Representative Kristi Noem today introduces a bill in Washington to help prevent and intervene sex trafficking crimes across the nation, as well as help victims recover.
The bipartisan legislation focuses on strengthening all three of those steps, especially by giving law enforcement agencies more tools to combat trafficking, and by building more shelters for survivors. Noem says "My hope is that this will give caregivers and others more tools to prevent and intervene when necessary as well as offer survivors the resources they need to rise above the circumstances." Noem is very concerned about the lack of shelters in South Dakota, and the nation, adding that without a safe place to stay at night, kids might still turn back to their traffickers.