Arizona passes Proposition 313: Life without parole for convicted child sex traffickers

With 64.47% of the vote, compared to 99% of the precinct reporting, Arizona passed Proposition 313, which would impose a sentence of life in prison without parole for those convicted of sex trafficking minors.

Currently, a defendant convicted of sex trafficking a child 15 years of age or older can be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison and 13 years for sex trafficking a child under 15 years of age.

Arizona law defines child sex trafficking as “using a minor for the purpose of prostitution or causing a minor to be used for the purpose of prostitution or to be used in prostitution, including transporting, recruiting, or providing a minor to engage in prostitution or any sexually explicit performance.” defines it as “.

Arizona sheriffs spoke in support of the proposal, citing their experience rescuing children from sex trafficking situations.

“It’s heartbreaking that our deputies are coming into contact with sex-trafficked minors, these innocent children who are being forced into such inhumane acts,” said David Rhodes, Yavapai County sheriff and president of the Arizona Sheriff’s Association. “Currently, when the people who kidnap these children are caught, they face prison sentences that are incompatible with the crime. Arizona is not just a transit route for sex trafficking to other parts of the country. We face our own problems. It is most common to find children between the ages of 11 and 14 who are victims of both traffickers and rapists. In 2021 alone, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 650 tips from Arizona that led to the discovery of 337 victims. Arizona voters can send a clear and compelling message to people who engage in such heinous acts: Get caught and spend the rest of your life behind barbed wire in a state prison.

Between 2021 and 2023, victims were located in 11 of 15 counties in Arizona, according to a report examining child sex trafficking in Arizona conducted by a statewide provider of medical and behavioral health insurance for minors. being female and having a history of sexual assault and substance abuse.

“All in all, the identification of 309 victims during this period is a stark reminder that our collective efforts, while laudable, require continued growth and improvement,” the report said. “Arizona’s children deserve not just reactive support, but also a proactive and robust preventative framework. “Continuing momentum in awareness, education and support systems will be crucial in ensuring a more resilient and responsive approach to the multifaceted challenges of child sex trafficking.”

Some groups, although not many, have spoken out against Proposition 313. One argument is that this could criminalize sex trafficking victims who are forced by their abusers to become complicit in the crime.

A statement from Pinny Sheoran, president of the Women’s Union, reads: “The Union opposes mandatory minimum sentencing and advocates that judges have discretion to take into account individual circumstances such as role in the crime, mental health, remorse, addiction and history.” Voters in Arizona. “In cases such as child sex trafficking, sex trafficking victims are often charged with trafficking crimes due to coercion by their abusers. “We cannot pass a law that would subject victims to mandatory minimum sentences.”

Other proposals adopted last week include: Proposal 139Proposition 311, Proposal 312 And Proposal 314.