/tags/sex-trafficking sex trafficking en-US Copyright Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:28:27 GMT /criminal-justice/2023-06-02/itasca-isd-superintendent-arrested-in-underage-sex-sting-in-houston Authorities say 47-year-old Michael Stephens, superintendent of Itasca ISD, wanted to come to Houston and engage in sexual acts with someone who he thought was a 15-year-old girl. Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:28:27 GMT /criminal-justice/2023-06-02/itasca-isd-superintendent-arrested-in-underage-sex-sting-in-houston Ariel Worthy | Houston Public Media /news/2023-02-10/texas-treatment-center-accused-of-sex-trafficking-youth-reopens The Refuge's license was suspended last year when it was discovered an employee had offered to sell nude photos of two girls in exchange for drug money. The nonprofit sex-trafficking treatment center reached a settlement with the state that allowed it to reopen. Fri, 10 Feb 2023 15:59:15 GMT /news/2023-02-10/texas-treatment-center-accused-of-sex-trafficking-youth-reopens Paul Flahive /criminal-justice/2022-09-28/raped-abused-and-trafficked-but-no-one-to-blame-how-texas-failed-shawna-rogers Shawna Rogers died at 17, after years of abuse, violence and exploitation. The compounding cost of failures — from law enforcement and rehabilitators as well as family — finally proved fatal. In the end, she was blind to those who wanted to help her as they had been blind to her needs for years. Her life stands as a haunting example of how far Texas still has to go to help victims like her. Wed, 28 Sep 2022 17:30:00 GMT /criminal-justice/2022-09-28/raped-abused-and-trafficked-but-no-one-to-blame-how-texas-failed-shawna-rogers Paul Flahive /news/2022-09-23/police-investigation-leads-to-arrests-in-sex-trafficking-ring-found-at-short-term-rental-in-plano The Dallas Police Department arrested two people involved in a sex-trafficking ring in Plano on Friday. The police said they've been investigating a sex-trafficking ring in North Dallas since July. Fri, 23 Sep 2022 20:15:00 GMT /news/2022-09-23/police-investigation-leads-to-arrests-in-sex-trafficking-ring-found-at-short-term-rental-in-plano Caroline Love /energy-environment/2022-04-11/fort-worth-church-withdraws-application-to-build-shelter-for-human-trafficking-survivors Mercy Culture says it’s broken ground on a 100-bed shelter in Oakhurst. But church leaders will need approval from City Council to move forward. Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:30:00 GMT /energy-environment/2022-04-11/fort-worth-church-withdraws-application-to-build-shelter-for-human-trafficking-survivors Rachel Behrndt and Emily Wolf | Forth Worth Report /news/2022-03-11/kids-in-foster-care-whod-been-victims-of-sex-trafficking-endured-fresh-abuse-at-a-state-shelter The children were sexually abused and neglected while at The Refuge, a facility located in Bastrop contracted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, according to a report from a current employee. Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:15:00 GMT /news/2022-03-11/kids-in-foster-care-whod-been-victims-of-sex-trafficking-endured-fresh-abuse-at-a-state-shelter Reese Oxner | The Texas Tribune /texas-news/2021-09-16/the-pandemic-has-put-more-kids-at-risk-of-sex-trafficking-and-funding-to-help-survivors-has-dwindled Texas groups helping survivors want legislators in the third special session to earmark some COVID-19 relief funding for their services. Fri, 17 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT /texas-news/2021-09-16/the-pandemic-has-put-more-kids-at-risk-of-sex-trafficking-and-funding-to-help-survivors-has-dwindled Laura Rice