The FBI did a commendable job over the weekend, of saving 105 children from the hands of sex offenders. They made raids in 76 US cities and arrested 150 pimps. These pimps were involved in the biggest sex traffic racket across the US. This operation can be considered one of the largest operations against child exploitation ever and will leave America in a much better state.

FBI assistant director from criminal investigation division, Ronald Hosko informed that all the 105 children, mostly girls in the age group of 13 to 17 were rescued under the operation titled “Operation Cross Country”. These girls were forced into prostitution in the United States. The girls were offered easy money and lured into this business. They were later trapped with drug abuse and physical torture. He also said that the children are mostly recruited from foster homes, internet sites or even on the streets of the US. The largest number of children that were saved is from San Francisco; they are 12 in number. Detroit witnessed the arrest of 18 pimps, the maximum number from any single city. All these weekend actions took place under the campaign called “Innocence Lost”.

The Innocence Lost Initiative

The innocence lost initiative has been in force since June 2003. It has been conducted jointly by the FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section from the Department of Justice. They are focused on the problem of child trafficking in the US. Since its inception, it has created 66 task forces throughout the US. To date, it has saved over 2700 children from being traded and arrested around 1350 people involving in such cases. 10 of these offenders were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. This taskforce working hard together is truly a force for good in the US, and the fact that they were able to recover so many children in one fell swoop shows that bodies working together can work to reduce this type of crime and put a stop to it for good.

Solution

A child needs proper care and attention. Once they have been neglected, they can be lost to depression and become easy prey to the pimps. The numbers indicate that every year around 450,000 children run away from home for various reasons like depression, negligence, and loneliness. They mostly end up in the wrong hands and lose their innocence. Tougher legislation has been introduced that requires the foster care, child welfare programs, and state law enforcement to seek out children that are trapped in sex trafficking rackets, and provide the appropriate protection.

Commendable Job from the FBI

The FBI’s action over the weekend that has saved many innocent lives has received a lot of praise and commendation from all over the world. The arrest of the offenders will not only bring fear to the other people who are in this flesh business but also create some awareness among the people at large.