Officials: Jump in MN sex trafficking convictions reflects crackdown
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says the number of convictions for sex trafficking in the state doubled between 2012 and last year.
Sex trafficking convictions rose from 31 to 63, the department's Office of Justice Programs reported.
The numbers show the state is cracking down on trafficking, said Danette Buskovick, the office's director of training, research and communications.
"We have an extensive training going on right now for our law enforcement officers and our prosecutor," she said. "We have a change in attitude around these crimes. People are recognizing the seriousness of it, that it's not a victimless crime. And law enforcement is putting dedicated resources toward it."
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Buskovick doesn't think the increased convictions necessarily mean there's an increase in incidents but rather an increase in prosecutions.
The state has a new victim-centered approach to trafficking, which includes decriminalizing prostitution for youth under 18-years-old and tougher penalties for johns, she added.
At the federal level, there's also been more of an effort. U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Andy Luger launched an initiative earlier this year to combat human trafficking.
One issue law enforcement faces is that many of those who are trafficked don't know the law and think they might be prosecuted.
"It's a crime often the victims are misidentified. They don't identify themselves as the victim," she said.
Buskovick said most of the victims of trafficking are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
She said trafficking happens in communities across the state, especially where there are homeless and runaway teens or large concentrations of vulnerable people
The report includes the results of a survey of organizations that help victims of trafficking.
Buskovick said at the time of the survey, which was conducted earlier this year, the organizations that responded were helping 5 men, 79 women, 11 boys and 80 girls who had been victims of sex trafficking.
"One of the things I want to say about those numbers is that it is a very clear underrepresentation of the extent of sex and labor trafficking in our state," she said. "This is just the tip of the iceberg."