SHI Staff, Author at Shared Hope International

November 14, 2019 by SHI Staff

Coming Soon: Field Guidance on Sex Trafficking Victim-Offender Intersectionality

Shared Hope International, Shared Hope’s JuST Response Council and the Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation at Villanova Law are pleased to announce the upcoming release on January 23, 2020 of a field guidance report on sex trafficking victim-offender intersectionality—the phenomenon of sex trafficking survivors entering the criminal justice process for allegedly engaging in sex trafficking conduct.

This field guidance, which follows three years of collaborative research, will provide tools for criminal justice stakeholders that assist in identifying the intersection of trafficking victimization and offending conduct, as well as guidance on responding to these cases in a trauma-responsive and trafficking-informed manner. By examining some of the common factors in cases involving victim-offender intersectionality through a trafficking-informed lens, alongside specific case studies drawn from federal prosecutions, this field guidance seeks to identify strategies for moving toward more just and fair responses to sex trafficking victim-offenders at all stages of the criminal justice process.

While the field guidance specifically focuses on survivors of sex trafficking charged with sex trafficking offenses, many of the considerations that arise in that context are informative for criminal justice stakeholders responding to trafficking survivors who have been charged with other crimes as a result of their trafficking victimization. We hope this guidance will also lead to greater discourse on this difficult issue and ongoing efforts to work toward victim-centered, trauma-informed solutions.

The release of this field guidance report on January 23, 2020 also marks the Grand Opening of Shared Hope International’s new Institute for Justice & Advocacy. The work of the JuST Response Council and this new research reflect the Institute’s commitment to finding solutions to complex problems to help bring an end to juvenile sex trafficking and provide support and protection to those impacted by sex trafficking.

If you are interested in attending the event at the Institute, please register here. Space is limited. If you are not able to attend in-person, please join us remotely via Facebook Live at Shared Hope’s Facebook page.

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Shared Hope International’s JuST Response Council represents some of the most innovative and informed experts in the country. These members help ensure JuST Response products are informed by diverse perspectives and experiences. Council 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. Members include policy advocates, government officials, medical professionals, law enforcement, judges, academics, and service providers, many of whom are themselves survivors of juvenile sex trafficking, from diverse geographic areas.

November 1, 2019 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope’s Written Testimony in Opposition to D.C. Bill 23-0318

Shared Hope International is a D.C.-based NGO focused on addressing the root causes of commercial sexual exploitation for the purpose of preventing child sex trafficking in the U.S. Since our organization’s inception in 1998, we have proactively pursued and supported policies that protect the inherent right of children in the U.S. to be free from sexual violence, including commercial sexual exploitation. Following the introduction of D.C. Bill 23-0318 in early 2019, we sought to understand the purpose and impact of this legislation, including to identify whose “safety” and “health” this piece of legislation would truly protect. Shared Hope strongly opposes the “Community Safety and Health Amendment Act” because, despite what its name purports, this bill fails to protect the safety and health of D.C. children and youth, who are an essential part of our community.

Shared Hope firmly believes that removing criminal liability for buyers, pimps, and brothel owners will significantly threaten the safety, well-being, and security of youth in the District, particularly youth living with various vulnerability factors. During the October 17th Committee hearing, Councilmembers heard hours of testimony which highlighted the forecasted impact this bill would have on the District and, most importantly, those most affected by the policies created through this effort. We adamantly affirm the numerous concerns raised by child protection and anti-trafficking advocates, including the impact this bill would have on: (1) repealing current processes for connecting exploited minors with vital services; (2) creating additional challenges for law enforcement to discern illegal activity from legal activity, thus creating barriers to victim identification and response; 3) expanding the market and increasing harm to those in commercial sex due to a rise in demand; and (4) transforming the District into a tourist destination for commercial sexual exploitation.

We can attribute the phenomenon of child sex trafficking in the U.S. to a culture that normalizes the commodification of human beings; fully decriminalizing commercial sex will uphold the already existing attitudes that tolerate the sale, purchase, and control of another person. As stakeholders, we would be shortsighted and reckless to believe that the implications of the policy this bill seeks to advance will be limited to consensual sex workers. Reinforcing a demand for human beings and their bodies will not start and end with consenting adults; the consequences of this will be horrific for vulnerable persons, including children, who do not choose commercial sex. We cannot allow the purported benefits for some to trump the well-established harm caused to others.

