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Home>Archives for SHI Staff

August 27, 2013 by SHI Staff

Keeping Watch Over Schools

busKids are heading back to school and jumping into another year of learning. Let’s make sure that they are learning about how to stay safe within the school system as well. This first of a two part blog discusses the connection between sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

It is difficult to imagine someone with whom children are trusted everyday could possibly abuse that trust. Unfortunately, it does happen. In our school systems there are those that use their position to get close to children in order to sexually abuse them. In some cases, this goes beyond sexual abuse and into trafficking.

We see more cases of a school employee sexually abusing a child than we see of a school employee trafficking one. However, a childhood history of sexual abuse leaves a minor more vulnerable to sex trafficking, which multiple studies have confirmed. “For example, a study of 106 adult women in Boston who were incarcerated for prostitution-related offenses or had ever been arrested for prostitution-related offenses found that 68 percent of the women reported having been sexually abused before the age of 10 and almost half reported being raped before the age of 10 (Norton-Hawk, 2002)” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States: A Review of the Literature, 2009).

Some school employees have also had a hand in trafficking minors. For example, in June of this year a New York trafficking survivor came forward and shared her story. Brianna was nine years old when her school janitor kidnapped her, raped her, and then sold her to a pimp. Eventually she escaped, only to fall into the hands of another pimp. She was arrested at 13 for prostitution and made to testify against her pimp. ““This man who owned me as a slave, who sold me to child rapists, who profited off of my body deserves to be punished more harshly,” Brianna said. There was also a California case this year in which a Moreno Valley school board member attempted to recruit two underage girls to become a part of the prostitution ring he ran out of his home. During the course of his trial it was revealed that in addition to the three women he was already prostituting, he attempted to draw in two minors.

So what can you do in this situation? Talk to children and teens! You can use Chosen as a tool to open the door to conversation and to make them aware of the dangers of sex trafficking. Shared Hope created this documentary, which tells the story of two teenage girls who were tricked into trafficking.

Teach students about appropriate and inappropriate interaction with school employees. Show them that you are open to listening to them if they feel unsafe around or have been abused by someone in the school system. People generally believe that school employees are often falsely accused of sexual abuse. “In a 1991 review of false or mistaken accusations of sexual abuse, Yates concludes that the majority of false accusations occur in custody cases and that in other circumstances, the incidence of false accusations appears rare” (U.S. Department of Education, Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature, 2004). Victims of sexual abuse need to know that they will be heard because so often an abuser will tell them that no one would believe them if they say anything. We have to remain vigilant to ensure that they understand that they will be protected and defended.

In the next blog, you will learn more about the steps you can take to protect children and teens in schools.

August 22, 2013 by SHI Staff

Announcing 2013 Pathbreaker Award Recipients

This year Shared Hope International is proud to honor the men and women who stand bravely against the force that drives the commercial sex industry: demand. The force of the buyer is powerful and is responsible for the estimated 100,000 American children who are exploited through sex trafficking every single year in the U.S. The 2013 Pathbreaker Award recipients have developed innovative strategies to combat demand and have inspired a culture of zero tolerance for those who purchase sex with children. These Pathbreakers join those of prior years who have led the fight against sex trafficking.

tedpoeCongressman Judge Ted Poe

Second Congressional District of Texas

Congressman Poe is a dedicated ally in the battle against demand and a longtime advocate for victim rights. Congressman Poe sponsored the End Sex Trafficking Act of 2013, H.R. 2805, in July 2013. This bill amends the TVPA to clarify the range of conduct punished as sex trafficking to specifically include the conduct of buyers. The bill adds just two verbs: “patronize” and “solicit,” but will be a critical clarification of the intent of Congress to prevent, deter and punish demand.  The bill also directs the U.S. Attorney General to engage existing task forces and working groups to increase the investigation and prosecution of demand.

In 2012, Congressman Poe rallied the crowd during the 2012 Protected Innocence Challenge press conference with his stern, unapologetic promise to keep his target aimed on buyers. Watch his inspiring speech here.

