More than 200 people from 14 states attended training on the sex trafficking of minors, at Portland’s Embassy Suites Hotel, Oct. 4 and 5.  Entitled, "Do you know Lacy?" the training highlighted the stories of girls who suffer victimization in the commercial sex industry. It also offered controversial --and disputed -- statistics on the size of the problem.

Shared Hope International, a nonprofit started by Linda Smith, a former Washington congresswoman, offered the training to prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, youth service providers and community advocates.

The aim? To educate more people to recognize how and why U.S. children are forced into prostitution. And to build community efforts to reduce demand, prevent child trafficking and hold traffickers accountable.

“I just curl up inside when I hear the term child prostitute,” Smith told attendees. “It’s the only crime, where the victim of the crime is labeled with the crime and then she’s put in jail. That’s not right.” CONTINUES

VIDEO: Shared Hope Aims to Build Consensus on Sex Trafficking of MinorsShould Johns who solicit under-18s register as sex offenders? By Helen Silvis Of The Skanner NewsOctober 05, 2012