On October 23, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources held a hearing, “Preventing and Addressing Sex Trafficking of Youth in Foster Care.” Chair Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) heard testimony from several witnesses, including members of Congress, regarding the challenges facing children in the foster care system, as well as recommendations to prevent sex trafficking of these children.
Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) said, “I have introduced H.R. 1732, the Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act, along with my colleague and co‐chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA).” Rep. Bass continued, “Primarily, our bill would help establish local plans to combat trafficking, and ensure nationwide data collection.” Rep. Bass indicated that the bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress regarding, among other provisions, the prevalence and trends of trafficking of child welfare youth. Finally, she added, “[T] the Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act directs [HHS] to develop and publish guidelines to assist child welfare agencies in serving youth who are victims of trafficking and prevent exploitation of youth at risk of becoming victims. Although HHS recently released guidance to child welfare agencies on this topic, there is room for additional resources and specific tools.”
Noting his tenure as a criminal court judge, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) also discussed bipartisan legislation to address domestic sex trafficking. He said, “I will soon introduce the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act with Congresswoman [Carolyn] Maloney [(D-NY)]. The companion will be offered by Senator [John] Cornyn [(R-TX)] and Senator [Ron] Wyden [(D-OR)]. This bill, amongst various other provisions, will create a grant program to help state and local governments develop and implement comprehensive victim-centered programs, including collaborative efforts with child welfare agencies. In addition, the bill creates a ‘Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund’ at the [Department of the] Treasury, financed through fines on persons convicted of human trafficking and child exploitation crimes, which the attorney general can use to fund support programs for victims of human trafficking. Included in the bill are a number of other provisions to ensure victims receive justice and traffickers and buyers are prosecuted to the fullest [extent].”
Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, board member of the Human Rights Project for Girls, described the ways in which the foster care system helps to enable sex trafficking. A former foster child and victim of sex trafficking, she said, “Many children, myself included, who grow up in foster care express how it is common…knowledge that many caregivers take them in primarily for the paycheck, which they are provided for the purpose of caring for the child. From my own experience, and that of others, the money that is given by the state is supposed to be utilized to provide for the child’s basic needs. However the money is often used for other things, specifically for special luxuries for the caretaker and their biological children and families, unrelated to the financial support of the child it was intended for. These caregivers will make statements like ‘You’re not my child; I don’t care what’s going on with you. As long as you’re not dead, I’ll continue to get my paycheck.’ This ‘nothing-but-a-paycheck’ theory objectifies the youth and [they] begin to normalize the perception that their presence is to be used for financial gain. This creates a mind frame for the youth that their purpose is to bring income into a household…[T]his makes youth feel like an object and less like a person and, for me, and many others, youth begin to normalize the behaviors and actions toward them by accepting that their purpose is for the financial benefit of others. Therefore, when youth are approached by traffickers/pimps/exploiters, they don’t see much difference between their purpose of bringing finances into their foster home and bringing money to traffickers/pimps/exploiters’ ‘stable.’”
The following witnesses also testified:
