Zoeller launches statewide campaign; training blitz to fight sex trafficking

“IN’s Not Buying It” aims to crack down on sex trade during Final Four

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Today Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced the launch of a statewide awareness campaign and local training blitz aimed at combatting child sex trafficking in the lead up to the 2015 NCAA Final Four championship being held in Indianapolis this weekend.

The “Indiana’s Not Buying It” campaign focuses on reducing the demand for commercial sex that fuels human trafficking. Human trafficking occurs when people are recruited into the sex or labor trade through force, fraud or coercion or when a child is used for commercial sex. It happens in all corners of the state, and primarily to young, vulnerable populations, said Zoeller. The average age at which children in the U.S. first become victims of sex trafficking is 13. The average age of death of a person involved in prostitution is 34, and the most common cause of death is homicide.

“The violent, exploitive sex trade that victimizes far too many children will not end unless we stand up as a society and refuse to tolerate commercial sex,” said Zoeller, who co-chairs the Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficked Humans (IPATH) Task Force. “This campaign is a message to men who purchase sex that we are no longer buying any excuses.”

The “Indiana’s Not Buying It” campaign is being launched in conjunction with the 2015 NCAA Final Four championship, which will be held in Indianapolis from April 4-6. It is well documented from events from around the nation that demand for commercial sex increases dramatically when large numbers of men gather for sports or another party atmosphere. Last year in an analysis of Backpage.com ads in the Louisville area, researchers found the largest spike in adult services classified ads occurred during March Madness with more than 100 ads per day. Similarly, when the Super Bowl was held in Indianapolis in 2012, the number of Indiana-specific “escort” ads on Backpage jumped from eight in December prior to the event to 129 the day before the Super Bowl.

The new awareness campaign features a PSA starring local professional athletes and sports personalities, including Lavoy Allen from the Indiana Pacers, Matt Hasselbeck from the Indianapolis Colts, IndyCar driver Ed Carpenter and Donnie Walsh of the Pacers. The PSA can be viewed at www.INNotBuyingIt.org. The Not Buying It message is being publicized on 35 billboards throughout the state, as well as on the local public transit system, IndyGo. The Outdoor Advertising Association of Indiana (OAAI) donated the billboard space, and the PSA was produced by the Pacers.

“Sex trafficking is a terrible crime and all of us can play a role in seeking it eradicated here in Indiana and beyond,” said Donnie Walsh of the Indiana Pacers.

Indiana will be the third state – joining Georgia and Arizona – to adopt the national Not Buying It campaign, which is sponsored by Georgia-based human trafficking prevention group, StreetGrace.

In the lead up to the Final Four, IPATH launched a training and awareness blitz in Central Indiana. Flyers and other victim recovery materials aimed at reaching and providing resources to victims were distributed at truck stops, rest areas and taxi cab services, in addition to local restaurants, bars and other tourism hot spots. The Indiana Motor Truck Association and Indiana Department of Transportation facilitated the distribution of these materials. IPATH also worked to train area hotel staffs on spotting the red flags associated with trafficked victims. More than 30 hotels in the Indianapolis and surrounding area received awareness materials.

During the 2015 legislative session, the Attorney General’s Office has worked with state legislators to strengthen Indiana’s human trafficking laws and provide more support for victims. These bills include:

• Senate Bill 532, which would allow prosecutors to seek civil forfeiture of the assets of a person accused of human trafficking, such as a house or vehicle. The value of any property seized in connection with human trafficking would be split, with 80 percent going to the human trafficking prevention and victim assistance fund, and 20 percent going to the county prosecutor’s office.
• House Bill 1216, which would ensure children are not held criminally liable under Indiana’s prostitution laws if they are victims of human trafficking. It would also require a law enforcement agency to immediately contact the Department of Child Services if the law enforcement agency detains an alleged victim of human or sexual trafficking who is less than 18 years of age.

Zoeller thanked the authors and sponsors of these bills for their work to advance these critical initiatives.

“Human trafficking is deplorable and one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises.  Together, we need to stand up to this problem, confronting it head on, and I am proud to have sponsored legislation working towards this goal,” said State Rep. Wendy McNamara (R-Mount Vernon). “I would also like to applaud the ‘Indiana’s Not Buying It’ campaign which is not only a strong, collaborative effort by leaders across America, but also works to prevent and diminish crimes of human trafficking.”

“We can fight this most effectively when we work together,” said State Rep. Christina Hale (D-Indianapolis). “Currently, it’s more lucrative to traffic a person, than to traffic illicit drugs. We will not stop our fight against this web of sexual slavery until all children are safe in Indiana from this nightmare.”

“As a global crisis, we need to work together to combat human trafficking using every available resource. It not only negatively affects the lives of victims, but also the lives of their family and loved ones as well,” said State Rep. Randy Truitt (R-West Lafayette). “This session, I championed legislation to take a stand against human trafficking, and I am confident that House Bill 1216 will strengthen our state’s ability to combat these terrible crimes.”

For the past several years, Zoeller has supported legislative changes in Indiana that make it easier to prosecute and hold traffickers accountable. He also serves on the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Standing Committee Against Human Trafficking.

For more information about Indiana’s Not Buying It campaign and the Attorney General’s other human trafficking prevention efforts, visit www.INNotBuyingIt.org. To schedule a human trafficking prevention training event or to learn more about these efforts, contact humantraffickinginfo@atg.in.gov.

Human trafficking tips can be reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at: 888-3737-888 (text BeFree to 233733). If it is an emergency, call 911. If a child may be in danger, call the Indiana Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: 1-800-800-5556. Tips can also be reported to the Indiana Attorney General’s Office by emailing humantraffickingtip@atg.in.gov.