Strengthen Anti-Human Trafficking Laws

We live in Spring,Tx and I am stunned with how many reports we regularly and consistently see regarding HT and girls within your (and my) daughter's age range. Today, I thought of your shar d experience and thought I'd follow up to see if I could find any new information regarding your public awareness campaign. I quickly found this ipetition and it REALLY saddened me to see how short the goal currently is for this action. We have a small tactical store in Spring and I've shared your ipetition on our Facebook page, for our business, as well as personally. I'm heartbroken at the realization that this cause is SUCH an uphill battle! Our society needs to wake up before it's too late.

Mr. Clark, I hope that this petition is still ongoing. I only found this page today. Apparently, it has not been shared enough, to make the circles. I will share your story and this page. There has not been enough awareness shared. I'm afraid that too many people are closing their eyes and just hoping that all the bad things will simply go away. I am not that gullible. About all that I can do, is share the information. I am a grandmother who is terrified, about the awful situations our young people are faced with. It has always been dangerous, but I believe it has become much worse, and unfortunately, too easy for the criminals. Thank you for sharing your story and for working toward a safer Texas for our young people. TeresaAllen

Ms. Pettit, I personally do not know the full story here. I would imagine that you are also not fully aware of the situation. As a private investigator, I investigate these cases based on facts, not opinion, nor emotions. I am not sure if you are aware, but there are high school "kids" that are members of organized crime, who recruit children as young as 9-years-old to be bought and sold as a commodity. You cannot unring that bell. So what you may call Mr. Clark's attempt at "control," I call a parent attempting to "protect" his child. There are very few examples of good morals in today's society. Everything is thrown in one's face about having more "money," being more "popular," and if one is "pretty" enough. Many of the children who fall in these situations have some form of mental health issue, diagnosed or not! These child predators know how to work their way in, because they have an actual playbook on how to manipulate these kids, separate them from their families, and get the hook into them. In the end, when they are done with them, they will sometimes overdose them on heroine and dump their dead bodies on the side of the road like trash. Ms. Pettit, you said, "If a WOMAN decides to work as an exotic dancer, that is her choice as an adult." I love that you state, "A woman has the right to decide what to do with her life when she reaches the age of majority." How lawyerlike, "the age of majority!" With that I would assert that Mr. Clark has a point that a person cannot legally drink alcohol until the age of 21 years. Is that not also a true statement! That is because "WE" as a society decided that one is not emotionally strong enough to handle an intoxicant that already diminishes one's ability to make sound judgements and decisions. Here, not only are we talking about one's ability to make sound judgements and decisions, we are talking about exposing a very young person to "animals" who feed off the life force of these young adults and

Economic.

delete Ms. Petttit, I'm a full time, single father raising two young girls. I also have a son and a daughter both of whom are of age. I say this only to establish my bonafides to comment. Much to the horror of my younger daughters, I do monitor their online activities. They call my behaviour "stalking"; but with good humor. Secretly, I think they understand that I love them and want to protect them. As they grow older I'm sure they will appreciate it. Another thing I'm sure of is they are NOT yet ready to face what is becoming a very dangerous world. Without going into details, on more than one occasion I've intercepted communications that could have lead to a very dark outcome. Anyone who knows me or my daughters will tell you that we are a strong family and that the girls are strong and independent. As for the older ones, both male and female, have expressed that there have been occasions which they have wished I'd had the authority to compel their actions and decisions. Mr. Clark's proposal does not give a parent "control" over their offspring who are over 18, except in dire emergencies, and only then with the involvement of the court. Ms. Petttit, your characterization of Mr. Clarks motovations, intentions, and personality are a vile and despicable attack, one which borders on libel. It is, however, illuminating as to your character and motivations; and serves to discount the seriousness which a reader should give your comments. Please understand, YOU and those of your mindset are a big part of the problem. Freedom and Responsibility are two sides of the SAME coin. Very truly yours - Eric Hruza

Ms. Petttit, I'm a full time, single father raising two young girls. I also have a son and a daughter both of whom are of age. I say this only to establish my bonafides to comment. Much to the horror of my younger daughters, I do monitor their online activities. They call my behaviour "stalking"; but with good humor. Secretly, I think they understand that I love them and want to protect them. As they grow older I'm sure they will appreciate it. Another thing I'm sure of is they are NOT yet ready to face what is becoming a very dangerous world. Without going into details, on more than one occasion I've intercepted communications that could have lead to a very dark outcome. Anyone who knows me or my daughters will tell you that we are a strong family and that the girls are strong and independent. As for the older ones, both male and female, have expressed that there have been occasions which they have wished I'd had the authority to compel their actions and decisions. Mr. Clark's proposal does not give a parent "control" over their offspring who are over 18, except in dire emergencies, and only then with the involvement of the court. Ms. Petttit, your characterization of Mr. Clarks motovations, intentions, and personality are a vile and despicable attack, one which borders on libel. It is, however, illuminating as to your character and motivations; and serves to discount the seriousness which a reader should give your comments. Please understand, YOU and those of your mindset are a big part of the problem. Freedom and Responsibility are two sides of the SAME coin. Very truly yours - Eric Hruza

Elizabeth: Your comment included a question that you may have been asking only to accuse me of being a bad father AND a sexist. Regardless the answer is that the proposed changes would apply equally to males and females. Just like males and females cannot drink or gamble until 21, they would not be able to work in sexually oriented businesses, porn films, strip clubs, etc. An equally important piece of raising the age is to increase the penalties on pimps exploiting young girls. Being convicted of "Compelling" or "Promoting" prostitution of anyone (male or female) under 21 would be considered prostituting a minor and would include stiffer mandatory penalties.

What is wrong with you ? This is the problem with America, people like you. Let me guess you're voting for Hillary? You either don't have children or you don't care about them. She was negatively influenced at the age of 16, she was still a minor. All you liberals really need to start finding life in an island or planet and screw up everything there.

You should be ashamed of yourself. Sex trafficking is a very real epidemic that needs to be fought and cloaking your controlling por parenting and need to control your daughter like you own her in a bill to "fight" sex trafficking is repugnant and degrading to real victims. I'm glad your daughters story is getting attention so people can see you for the horrible person you really are. Your daughter turned 18 and ran from you, I don't blame her. If a WOMAN decides to work as an exotic dancer, that is her choice as an adult. While I'm sure we all wish for more from our children that does not give us the right to have them committed. They are 18. Able to vote, able to join the armed forces and die for our country. A woman has the right to decide what to do with her life when she reaches to age of majority. There is a vast difference between making choices you don't agree with and add trafficking. Her attending college full time, you claiming her on your taxes or her never being married (sexist!) does not give you ownership of her or her body. Do these laws extend to men as well? My heart broke reading your daughters story. You are a mentally and emotionally abusive father and a manipulative man. YOU are the one who needs counseling.

As the parent of a child who was forced into sex trafficking my wife and I fully support this petition, As a parent it is your worst fear to not know where your child is and what they are going through this happened in Nov 2015 we just finished the trial for the last perpetrator and the sentence that he received was minimal to say the least until this happened to us we were not aware of how prevalent Human Sex Trafficking was, We as was Mr. Clark were the lucky ones we got our child back many parents are not as blessed! Parents monitor your child's online behaver this is Real and until it happens to your family you will not understand just how real!!!!@Benjamin Kilpatrick @ Misty Lewis. Please Research Child/Human Sex Trafficking You may reconsider your train of thought, Thank You!

Thank you for doing this. As a mom, this is one of my greatest fears. So thankful you got your daughter back!