This week's investigation of possible human trafficking at a Saudi-owned home in northern Virginia put the spotlight on human trafficking crimes, and police say most cases involve teens and sex.
Advocacy groups plan on going into local high schools to talk about the troubling trend. The tools used to reach out to potential victims were shown at a forum Friday, and the details of the crimes are frightening.
Fairfax police and state and federal lawmakers are out to combat the growing crime of girls pressured to have sex for money.
The statistics are staggering to hear.
“A lot of these girls are forced to have sex with 10 men a night,” said Detective Bill Woolfe, of Fairfax police. “Sometimes it's larger; sometimes it's fewer.”
Fairfax police highlighted an extreme case -- a girl who reported making $8,000 in one night after having sex with almost 20 men. But on average the price per sex act is $1,000.
The epidemic is the new age of prostitution. Virginia lawmakers are working to create tougher penalties for those who are busted behind the scenes making deals to sell sex.
“You have to think this is somebody’s daughter, sister,” said Delegate Barbara Comstock, R-District 34. “This could be your friend’s daughter.”
The victims are often young and vulnerable, experts say, and a problem at home can lead to life on the streets.
