Heitkamp

The end of a congressional investigation into Backpage.com is the beginning of a new fight against child sex trafficking that’s rampant even in North Dakota, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said this week.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report on Backpage.com that details how the website enabled sex trafficking. Two youth, ages 12 and 14, had been rescued in Minot last spring after a mother in Las Vegas recognized her daughter on Backpage and contacted police.

Watford City police had informed Heitkamp of 20 active solicitations in the community for commercial sex on Backpage.com during her visit in June 2015 with anti-trafficking leader Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain. Heitkamp said the scope of the problem also is indicated by a sting in Dickinson, where an advertisement for a 14-year-old girl had to be cut off early because of the number of arrests.

“We have to see a different societal standard and we have to make sure it’s not invisible – that when people engage in purchasing children, that it’s not invisible. We are going to oppose that. We are committed to doing everything we can to eradicate this problem,” Heitkamp said.

The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations held two panel sessions Tuesday with executives of Backpage and parents of trafficked daughters. The executives cited their Fifth Amendment rights against self incrimination and declined to testify. Heitkamp said the executives did not stay to hear the second panel, which included horrific stories from three parents.

Heitkamp said the congressional report will be finalized and forwarded to the Department of Justice for possible federal charges against Backpage. The state of California already is bringing charges. The investigative document also is available to the public, to prosecutors and to attorneys of families considering civil cases against the company.

According to the subcommittee report, Backpage does not deny that its site is used for criminal activity, including the sale of children for sex. Instead the company claims content was created by others.

Since June 2015, the Subcommittee had sought information from Backpage–first through a voluntary request, then by subpoena–about its screening measures. Backpage refused to comply, and the subcommittee initiated the first civil contempt action authorized by the Senate in more than 20 years. In August 2016, the subcommittee secured a federal court order compelling Backpage to produce the subpoenaed documents.

The report states that internal company documents obtained by the subcommittee show Backpage altered ads before publication by deleting words, phrases and images that could indicate a crime, including child sex trafficking. The subcommittee found evidence that Backpage was aware that its website facilitates prostitution and child sex trafficking.

Heitkamp said the takeaway is that law enforcement and prosecutors need tools and the medical community needs the knowledge to identify and respond to child sex trafficking. The release of the report and prosecution of Backpage closes a chapter but more needs to be done to address the damage, she said.

“This isn’t over yet,” Heitkamp said. “We have to continue our vigilance, and we have to look at prevention as well as treatment and recovery.”