Six Cited as Milwaukie Police Target Sex Buyers to Combat Exploitation

Milwaukie, OR. — Six people were cited for commercial sexual solicitation during an October 6 operation led by the Milwaukie Police Department, according to the agency. One also received a citation for possessing cocaine.

During the five-hour operation, undercover officers used online applications and dating or similar websites to pose as people offering sexual services for money. Police said prospective buyers contacted the officers, agreed to payment and were arrested after arriving at an arranged location.

The department said the operation focused on disrupting demand for commercial sex as part of its efforts to protect people experiencing sexual exploitation and trafficking, particularly minors.

In explaining the purpose of the operation, police cited figures from Safety Compass, a local nonprofit that supports survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. According to the department’s account of the organization’s data, Safety Compass staff have interacted with 1,235 trafficking victims since 2018 in connection with 29,286 trafficking transactions. Of those victims, 606 were reported to be minors.

Those figures describe Safety Compass’s broader work and were not presented as findings from the October 6 operation. The police announcement did not report the identification of trafficking victims during the sting.

Some people cited in the operation may qualify for the Sex Buyers Accountability and Diversion academy, known as SBAD, according to police. Eligible participants may attend at their own expense as an alternative to criminal charges, or attendance may be required by a court.

The program is a partnership involving the Clackamas County Human Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team and the Clackamas County and Multnomah County district attorneys’ offices. Its classes address the effects of commercial sexual exploitation on victims and communities, including testimony from survivors and advocates, with the stated goal of reducing demand.

Sandy, Lake Oswego and West Linn police departments assisted in the operation, along with Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Parole and Probation.

People seeking help for themselves or someone experiencing trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or text 233733. Local support is available through the Safety Compass survivor hotline at 971-235-0021.