SHI Staff, Author at Shared Hope International

May 21, 2015 by SHI Staff

How Arizona is Getting It Right: Four Ways the State is Tackling Trafficking By Focusing on the Buyer

Shared Hope International Releases New Study on Demand Deterrence, Enforcement, and Justice for Victims

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Sex trafficking is a crime unlike any other. It is one of the only crimes that allows a perpetrator to criminalize the victim by paying to commit the offense. In 36 states, including Arizona, child victims of sex trafficking can be charged with prostitution. Yet, historically, the criminals who make their victimization profitable—the buyers—walk free. But new research released today by Shared Hope International reveals that Arizona’s progressive efforts to stem demand makes the state an increasingly risky place for buyers.

“We’re seeing great activity and progress, but until buyers are serving serious jail time for their crime, we have a significant gap in our response,” Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said. “We want buyers to be terrified to shop for sex in Arizona and I believe the team in Arizona can make that possible if they remain relentless in their pursuit of that goal.”

The Demanding Justice Arizona Field Assessment documents the state’s attitudes and efforts to deter demand, enforce laws against buyers, and enable victim’s access to justice. Findings show that Arizona has made advancements in the following key areas:

Collaboration among law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers, media and community organizations drives a unified, cross-jurisdictional response to channel resources and information effectively.
Proactive enforcement sting operations punish offenders and cultivate an environment of increased fear and impending risk for buyers.
Financial penalties for buyers were funding victim services. This resourceful approach provides meaningful consequences for offenders—fines—while enabling much-needed services for victims.
Training and educational opportunities are widely available, advancing the scope and sophistication of anti-demand efforts.

While the state has seen great success, stakeholders expressed a desire to shift more serious attention to male sex trafficking survivors, establish a stigma of zero tolerance for the crime, and increase buyer accountability through meaningful sentences and penalties. Study participants reported that a lack of jury appeal was often attributed to the high prevalence of buyer cases that concluded in plea deals, which can result in less severe sentences. Today, Arizona leaders are convening at the Next Steps Summit to discuss these findings and build a strategy to end demand for child sex trafficking victims. Local professionals will have the opportunity to work collectively to address these key issues. Shared Hope also released Buyers Beware: Mobilizing to End Demand, a new video to inspire law enforcement and prosecutor prioritization of buyer cases.

This research is an initiative of the Demanding Justice Project, a research and advocacy initiative designed to promote demand deterrence through increased attention and advocacy on demand related issues. The Demanding Justice Report explores national trends in the enforcement of anti-demand laws and www.demandingjustice.org documents convicted buyers in each state.

Media Contact
Taryn Offenbacher
Communications Director, Shared Hope International
602-818-3955 cell
taryn@sharedhope.org

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International leads a worldwide effort to prevent, restore, and bring justice women and children exploited through sex trafficking. For more information about Shared Hope International, visit www.sharedhope.org.

May 19, 2015 by SHI Staff

Congress Passes Landmark Bill: Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act

Arlington, VA—Today, in a landmark legislative victory, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Senate package of S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. The bill will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

Shared Hope International has actively supported the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act since initially introduced in 2013. The JVTA is a comprehensive piece of legislation that will provide much needed funding for law enforcement and survivors, increase accountability for buyers by clarifying trafficking offenses to include their conduct and heighten penalties, and expand law enforcement investigation tools.

Shared Hope International applauds Senate leadership, particularly Senators John Cornyn, Patty Murray and Harry Reid, for reaching a bi-partisan deal last month after the bill threatened to stall and the original bill sponsors, Representatives Ted Poe and Carolyn Maloney.

“This long-awaited bill promises to revolutionize America’s response to trafficking. It set a national precedent by establishing a standard of justice that clearly addresses the sophistication of the crime and sets forth provisions victims need and deserve. I commend Congress on their unwavering commitment to bring justice to victims of trafficking,” Said Congresswoman Linda Smith, President and Founder Shared Hope International (U.S. Congress 1995-99).

