WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nexstar) — Courtney Litvak says human trafficking can happen anywhere, to anyone.
For two years, she says her captors forced her to travel around the country, and participate in sex with paying customers.
“I went to a wonderful school,” says Litvak. “But school was the one place my family was not able to monitor me, and while I was at school I was actually taken off campus.”
She eventually escaped — but many other victims are not so lucky.
This week, Courtney and her mom met with Ivanka Trump to map out a plan that may help other families identify the signs of human trafficking.
Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul says communities also need to be better informed.
“It can happen anywhere in America,” says McCaul. “It can happen in suburbia, Houston or Austin.”
McCaul and Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar have introduced a bill that would require local law enforcement officers to complete a training program on how to identify human trafficking.
McCaul says he wants “to make sure I can do everything in my power to bring those criminals and put them behind bars for a long time.”
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn has introduced a similar bill in the Senate.
