Children in Florida face criminal charges in prostitution — even after the state passed a law designed to protect children sold for sex. This became known after the investigation WFTS.
Over the past ten years, more than 300 children in Florida was arrested for prostitution.
«It’s a shame. How can you arrest a kid for prostitution? said Natasha Nascimento of Redefining Refuge, a non-profit organization that helps victims of child trafficking. — What message this conveys is the baby?»
In 2018, the FBI reported that 260 children across the country were arrested for prostitution. In 20 States, minors can obtain charges.
In 2016, in Florida, a law was passed, which focuses on assistance and not punishment of children, sold for sex, and a ban on arrest of children caught in prostitution. But the investigator I-Team Kylie Mcgivern found that not all departments follow the law.
Records obtained by I-Team, show that police Department lake Wales in may 2019 filed criminal charges to two high school students for prostitution.
The police report said that a school staff member found the girl and boy for the school building, and the boy gave the girl 5 dollars for Commission of sexual intercourse.
I-Team contacted the state’s attorney’s office on this case, but prosecutors declined to comment, saying that you can’t discuss issues concerning minors.
