Ashton Kutcher News: Actor Gives Powerful Senate Testimony To End Child Sexual Exploitation

By dipta bhattacharya | Feb 17, 2017 | 15:50 PM EST

Actor and human rights campaigner, Ashton Kutcher has requested the US lawmakers to help put an end to child sexual exploitation. Kutcher, who co founded the anti-human-trafficking organization, Thorn took on the Senators for help.

He gave up several ideas to end the trade in humans that includes adapting technology. Kutcher also urged the Senators take up steps to protect vulnerable refugees. According to NBC News, a visibly emotional Kutcher mentioned it was time the government and society take steps to defend the vulnerable.

The "A Lot Like Love" actor, also mentioned he was exposed to things no human would ever want to see. He was speaking as the Chairman of his organization Thorn, that develops software to locate the victims of abuse.

"The right to pursue happiness for so many is stripped away, it's raped, it's abused, it's taken by force," said Kutcher. The actor told US Senate Foreign Relations Committee that latest technology was needed to prevent the websites from showing adverts related to child sexual exploitation BBC reported. He said that technology could be used to enable slavery as well as disable slavery.

He stressed on developing better and useful technology to fight the menace of sexual exploitation of minors. Kutcher also talked about one such tools, Spotlight. The software helped identify about 6000 victims that too in just six months. This software was developed in 2012 after a survey found that 63% of under aged victims were sold or bought online.

The Hollywood star, who is married to Mila Kunis said he aimed to help the victims with his work after he came across their condition. He added that he was moved by a video. It showed a child, of his daughter's age, being raped by an American sex tourist in Cambodia. The child was placed in a situation that led her to believe she was playing a game.

"We were the last line of defence - an actor and his foundation," he said, adding: "That's my day job, and I'm sticking to it," Kutcher said. He ended his speech by requesting the committee to continue their support and partnership.

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