So committee will come to order. Without objection recess at any time. We will begin the subcommittee hearing with the gentleman from california. The pledge of allegiance. Thank you. We welcome everyone to todays hearing on the exploitation of children in United States and abroad. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. I am grateful all of you are here today both the witnesses the member of the committee and then also the audience. We appreciate you being here. I wish we did not have to hold a hearing on this topic. That would mean children in our country and abroad are safe from exploitation. Unfortunately that is not the case. It is a fact our children are not safe online. And it is unacceptable. Predators use the internet to trick and exploit innocent children. Children are trafficked. Through social media apps. This is the worst type of evil. To our strong survivor leaders in the room and watching from afar we see you, we hear you and your Voice Matters and we appreciate you. We want to be supportive. Reports of continue to grow exponentially. From 3000 reports in 1998 to more than 1 million in 2014. An 18. 4 million in 2019. And more than 30 million last year. We cannot stand by and let this number grow continually. It seems like is something that happens in Foreign Countries or even different neighborhoods from our own. It is much closer that anyone would think. This is a homegrown issue. We know that offenders pray of the most vulnerable populations such as children in foster care. Groomers use techniques that normalize Inappropriate Conduct and encourage secrecy. Especially using social media platforms. There is no question that these criminals must be prosecuted. Many solutions combating this issue we must assure prosecutors are doing their jobs to put these criminals behind bars. We cannot accept lenience sentences or sweetheart plea deals for those who wish to bring harm to innocent children. Today between school and home children have unfettered access to technology. And big tech is taking that opportunity to choose profits over people. Over our children. Targeted algorithms connect consumerist information and content including csam content. Traffickers predators and drug dealers. It is well documented the chapters and pedophiles use social media to talk to children and to share and engage with csam content. Wall street journal along with top researchers across the country are in a detailed account of instagrams vast datafile network. The Research Found that instagram enable people to search explicit hashtags and connect users to accounts to advertise csam. One research noted instagram is an onramp to places on the internet where there is more explicit child sexual abuse. You would think social Media Companies would bend over backwards to work with Law Enforcement and to remove this content from their platform. And prevent it from happening at all. But that is not the case. Facebook instagram ticktock all allow the proliferation of abuse images and Human Trafficking on his platforms. Images are allowed to roam on the internet. Humans are bought and sold. Apple even threatens remove facebook and instagrams access to the app store because the problem was so bad. And yet big text continues to allow these problems to occur. Targeted algorithms seem to be more profitable than investing and protecting children. Big tech seems to have no problem censoring speech or new things they consider disinformation. They allow these predators to access children on the internet, and allow images to remain on the internet for years that is unacceptable. Big tech must be held accountable and i look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how that can occur. We know trafficking is an issue that occurs within the United States and abroad. Many of us have heard and seen the movie sound of freedom and how it opened their eyes to the horror occurring in an outside our country. However many do not know how he would attempt to shut the film down not wanting the American People to see the film and learn about these terrible crimes. Yet the film became one of the most successful independent films in history. It has grossed 191 million and counting. Sound of freedom expose the worst of humanity and shows us how we can play a part to keep children safe. Our committee is collaborating with Homeland Security investigations to enhance our knowledge and understanding of investigations related to Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation. I expressed my gratitude to the special agents of hh i for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding children and liberating victims from the atrocities of Human Trafficking. Many children especially those crossing the border as unaccompanied minors are not safe. Lax border policies are leading to Vulnerable Children being exported by cartels and smugglers as they attempt to come to america. Incredibly dangerous and the risk of being sex traffic is incredibly high while being smuggled across our border. In fact the United Nations this week alone said the most dangerous migration is mexico to you the United States. In 2014 than president obama stated dont send your children unaccompanied. They might not make it. I have heard nothing like that from this administration. We need to be louder stronger and bolder. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. On how we can enforce the law. Hold big tech accountable and protect children from six trafficking. Gus children are not for sale. This topic is tough. And unfortunately unnecessary topic. I hope that we each can learn together. I think there will be broad aspects of support across this entire committee. Both sides of the aisle. And i look forward to working together with my colleagues across the aisle. And with that i thank you again for being here. And i yield back. Unfortunately today ms. Jackson leave the Ranking Member is unable to join us for health reasons. In her stead i will recognize ms. Dean for an opening statement. I thank you mr. Chairman. Chairman nikki for convening this important hearing today. I think all of you for being here both those in the audience and those who have come to testify before us. It is an important hearing to discuss the deeply disturbing and pervasive issue that is plaguing our country and our world. Child expectation. Im standing in for Ranking MemberSheila Jackson lee who regrettably cannot be with us today. And im honored to be in her stead. I know that the subject is deeply personal to her as it is to me. Because although the United States is a nation known for its foundational ideas of liberty and protection of citizens we continue to struggle with the existence and prevalence of Child Exploitation. It takes on various forms ranging from child labor and six trafficking to the production and distribution of child sexual abuse materials Online Harassment and sex distortion. Perpetrators of these repulsive crimes hide within our society preying upon innocent and defenseless young people. There victims who should be expressing the joys of their formative years. I take this particularly personal as a mother and as a grandmother of four. Last congress Ranking Member jackson lee convened a hearing on the federal response to Human Trafficking that provided a wealth of information that i was able to apply in my own efforts to tackle the scourge of trafficking. Child labor trafficking a sad reality in Many Industries around the globe and even in the United States harms Childrens Health often deprives them of an education, denies them a normal childhood and deprives them of their basic human rights. Another ghastly act of Child Exploitation is child six trafficking. Where children are lured away from the safety of their homes. Their loved ones their schools