Detective Warns About Growth Of Sex Trafficking In Kentucky
According to Det. Rick Lynn, the most exploited age group is children around the age of 13. (Image credit: Nevit Dilmen, Wikimedia Commons.)
Jennifer Marsh
Herald Staff
jmarsh@harrodsburgherald.com
Community members gathered Monday night to hear a presentation from State Attorney General’s Detective Rick Lynn about sex trafficking in Kentucky. The seminar was organized by Mercer Transformation.
“This is a $200 billion industry in the United States and the second largest criminal enterprise,” said Lynn. “Education is the key to prevention and I highly recommend parents talk with their middle school aged children about the dangers.”
Lynn said the most exploited group is children around the age of 13 .
“These predators are romance kings who promise the world if the child will only come with them,” said Lynn. “Phones and social media are making life easy for them to reach our children and the business is growing everyday.”
Det. Rick Lynn of the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
Lynn said there is a disconnect between missing person reports and social services that needs to be addressed. He said there is link between exploited children and runaways that’s being missed.
The seminar’s purpose was to educate the public on the dangers of this growing criminal enterprise.
“Harrodsburg may only be touched by this epidemic a little, but in Louisville and Lexington business is booming,” said Lynn. “Just like the drug epidemic, it will spread.”
Lynn asked the public to report to police any pictures they see on social media that could be exploited children.
“If you report the picture on Facebook, it is just removed. If you take a snapshot and bring the picture to police to investigate. we can find out if there is a child in danger,” said Lynn.
For more information, visit ag.ky.gov/protecting-children/human-trafficking.
Find this and so much more in the new issue of the Harrodsburg Herald. Click here to subscribe.
