SHI Staff, Author at Shared Hope International

July 24, 2020 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope International Attends: OSCE 20th Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons

By: Natalie Assaad

The OSCE Office of the Special Representative and Co-Ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings held the 20^th OSCE Alliance Conference against Trafficking in Persons this past week from July 20 – 22, 2020. In reflection of the 20^th anniversary of the passing of the Palermo protocol, the conference focused on the lack of impunity of trafficking perpetrators globally. Despite an estimated 25 million victims of trafficking, only 11,096 traffickers were prosecuted in 2019. This amounts to approximately one prosecution for every 2,275 victims.

Conducting financial investigations in trafficking cases was emphasized by panelists and speakers, and first discussed by Albania’s Minister of Interior, Mr. Sandër Lleshaj. He discussed the importance of confiscating money and assets in trafficking cases, which was addressed by an Albanian law passed in 2020. This law requires individuals to prove the legality and origins of their assets if they were previously convicted of a particular set of criminal activities, including human trafficking. Barry Koch, Commissioner on the Financial Sector Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, further discussed the use of financial data and records as effective weapons in fighting trafficking. Not only does financial data identify victims and perpetrators, but it proves coercion, corroborates witness testimony, and is the driving force behind a perpetrator’s activities. Mr. Koch recommended expanding the use of forfeiture assets to provide remedies to survivors, implementing global standards of crypto currency and the dark web to prevent criminal anonymity, and encouraging financial institutions to conduct periodic risk assessments to evaluate their exposure to human trafficking.

Ghada Waly, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) discussed the effects of COVID-19 on human trafficking. The UNODC found that the increase in time spent online has provided traffickers with more opportunities to exploit victims while surges in poverty rates has heightened victim vulnerability. The UNODC also looked at past economic recessions and pandemics to study how the current pandemic may exacerbate trafficking. They found that countries who had higher unemployment rates as a result of not recovering as fast as other countries also had an increase in cross-border human trafficking.

Hilary Axam, the Director of the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit at the Department of Justice, emphasized the need for a victim-centered, trauma-informed response for survivors, along with the necessity of political will. Not only does a victim-centered, trauma-informed response require intensive training, but it requires the unlearning of typical training law enforcement receives. For example, a survivor’s difficulty in recalling memories, emotional reactions, or conflicting statements are typically viewed as unreliable by law enforcement, however trauma-informed expertise indicates that these actions are common in traumatized survivors. Further, mobilizing political will is crucial, but is a resource-intensive undertaking that does not provide quick results.

On the last day, Dr. Myria Vassiliadou, an independent expert and former EU anti-trafficking coordinator, provided a compelling presentation on anti-demand and the trafficking chain. Dr. Vassiliadou pointed out that our culture not only tolerates tens of thousands of trafficking victims but normalizes it through society and criminal justice systems. She stated that any criminal justice system that treats trafficking in a restricted manner by focusing only on the trafficker or victim instead of the trafficking chain and driving forces is bound to fail – as proven by the current statistics of prosecutions and victims internationally. Dr. Vassiliadou stressed the fact that trafficking is purely economically driven, and that impunity can only be achieved by eliminating economic demand.

Valiant Richey, Special Representative and Co-Ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, ended the conference with a necessary proposal –that all participating states triple the number of current prosecutions within the next three years. Mr. Richey stated that his office will offer support to participating states in designing and implementing effective strategies, such as training judges and law enforcement, conducting more financial investigations, building more prosecutions without survivor testimony, and implementing victim-centered, trauma-informed approaches.

Though shared from an international perspective, several of the themes and concerns addressed throughout the conference directly impact the United States’ response to domestic minor sex trafficking. For example, Dr. Vassiliadou emphasized the need to diminish demand and address the entire trafficking chain. Under federal law, buyers can be identified as sex trafficking offenders with or without the existence of an identified trafficker. However, the trafficking laws in several states exclude buyer conduct, and others fail to prosecute buyers despite their laws. In recognizing that the sex trafficking industry is fueled by demand and failing to address it comes at the cost of thousands of children’s lives, Shared Hope has developed a body of anti-demand resources. For more information, please visit https://sharedhope.org/resources/policy-research-resources/#endingdemand.

