SHARON SLATER | PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Federal Government Seizes Backpage.com and Indicts Executives!

April 11, 2018

Dear Friend of the Family,

Last Friday, the U.S. government announced that it had seized and shut down

SHARON SLATER,
FWI PRESIDENT

Backpage.com and its affiliated websites and also indicted seven of their top executives on dozens of criminal charges!

Backpage.com is a classified advertising website that actually facilitated prostitution and sex trafficking of women and children. 

For years, websites like Backpage.com had been able to do so by hiding behind a provision in U.S. law that gave internet platform providers virtual immunity from advertisements posted on their websites by others. But just last month, with the help of many of you who contacted your congressional representative, Congress finally passed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) to remove this immunity for websites that facilitate sex trafficking. The previous alerts we sent out are here and here.

The seizure of Backpage.com was a direct result of this congressional action and a huge victory in the fight to stop sex trafficking around the world!

It was also the result of the unrelenting efforts of the Global Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation, led by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). Great credit also goes to the film “I am Jane Doe” that provided the evidence to congress that this was actually happening in the United States of America. The full film can be seen on Netflix. [Warning: there are some disturbing images in this film.] You can view the trailer here.

And the good news goes on.

Today President Trump signed the FOSTA bill into law, ending any ambiguity regarding the illegality of advertising services that facilitate the trafficking of humans. 

Other sites have also modified their policies as a result of the passage of FOSTA. Just two days after the Senate passed the bill, Craigslist closed down its personal advertising section, which was often used to post solicitations for sex and possible trafficking services.

Reddit also announced a new policy prohibiting advertisements that “solicit or facilitate any transaction or gift involving certain goods and services, including … paid services involving physical sexual contact.” Other websites have also reportedly shut down voluntarily rather than face likely prosecution.

It was especially exciting that this action against Backpage.com came last Friday during the Global Summit of the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation in Washington D.C. When it was announced as breaking news, all of us erupted into spontaneous cheers. It was a great moment!

FWI is part of this coalition, and I was honored to be able speak at the Global Summit and explain how Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) grooms children for sex and makes them more vulnerable to sex trafficking.

I was able to make important contacts with leaders from around the world, including Australia, South Africa and Mexico and give them suggestions on how to fight the growing scourge of CSE in their countries.

I was also able to meet with leaders in a number of U.S. states who are excited to become part of the Protect Child Health Coalition fighting CSE that FWI co-chairs.

Sometimes it can seem that the odds are almost insurmountable in the fight to protect the family and family values around the world. But this important victory is proof that persistence, smart strategies and tactics, and working together can make a difference.

I was able to make important contacts with leaders from around the world, including Australia, South Africa and Mexico and give them suggestions on how to fight the growing scourge of CSE in their countries.

I was also able to meet with leaders in a number of U.S. states who are excited to become part of the Protect Child Health Coalition fighting CSE that FWI co-chairs.

I know that sometimes it can seem that the odds are almost insurmountable in the fight to protect the family and family values around the world. But I hope everyone understands that this important victory is proof that persistence, smart strategies and tactics, and working together can make a difference.

They clearly did here.

There is certainly much more to be done. But today, thanks in part to your help, and in large part to the leadership of NCOSE, the world is a little safer place for women and children who otherwise would have been at greater risk for trafficking and exploitation.

Sincerely,

Sharon Slater

P.S. Our ability to be part of these coalitions and to make the progress we are making to defend the family on a number of fronts depends on the support of good people like you. Please consider making the most generous contribution you can to help. You can easily and safely do that online here or print out a form to contribute by mail. FWI is a 501(c)(3) organization so contributions are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers.