The following article by Patty Dexter was posted on the Eden Prairie News website January 30, 2018:
Two local state legislators have been working together on bipartisan legislation to enhance current child sexual about curriculum in public schools to include sexual exploitation prevention.
The bill is authored by District 48A Rep. Laurie Pryor, DFL – Minnetonka, and District 48 Sen. Steve Cwodzinski, DFL – Eden Prairie and will be introduced when the next legislative session convenes on Feb. 20.
Jessica Melnik, a Hopkins High School junior and founder of Girls United MN, approached lawmakers with the legislation idea after she and her friends saw one of their classmates being trafficked. Melnik has worked closely with Beth Holger-Ambrose, the executive director of The Link, on ways to address sex trafficking in schools.
“Jessica and her Girls United colleagues have worked tirelessly to bring legislators together and move this initiative forward, and with all the attention the Twin Cities area is receiving with the Super Bowl, the efforts are quite timely,” said Pryor said. “As we continue to increase resources for sexual exploitation victims, educating young people about this is another strong component of our work to eliminate it entirely.”
Cwodzinski said young people need to be educated about the growing problem of sexual exploitation and this bill would do a great job of addressing that need.
“There is a great deal of other work to do, like reducing demand in the first place, but this effort is an excellent step in the right direction to protect our youth,” he said.
Girls United MN is hosting a workshop, “Not for Sale: Standing Up to Sex Trafficking” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Eisenhower Community Center Theater in Hopkins. The event will feature of panel of representatives from local organizations and law enforcement agencies who will discuss how they’re combating sex trafficking.