In Los Angeles, a grim reality unfolds on “the Blade,” a notorious stretch of road where young girls, some as young as 12, are openly solicited. This red-light district, infamous for its exploitation, has become a scene where law enforcement struggles to intervene effectively against the appalling activities occurring there.

On a two-mile segment of Figueroa Street, also known disturbingly as “the Kiddle Stroll,” these children are seen flaunting scant attire, catering to the depraved desires of their clients for a mere hundred dollars. Many of these vulnerable young girls have been lured into this life from the foster-care system, having been manipulated through social media platforms, as authorities have indicated.

It’s not uncommon to see these young girls bearing the physical scars of their brutal circumstances, with bruises and split lips marking the violence they endure from their pimps. These assaults are a harsh reminder of the coercive control exerted over them, often as punishment for failing to meet imposed quotas.

In a bid to combat this distressing issue, a collaborative effort was initiated last year by local and federal law enforcement agencies. This initiative aims to dismantle the trafficking networks and provide much-needed rescue and rehabilitation for the victims caught in this nightmarish cycle.

Earlier last year, a group of local and federal law-enforcement agencies launched an initiative to crack down on the trafficking and rescue the victims.

In August, the city attorney’s office announced that 190 traffickers had been arrested and 200 children rescued, some as young as 12.

Yet a trafficking victim interviewed by the New York Times said “the Blade” is now busier than ever before, with young girls being shipped in from across the country.

The growing throngs of exploited children inspired a nickname for the district from the LA city attorney: “Kiddie Stroll.”

At the state level, new laws have hampered authorities’ ability to identify victims and prosecute their traffickers.

Some of these laws were meant to shift blame away from trafficking victims and onto their pimps, including one law passed in 2019 that treats underage prostitutes as victims of abuse rather than criminal offenders.

But another controversial law — SB-357, passed in 2023 — bars law enforcement from approaching an underage victim based on how she’s dressed.

A 12-year-old girl could walk by in lingerie, and there would be nothing a police officer could do about it.

The law kicked off a prostitution free-for-all, critics claim — and not just in Los Angeles.

“Did you know that the traffickers and the buyers were boasting on social media because of the new law that they can openly sell human beings for sex on our streets?” lamented San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan in a press conference.

LA’s notorious Hoover Gang is behind much of the trafficking on Figueroa Street, authorities say.

In August, the US Attorney General announced the arrest of 11 Hoover ringleaders, including Amaya “Lady Duck” Armstead, 25, an alleged prostitution queenpin who was specifically charged with trafficking a 14-year-old girl.

The joint bust by local and federal agencies was a crown jewel in LA’s ongoing fight against exploitation in Los Angeles. Yet business continues to boom.

A recent police ride-along by a Times reporter revealed that young girls are still walking Figueroa Street.

Many of the underage girls arrested by police during that ride-along had been booked before, but they had refused to go to a shelter and ended up back with their pimps.