HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
Students from Lancaster Catholic High School gathered with organizations from across the state today to shine light on what they say is the growing problem of sex trafficking.
They were at the State Capitol to show their support for proposed legislation that would require certain business to post a hotline number for victims or tipsters to call. The bill, proposed by State Senator Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery and Delaware Counties), would also increase the fines and penalties for convicted traffickers.
Kathy Alton, a teacher at Lancaster Catholic High School, said her students started the group Crusaders Against Sex Trafficking to increase awareness of sex trafficking and raise money for victims.
"They wanted to keep doing something beyond what we heard in
class," Alton said, "so they formed an organization."
She said sex trafficking is a billion dollar industry that puts 300,000 children are at risk every year, while
17,000 foreign nationals are trafficked into the U.S. every
year.
"Next to the drug trade it's the most serious organized crime that we face today," Alton said.
