Send Organization Claims Va. Not Doing Enough Against Sex Traffickers

Posted: 3:59 PM Nov 29, 2012

Sex Trafficking

November 29, 2012

Shared Hope International has given Virginia an "F" grade, claiming the Commonwealth is not doing enough to protect children from sex traffickers.

Virginia joins the ranks of seventeen other states receiving a failing grade from the organization.

Local activist and Director of Legislative Affairs for PROTECT.org, Camille Cooper, says the grade doesn't address the real issue.

"Groups like Share Hope International, while they have the best intentions in the world, they're not taking a comprehensive approach to the problem. You can have the toughest laws you want on the books but if you don't have any cops out on the ground going and doing these investigations it doesn't do any good and it doesn't protect any children and doesn't take perpetrators off the street."

Camille Cooper says she would give Virginia a "B+" or even an "A-" when it comes to penalties for sexual crimes against children. However, she says the Commonwealth still has a long way to go in terms of practice and actually getting criminals behind bars.

Go here to see what grade Shared Hope International awarded each state; http://bit.ly/UQcB51

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