The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction

elationship. After the child has gained an emotional and psychological attachment to the pimp,he introduces the idea of prostitution to her 59 as something she can do to contribute financially totheir “street family.”After the child has been manipulated into a relationship with the pimp, the pimp begins trainingor “seasoning” her by normalizing the life of prostitution and making her completely dependenton him. The child may be given a sexual education or be exposed to pornography to desensitizeher to sexual images and terms. To solidify his control, the pimp or someone acting at hisdirection, will beat, torture, or starve the child 60 to force her into obedience. Some pimps usealcohol or drugs to control their victims. To manipulate the child, the pimp also uses emotionaltactics such as renaming her to break down her identity and telling her that she has no valueexcept as a prostitute. The pimp also separates the child from biological family and friends aswell as anything familiar. Additionally, the pimp keeps all of the profit earned by the child anddelivers violent punishment if the child withholds any money. The pimp uses a combination ofpraise and abuse that causes the child to constantly work for his affection. The child becomescompletely dependent on the pimp for food, clothing, shelter, and attention. The pimp’s controloften is so complete that victims are incapable of leaving.2. There is steady demand and profit in the prostitution of children.Since 2003, the FBI, NCMEC, and CEOS have partnered on the Innocence Lost NationalInitiative, which targets the victimization of children through prostitution here in the UnitedStates. This effort has resulted in recovering 918 children and 554 state and federal convictionsof those who prostitute our children. Moreover, from 2004 through 2008, ICAC Task Forcessaw a 914 percent increase in the number of child victims of prostitution 61 complaints processedby their members (see Appendix D, OJJDP); a 31 percent increase in ICAC Task Forces (45 to59) during that period accounts for some of the increase. It is not known to what extent thatincrease is explained by increased awareness as opposed to increased frequency of the crime.ICAC Task Forces are responsible primarily for investigating Internet-based crimes againstchildren; therefore, the increase in ICAC complaints could reflect an increase in the use of theInternet to facilitate the prostitution of children that had already been occurring. During thatsame period, the number of child victims of prostitution incidents reported to the NCMEC CyberTipline increased as well. (See Appendix D, NCMEC.)Some criminals have turned away from illicit activities such as drug dealing and robbery towardchild sex trafficking, from which they can generate potentially several thousand dollars per day,as a single child can generate as much as $1,000 on a weekend night. 62 Simply, it is cheaper for59 The pronoun “her or she” is often used in this report in discussing prostitution but it represents both male andfemale victims’ involvement in this horrendous crime.60 Torture tactics that pimps use include locking children in trunks or closets, burning, and maiming.61 According to a study conducted by Richard J. Estes and Neil Alan Weiner, Commercial Sexual Exploitation ofChildren in the U.S, Canada and Mexico, University of Pennsylvania (2001), available athttp://caster.ssw.upenn.edu/~restes/CSEC.htm, the average age of entry into prostitution is 12 to 14 years for girlsand 11 to 13 years for boys.62 Pimps often require girls to meet nightly earning quotas, based on where and when the child is forced to work. Forexample, average quotas in New York City range from $300 to $500 on a week night and $500 to $1,000 on aweekend night.32