handling of these cases, by providing multidisciplinary trainings throughout the state and by strengthening our state law," he said.
Delaney's announcement coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Police say Nashua man struck woman with Jeep - 0
- Police seek man they say passed counterfeit bill at Manchester mall - 1
- Manchester police seek Food Mart robber - 3
- No arrests in Manchester homicide; single shot to chest killed man - 12
- Jury finds Chester man guilty of sex assault - 1
- License revocations for DWI announced - 0
- Hampton man indicted for Poker Room assault, robbery - 0
- UPDATED: Chester police seek two men in armed home invasion - 2
- Intruder, a burglar, and attempted break-in keep Manchester police busy - 0
Man who confronts burglar in Nashua gets bit
READER COMMENTS: 0- House kills Hassan-backed casino bill, 199-164 - 16
- Threats at Goffstown High ‘not credible’ - 0
- House votes to ban lead sinkers and jigs an ounce or under - 7
- House passes auto dealers bill of rights - 2
- Rochester man facing up to 30 years in prison for brutal assault - 1
- Pease chosen to receive new KC-46A refueling tanker; to bring 100 jobs - 9
- FBI agent kills Florida man during questioning about Marathon bombing suspect - 3
- Lightning strikes home in Exeter - 0
- For now, no more breakfasts in Manchester's Veterans Park - 17
Updated: Car may have started itself, crashes, burns at Manchester Home Depot
READER COMMENTS: 5| Follow us: | ||
 |
 |
 |
- Should applicants for jobless benefits have to pass a drug test?
- Yes
- 78%
- No
- 22%
- Total Votes: 1424