Nevada lawmakers discussing bill to curb sex trafficking

CREATED Mar. 8, 2013

  • Print
  • A bill is making its way through the Nevada Legislature to curb sex trafficking in the state. Video by ktnv.com

    video

Carson City, NV (KTNV) -- A bill is making its way through the Nevada Legislature to curb sex trafficking in the state.

Action News sat down with Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto  to talk about the goal of the proposal and why it's only one part of the solution.

Prostitution is a problem in Las Vegas and around the country, but what many people may not be aware of is that 61-percent of the young people arrested for prostitution in Clark County last year were actually forced into the sex trade.

Attorney General Cortez-Masto is trying to convince lawmakers to pass a bill that holds pimps more accountable and offers more rehabilitation to victims.

"We are actually creating a whole new law, sex trafficking and what it means and what are the elements of it," said Cortez-Masto.

This one bill won't be enough; in recent years sex trafficking has spread online.

"You can go on some of these websites, whether it's backpages.com or craigslist, so many of them, these young girls will be advertised on these websites."

Law enforcement in different states are trying to address the issue and work with the operators of social media sites. But stopping this will also require parent and community involvement.

"For my purposes, education is the first step of prevention. More education, awareness of what's on the Internet, what your kids have access to."

Cortez-Masto said she's working with lawmakers on the language of the sex trafficking bill right now, but she's confident any issues can be resolved and it will ultimately be approved.