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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is calling on Congress to do more to support victims of child pornography.
On Tuesday, Reyes sent a letter drafted by his office and the Washington Attorney General's Office, and signed by 52 other state and territorial attorneys general, urging swift passage of a bipartisan bill known as the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2017. The letter was addressed to U.S. House and Judiciary Committee leaders.
The bill would make it easier for victims of child pornography to obtain restitution.
“Victims need this bill. Child exploitation and abuse through pornography is one of the fastest growing crimes worldwide and certainly within our nation. A victim can be revictimized his/her entire life from the dissemination of one child porn video," Reyes said in a prepared statement.
“The number of illicit images confiscated in Utah by the A.G.’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has grown alarmingly. Cases of youth being extorted or otherwise terrorized as victims of porn have risen exponentially everywhere. The only thing that has decreased is restitution for victims. That’s unacceptable."
The letter was signed by all 50 state attorneys general in addition to attorneys general from the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