Further, the conference’s emphasis on political will strongly aligns with Shared Hope’s policy work. Shared Hope works tirelessly with survivors, advocates, and legislators to reform legislation in order to promote the non-criminalization of child survivors and the implementation of specialized services. This avoids re-traumatization of child survivors and equips states to respond with a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach through individualized, specialized services. For more information on Shared Hope’s non-criminalization efforts, please visit https://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/bring-justice/non-crim/. You can also take action by signing Shared Hope’s petition to end the criminalization of child sex trafficking survivors.

January 23, 2020 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope International Releases Sex Trafficking Victim-Offender Intersectionality Report, Promoting Just Responses to Victims in the Criminal Justice System

The collaboration with the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at Villanova Law follows a three-year study of the phenomenon of treating sex trafficking victims as criminals

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shared Hope International, a non-profit leader in the fight to eradicate domestic minor sex trafficking, today announced the release of “Responding to Sex Trafficking Victim-Offender Intersectionality: A Guide for Criminal Justice Stakeholders”. A collaboration of Shared Hope’s JuST Response Council and the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE Institute) at Villanova Law, the report will serve as a field guide for criminal justice stakeholders, supporting an overall shift toward a victim-centered approach that recognizes a survivor’s underlying victimization when facing sex trafficking charges.

Shared Hope unveiled the report during a presentation and panel discussion at its Institute for Justice & Advocacy, a Washington, D.C.-based education, research and training center, which opened today.

The report provides resources for anyone who interacts with a sex trafficking victim-offender within the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, judges, defense attorneys, probation officers and victim witness advocates. It seeks to mitigate the risk of injustice when the control exerted by sex traffickers and the influence of trauma on a victim’s decision-making and behavior are not considered.

“A sea change is still needed in how our world looks at, responds to and cares for sex trafficking victims,” said Linda Smith, Shared Hope’s founder and president, and a former U.S. Congresswoman. “This report is a long-overdue resource for understanding and addressing the circumstances that result in treating victims as criminals.”

The CSE Institute educates and provides technical assistance to those who respond to commercial sexual exploitation, promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed multidisciplinary collaboration.

“As a former prosecutor who now routinely educates prosecutors and engages in policy and legislative reforms, I consistently remind prosecutors that the most powerful tool they have is the one of discretion,” said Shea Rhodes, director and co-founder of the CSE Institute. “When making decisions about which cases to charge and bring to trial, it is critical that prosecutors investigate trafficking cases using victim-centered trauma-informed strategies to ensure that the outcomes are fair and just for all involved.”

For the last decade, Shared Hope has graded states on the strength of their child sex trafficking laws through its Protected Innocence Challenge. While the national average grade rose from an F to a B since the Challenge began, the grade for victim protection laws is barely a C at 71.2 percent.

“While we recognize the challenges that arise when trafficking victims are alleged to have engaged in trafficking conduct, approaches such as charging victims as co-conspirators, which effectively deny their underlying victimization and prevent access to comprehensive services, harm victims as well as the effort to bring their exploiters to justice,” said Christine Raino, Shared Hope’s senior director of public policy. “The progress made crafting new legislation that properly punishes sex traffickers is undermined when the laws are implemented in a way that is not victim-centered and trauma-informed.”

The field guidance focuses on three primary objectives:

To improve identification of sex trafficking victim-offenders who have come into contact with the criminal justice system
To enhance understanding of victim-offenders’ conduct through a sex trafficking- and trauma-informed lens
To identify alternative responses to victim-offenders that take into account the impact of their own victimization on their potential involvement in sex trafficking conduct

Shared Hope’s JuST Response Council comprises policy advocates, government officials, medical professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, academics and service providers. Several members are survivor leaders. Members share the goals of preventing juveniles from becoming sex trafficking victims and ensuring that youth who have been trafficked have access to the tools and support necessary to heal from the trauma they have endured and the skills to create and sustain a life away from trafficking.

