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WASHINGTON, D.C.— from www.enewspf.com - Today U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-IL- pictured), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mark Begich (D-AK), along with 15 other U.S. Senators, wrote to the Chairman and CEO of Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC, the company that operates Backpage.com, demanding the elimination of the adult services section on the classified advertising website.
On Sunday, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times ran "Where Pimps Peddle Their Goods." Kristof interviewed a 17-year-old who was commonly sold on Backpage and wrote, "After Alissa testified against her pimps, six of them went to prison for up to 25 years. Yet these days, she reserves her greatest anger not at pimps but at companies that enable them. She is particularly scathing about Backpage.com, a classified advertising website that is used to sell auto parts, furniture, boats — and girls. Alissa says pimps routinely peddled her on Backpage."
Backpage.com is the leading U.S. website for prostitution advertising. Recent reports from the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) found more than 50 instances nationwide of charges filed against people trafficking minors on Backpage.com.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics found that 40 percent of incidents investigated by federally funded task forces on human trafficking between 2008 and 2012 involved sexual exploitation of a child. Similar classified advertising websites, such as Craigslist.com, have taken down their adult services ads after being petitioned to eliminate the section. Backpage continues to ignore the evidence, putting profit above children's safety.
The lawmakers join 51 Attorneys General and more than 90,000 Americans who signed a petition in urging Backpage.com to remove the adult services section.
"Nothing should stop us from protecting victims of child prostitution and trafficking," said a spokesperson for Senator Kirk.
"The ‘profit first’ mentality at Backpage and their parent company, Village Voice Media, continue to prioritize the rights of pimps, not kids. Citizens are disgusted to learn how often children are being used as prostitutes in their own backyard and we will not rest until children are no longer victimized by this website.”
"Backpage should immediately shut down the adult services section of its website, and end its enabling of prostitution and human trafficking, just as Craigslist did at my urging," said Senator Blumenthal.
"For too long, countless girls have been victims of prostitution, human trafficking, and horrendous violence through Backpage.com ads. Unconscionably, Backpage continues to allow adult services advertising on their website, knowing that these advertisements are an avenue for horrific violence against women and children."
“Sex trafficking is a horrendous practice that must be stopped in our own communities and around the world," said Senator Rubio.
"Backpage.com and its parent company Village Voice Media are making money off the sexual exploitation of children through sex trafficking. We simply can’t continue to turn a blind eye to this practice.”
Senator Begich said, “If closing down Backpage, which accounts for 70% prostitution advertising, can save hundreds of girls, there is no reason not to call for its swift demise immediately. It may not end the violent and horrific practice of trafficking entirely, but it is a positive and necessary step forward in keeping young people safe from the victimization and abuse of prostitution.”
"Today's powerful message from distinguished members of the United States Senate again demonstrates that Americans, regardless of political party or religious preference, find common cause in the fight against human trafficking," said Washington State Attorney General, president of the National Association of Attorneys General.
"A company that is profiting from the sale of human beings--including minors--and that is leveraging a once-respectable media operation in defense of that business, finds itself in conflict with a compassionate nation. We hope Village Voice changes course and finally does the right thing."
