The economic crisis is taking a toll on local governments and is threatening new rescue services aimed at children involved in street prostitution in Seattle and King County. Prostituted children is a topic we don't like to discuss, often seek to avoid, and would rather have it just go away. But, we have ignored this crisis for too long already.
The Seattle Times has a good summary of the latest developments in this morning's paper.
My earlier posts on this issue are here.
The King County Regional Policy Committee—my colleague, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, and I represent the City on this panel—will take up this issue next Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the County Council chambers.
This has been an uphill battle from the beginning, starting last summer when the City released a special study that documented the magnitude of the problem. Get the Boyer report on children involved in prostitution in Seattle here: Download Report_YouthInProstitution