To read the “Responding to Sex Trafficking Victim-Offender Intersectionality: A Guide for Criminal Justice Stakeholders” report, visit https://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/bring-justice/just-response-council/

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL
Founded in 1998 by then U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope International strives to prevent the conditions that foster sex trafficking, restore victims of sex slavery, and bring justice to vulnerable women and children. A non-profit Christian organization, Shared Hope engages in diverse activities that confront sex trafficking in communities throughout America. Our efforts include training first responders and community members to identify warning signs of trafficking and employ intervention techniques to rescue child trafficking victims; providing restorative services to affected children and women; and offering legislative support to those focused on strengthening laws that fight child sex trafficking. Our vision is to coordinate a national U.S. network of protection to improve the response to victims of trafficking. We believe we can create a world where every survivor is surrounded by trained professionals, an alert community, just law and policy, knowledgeable service providers and appropriate shelter options.

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Ostmann, RoseComm for Shared Hope International, rostmann@rosecomm.com, 201-615-7751.

January 23, 2020 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope International Launches Institute for Justice & Advocacy in Washington, D.C.

New center is a home for education, research and training of advocates and stakeholders in the fight to end sex trafficking and eliminate bias against victims

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shared Hope International, a non-profit leader in the fight to eradicate domestic minor sex trafficking, today announced the opening of the Shared Hope Institute for Justice & Advocacy in Washington, D.C. Located just blocks from the White House, the Institute concentrates the power of Shared Hope’s collective resources under one roof and amplifies the voice of sex trafficking survivors from across the country. It offers education, research and training for advocates and stakeholders – including law enforcement, social workers, lawyers, first responders, doctors, legislators and judges – working to eliminate bias against victims in the ways laws are both written and applied.

Founded in 1998 by then-U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope has a two-decade history working to prevent domestic minor sex trafficking, supporting restoration for trafficking victims and bringing justice to the vulnerable people it impacts. The organization also ensures the buyers who create the demand for commercial sex with a child are brought to justice. In 2011, Shared Hope introduced the Protected Innocence Challenge, an annual state-by-state report card that identifies gaps in laws and provides a blueprint for legislative action.

“Opening the doors of the Institute for Justice & Advocacy marks a seminal event in our nation’s battle against sexual exploitation of minors,” said Smith, Shared Hope’s president and a member of the President’s Public-Private Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking. “In this space, advocates from across the country will come together to dig deeper, tackling current and emerging challenges and influencing federal legislation to better protect vulnerable women and children.”

The Institute for Justice & Advocacy became a reality after Shared Hope raised $3 million in five months to purchase the entire second floor of 1016 16th Street NW. It provides an on-the-ground presence and close proximity to the nation’s seat of power, giving Shared Hope a platform to influence the government and reach the entire nation.

American girls and boys are sold and bought for sex by men in the U.S. every day. It’s a heinous crime and an epidemic that exploits countless victims each year.

Shared Hope believes trafficked young girls and boys are victims who need to be protected, not treated as criminals or delinquent youth. The bias in our laws allows 20 states to label a child victim of trafficking as a prostitute and lets a buyer walk without legal consequence while their victim is charged with a crime.

“The word ‘justice’ in the Institute’s name is critical, as both buyers and sellers continue to escape justice and survivors are denied justice,” said Smith. “This fight starts with bridging the knowledge gap. If you care about protecting vulnerable children in communities across the country, we urge you to educate yourself and other people in your life.”

Today, Shared Hope International’s JuST Response Council will also release the report, “Responding to Sex Trafficking Victim-Offender Intersectionality: A Guide for Criminal Justice Stakeholders” in partnership with the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at Villanova Law. The report explores the phenomenon of victims facing criminal consequences for offenses that result from their trafficking, and provides tools criminal justice stakeholders can use to deal with cases in a just and trauma-informed manner.

To learn more about the Shared Hope Institute for Justice & Advocacy, visit https://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/bring-justice/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Ostmann, RoseComm for Shared Hope International, rostmann@rosecomm.com, 201-615-7751.

