Nicholas Kristof’s great article in the New York Times yesterday went very far in educating Americans that commercial sexual exploitation of children happens right here in the U.S. Most people think it is only happens in other countries, caused by intractable poverty. But we are not a poor country, and yet children under 18 are bought and sold in prostitution every day. It happens because 12 or 13 year old children are naïve and easy to coerce. Pimps are seeking out such youngsters because there is a huge demand for fresh flesh in a prostitution market that is very vigorous. We need to create a social safety net that insures that every child has protection and assistance as they navigate the difficult teenager years, especially abused, runaway or throwaway children who are so vulnerable. We need to create strenuous information campaigns aimed at all men with the simple message that child exploitation is illegal, both in the U.S. and abroad. This is not rocket science. This is not impossible. It just requires the political will to do so.