What remains unaddressed is what this bill painfully fails to do: create sustainable solutions to deeply rooted forms of injustice. Upon conducting a thorough analysis of the bill and watching all fourteen hours of the Committee hearing, it is evident that this piece of legislation provides a band-aid for affected communities and creates an easy fix for the Council. Over half of the witnesses testified to the systemic reasons driving the sale of commercial sex, all of which fall under the general umbrella of “survival.” Additionally, witnesses testified to the inherent violence that underpins commercial sex, detailing the dramatically high mortality rate for persons engaged in commercial sex compared to rates measuring the general public. 1 Many sex trafficking survivors and self-identified sex workers provided anecdotal accounts of the physical, psychological, and sexual violence they experienced due to commercial sex. Fully decriminalizing sex work to ensure that historically and presently marginalized communities, including vulnerable children and youth, can access shelter, employment, food, and security reinforces the unjust notion that some members of our society, disproportionately communities comprised of racial and gender-minorities, must sacrifice their safety and wellbeing to meet such fundamental needs. The Council must bypass the allure of a quick and easy fix and devote the requisite energy and resources to a problem that demands a thoughtful and sustainable solution. This is the only way of ensuring that presently impacted persons and generations to come are not positioned to choose survival over safety.

Many witnesses testified to the opportunities this bill creates; aside from importantly preventing the criminalization of affected persons, D.C. Bill 23-0318 fails to “lift up marginalized communities” as one witness purported. When the District enacted D.C. Act 20-560 in 2015, preventing minors from being charged and prosecuted for prostitution offenses, the Council responsibly included provisions to train relevant stakeholders and develop service response protocols. In fact, one of the existing protections for children, requiring law enforcement to refer an identified or suspected child sex trafficking victim to specialized services, will be repealed by this very bill that seeks to increase “safety.” Historical efforts to reform the City’s response to child sex trafficking included critical measures to ensure that exploited youth were directed away from the juvenile justice system and into services, inarguably supporting their holistic health and safety, and providing access to justice and opportunities. Conversely, this bill merely develops a task force to “study . . . the need for . . . resources to meet the needs of sex workers and other individuals engaging in commercial sex.” As detailed during the Committee hearing, the extensive needs are already well-established; in fact, the lack of these very services that the Committee seeks to study is what survivors of sex trafficking and consensual sex workers claim is driving their engagement in commercial sex. Rather than passing legislation that preys on vulnerabilities, the Council should invest in eliminating them by: (1) removing criminal liability for persons who sell sex, either consensually or through exploitative practices; and (2) creating access to comprehensive care and services, as well as meaningful opportunities for those desiring to cease engagement in commercial sex.

D.C. Bill 23-0318 blatantly ignores the cries of sex trafficking survivors and ally professionals that, based on a culmination of lived experience and sound research, denounce both the intent and resolution. Several proponents voiced frustration at the Council’s willingness to hear from opponents outside of the District; their voices speak to the enormous ramifications this bill will have on sex trafficking victims and vulnerable communities across the U.S. Vacuums of equitable opportunity are a magnet for exploitation. Undoubtedly, a general lack of opportunity and services, coupled with legislation that decriminalizes the purchase and pimping of human beings, will set the stage for an increase in child sex trafficking in D.C.

We respectfully urge the Council to listen to the collective concern of stakeholders who demand better for all vulnerable persons and communities. The District does not need a new task force to establish and respond to the imminent needs that drive exploitation and survival sex; rather, the Council is currently positioned to draw upon the fourteen hours of testimony and re-design legislation that empowers, protects, and invests in our community.

October 10, 2019 by SHI Staff

Oppose the DC Decriminalization Bill

Shared Hope stands with survivors of sex trafficking and opposes D.C. Bill 23-0318, Community Safety and Health Amendment Act of 2019. Supported by the lived experiences of survivors and our 20+ years of work in the field, it is indisputable that legislation to decriminalize the purchase and sale of another for sex will both perpetuate and normalize harm against already vulnerable communities and populations, especially youth. In fact, the only reliable way to protect survivors who have been positioned through force, fraud, coercion or circumstance to engage in commercial sex is to eliminate criminal liability specifically for them and instead, provide access to specialized services. Indeed, this move will prevent future exploitation and radically shift a culture that standardizes the commodification of human beings.

Our position on this bill echoes our policy priorities over the last 10 years. Since 2010, we have been advocating for meaningful protections for survivors of child sex trafficking, including non-criminalization laws and the development of comprehensive care and services. We have seen enormous progress in this area of law; resultantly, we have witnessed a radical shift in how survivors and perpetrators are regarded. In fact, 29 states and D.C. have passed critical legislation to correct the historic injustice of holding minors accountable for their own victimization and providing a pass to offenders. Efforts like D.C. Bill 23-0318 will not only undermine this progress but will revert the District to a place that is unsafe for vulnerable populations and friendly to those who wish to exploit them.

Contrary to its name, D.C. Bill 23-0318 will not increase the safety and health of individuals who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing commercial sexual exploitation. The bill, and the supporters of it, seem to ignore the hundreds of sex trafficking survivors who are unwavering in their fear and belief that D.C. Bill 23-0318 will drastically reduce the safety and well-being of current trafficking victims and persons at risk of exploitation. Despite a demand for the provision of holistic services and meaningful criminal justice reform to benefit trafficking survivors and self-identified sex workers alike, this bill provides neither.

As we call on the D.C. Councilmembers to prioritize the true safety and well-being of our communities and oppose the Community Safety and Health Amendment Act of 2019, we have also compiled some ways that you can share your voice in opposing this legislation.