In 2006, he established the bipartisan Victims’ Rights Caucus (VRC) to advocate on behalf of victims and to serve as their voice. As co-chair of the VRC, Congressman Poe plays a vital role in passing legislation to safeguard our children and to advocate for the needs and issues facing crime victims. Congressman Poe also proudly serves on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees where he fights for increasing victims’ rights as well as international human rights.

Prior to serving in Congress, Congressman Poe served as a judge for 22 years where he oversaw 20,000 of the worst criminal cases and 8 years as a prosecutor where, as chief felony prosecutor, he never lost a jury trial. Congressman Poe is known for his creative sentences, hard-nosed approach to enforcing the law, and compassion for crime victims.

cynthiacordesCynthia Cordes

Assistant United States Attorney and Human Trafficking Coordinator
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri

Ms. Cordes is the first federal prosecutor in the country to use the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) to prosecute buyers of sex acts with minors. Her strategic use of this powerful law has helped obtain sentences from 10 to 15 years in federal prison for buyers. In 2006, she spearheaded and has continued to lead the Human Trafficking Rescue Project (HTRP), the local human trafficking task force in Kansas City, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement and victim service providers. Prior to her commencement of the task force, a human trafficking case had never been prosecuted in the history of the district. She has now prosecuted more human trafficking cases than any Assistant U.S. Attorney in the country.

Ms. Cordes presented at Shared Hope’s 2008 Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Conference in Dallas, TX during which Linda Smith challenged the prevailing interpretation and use of the TVPA to prosecute just traffickers, not buyers. Ms. Cordes returned to Kansas City and upon further examination of the statue and collaboration with the Task Force, developed a breakthrough buyer sting. In 2009, she designed and created a unique undercover sting, known as Operation Guardian Angel, to specifically target those who purchase children for sexual acts from traffickers in an effort to address the demand side of commercial sex trafficking. Her use of the TVPA has been affirmed by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and she has trained other investigators to employ the same sting operation in their cities.

Photography by Noah Wolf Photography, Inc.Vednita Carter

Founder and Executive Director
Breaking Free, St. Paul, Minnesota

Vednita Carter is the matriarch of the anti-demand movement; a survivor who understands the impact demand has on the trafficked person and the industry. In 1996, she founded Breaking Free and today her organization serves 400-500 sex trafficked women and girls each year.

In 1999, Breaking Free developed one of the first Offenders Prostitution Programs (“John school”) in the nation to respond to the ineffective and damaging cycle of response to prostituted women. At the time, prostituted women were being arrested and buyers were required to pay a fine, with no additional punishment, leaving buyers completely undeterred. Through a partnership with local law enforcement, the City Attorney, survivors, and others, the Offenders Prostitution Program educates buyers– those who pay for sex with an adult–on the social, community, health and human consequences of their behavior. Ms. Carter has extensive experience in developing and planning programs for sex trafficked women and girls and serves a role model and leader for other survivors.

In 2012, she was invited to the White House to participate on President Obama’s committee on human trafficking as an expert in her field, as well as to New York to address the United Nations on the issue of domestic sex trafficking and the model programs developed by Breaking Free (2013). She has premiered in several documentaries including her own “A Day in The Life” to be released in 2013. She has dedicated her life to advocating for, rescuing and restoring victims of prostitution.

Don’t miss the celebration of the 2013 Pathbreaker Award recipients at:

Sharing the Hope Gala and Pathbreaker Award Ceremony 

Washington, D.C.

November 8

Click here for the complete conference agenda, including Pathbreaker Award Reception and Gala, Networking Reception, National Colloquium, Protected Innocence Challenge Press Conference, tour of Congress with Congresswoman Linda Smith and more!

Buy Tickets Now!

August 20, 2013 by SHI Staff

“You just don’t get it!”: Understand the teenage brain and its vulnerability

Teenager with DepressionThe average age of entry into commercial sexual exploitation is 13 years old. At this age, the brain has started an important stage of development during which a teenager is gaining vital decision-making skills. A trafficker understands that the teenager is going through pivotal changes and manipulates them during this tender point. They capture them young and create bonds that solidify as this brain development continues.

