CNN reports on the recent shaming of Craigslist for being an avenue for sex trafficking of minors. "Craigslist is like the Wal-Mart of online sex trafficking right now in this country," said Andrea Powell of the anti-trafficking group The FAIR Fund in this CNN interview last week.
Soon after that interview, human rights organization The Rebecca Project wrote a letter from the perspective of two young women who were sold regularly on Craigslist, urging the website's founder to shut down the "adult services" section. The letter ran as a full-page ad in The Washington Post.
"According to the most recent Department of Justice statistics, an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 children are sold for sex every year in the United States. Most are from 11 and 14 years old," writes Malika Saada Saar, founder of the Rebecca Project, in the August 4th opinion piece for CNN Craigslist's shame: Child sex ads. "Try for a moment to imagine your fifth-grade child, niece or sister sold for sex."
At the 3:38 mark in the video segment of CNN's story, journalist Amber Lyon confronts "the Craig of 'Craigslist'" and asks "what are you guys doing to protect these girls?" He stands speechless and motionless, unable or unwilling to say anything. He then tries to put the onus on Lyon to report the inappropriate ads, to which she points out that his site is the one publishing and promising to take action against such pitches. He gets so uncomfortable he paces in front of the camera for an awkward 30 seconds before ultimately walking away in silence.
Craigslist responds to criticism in this opinion piece.
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