Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: Thousands of children become victims of crime every year. I’m Mollie Halpern, and this is FBI, This Week. The FBI combats the growing crime of domestic minor sex trafficking—also known as child prostitution—through its prominent national initiative called Innocence Lost.

Jake Hardie: The FBI is absolutely dedicated to this cause.

Halpern: That was Supervisory Special Agent Jake Hardie. Sixty-nine FBI-led Child Exploitation Task Forces located across the country are addressing this crime. Since its inception, the initiative has led to the recovery of more than 3,400 children—some as young as 9 years old.

Hardie: We have a very victim-centered approach. It’s rewarding for us to at least take that child out of that lifestyle and get them somewhere where they’re going to be safe.

Halpern: Investigations led to the convictions of more than 1,450 pimps, madams, and their associates. These convictions have resulted in lengthy sentences—including 13 life sentences—and the seizure of property, vehicles, and other monetary assets. The initiative is a partnership between nearly 400 law enforcement agencies at all levels, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. For more information, visit www.fbi.gov.

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