January 23, 2020 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope International Launches Institute for Justice & Advocacy in Washington, D.C.

New center is a home for education, research and training of advocates and stakeholders in the fight to end sex trafficking and eliminate bias against victims

American girls and boys are sold and bought for sex by men in the U.S. every day. It’s a heinous crime and an epidemic that exploits countless victims each year.

To learn more about the Shared Hope Institute for Justice & Advocacy, visit https://sharedhopesstg.wpenginepowered.com/what-we-do/bring-justice/

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Ostmann, RoseComm for Shared Hope International, rostmann@rosecomm.com, 201-615-7751.

December 13, 2019 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope Attends: Women of Color Against the Sex Trade

Shared Hope had the opportunity to attend SPACE International’s Women of Color Against the Sex Trade panel discussions co-hosted last week by Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and the Roosevelt House’s Human Rights program in New York and by Rights4Girls in Washington D.C.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019, New York City – Brittany Peck, CEM, Training Events Specialist

Co-hosted by the Roosevelt House in NYC, formerly the home of Eleanor Roosevelt, a well-known global advocate for human rights, the mood of the event was inspired by the setting.

Two panel discussions took place with survivor leaders from all over the world sharing their expertise as leaders in anti-trafficking. The first panel addressed, “Frontline Services: Tools and Strategies to Help Survivors Rebuild Their Lives.” Panelists discussed the importance of providing survivors with housing, vocational training and support in establishing self-sufficiency. They stressed that without the stability of a home, it is very difficult to focus on other services in place to help rebuild one’s life. They explained the role “survival sex” plays in why people enter the life due to systemic oppression whether that includes race, poverty or citizenship status, many of these intersecting. Panelists provided statistics demonstrating how disproportionately women of color are targeted for prostitution and trafficking. The panel also discussed that violence can often be more aggressive and prominent against survivors of color. This is rooted in oppressive ideologies like colonialism, racism and sexism.

The second panel addressed “How Did We Get Here and What is the Way Out? The Sex Trade and the Cradles of Patriarchy, Race and Colonialism.” Panelists discussed different legislative models including decriminalization, full criminalization and the Equality Model. Panelists stressed that prostitution is a human rights issue and that it stems from the oppressive systems that make prostitution an option for those who lack resources. The panelists concluded that purchasing sex is about abuse and power, not liberation.

Thursday, December 5, 2019, Washington D.C. – Camryn Peterson, Digital Advocacy Manager

Thursday’s panel was co-hosted by Rights4Girls, a human rights organization focused on ending violence against women and girls in the United States, which includes those victimized by sex trafficking.

The panel in D.C., “Women of Color Against the Sex Trade,” brought together women from across the world to share their stories and bring light to the reality that women of color make up over half of sex trafficking victims. Throughout the evening, the women discussed the three legal responses to commercialized sex: legalization, decriminalization, and the Equality Model. The Equality Model, also known as the Nordic Model, is currently being discussed in New York and has been introduced in Maine. This type of legislation would penalize buyers and exploiters, not those selling commercial sex. This model aims to decrease the demand for commercialized sex, and therefore decrease sex trafficking, resulting in more protections for women and child victims of sex trafficking.

The panel further discussed how the commercialized sex industry is propelled by misogyny, patriarchy, and capitalism in our societies. Tina Frundt, the Founder and Executive Director of Courtney’s House in D.C. recounted her recent personal story of men soliciting her for sex while she was walking her dog. Many other women on the panel shared similar stories. Frundt later stated that “male entitlement within the commercialized sex industry leads to higher demand, which leads to higher supply.” To end this cycle, the buyers and other exploiters must be held accountable for their role in this system, while those engaged in commercial sex should receive services to enable them to exit the industry. Just a few months ago, D.C. Councilmembers brought forward a bill aimed at fully decriminalizing the commercial sex industry in the city, but after 14 hours of testimonies, the bill was killed and vulnerable women and children were further protected from the sex trade. To review Shared Hope Internationals written testimony in opposition to D.C. Bill 23-0318, click here.

The next Women of Color Against the Sex Trade event will take place in London on February 21.