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141 adult victims of human trafficking and 84 minor victims of child sex trafficking and sexual exploitation have been rescued by authorities. The mission was called “Operation Cross Country.”
The average age of victims is 15 years old. The youngest victim was 11 years old.
37 actively missing children have been identified in the two-week nationwide operation.
85 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking have been arrested in the operation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said, “Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters. Unfortunately, such crimes—against both adults and children—are far more common than most people realize.”
Michelle DeLaune, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and CEO of the center, said, “Children are being bought and sold for sex in communities across the country by traffickers, gangs, and even family members.”
“We’re proud to support the FBI’s efforts to prioritize the safety of children. This national operation highlights the need for all child-serving professionals to continue to focus on the wellbeing of children and youth to prevent them from being targeted in the first place,” she added.
More on this story via Daily Wire:
Teams included in the operation consist of FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, victim specialists, and child adolescent forensic interviewers working with 200 local, state, and federal partners.
Victim specialists provide a bridge for survivors who have lost trust in the system by helping them establish a positive relationship with law enforcement.
Specialists also help survivors receive available resources based on individual needs, such as crisis intervention and basic living needs…
The center’s website reports it assisted law enforcement, families, and child welfare with 27,733 missing children cases.
According to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, there were 337,195 entries for missing children in 2021. The number of missing child entries was 365,348 in 2020.