MEDIA CONTACT

Taryn Offenbacher
Communications Director
703.351.8062 office / 602.818.3955 cell
Taryn@sharedhope.org
SHARED HOPE POLICY INITIATIVES

The Protected Innocence Challenge is a comprehensive study of state laws. Under the Challenge, every state receives a Report Card that grades the state on 41 key legislative components that must be addressed in a state’s laws in order to effectively respond to the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking. In addition, each state receives a complete analysis of this 41-component review and practical recommendations for improvement.

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International exists to prevent, restore, and bring justice women and children in crisis. Founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, we are leaders in a worldwide effort to eradicate sex trafficking and slavery. www.sharedhope.org.

May 1, 2015 by SHI Staff

6 Summits Challenge Refocuses Efforts in Nepal After Natural Disasters

BALTIMORE, MD (APRIL 30, 2015) – This morning, April 30, 2015, Nick Cienski, Mission 14 Founder and CEO and Under Armour Senior Director of Innovation, along with the Mission 14 and 6 Summits Challenge team at Everest Base Camp (EBC), have decided to discontinue climbing Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu as part of the 6 Summits Challenge. This decision was made out of respect for the families and individuals who have lost lives and homes during this terrible disaster.

“We feel it would be wrong for us to continue climbing these mountains,” said Cienski. “We have made the decision to rededicate our efforts in Kathmandu and provide help alongside our existing partner organizations such as Tiny Hands International, Shared Hope, and Catholic Relief Services.”

“We are still committed to the 6 Summits Challenge and raising global awareness for human trafficking by setting a world climbing record, as we were before the earthquake in Nepal. In the coming days and weeks, we will work closely with Russell Brice and our sponsor corporations to put a plan together that still makes this a possibility,” Cienski continues. “We want to thank everyone who supports this expedition and mission, and encourage you to BE BRAVE to continue to do good work in this fight for justice for all humanity.”

The 6 Summits Challenge team has been at EBC since early April acclimatizing for their expedition. Nick Cienski, Sandi Cienski – Mission 14 Director of Operations, Elia Saikaly – 6 Summits Challenge Videographer, Russell Brice – Himalayan Experience Owner and expedition leader, climbers Jarek Gawrysiak, Pawel Michalski, and Simone La Terra (Makalu base camp) are all unharmed.

6 Summits

About Mission 14 (www.mission14.org)
Mission 14®, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2011, was created to discover new and engaging ways to raise awareness, engage difference makers, and to financially resource existing best-in-class direct-service non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking with a focus on the trafficking of children.

About 6 Summits Challenge (www.6summitschallenge.com)
6 Summits seeks to become a world record-setting expedition focused on attracting a global audience to raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking and the fight for fundamental human rights and justice.

April 29, 2015 by SHI Staff

Our Relief Efforts in Nepal

Providing Emergency Aid and Rebuilding Village of Hope for Women and Children

In 2002, Shared Hope built a Village of Hope, Asha Nepal (translated Hope Nepal), to serve as a permanent home for women and children who were fleeing from situations of sex trafficking. At that time, most had been trafficked from Nepal to India and with our support were finally able to return to their home country. Since then, Asha Nepal has taken in many more Nepalese victims of sex trafficking. It is also home to children who have escaped a future in the brothel and have grown up to be leaders of Asha Nepal. Many Shared Hope donors met Manisha, Pooja, Savita, and Ajay along with founder Bimala last year when they joined us in the U.S. to help celebrate Shared Hope’s 16^th anniversary.

In the spring of 2015, two earthquakes devastated the village and its residents. Women and children are sleeping outside in rain-soaked tents, cooking meager provisions over open fires, and the security wall has been destroyed leaving them exposed and vulnerable.

We are their primary source of support and thanks to the support of dedicated donors, we have been able to rush emergency aid and plan for immediate repair of the buildings to ensure the safety and health of our residents.

