By Mona Austin
WASHINGTON — A Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday heard testimony from advocates, lawmakers and a mother of a victim who described the vast scale of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking in the United States — and urged Congress to strengthen legal protections for children.
Among the witnesses was former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation, who called for a coordinated national strategy to identify victims and track offenders. Lawmakers also heard from representatives of victim advocacy groups and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), who outlined sharp increases in online exploitation cases.
NCMEC officials testified that the organization has received more than 200 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. Reports have increased 320% since 2022, following passage of the federal REPORT Act, which expanded mandatory reporting requirements for online platforms.
Officials said one of the most common patterns involves perpetrators asking children to send explicit images before determining whether to pay them for sex. Law enforcement agencies have submitted approximately 465 million images and videos connected to child sexual exploitation for analysis.
However, advocates said data inconsistencies remain a challenge, particularly across international systems such as Interpol and the International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database, complicating cross-border investigations.
Debate Over Accountability and Online Standards
Lawmakers debated whether certain child trafficking offenses should be prosecuted as felonies or misdemeanors and discussed ongoing difficulties in removing exploitative images from the internet.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., a co-author of the REPORT Act, said the digital environment remains largely unregulated compared to other sectors.
“The virtual space is the only space that does not have a safety standard,” Blackburn said.
A mother who testified told senators it has taken years to have images of her daughter removed from online platforms.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a co-author of the proposed Take It Down Act, said legislation is needed to ensure faster removal of exploitative material and stronger accountability for online companies.
Tebow Calls for National Database
Tebow urged lawmakers to support the Renewed Hope Act, which would strengthen coordination between law enforcement and victim advocacy specialists to identify exploited children, including homeless youth. He also called for the creation of a universal database to track trafficking cases.
“My mission is to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves in their darkest hour of need,” Tebow told the panel.
He said the threat is both domestic and international, citing data that indicated tens of thousands of online attempts originating overseas, including from Nigeria, targeting youth in the United States. Boys, he noted, are also targeted and are not exempt from exploitation.
Advocates are also pushing for passage of the CCM Act and additional measures to increase protections and streamline data sharing to better identify victims and perpetrators.
Disproportionate Impact on Black Girls
A witness also highlighted the disproportionate impact of trafficking on Black girls, who research shows are more likely to be viewed as older than they are and less likely to be perceived as victims — a phenomenon often referred to as adultification bias.
One fictional scenario shared during testimony illustrated the pattern: A 14-year-old Black girl goes missing, and relatives dismiss concerns, assuming she is being “fast” because she appears older. She is later found in a trafficking situation but initially treated as a criminal rather than a victim. Only after intervention by an advocate is her exploitation recognized.
While fictional, advocates said the scenario reflects documented trends. Stereotypes historically projected onto Black women are often applied to Black girls, leading authorities and communities to see them as “willful agents” rather than children in need of protection. That perception can result in harsher treatment in the justice system and delayed victim services.
During questioning from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., witnesses said such biases create obstacles to justice and contribute to negative legal outcomes for Black girls.
National estimates show Black girls and women account for roughly 40% of identified sex trafficking survivors in some data sets. In certain jurisdictions, the disparity is even more pronounced. In Louisiana, Black girls have represented approximately 49% of identified child sex trafficking victims while comprising about 19% of the youth population. In King County, Washington, Black children have accounted for roughly 52% of identified child sex trafficking victims, despite Black residents representing about 7% of the total population.
Advocates said the legislation under consideration aims to improve coordination, standardize reporting systems and accelerate access to information so victims can be identified more quickly and offenders held accountable.