The New York City Coalition to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Children (CASEC)

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a growing problem in New York City. The number of children engaged in prostitution has increased over the past few years, while the average age of those children has dropped. Although recognition of the problem has grown, collaborative efforts in the City are still in their infancy. In recent years, the city has developed a core group of criminal justice staff and social service providers who have worked diligently and, increasingly, as a team to get teenage prostitutes off the streets and send pimps to state prison. Yet additional support is needed to enhance their efficacy.
The Mayorýs Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator (CJC) proposes to spearhead an initiative to address the multiple issues surrounding CSEC in New York City. CASEC ý the Coalition to Address the Sexual Exploitation of Children ý will develop and implement a four-pronged strategy designed to expand and strengthen an integrated collaborative of city agencies and local service providers; enhance outreach and prevention, targeted at specific high-risk populations; increase direct services to victims of CSEC who come into contact with the justice system; and enhance the prosecution of pimps who recruit teenagers into street prostitution.

The combination of system integration, outreach, services and prosecution is designed to prevent further exploitation and recruitment of children into prostitution. Recipient will use grant funds to support a seven-month planning period and a one-year demonstration project. The activities of the planning period would be to strengthen and expand the collaborative, develop short and long-term strategies for the demonstration period, and delineate a time-line and long-term budget. During the implementation phase, the collaborative would continue to refine and develop strategy, and work aggressively to link CSEC victims to supportive services, reduce recruitment into prostitution and prosecute pimps to the fullest extent of the law

NCA/NCF