TITLE
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE MAYOR OR MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO DRAFT AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO TRAIN THE PERSONNEL AT THE AIRPORT AND SEAPORT TO IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO CHILDREN IN TRANSIT WHO ARE BEING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED

BODY
WHEREAS, commercial sexual exploitation of children often occurs during major sporting and recreational events, conventions, and major cultural events to which the children are often temporarily transported to be bought and sold for prostitution, escort and massage services, private dancing, drinking and photographic clubs at illicit markets that arise around such events; and
WHEREAS, officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation have identified South Florida as among the top 13 hubs of child prostitution; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that about 293,000 youth in the United States are currently at risk of becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation; and
WHEREAS, the majority of victims of commercial sexual exploitation are runaway youths who come from homes where they have been abused or abandoned and become involved in prostitution as a means of financial support, while other youths are forced into prostitution through abduction, pressure from adults or through deceptive agreements between parents and traffickers; and
WHEREAS, the average age at which youths first become involved in prostitution is 12-14 for girls and 11-13 for boys; and
WHEREAS, this Board would like a plan drafted and implemented to address this crisis and specifically to make it more difficult for human traffickers to use the Miami International Airport and Seaport; and
WHEREAS, in developing the plan requested in this resolution, the Mayor or his designee should work with all agencies that are involved in this area such as the Miami-Dade State Attorney�s Office, Kristi House, the Department of Children and Families and state and local law enforcement agencies to assist in the development and implementation of specialized training to recognize and recover the child-victims of human trafficking,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that the Mayor or Mayor�s designee is directed to:
Section 1. Draft and implement a plan to train the personnel at the Miami-Dade County airport and seaport to identify and respond to children in transit who are being sexually exploited. In addition, the plan will provide ways for Miami-Dade County to partner with the airlines and the cruise lines to facilitate the training of their personnel as well.
Section 2. Explore the feasibility of using television screens at the airport and seaport to broadcast Public Service Announcements to encourage children who are the victims of sexual exploitation to seek help and refuge.
Section 3. Provide a report to the Public Safety and Health Care Administration Committee no later than ninety (90) days from the effective date of this Resolution.