New sex-trafficking legislation advances in Salem

The Oregon House unanimously approved a bill Thursday strengthening anti-prostitution laws, a move cheered by a Central Oregon advocate who fights human trafficking around the country.

Under current Oregon law, crimes related to promoting prostitution are limited to exchanges involving money or property.

The proposal expands the crime of promoting prostitution to include receiving goods or services in connection with a prostitution activity.

“It may be that somebody is sleeping on somebody’s couch for the purposes of having a place to sleep, and in exchange for the opportunity to sleep on that couch, they are required to have sex with somebody in the house,” said Bend native Nita Belles.

Belles is the managing director of In Our Backyard and regional director of Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans. She said expanding the scope of what is being exchanged is an important detail the current law lacks.

“A tablet, an iPad, a computer, an iPhone — something like that in exchange for sex. So now, it doesn’t have to be a transaction of money,” she said.

Belles said this will allow more prosecutions without the need for evidence of money being exchanged, leading to more human traffickers held accountable.

Every state has its own human trafficking laws, and Belles said there is so much more she wants to see done, including expungement of charges against those trafficked and no criminal prosecution of minors.

Even though it may seem like this is a big-city problem, it isn’t Belles said — it can and does happen in small towns, too.

More info in a news release on the legislation:

The Oregon House of Representatives today unanimously approved HB 4082, which seeks to strengthen anti-prostitution laws in Oregon and hold sex traffickers more accountable for engaging in criminal transactions. The bill expands the crime of promoting prostitution to include receiving goods or services in connection with a prostitution activity.

“Today, we took a positive step toward combatting prostitution and sexual exploitation in Oregon,” said Representative John Huffman (R-The Dalles), a chief sponsor of the legislation.

“This legislation will close a dangerous loophole in our prostitution statutes and lead to more human traffickers being held accountable for the crimes they commit. We must do everything we can to put an end to sexual exploitation in Oregon and protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

Under current Oregon law, crimes related to promoting prostitution are limited to exchanges involving money or property. HB 4082 updates Oregon’s prostitution statutes to include receiving or agreeing to receive goods, services or anything of value as punishable under the law.

HB 4082 is a product of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Work Group, of which Rep. John Huffman and Rep. Kathleen Taylor (D-Milwaukie) serve as chairs. The legislation was developed with significant input from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement officials and other stakeholders.

In addition to Representatives Huffman and Taylor, HB 4082 is chief sponsored by Representatives Stark and Gallegos, as well as Senators Knopp and Gelser. A bipartisan group of 20 other lawmakers also signed on as regular sponsors of the bill.

HB 4082 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.