Homegrown sex trafficking; Combat the exploitation of American youth.(OPED)

Byline: Marie Smith, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Sex trafficking is known to destroy the lives of women and children internationally, but it is also "homegrown" and devastates the lives of American youth from all economic levels. Summer is fast approaching and with it an increase in the number of children living on the streets at risk for increased commercial sexual exploitation.

Everyday between 1.3 million and 2.8 million runaway and homeless youth live on the streets. According to the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice: "Although comprehensive research to document the number of children engaged in prostitution in the United States is lacking, it is estimated that 293,000 American youth are …