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Reno, Nev. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke at the 7th Annual Awaken Banquet in Reno. Awaken is the only non-profit in Northern Nevada that works to increase awareness and education on commercial sexual exploitation and provides housing, support, and rehabilitation services for its survivors.
“I want to thank Awaken for its dedicated advocacy and the essential services it provides to survivors of sexual exploitation in Northern Nevada. Sex trafficking is a serious problem in our state, and Awaken is a key partner in supporting women and girls impacted by human trafficking. As Nevada’s Attorney General, I made combatting sex trafficking one of my top priorities. Now, as Senator, I’m continuing this fight to end sex trafficking and secure every additional resource that supports survivors.”
BACKGROUND:
From her days as Nevada Attorney General, Senator Cortez Masto has been a strong advocate for ending sex trafficking and supporting sexual assault survivors. In July, she introduced the bipartisan End Trafficking of Native Americans Act to improve cooperation between the federal government, tribal communities, and local law enforcement to better combat human trafficking of Native Americans and Alaska natives. Senator Cortez Masto is also a sponsor of bipartisan legislation requiring the Government Accountability Office to study the use of virtual currencies and online marketplaces in the facilitation of sex and drug trafficking.