US senators want curbs on 'sex slave' traffic
April 13, 2000 ·
WASHINGTON-Two senators want to see life sentences imposed on people who bring young children into the country to work as ‘sex slaves’.
Democratic senators Paul Wellstone of Minnesota and Sam Brownback of Kansas plan separate bills aimed at cracking down on an illegal industry the CIA said brings 50,000 women and girls into this country every year.
“Sex trade is the new slavery,” Brownback said. “Our estimates are that 700,000 primarily young girls a re trafficked a year. It’s one of the most awful aspects of the new global economy.”
Wellstone called the practice “morally outrageous.”
The only difference in the senators’ bills, which will be unveiled Wednesday, is how they would punish countries that don’t meet “minimum standards” to eliminate sex trade trafficking.
Brownback’s bill calls for sanctions to automatically be imposed for the most serious violators. Under Wellstone’s bill, the president would have the discretion to impose sanctions on such countries. A House bill takes a similar approach.
AP
