End Child Sex Trafficking in Texas and Tarrant County
Child sex trafficking is a deeply disturbing but urgent crisis across Texas—and Tarrant County stands at the forefront of the battle against it.
· Across Texas, nearly 79,000 minors and youth are estimated to be victims of sexual trafficking, according to a University of Texas study
· In 2020, over 223,910 online commercial sex ads in Texas were believed to offer children for sale, with the average age of first exploitation around 15
· In one month alone, 740 girls under 18 were documented being marketed for sex statewide—712 via online classified ads and 28 through escort services.
In Tarrant County:
- In 2022, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office investigated 263 cases involving human trafficking or internet crimes against children, resulting in over 100 arrests and identifying 96 victims or those at high risk.
- A countywide data brief covering 2019–2023 reports over 250 human trafficking offenses in Tarrant County, underscoring persistent levels of exploitation even before the county’s multi-agency initiatives intensified in 2025.
- Through Operation Soteria Shield in April 2025, law enforcement—including agencies in North Texas—rescued 109 children and arrested 244 suspects involved in online child sexual exploitation.
It’s Time to Act: Protect Our Children and Change the Laws
Every child deserves safety, freedom, and a future—but in Texas, tens of thousands are being trafficked and exploited while outdated laws and weak enforcement allow predators to slip through the cracks.
This crisis demands more than awareness. It demands action.
This is where you come in
We need laws that protect victims, punish traffickers, and close the loopholes that allow this horror to continue. We need better funding for prevention, victim services, and law enforcement training. And we need elected leaders with the courage to take it on—head-on.
