Clearwater criticized in study on child sex trafficking

A national study cites Clearwater and nine other U.S. cities for not clearly recognizing girls who are victims of sex trafficking, which can lead to the girls not getting proper treatment and care.

The study argues that "child victims of sex trafficking are being arrested for the crime committed against them while their abusers walk free."

Shared Hope International, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., presented the report this week at a congressional briefing in Washington to discuss the findings and possible legislation to stop trafficking of minors.

The study, entitled "The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking" focused on 10 cities, including Clearwater, Dallas, Buffalo, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. In 2006, the Department of Justice gave the organization a grant to do the study.

Monique Johnson, communications coordinator at Shared Hope International, said some agencies don't look beyond the surface when dealing with girls who are victims of domestic sex trafficking.

"They shouldn't be looked at as criminals," Johnson said. "They are victims. They [police agencies] are looking at the behavior, not what could be the cause of the behavior.''

Clearwater public safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts said the police department is working aggressively against human sex trafficking. The police department was also awarded in 2006 a Department of Justice grant to form the Clearwater Area Task Force on Human Trafficking.

"We are very proactive on human trafficking," Watts said. "It does go on here. It is here. People need to be aware."

She said the Clearwater portion of the study was completed in January 2008 and the study focuses on Clearwater and the Tampa Bay area, she said.

Sometimes victims aren't cooperative, give false information and don't see themselves as victims, Watts said.

For instance, Watts said, a runaway girl falls in love with her boyfriend, who encourages her to have sex for money. But the girl doesn't see herself as a victim, Watts said.

"A lot of times they are in denial," Watts said.

Clearwater police arrested three men this month for having sex with a 12-year-old girl. The agency is looking into it as a possible human trafficking case, Watts said.

Johnson said her organization is working to create stronger laws.

"The laws are not strong to arrest the buyer," she said. "We just need to change the legislation."