A teenager can sometimes seem like an alien who has taken over the body of a previously delightful child. At this age, they seriously begin questioning why they shouldn’t jump off the proverbial bridge if everyone else is. Adults wonder, ‘What is wrong with them?’ Well…nothing is wrong. Teenage years are a key time in brain development. Unfortunately, this makes teenagers prime targets for traffickers. The average age that children are first exploited in sex trafficking is 13.

As soon as puberty hits, the brain begins a massive undertaking that lasts until about the age of 25. This amazing process is integral in developing humans with more sophisticated reasoning and decision-making. Here are the highlights:

1. The brain begins to prune away synapses, which help signals pass throughout the brain. Those that have never been used are removed, effectively “de-cluttering” the brain and allowing for faster thinking.

2. The connection between the frontal lobe and the hippocampus strengthens. The frontal lobe is responsible for decision-making. The hippocampus plays a role in processing experiences and storing them as memories. It is particularly stimulated by new experiences. When these two parts combine, the brain is able to better use experience to inform decisions. However, during adolescence the hippocampus highly craves new experiences. This leads teenagers to take more risks than they would have before.

3. The connection between the right and left sides of the brain strengthens. This allows for more complex thinking processes. A teen is learning to weigh several factors at once.

(David Dobbs, “Beautiful Brains,” http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/10/teenage-brains/dobbs-text; Richard Know, “The Teenage Brain: It’s Just Not Grown Up Yet,” http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124119468; Sarah Jayne Blackmore, “The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain,” http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_jayne_blakemore_the_mysterious_workings_of_the_adolescent_brain.html)

With all of these changes, teens are vulnerable to traffickers who have mastered manipulation. The trafficker perceives that teenagers feel misunderstood and knows that a teenager will be drawn to someone who shows sympathy. In order to appeal to their increased attraction to novelty and risk, the trafficker provides an environment different from what they have experienced to date. The trafficker also understands that an adolescent craves acceptance from those outside of the home. This is the brain preparing the adolescent to leave the nest one day. Anna was 12 when a trafficker slowly and sweetly inserted himself into her trust. She felt misunderstood and was afraid that her adoptive Christian family would give her back like so many foster parents had in the past. He listened to her fears, becoming her best and only friend. After a fight with her mother, Anna ran away with her friend…who then trafficked her. Anna was only 13 years old and her pimp became her world.

Because they only are beginning to use their brains’ connection between experience and decision making, teens are ripe for a trafficker’s twisted influence. Every teen is vulnerable. So, how do you protect these young people? Keep watch. If you see signs that a girl is at risk of being trafficked, ask questions. Teach them about the dangers they face by showing them Chosen, a resource Shared Hope created to make the conversation easier. This documentary tells the story of two teenage girls who were tricked into trafficking.

Don’t forget to also patiently show love, support, and guidance. And make an effort to foster a teen’s increased attraction to risk. Granting them new experiences in a productive, safe, and healthy environment is invaluable to their brain development and it ensures that they are protected during the process.

If you need help or guidance, or want to report a suspected case of human trafficking, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Tipline 1-800-THE-LOST.

August 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

5 Scary Statistics About Internet Safety

internet safetyA new poll released by Netmums revealed shocking statistics on internet use by children. The survey of 825 children aged between seven and 16 and 1,127 adults showed that 16.7% of parents allowed children three years old or younger to go online. However, the most alarming statistics show how exposed and vulnerable children are online.

1. 42.1% of kids admit they have seen online porn. One in 16 have been exposed to hardcore pornography.
2. One in 12 have exchanged messages with sexual content to other people, while one in 25 have sent graphic photos of themselves.
3. 25% of children get away with pretending to be older to get an account online.
4. One in 20 children admitted arranging a secret meeting with someone they met online.
5. Almost three in 10 parents (29%) let their kids use the internet without any restrictions or supervision.

Child protection organizations have developed safety tools to help combat children’s ignorance and vulnerability to online predators.

