Sex trafficking victim sues hotels, truckstops, website for profiting from exploitati

[margarita25]

Houston sex trafficking victim sues hotels, truckstops, website for profiting from exploitation
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...ng-victim-sues-hotels-12522011.php?ipid=hpctp

"An 18-year-old Houston girl lured into the shady underworld of sex trafficking has launched a sweeping civil lawsuit in Harris County that's among the first in the country to accuse prominent hotel chains, well-known trucks stops and a ubiquitous website of profiting from illegal exploitation of a minor.

The suit, filed in Harris County court, seeks damages from 15 hotel chains and five truck stops, including Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Choice Hotels International, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, TravelCenters of America and the company that operates the Flying J truckstops.

The Backpage.com website and its CEO, Carl Ferrer, who have been named in a variety of legal actions nationally, are also defendants in the lawsuit."

 

[Bohemian]

Houston sex trafficking victim sues hotels, truckstops, website for profiting from exploitation
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...ng-victim-sues-hotels-12522011.php?ipid=hpctp

"An 18-year-old Houston girl lured into the shady underworld of sex trafficking has launched a sweeping civil lawsuit in Harris County that's among the first in the country to accuse prominent hotel chains, well-known trucks stops and a ubiquitous website of profiting from illegal exploitation of a minor.

The suit, filed in Harris County court, seeks damages from 15 hotel chains and five truck stops, including Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Choice Hotels International, Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, TravelCenters of America and the company that operates the Flying J truckstops.

The Backpage.com website and its CEO, Carl Ferrer, who have been named in a variety of legal actions nationally, are also defendants in the lawsuit."

Good.

 

[margarita25]

"The suit filed Tuesday cites a provision of the civil practice and remedies code called Chapter 98, based on a 2009 law brought by Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, which states that the people can hold businesses liable if they knowingly profit by participating in a venture that involves human trafficking.

Advertisers seeking to evade law enforcement on Backpage.com use an evolving set of coded phrases, images and emojis to convey that the person the customer will be meeting is "young," "fresh" or "new," according to Ann Johnson, a former chief Harris County prosecutor over human trafficking who now supports victims though private practice.

McAdams said Backpage.com was well-aware of the coded language, even though filters had been set up to omit words such as "Lolita," "little girl," "Amber alert" and "rape" from ad submissions before they were screened by a moderator."

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...hotels-12522011.php?ipid=hpctp#photo-11368946

 

[margarita25]

Good.

"Johnson said the lawsuit could carve a path for other victims.

"It is rare that you see a civil prosecution on behalf of a victim against those individuals who have profited off it, not just the immediate nucleus of the pimp and the john," she said. "Human trafficking is prevalent in Houston. Guys know if they want sex there are plenty of places they can go, but this lawsuit is an opportunity to shut down those locations.""

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...hotels-12522011.php?ipid=hpctp#photo-11368946

 

[Bohemian]

"Johnson said the lawsuit could carve a path for other victims.

"It is rare that you see a civil prosecution on behalf of a victim against those individuals who have profited off it, not just the immediate nucleus of the pimp and the john," she said. "Human trafficking is prevalent in Houston. Guys know if they want sex there are plenty of places they can go, but this lawsuit is an opportunity to shut down those locations.""

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...hotels-12522011.php?ipid=hpctp#photo-11368946

The families of the missing and murdered along the highways of America for a start.