Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chairman Don Knabe joined a bipartisan panel of lawmakers in Sacramento today to demand harsher penalties for people who buy, sell and exploit young girls for sex.
Joining Knabe were State Senators Ted Lieu, Holly Mitchell, Bob Huff, Jerry Hill, Marty Block and Assemblymember Susan Eggman, as well as Daphne Phung, Founder of California Against Slavery and Nola Brantley, Executive Director and Co-Founder of MISSSEY, which provides services to sexually exploited youth in Alameda County.
Knabe called on state legislators to develop a plan to increase penalties on those convicted of promoting or participating in the sexual trafficking of minors. Knabe said:
“I am so pleased to be here today – with a bipartisan group of State Senators – who share that same goal of increasing the penalties for those who are guilty of this horrific crime.
What happens now is absolutely outrageous: we basically arrest for prostitution 14-year-old girls who are being raped , and let the scumbags who buy and sell them get off with a slap on the wrist. That is wrong and we must do something about it.
I appreciate the support of my State colleagues on this issue. In all my years in government I don’t think I’ve seen an issue that is so horrific, happening right here in streets across California. I look forward to working with my State colleagues to protect our most vulnerable, focus on the true victims and bring justice for those who need us most.
Together we will say: ‘No more. Not in our streets. Not to our young girls.’”