It’s Time for a National Legal Strategy to Defend Human Dignity
Until we launched the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) Law Center in 2015, there had been no voice in the courts and legislatures advocating for human dignity and against all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation. In the vacuum of a national legal strategy on these issues, pro-sexual exploitation lobbyists have stepped in to…
The Battle Against Big Tech on Sex Trafficking
Dec. 24, 2016 — that’s the night that 16-year-old Desiree Robinson was murdered by the man who purchased her for sex on Backpage.com. Backpage.com had operated as an advertisement website, akin to Craigslist, for years and made millions of dollars by posting ads for prostitution and sex trafficking, just like the ad that delivered Desiree…
Congress Strikes Blow against Online Sex Trafficking
At roughly 2:00 AM on a day in 1990, Patrick Trueman, then Chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) at the U.S. Department of Justice, was surprised to find himself stuck in a traffic jam. Where was the long line of vehicles ahead of him going at such an early hour? Into the…
Abolitionists Applaud Presidential Signing of FOSTA-SESTA, Provide Resources for Sex Trade Survivors
Tuesday, President Trump signed H.R. 1865, FOSTA-SESTA, into law. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation welcomes this new legislation. “Finally, immunity for those engaged in online sex slavery is over,” said Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. “Before FOSTA-SESTA, sex trafficking victims were essentially barred from the civil courts when…
Is the online sex trafficking era about to meet the ‘delete’ key?
This article originally appeared on FoxNews.com. Across the web, online administrators are hitting “delete” on sex ads. Several websites built solely around prostitution and sex trafficking, such as Cityvibe, have begun going dark, and mainstream websites like Craigslist and Reddit are removing their “Hookers” and “Personals” sections which acted as thin veneers for sex trafficking…
Power of FOSTA-SESTA Felt within 48 Hours of Senate Passage: Websites Move Swiftly to Shutter Prostitution Ads
Within 48 hours of the U.S. Senate’s passage of legislation combating online sex trafficking, several websites have shuttered their prostitution ads. The historic legislation passed the Senate in a landslide 97-2 vote on Wednesday. H.R. 1865 was a legislative package that combined the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner, with…
Lisa Thompson Joins EWTN to Discuss FOSTA-SESTA Victory
Our Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach Lisa L. Thompson joined EWTN News Nightly to discuss the biggest victory in the fight against online sex trafficking in decades, the Senate’s passage of FOSTA-SESTA. This legislation amends the Communications Decency Act to allow victims of online sex trafficking to hold the websites that facilitated their abuse accountable!…
Senate Listens to Survivors of Sex Trafficking, Passes FOSTA-SESTA
The Senate today passed FOSTA-SESTA by a vote of 97-2. The legislative package included H.R. 1865 the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA), sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner, and an amendment sponsored by Rep. Mimi Walters which incorporated the vital reforms contained in S. 1693 the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), sponsored by…
Senate Stands with Victims of Sex Trafficking, Sends FOSTA-SESTA to President’s Desk
To all of our supporters and activists, thank you for your advocacy and your participation in our mission to end all forms of sexual exploitation. For weeks, we have called on you to contact your Senators to tell them to #ListenToSurvivors of online sex trafficking and amend the Communications Decency Act. Your calls, emails, and…
Why the Senate Must Pass a Clean FOSTA-SESTA and Stand with Sex Trafficking Victims
The Senate is expected to vote early next week on H.R. 1865—legislation known as FOSTA-SESTA. This legislation restores civil rights of action to victims of sex trafficking and empowers states Attorneys General to prosecute the corporate entities and websites that facilitate online sex trafficking. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation calls on the Senate to…