San Diego leaders gathered on Wednesday to debate a invoice going into impact on New Year’s Day meant to shift intercourse trafficking liabilities from exploited folks to these doing the exploiting whereas additional defending youngsters.
Assembly Bill 379, which acquired help at each town and county degree, will increase civil penalties for intercourse trafficking crimes dedicated by companies, together with making it a criminal offense for any individual to loiter in a public place with the intent to buy business intercourse.
“Assembly Bill 379 gives our city stronger, smarter tools to address prostitution and human trafficking by holding buyers accountable and treating exploited individuals as victims,” Mayor Todd Gloria stated at Wednesday’s news convention.
“This law reflects our commitment to public safety, neighborhood quality of life, and human dignity. It takes effect on Thursday, and we will waste no time in implementing it here in San Diego.”
Gloria was joined by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan and San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl to precise approval of the regulation.
“Buying children who under the law cannot consent to sex can only be described as slavery,” Stephan stated. “I fought for 10 years to make sure that those who buy children for sex are held fully accountable under the law and finally that time is here with AB 379.”
The invoice clarifies language in present laws, giving regulation enforcement extra alternative to intervene in circumstances of suspected or confirmed intercourse trafficking.
According to the leaders at Wednesday’s news convention, AB 379 got here partially in response to Senate Bill 357, which in 2022 repealed a regulation criminalizing loitering with the intent to commit prostitution.
“Past legislation significantly limited our ability to address prostitution and human trafficking. Assembly Bill 379 changes that,” Wahl stated. “This law gives our officers the tools they need to intervene, protect victims, particularly minors, and hold offenders accountable. We are grateful to our elected leaders for recognizing the urgency of this issue and supporting legislation that strengthens enforcement and prioritizes victim services.”
The regulation, co-authored by Assemblywoman Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, additionally creates a Survivor Support Fund, through charges and fines paid by offenders, to offer grants to community-based organizations that present direct providers and outreach to victims of intercourse trafficking and exploitation. It additionally extends authorized protections to 16- and 17-year-olds.
The present regulation states that youngsters as much as age 15 are protected as minors in felony intercourse trafficking circumstances.