Education

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has developed NetSmartz, a program that creates interactive, educational safety resources for children ages 5 to seventeen.
“Through age-appropriate activities, games, videos and safety presentations, NetSmartz prepares children to behave responsibly when confronted with issues such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, online exploitation, revealing too much information, sexting and scams.” Netsmartzkids.org

In addition, NCMEC has created NetSmartz411, an online service to answer questions about internet safety, computers and the web. The site provides an online library for parents to find answers to their online safety questions. Visit www.netsmartz411.org for more information.

Protection:

Today, parents have a wide array of online safety restrictions available to help protect their children. Sheild Genie is a comprehensive parental control software that allows parents to limit or remove access online content and games, shield children from inappropriate contacts or advances, monitor and record all computer activity, alert dangerous behavior, receive danger alerts by text or e-mail and place restrictions on sharing personal information.

Report:

NCMEC, in partnership with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, military criminal investigative organizations, U.S. Department of Justice, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program, and state and local law enforcement agencies, operates a CyberTipline which receives leads and tips regarding suspected crimes of child sexual exploitation. The public can submit suspicious activity or suspected exploitation to the CyperTipeline 24/7. The TipLine is monitored by well-trained analysts who provide the information to law enforcement for investigation. According to NCMEC, over 1.7 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been made between 1998 and December 2012. Click here to make a CyperTipline report.

To learn more about internet safety and child sex trafficking, join us November 7-9 at Sharing the Hope for workshops and training sessions led by over 25 national experts, including presenters from NCMEC.

August 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

Dreamworks “Turbo” – ‘Pimp My Shell’ Activism Victory

turbomovie

Recently, one of our Defenders Captains, Richard Aronson, sent a letter to DreamWorks Animation Studios asking them to stop using the term “pimp my shell” in the promotion, trailers, and animated film “Turbo”. This is a great example of how one person, or a small group of people, can make significant social and cultural change. Thanks for being a stand up Defender, Richard!

Here is his initial letter:

Hello Miss Rawlings, 

I am writing to voice my concern over the use of the term ‘Pimp my shell’ in DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming release, “Turbo.” I am one of many advocates fighting against sex trafficking here in the U.S. and hope that you will hear me out.

DreamWorks Animation is undoubtedly unaware of the vast problem we have in this country. Over 100,000 kids, every year, are forced into prostitution. Those kids are terribly aware what the word pimp means. Now, with your help, another generation of children will learn how cool it is to be a pimp. I know DreamWorks does not mean to do that but it will be the result. MTV is not who you want to emulate. To show you how wrong the term ‘pimp my shell’ is let me make a statement. I will let you pimp my shell if you will let me pimp your kids. You can tear that statement down and use semantics to bend its meaning but the word ‘pimp’ only means one thing: a pimp is nothing more than a modern day slave owner and whether you pimp a car, house or woman, you are treating all like objects. 

I would appreciate it if DreamWorks Animation remove the statement ‘pimp my shell’ from the movie “Turbo.” I would also like you to stop using that term in any marketing, including the “Turbo Racing League” app. 

Before you write me off as some Lone Ranger or isolated voice I would like you to know that I currently work with the following organizations in the fight against sex trafficking: 
Shared Hope International 
Forsaken Generation 
Roadmap to Redemption 
Trafficking Hope 
WA Engage 

We are people in the fight against modern day slavery. I am not the only one that thinks this way. To hear another person’s perspective please read the following article: Pimp My Shell 

I have been in the media industry for over 20 years so please do not respond by telling me it is to late to remove that term from the film. I have seen many movies make last minute post changes a week before release and in today’s digital distribution age I know how easy it is to create new release prints.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Richard Aronson

Here is DreamWorks response:

Hi Richard,

We appreciate your thoughtful note on this matter.  As you allude to in your letter, it is not DreamWorks’ intent to cause any harm.

We have removed the language in the Turbo Racing League Mobile Game – the game now highlights a player’s ability to show off his/her customized shell.  In regards to the rest of our ad campaign, the phrase was initially used in minimal marketing materials, but we will not produce any spots going forward that contain the language.  Please know that the use of the word pimp is not in the film, and that any reference to the snails’ customized shells is meant as a comment on car culture versus anything else.

Sincerely,

Allison Rawlings

DreamWorks Animation Public Relations

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