At the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), we believe the law is one of the greatest tools for defending human dignity against sex trafficking, pornography, child sexual abuse, and more. It sets social norms, punishes exploiters, and gives justice to survivors.
The NCOSE Law Center is an advocate to intervene in key, precedent-setting cases and speaks up in our state and federal legislatures to impact policy for those who have no voice.Â
Below are just a few of the ways that the NCOSE Law Center is pioneering tactics for a world free from sexual exploitation.
Working for Childhood’s Free from Pornography
Promoting State Resolutions and Laws – The public health harms of pornography are well documented in academic research, yet the majority of America does not know about this data. That’s why the Law Center is writing and promoting state resolutions and follow up legislation to declare pornography a public health crisis, to raise public awareness, and to lay the groundwork for future legislation. As of the spring 2019, the NCOSE public health resolution has already passed in 15 states and is moving forward in at least five others!
Protecting Kids on Social Media – Social media of all kinds are rife with pornography, in addition to child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, sextortion, predatory grooming, and more. The NCOSE Law Center is striving to fix these problems by advocating on Capitol Hill and in states to hold these companies to higher accountability in ratings and parental safety tools.Â
Stopping the Demand for Commercial Sex and Sex Trafficking
Working to Increase Penalties on Sex Buyers – Currently, most states have light sentences for sex buyers that do nothing to deter them from purchasing another person again. The NCOSE Law Center is drafting model legislation to increase these penalties and hold them accountable.Â
Pushing to Hold Businesses Accountable – The policies and practices of some major mainstream corporations (i.e., hotel, travel, social media industries) permit and turn a blind eye to sexual exploitation, enabling the insidious practice of buying and selling human beings for sex to flourish. NCOSE’s legal strategies will hold these companies accountable, forcing them to be part of the solution rather than a cog in the machine that keeps these practices going.Â
Fighting to Keep Communities Exploitation-Free – Sexually Oriented Businesses (SOBs) like strip clubs and illicit massage parlors are increasingly popping up in communities, large and small. Sex trafficking, prostitution, child sexual abuse, violence against women are all taking place within their walls and frequently spilling out into the rest of the community. Local communities are ill-prepared to address them, and the NCOSE Law Center is there to provide tactical and strategic support to keep communities free of these exploitative businesses.
The tide is changing and the industries that fuel sexual exploitation are feeling the pressure increasing! Already in 2019, the NCOSE Law Center has hired additional staff, grown an incredible coalition network, and started a national education effort for young, budding attorneys which is enabling us to tackle many more of these issues.
Even so, those who thrive on sexual exploitation are ramping up their efforts and pouring money and resources in an attempt to keep their exploitative industries afloat. We need you to help us put them out of business and put a stop to sexual exploitation in all its forms!
