Over the past month, the national coalition of law enforcement agencies known as the National Johns Suppression Initiative once again targeted sex buyers in a sting operation.
This time, according to a statement made by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, the coalition’s efforts yielded a record number of arrests: more than 1,300 buyers across 18 states. In addition, 32 child victims were recovered and 71 people were arrested for human trafficking.
This is the 12th operation organized by the National Johns Suppression Initiative. The campaign was formed in 2011 with support from Demand Abolition. To date, the Initiative has arrested more than 5,800 buyers across 22 states.
This latest operation was especially noteworthy because it was the first time our local Philadelphia,Upper Merion Township, and Dauphin County police departments partnered with the coalition, along with 9 other new partners, including New York City.
The CSE Institute commends the collaborative efforts of law enforcement to send a message to ‘Johns’ in our own back yards and across the country that patronizing or soliciting sex is a crime that will not go unpunished.
For a full list of results and anecdotes, please see this Press Release from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.