Board of Supervisors Votes to Support Californians Against Sexual Exploitation Act

Today, on a motion from Supervisor Don Knabe, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to support the Californians Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE) Act, which would strengthen penalties against human traffickers and protect sexually exploited children. 

The CASE Act will be on the November ballot, and the board is urging voters to vote in favor of the act, which if enacted into law would be the toughest human trafficking law in the nation.

The CASE Act would increase prison terms for human traffickers, require convicted sex traffickers to register as sex offenders, mandate training for law enforcement officers, and require criminal fines from convicted human traffickers to pay for services to help victims.

“Communities through the United States are facing the horrific reality of child sex trafficking occurring right here on our streets and in our neighborhoods,” said Knabe, who represents Diamond Bar. “It is not a problem ‘over there.’ Sadly, Los Angeles County is recognized as one of the major hubs for this criminal activity.”

According to Knabe, the average age of a victim that is trafficked is between 12 and 14 years of age.

“I want Los Angeles County to be a national leader in fighting this heinous crime and protecting our vulnerable youth,” he said. “Earlier this year, I asked the County’s Probation Department to implement a program that will give the girls who come into our system a chance to heal and an opportunity for a new life.  But we must also deal with the real criminals here – the pimps who forcibly coerce and manipulate young girls into selling their bodies for their financial benefit. The CASE Act would be a major step forward in enacting tougher penalties and putting an end to the physical and mental abuse of these young girls.”