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Today, Thursday, 26 January 2017 the news reported on a Task Force Operation conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department. The TF targeted the local sex and human trafficking problem in what have long been recognized as key areas for such activity. The Sepulveda Blvd area of Van Nuys was targeted and discussed was the other long standing problem area, the Figueroa corridor South of Downtown L.A.

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In the past, there have been other areas where the sex trade was prominent including the now trendy Melrose District and Sunset Blvd, both in the Hollywood/West Hollywood areas of Southern California. While things have somewhat changed in the latter two areas, the former, Sepulveda and Figueroa have not. Late night and early morning sex activity are a continuing problem plaguing the busy main streets and the connecting side streets. Local business and nearby residential neighborhoods are impacted as well.

What to do! These Task Force Operations, done by LAPD and by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in their respective communities must be done. There was a time in the past when every evening the streets along Sunset Blvd were filled with girls and boys standing out on corners shopping for clients. There was a time when the back alleys of Melrose Ave were fertile grounds for passing sexual activity. Though Sunset likely continues to be to some degree active, Melrose has change and is not the same market place for Male on Male sex hookups.

The public has mixed feelings about these Task Force Operations. Many believe there are not enough and the problem simply gets pushed from the main street and into their residential neighborhoods. Many business report finding evidence of street sexual activity, in the form of paraphernalia littering the back areas and allies outside their businesses. These observations may be true, but what are we to do?

Sex Trafficking and Human Trafficking, separate but often one in the same, are a problem that never goes away. If there is a worse aspect of it, it would be the impact on young people, children.

Children can be drawn into this dirty world of adult crime in a variety of ways. Among the vilest might be kidnapping or being seduced off the street by adult predators looking for disillusioned, isolated, confused or lost kids. Drugs can be a method as well. Some might come from out of town, arriving in Los Angeles, or better put, Hollywood, seeking fame and fortune in the movie industry or modeling. Many find what they think is an opportunity, that only turns out to be a ruse to get them into the sex trade, and nowhere near a movie career. Some are contacted by local gangs that have been moving between the drug trade and pimping as a lazy business venture of opportunity.

No matter, the problem is real. It impacts our young women and boys. It takes possibly innocent young people and criminalizes and victimizes them. Recent legislation has redefined the participation of a minor, someone under the age of adulthood, when engaging in sex with an adult, as a victim rather than a criminal participant. The thinking on this law is that a minor cannot make the adult decision to commit a criminal sex act (or similar words to this effect). Further, it is believed that if the child can be treated like the child that they are they might first, be more able to support reporting the criminal activity, and second, the child might not be introduced into the jail/prison system where they will only learn more about being a criminal.

So, are these the best methods for combating the problem of Human and Sex Trafficking? The Hidden Tears Project believes that the participation of citizens as individuals, groups, corporations and industries is key to…
• first, get the word out about the problem,
• second, getting funding to empower and equip agencies to work on the problem,
• and last and perhaps most important…getting you the citizen to engage and fight for our children.

Will it work? One thing we know for sure…doing nothing works perfectly at solving nothing! Simply peering out your front window at a child being victimized and criminalized solves nothing for you or that child and does not clean up your neighborhood. Property values in neighborhoods where sex crimes are prominent are certainly not benefitted in any way. Peace of mind and comfort in being able to take a stroll around you block does not benefit for seeing a car parked at the curb with fogged over windows because of activity inside the car. Something must be done. The police have sharply defined guidelines on what and how they can attack this problem. It is good, but as of today, it is not enough.

For more information and discussion on these topics, continue to follow the Hidden Tears Project and feel free to reach out to me at: Your.Situational.Awareness101@gmail.com