New law is a step forward in the fight against sex trafficking

ST. LOUIS - June 23, 2016 - PRLog -- The Covering House, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization providing refuge and restoration to sexually exploited and trafficked children and teens, is pleased with the signing of  Missouri HB 1562 into law. The law, which expands the definition of sex trafficking to include the advertising of a minor participating in a commercial sex act and making it a criminal offense, is a positive step forward in the fight again sex trafficking and exploitation in Missouri.

"Hopefully the law will serve as a deterrent to traffickers seeking to use websites such as backpage.com to 'sell' children," explains Lindsey Ellis, executive director of The Covering House. "It is another way for law enforcement to bring offenders to justice, without requiring the victim to press charges. Too often it the abusers go free if the victim is too afraid or unwilling to testify."

Representative Haar and Congresswoman Ann Wagner led the charge to push the bill through, according to Senator Bob Onder.

The law goes into effect on August 28, 2016.

According to the Department of Justice there are an estimated 300,000 children are at risk of being forced into prostitution in the United States each year and the average age of entry is 13 years old. The DOJ also identifies St. Louis as one of the country's Top 20 human trafficking jurisdictions in the country. The average age of a referral to The Covering House is 15 years old, with referrals as young as seven years old.

Beginning in February of 2013, the Covering House has provided out-client services to underage girls rescued from domestic sex-trafficking. These services include counseling, group therapy, case management, life skills classes, summer day camps and tutoring.  So far, the Covering House has provided its services to 64 girls between the ages of 12 and 21 and had over 37 referrals since January 2016.

For more information about The Covering House, visit www.thecoveringhouse.org.

To schedule an interview or for more information about The Covering House, contact Mandy Darr, Manager of Events and Marketing, at 314-962-3450 or mdarr@thecoveringhouse.org.