1/9/2013 Listening Lounge

Trafficked, Pts. 1 & 2 from Youth Radio

Child prostitution goes on in America every day and every night - despite the efforts of Federal, state and local authorities. The FBI estimates 100,000 - 300,000 kids are being exploited. Through a Youth Radio special investigation: "Trafficked," we'll hear from two of them.  For their safety, we're not using their real names. The girls we'll call Darlene and Brittany are originally from Oakland, California. 19 year-old Brittany and 18 year-old Darlene have been sharing their stories with Denise Tejada.

In the second half of "Trafficked," Brett Myers tells us how city police and community groups are fighting to save kids from the streets. According to the Oakland Attorney’s office, a mid-level pimptrafficking just four girls can make more than 500 thousand dollars a year marketing those girls on the street and online. Police say there are criminal networks that are moving into sexual exploitation of minors. The money is as good as selling drugs and safer. That’s because few are prosecuted and prison sentences are relatively short.