Police officials voice concern over spike in local sex trafficking cases
BY STAN FINGER
The Wichita Eagle
WICHITA — Human sex trafficking cases have more than tripled in Wichita over the past four years, police officials said today, and they are concerned about the spike.
Documented cases have jumped from 9 in 2008 to 28 so far this year, Deputy Chief Tom Stolz said. There were 22 last year.
"We're not panicking about it, but we have seen a steady increase in numbers," Stolz said. "We've seen enough of an increase in these crimes, and we know that it's out there, that we want to take proactive measures."
Most of the cases involve runaways, he said.
"We're showing a direct connection between runaway girls and this industry," he said.
Most local sex trafficking cases involve local girls, though some girls are brought in from out of state and a few Wichita girls have been sent out of state.
Some cases have involved girls who were "snatched" after meeting someone online and then agreeing to see them, he said, but those numbers are small compared to the overall total.
"I don't want to create a hysteria in this city that our little girls are getting poached off of street corners" for sex trafficking, Stolz said. "That is not happening."
Though parents should be concerned, he said, "we're not seeing any data or numbers that this city is unsafe for children."
Stolz said he doesn't buy recent media reports that Wichita has among the nation's highest sex trafficking rates.
"We can't prove that," he said. "There is no firm data to show that is true."
Data on this issue is "poor," he added.
But on a per capita basis, "I don't think we're any better or any worse than Dallas or Los Angeles or St. Louis," he said. "I've seen no evidence of that, and I've looked hard for the last couple of months."
The increase in trafficking cases can be linked to a variety of factors, Stolz said, including the Internet.
"It's so easy for people to connect, even for illicit purposes." he said.
He also cited "an increased demand for this kind of service.
"I don't know why that adult males crave sex with 12, 13, 14, 15- year-old girls," he said. "There seems to be almost unlimited demand out there, and where there is demand there is supply."
At least some of the increase is because of increased reporting, Stolz said. Adults and teens alike are more educated and more aware.
"I'd rather have an increase in reporting than somebody not reporting something that's insidious and going on behind the scenes," Stolz said.
And what may have been classified as a prostitution or runaway case 15 years ago by law enforcement is being recognized as human trafficking.
The cases are difficult to investigate because of their clandestine nature and the reluctance by girls to talk to authorities.
"They fear us," Stolz said. "They fear the uniform."
There's a good reason for that, he said.
Twenty years ago, a 13-year-old girl found as a runaway or prostituting herself would have been handcuffed, arrested, then returned to her home —"a home that they may not want to go to because of abuse" or other issues, Stolz said.
Wichita police officials are trying to be proactive in response, Stolz said. They are attending conferences on the issue and conferring with other cities to see how they are addressing the problem.
"We are trying to educate ourselves as fast as we possibly can," he said.
Wichita has been selected to participate in a national study by Northeastern University's Institute on Race and Justice, Stolz said.
Staffing for the Exploited and Missing Child Unit will be increased next year to focus on trafficking cases, Stolz said.
"These are critical investigations, involving pretty vulnerable people," he said.
Documented cases have jumped from 9 in 2008 to 28 so far this year, Deputy Chief Tom Stolz said. There were 22 last year.
"We're not panicking about it, but we have seen a steady increase in numbers," Stolz said. "We've seen enough of an increase in these crimes, and we know that it's out there, that we want to take proactive measures."
Most of the cases involve runaways, he said.
"We're showing a direct connection between runaway girls and this industry," he said.
Most local sex trafficking cases involve local girls, though some girls are brought in from out of state and a few Wichita girls have been sent out of state.
Some cases have involved girls who were "snatched" after meeting someone online and then agreeing to see them, he said, but those numbers are small compared to the overall total.
"I don't want to create a hysteria in this city that our little girls are getting poached off of street corners" for sex trafficking, Stolz said. "That is not happening."
Though parents should be concerned, he said, "we're not seeing any data or numbers that this city is unsafe for children."
Stolz said he doesn't buy recent media reports that Wichita has among the nation's highest sex trafficking rates.
"We can't prove that," he said. "There is no firm data to show that is true."
Data on this issue is "poor," he added.
But on a per capita basis, "I don't think we're any better or any worse than Dallas or Los Angeles or St. Louis," he said. "I've seen no evidence of that, and I've looked hard for the last couple of months."
The increase in trafficking cases can be linked to a variety of factors, Stolz said, including the Internet.
"It's so easy for people to connect, even for illicit purposes." he said.
He also cited "an increased demand for this kind of service.
"I don't know why that adult males crave sex with 12, 13, 14, 15- year-old girls," he said. "There seems to be almost unlimited demand out there, and where there is demand there is supply."
At least some of the increase is because of increased reporting, Stolz said. Adults and teens alike are more educated and more aware.
"I'd rather have an increase in reporting than somebody not reporting something that's insidious and going on behind the scenes," Stolz said.
And what may have been classified as a prostitution or runaway case 15 years ago by law enforcement is being recognized as human trafficking.
The cases are difficult to investigate because of their clandestine nature and the reluctance by girls to talk to authorities.
"They fear us," Stolz said. "They fear the uniform."
There's a good reason for that, he said.
Twenty years ago, a 13-year-old girl found as a runaway or prostituting herself would have been handcuffed, arrested, then returned to her home —"a home that they may not want to go to because of abuse" or other issues, Stolz said.
Wichita police officials are trying to be proactive in response, Stolz said. They are attending conferences on the issue and conferring with other cities to see how they are addressing the problem.
"We are trying to educate ourselves as fast as we possibly can," he said.
Wichita has been selected to participate in a national study by Northeastern University's Institute on Race and Justice, Stolz said.
Staffing for the Exploited and Missing Child Unit will be increased next year to focus on trafficking cases, Stolz said.
"These are critical investigations, involving pretty vulnerable people," he said.
Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com.
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