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MSmithTX16 karma

This is Morgan, a reporter on the series. One of the pimps we interviewed put it this way: "It's like free money. You don't gotta re-up. If you sell drugs, you gotta pay for the drugs at a wholesale and then go back and stack yo' money. If you selling sex, that's something that you don't gotta re-up on."

MSmithTX15 karma

Hi Chuck -- I've had several folks ask me a variation of this question: what should people do if they want to keep an eye out for sex trafficking happening in their community? are there particular signs they should look when they stay in motels or travel, for instance?

MSmithTX6 karma

If someone recognizes these signs, what steps should they take?

MSmithTX5 karma

Hi there - I'm one of the reporters on the project. We just tackled this question in a story we wrote yesterday that outlined what Texas lawmakers could do right now to help sex trafficking victims. The five takeaways: 1. Spend some actual state dollars on victims’ services 2. Spend more state money to help vulnerable children in general 3. Stop treating sex-trafficking victims like criminals 4. Do a better job of tracking and finding missing children 5. Create a statewide approach to dealing with sex trafficking

MSmithTX3 karma

Two of the stories in the series might be of particular interest on that topic: one that features Yvette, a victim who ended up being convicted of sex trafficking and Lena, a victim who at 17 was arrested and put in jail because there was nowhere else for her to go.