Ending Sex Trafficking of Children in Atlanta

Abstract

In less than 16 months, a coalition of women in Atlanta, Georgia, identified the prostitution of young girls as a major and horrendous crisis in the community, developed and implemented a strategy to combat the problem, purchased property for a treatment facility, and began to serve victims of child prostitution. This article reports the story of the coalition's success. It is intended to move those who would protect children from shock to deliberate action. The authors guide the reader through identifying the problem, setting realistic goals, and organizing the community for real and sustainable public policy and social change. They are telling a story, believing that personal stories are the root of social change and that the connections that these stories hold offer possibilities for replication in communities throughout America.