Child Sex Trafficking On Rise In Parts of Oregon

Child Sex Trafficking On Rise In Clark County [Oregon]: Jennifer knows the everyday details of being a teenager in rural Clark County…. She also knows the grisly life of selling herself on Southeast 82nd Avenue in Portland — for a pimp she thought was her first love. … For the first two months, he was sweet and charming. One day, though, things changed. "I've done all these nice things for you. Now it's time to pay me back," he told her. She first told him no, but he threatened to kill her and her family if she didn't comply. … She represents one of dozens of victims of child sex trafficking in Clark County, a crime believed to be rampant in Portland but one that's only gained attention here in the past few years. Over the past three years, police in Clark County have seen child sex trafficking emerge as one of the major crimes to watch. … Fueled by online ads, johns and girls will routinely travel between Vancouver and Portland for "dates," making the crime a regional issue. In Clark County, police estimate about 50 children are being sold for sex, compared with 150 to 200 in Portland.