The average age for a child to become a victim of sex trafficking in Arizona is 14.
This has to stop. Now.
Thankfully, we have a chance now to stand up to this horrific abuse and protect our children.
Proposition 313, the Arizona's Children Are Not For Sale ballot measure, sends these monsters to prison for life.
This sends a clear message to the perpetrators who want to harm Arizona children:
Not here. Not now.
Not ever.
Arizonans for Rational Sex Offense Laws opposes stiffer sentences for child sex trafficking laws. So, no wonder they oppose Prop 313 and are spreading misguided information. They’re either confused – or are flat-out lying.
Minors will NOT be prosecuted under Prop 313 – only Adults.
Child Sex Victims will NOT be prosecuted under Prop 313. Opponents claim a child being trafficked could be coerced into trafficking other children. But that would not trigger the Prop 313 law for two reasons.
First, a minor would NOT be prosecuted under Prop 313, because they are not an adult. We treat children and adults differently under the law.
Second, a coerced adult victim would have mitigating circumstances and prosecutorial discretion would make taking such a case to trial and getting a unanimous jury conviction extremely unlikely. It’s just NOT going to happen.
An Eighteen Year Old dating a Seventeen Year Old will NOT be prosecuted under Prop 313 – unless they are also trafficking that Seventeen Year Old and profiting from it.
Prop 313 does NOT end discretion of prosecution. Prosecutors will continue to choose which cases to take to trial, and which to plea-bargain to a settlement, and which to drop – same as it is now. But if a case is strong enough to take to trial, and a jury convicts unanimously, that Child Sex Trafficker is going to prison for life.
One victimized child is too many.
Our kids can't wait.