County commission approves contracts to help child sex traffic victims, survivors

On Tuesday, the Clark County Commission approved contracts for two residential facilities for children who were sex trafficked. 

Nevada, specifically Las Vegas, has long been a hotspot for child victims of commercial sex trafficking. 

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, a nonprofit, and Eagle Quest, the largest private provider of behavioral health service in the valley, were approved to provide residential services and therapeutic treatment care to those who were sex trafficked as children or are at high risk. 

Foster youth and homeless youth are two populations that represent a large portion of Nevada and the nation’s population of  Commercial Sexual Exploitation Children (CSEC). 

The Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) reported 90 victims of child sex trafficking in 2022, two were young boys and 88 were young girls in their early teens. The youngest was 11 years old. 

The funding approved will give approximately $1.5 million to Eagle Quest and $1.3 million to St. Judes to care for 18 girls from 11 to 17 years old. 

The funding is provided through the proceeds from the forfeiture of property of sex traffickers when they are successfully prosecuted. 

In 2021, 400 youth were assessed for being at risk for commercial sex trafficking and 50 are currently receiving services for treatment or prevention. 

“These are children who have endured traumas that most of us can’t imagine,” Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick said. “With these contracts in place, Clark County is working to wrap young victims of sex trafficking in the specialized care they need in environments that are safe and therapeutic.”