FOOD

Ongoing aftershocks have prevented entry to the building to retrieve possessions and prohibit access to the kitchen which is on the top floor of the home. The water tank fell off the roof and there is concern for potable water. Food is scarce and cooking their meager provisions on open fires is difficult. We provided emergency funds to provide food and drinking water to residents. We worked with local partners to help facilitate ongoing support for residents during this time.

SHELTER

The Village of Hope consists of multiple homes and communal buildings which have been damaged by the earthquake. Shared Hope coordinated a team of engineers to assess the damage and prepare a plan to repair the buildings. We must work quickly to ensure construction begins before monsoon season (typically beginning in June) threatens to delay progress. Local aid provided tents for our residents but heavy rains soaked the floors. Our partners at Mission 14 visited our Village of Hope and generously donated more substantial, weather-proof tents to provide better protection to residents made vulnerable to the elements because of HIV or illness.

SECURITY

The wall securing the perimeter around Asha Nepal has been destroyed, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable to looters and those seeking to exploit individuals devastated by the earthquake. We are working to install a security team to ensure the safety of our residents until the wall can be rebuilt.

Update From the Field

We rushed emergency food, water, and tents, and also sent engineers to plan repairs and reconstruction. With the generous help of friends across America, Shared Hope began rebuilding Asha Nepal: walls, floors, ceilings, plumbing, carpeting, septic tanks, electric and telephone lines. We’ve also painted the whole building, added security walls around the compound, and put up three pre-fabricated houses.

There are still tremors. We’re still at work but the housing areas are safe, and inhabited. The children are back in school. Lives are on track!

Thank you to all who helped us meet the immediate needs — and to those who stood with us to repair the home, so the women and children in our care can continue to live in safety and freedom..

April 22, 2015 by SHI Staff

Senators Pass Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act After Much Debate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE S.178

Arlington, VA— Shared Hope International applauds the Senate, particularly the leadership of Senators John Cornyn, Patty Murray and Harry Reid, for reaching a bi-partisan agreement that passed with a 99-0 vote and moved the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) forward to the House of Representatives. The amendment ensures that law enforcement will receive funding for training and that victims of sex trafficking will be able to receive comprehensive services on their path towards restoration.

“I commend Senators Cornyn, Reid and Murray on their unwavering commitment to bring justice to victims of trafficking. My own time in Congress provided a constant reminder that it takes much courage and passion to remain steadfast in your moral grounding, and today’s vote proves that the Senate is still able to put human rights above politics.” –Congresswoman Linda Smith, President and Founder Shared Hope International (U.S. Congress 1995-1999).

Shared Hope has supported the advancements of the JVTA since it was introduced in 2013. Not only will the bill provide much needed funding for law enforcement and survivors, it will also:

Clarify current law and codify federal appellate case law confirming that the conduct of buyers who “solicit” and “patronize” commercial sex with a child are committing the crime of sex trafficking. Buyers of sex acts with children fuel sex trafficking markets. Without demand, traffickers will lose their profits, and countless children will be spared the horrors of sexual exploitation.
Authorize state and local law enforcement to obtain wiretaps in state courts, without federal approval, to investigate trafficking and CSEC offenses more effectively.
Hold predators accountable for the harms they cause. The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act would require certain federal offenders to pay an additional special assessment of $5,000 upon conviction for child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and other related crimes. The assessment, which would be payable after orders of restitution and criminal fines are paid in full by the offender, would be directed into the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund to help pay for victim services and law enforcement prevention efforts.

With the JVTA’s successful passage out of the Senate today, advocates are now turning their attention to the House of Representatives and the President to ensure that this critical legislation is passed!

MEDIA CONTACT

Taryn Offenbacher, Director of Communications
Taryn@sharedhope.org | 602-818- 3955

SHARED HOPE POLICY INITIATIVES

MEDIA MATERIALS

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including sex trafficking survivor comments, are available at this location: https://vimeo.com/user12564384/videos. Videos are password protected, please contact Taryn Offenbacher for access.

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International was founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, and exists to prevent, restore, and bring justice women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to eradicate sex trafficking and slavery. www.sharedhope.org.

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