California legislature approves bill to raise penalties for child sex buyers
On the final night of its two-year session, the California legislature on August 31 sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill to increase penalties against johns who solicit minors for sex.
The bill, SB 1414, was authored by Bakersfield Republican State Senator Shannon Grove, a supporter of Vegas Concierge and an anti-trafficking advocate. Currently in California, the purchase of sex from a child is a misdemeanor. Grove’s bill would make it a felony to purchase a child 15 or younger for sex.
“Today, the California State Legislature reaffirmed its commitment to end the sex trafficking of children by passing my bill, SB 1414,” Grove said in a statement. “By increasing penalties for those who solicit or purchase children for sex, we are sending a clear message – California’s children are no longer for sale. While I am disappointed in the forced amendments that excluded some minors, I am pleased with this step forward. We know there is still work to be done and I will continue to fight to protect ALL children.
“I am incredibly thankful for the coalition of survivors, advocates and organizations that have stood strong and shared their testimony in order to pass this measure. Together we have made historic changes in the laws surrounding human trafficking, from pulling back the curtain on the dark underworld of one of the most lucrative crimes in the world, to fighting relentlessly to protect California’s children from those who wish to exploit them. The signing of this measure will mark another historic step to ending human trafficking in the state of California.”
Among the anti-trafficking groups to support Grove’s bill was Exodus Cry, which made two of the documentaries that the central figure of Vegas Concierge appeared in – Buying Her, and High Class. Newsom has until September 30 to sign SB 1414, one day before the official release date of Vegas Concierge.
Earlier this year, in recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, held annually in January, I wrote a series of articles about sex trafficking for Capitol Weekly, a California publication for which I freelance. The stories are a little dated now, but they still offer some insights into how sex trafficking is being addressed at the policy level in the Golden State.
Below are links to each story, as well as a link here to an interview I did with Capitol Weekly’s podcast about the series.
- “From the streets to the statehouse, sex trafficking defies simple solutions” looked at the political fervor last year over Grove’s SB 14, which added child sex trafficking to the list of crimes that can put offenders away for life when they commit them and other serious offenses three times. This story also chronicled how the senator became engaged in the issue of sex trafficking.
- “Sex Trafficking: an NBA G Leaguer’s arrest provides glimpse into an evil subculture” examined the recent arrest of a Sacramento Kings G League player for murder and the case’s connections to the pimp-prostitute subculture.
- In “Competing values at play in addressing sex trafficking,” I and Capitol Weekly’s editor, my good friend Rich Ehisen, explored the conflicting attitudes and social mores at play when policymakers consider proposals to address sex trafficking.
January is still several months away, but the Vegas Concierge team is already planning at least one event to recognize National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in 2025. Stay tuned.