Kirkland council approves resolution in support of reducing demand for commercial sex

Published 3:27 pm Thursday, January 22, 2015

The Kirkland City Council unanimously approved Resolution No. 5100 as its formal pledge to combat commercial sexual exploitation and to support the “Buyer Beware” initiative lead by the King County Prosecutor’s Office on Jan. 20.

The resolution recognizes that such exploitation, which includes sex trafficking, threatens the safety and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.

Kirkland’s anti-trafficking efforts will continue to focus on assisting persons being trafficked for sex and on enforcement of those purchasing the sex. The city’s resolution came about in recognition of Jan. 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and through the support of law enforcement and community leaders from across King County to reduce the demand for prostitution, particularly the purchase of sex occurring online.

To view the resolution and watch the City Council discussion, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/ondemand, select the Jan. 20 video link and select item 11a.