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In September 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced a $1 million award to the Salvation Army and its partners for a new initiative to reduce and eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Funding will help communities in five selected cities align investigative, prosecutorial, and victim services resources to combat CSEC.

On December 6–8, 2006, the first meeting of the CSEC Community Capacity Building Initiative in Chicago, IL was held. At the meeting, representatives from Federal, State, and local organizations gathered to build alliances in preventing and—ultimately—eliminating practices such as the prostitution of children, child pornography, and the sexual use of children in strip clubs, massage parlors, and escort services.

One report estimates that more than 300,000 children are commercially exploited in the United States, not including children trafficked into the United States from other countries. At the press conference for the meeting, OJJDP Administrator J. Robert Flores said:

The abuse, rape and exploitation of children and adolescents for commercial purposes are morally
reprehensible and particularly degrading and destructive forms of maltreatment. Victims must be protected
and supported. The solution ultimately requires cooperation and information sharing among law enforcement, prosecution, child welfare, education and youth services, and other resources in the community and public and private sectors. This initiative is just such a cooperative effort.

The 2-year cooperative agreement was awarded to the Salvation Army and its primary partners, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS), the Polaris Project, and the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition. The five sites chosen for the initiative are Atlantic City, NJ; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; San Diego, CA; and Washington, DC.

Combating the sexual exploitation of children is a major priority of the Department of Justice. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales announced the Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which brings together the U.S. Attorneys, all levels of law enforcement, and nongovernmental organizations to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children.