their communities. Stripped of their humanity and exploited for various nefarious purposes. Roughly 25 of all Human Trafficking victims are children. Worldwide and most of them being sex traffic. At this very moment there are children as young as 11 years old in the United States and abroad who are forced to commit commercial sex acts and other unspeakable acts. Let me be clear, there is no such thing as a child prostitute. These young victims who have been exploited abused traffic weather for sex or labor deserve victim focused culturally informed responses that the rectum away from the criminal Justice System and towards services and programming critical to the restoration of their health and their dignity. Some people would have us believe that trafficking of minors is primarily an immigration problem. A result of pork control at our borders. Problem of urban impoverished children and youth. But the reality is that the trafficker traffickers pray on stigmatized forgotten vulnerable American Children and youth. In suburban rural urban and cities in every corner of this country. Only valuing them as commodities and not as precious people that they are. While any child can become a victim of sex or labor trafficking some children are more vulnerable than others. If we truly want to extend an end to the trafficking of children and youth where child expectation of any kind will make certain that all children and youth are located. Treated as victims not criminals and connected to the services and programs they need. In this digital age of smart phones and handhelds social media direct messages and tick tock predators can victimize children and youth without having to move from one location to another. Online Child Exploitation has reached epidemic status globally. These individuals exploit children throughout the United States from anywhere in the world. And their criminal activity is often cloaked behind encryption. They also hide between behind cute screen names catchy hashtags and fake profiles with the goal of manipulating or even blackmailing their young victims. Because child predators prey upon children even when they are in school Ranking Members Sheila Jackson lee introduced hr 30 the stop Human Trafficking in school zones act. That would establish and enhance penalty for child expectation offenses that are committed within school zones or near School Activities or other child centered locations. This would apply to those individuals who dare contact children while they are attempting to gain an education or participating in School Related activities. Child sexual abuse material inflicts untold emotional damage on victims. Especially as you point out mr. Chairman since the internet enables their repeated victimization. Each time images of their suffering are viewed. Recognizing the breath and scope of this issue it is our collective responsibility as representatives all of us to protect all of our children. And eradicate every form of Child Exploitation. That is why i hope todays discussion will be not about blame speculation here mongering but about ideas and solutions. I have a few of my own. First we must adapt and strengthen our Legal Framework that exist to ensure children and youth are protected that perpetrators and facilitators of any manner of Child Exploitation are exposed and faced severe consequences. That is why i introduced hr 3686 stopping harmful image exploitation and limiting distribution act. The shield act. This is Bipartisan Legislation and it will create a new penalties. Im also the original cosponsor of hr 508 two the revising existing procedures on reporting technology act. We can talk about. And secondly we must also continue to support organizations that work tirelessly to identify rescue restore young victims. Providing them with culturally specific Care Counseling and support. That they need to heal. These organizations like the ones represented here today do lifesaving work. And lastly we must continue to provide Public Education and awareness both of which play a pivotal role in preventing Child Exploitation. Child exploitation is an unconscionable reality that we must confront on a bipartisan basis. Every child deserves to be free from exploitation. I thank you the witnesses who are here today. I thank you in the audience for your kind consideration of what we are talking about and your life experience. Todays conversations will lead to solutions. As im yielding back mr. Chairman i ask unanimous consent to render into the testimony of survivors from Advisory Board members into the record. Without objection. I yield back. Also, for the record i want to include a document a letter to myself and Ranking Member lee from exploitation of abuse and abuse of children coalition. Without objection. Without objection all of the Opening Statements will be included in the record. I would now introduce todays witnesses. We have distinguished panel tremendous insight and expense and wisdom on the subject. We appreciate all of you being here. Mr. John is the chief executive officer of raven a Nonprofit Organization focused on preventing Child Exploitation. He previously served with the new Jersey State Police including as the commander of new jersey internet crimes against Children Task force. Welcome. We welcome ms. Vanessa a Founding Member of the Leadership Council for the Global Survivor Network and is a survivor of sexual abuse. Global Survivor Network works with survivors of various forms of abuse and exploitation and advocates before local and national governments. Thank you for being here. Ms. Lori cohen, is the chief executive officer of protect all children from trafficking. Works to protect children from Sexual Exploitation and trafficking through education legislative advocacy and partnerships. Thank you for being here. Mr. Josi search of the board of directors of the Human Trafficking legal center. He is a public Speaker Author advocate and survivor of child sexual trafficking. Human trafficking legal center connects trafficking survivors with Pro Bono Legal representation and advocates on their behalf. You for being here. Mr. John , is that close . Thank you. The executive director of the center to end online sexual explication of children. The Center Apartments with governments companies nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders to expose neutralize and deter the online Sexual Exploitation of children. Thank you. Mr. Frank russo mr. Russo and associate general counsel combating Human Trafficking at the american conservative union. Advocates for policies that address the needs of victims and provide Law Enforcement with the tools necessary to hold traffickers accountable. Thank you for being here mr. Russo. Ms. Is the founder and chair of the Interparliamentary Task force on Human Trafficking. The task force is a consortium of members of parliament and Congress Government leaders and survivors from more than 25 countries who work to stop Human Trafficking. We welcome each of you and thank you for appearing today. Now we will begin by swearing you in. If you would each rise and raise your right hand. Do you each affirm under penalty of perjury the testimony were about to give is true and correct to the best of your knowledge information and believes so help you god . The witnesses have all answered in the affirmative. Thank you. You may be seated. I want you to know that your written testimony will be entered into the record in its entirety. Accordingly we ask you summarize your testimony in five minutes. There should be a yellow light that appears when there is a minute left. And then when it goes red we would ask you to end your testimony at that point. Mr. You may begin. Chairman Ranking Members Sheila Jackson lee and distinguish members of congress. Thank yo