Federal and local law enforcement officers announced a new effort to fight human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the Figueroa Corridor, a three and a half mile stretch of south Los Angeles, long associated with rampant prostitution.

LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, one leader participating in the crackdown, joined “Inside the Issues” host Amrit Singh to discuss the multi agency effort to stop human trafficking. 

Feldstein Soto says many of the young victims are in foster homes and are vulnerable to being trafficked. While recalling a daytime ride-along last year with Mayor Bass and Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Feldstein Soto says she saw young girls as young as 11 years old.

“It was a scene that consisted of young girls and women in various stages of undress with lines of cars, Johns, waiting to, in essence, conduct a transaction,” she said. “In the same community where there were churches and schools and kids trying to walk to school and working families trying to get to work.”

The Figueroa Corridor Human Trafficking Initiative first met in April of last year.

Wednesday’s press conference marked the launch of the Federal Prosecution prong of the effort, with United States Attorney Martin Estrada bringing forth several criminal cases to be charged.

While there is still much to be done, Feldstein Soto says the street this year looks much different from what it did a year ago.

“Last year alone we rescued 71 sex workers, 60 of whom were minors. This year, through July, we’ve rescued 84 minors,” she said.

The city attorney explains of the motels that used to be crime magnets and hotbeds for prostitution, four of them are now closed and five have additional conditions to help stem the illicit activity.

Click the arrow above to watch the full interview with Feldstein Soto.

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