Action for DC residents:
Sign up to testify in person. Email the Judiciary Committee at judiciary@dccouncil.us. Provide your name, telephone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any) by close of business on Monday, October 14.
Tweet and/or email the D.C. Councilmembers through our “Oppose D.C. Decrim” campaign.
Tweet using the hashtags #Stop318DC, #ProtectSurvivorsNOTBuyers, #FullDecrimHurtsEveryone

Action for everyone:
Tweet and/or email the D.C. Councilmembers through our “Oppose D.C. Decrim” campaign.
Tweet using the hashtags #Stop318DC, #ProtectSurvivorsNOTBuyers, #FullDecrimHurtsEveryone
And as everyone at Shared Hope is packing our bags to head to Cincinnati for the JuST Conference, we are thankful for our allies who will be on the ground at the hearing. To stay up to date on the efforts to oppose this legislation, follow these key allies on social media for regular updates on the DC decrim effort: @rights4girls, @Courtneyshouse, @NCOSE, @DCChildrensLaw, @WorldWEUS

August 12, 2019 by SHI Staff

An Unexpected Friendship – 2019 JuST Conference Closing Plenary

We are excited to announce that Marian Hatcher and John Pulley will be joining us on the JuST Conference plenary stage as our closing plenary!

Marian and John will be presenting, Conversation with a Reformed Buyer – “I Represent the Worst of What Happened to You” on Thursday, October 17 at this year’s JuST (Juvenile Sex Trafficking) Conference in Cincinnati, OH. Visit justconference.org/just2019 to review our workshop agenda and for more information on how to register.

Interested in learning more? Review their blog post below.

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An Unexpected Friendship

by Marian Hatcher, Rev Dr., Policy Analyst & Victim Advocate, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Public Policy and John Pulley, Co-Founder, ManAlive Expedition

John Pulley: Last summer I had the privilege of speaking at the JuST Faith Summit. I was thrilled to be included in the program and about as nervous as a person can be. Public speaking was not the issue. Speaking as a former buyer to a room full of survivors, advocates, and crusaders was the driver for my nerves.

Marian Hatcher was taking the stage immediately after my session. Based on what I knew of her being a survivor and her history in the abolition movement, I was not sure how my presentation would be received.

A wise person once said, “Unexpected friendships are the best ones.”

Marian’s grace towards me that day forged one of those unexpected friendships. She showed deep kindness in the words she spoke to me publicly before she began her presentation.

As we have had the opportunity to get to know one another through phone calls, text messages, and social media, I have come to respect her dearly. We have discussed the work towards ending slavery. We have discussed our families and history. We have prayed together. We have also given each other insights and perspectives that we would not have gleaned otherwise.

The friendship has been one of mutual respect and honesty and has brought more than its share of the unexpected.

We are genuinely excited to be able to present at the JuST Conference in October.

Marian Hatcher: Yes, we are excited and no, I never expected to be associated with a former buyer let alone become “chums”. Our unexpected friendship is a testament to Gods love, forgiveness, grace and mercy. It was just the thing to do. On the stage in Minnesota that day, I felt such compassion and understanding as John shared with such courage, a part of his journey.

I remembered sharing parts of my story years ago. Of course, I shared as the victim not the victimizer, so there was, in my eyes a different kind of courage required by him. One steeped in deep humility and acknowledgment of terrible, awful actions on his part. All to satiate his appetites for sexual gratification.

As a Christian, as a human being, who has also done terrible and awful things, I found forgiving John a way to free myself of a continuing mental/spiritual bondage, previously unrecognized. My healing continued that day, as did his.

It’s unfortunate his name is “John”(LOL), because today, he’s a pretty good guy. How about we call them what they are “sex buyers”.

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Marian Hatcher has been with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) for 14 years where she is now, Policy Analyst & Victim Advocate in the Office of Public Policy. She coordinates several of CCSO’s anti-trafficking efforts such as the “National Johns Suppression Initiative,” a nationwide effort targeting the buyers of sex as the driving force of sex trafficking and prostitution. Marian is a national expert on combating the demand, sitting on numerous boards (including Shared Hopes Advisory Board) and facilitating trainings for the FBI and Homeland Security. She has been featured in numerous documentaries, including I AM JANE DOE. Marian is a 2014 recipient of the Pathbreaker Award and in 2016 she was honored by President Obama with a Presidential lifetime volunteer achievement award.

John Pulley

John Pulley is an author and public speaker. Speaking openly, honestly and without shame, he speaks boldly to the hearts of men who are dealing with sexual addictions of all kinds. As a former buyer and sex addict, he knows firsthand the devastation hidden and minimized sexual issues are causing to individuals, marriages and communities. He is currently finishing a book about his journey into and out of addiction. John is also a consultant to the anti human slavery organization Fierce Freedom and co-founder of ManAlive Expedition, a ministry that is a raw, honest journey into the deep desires and passions of the heart of a man. Like his passion for speaking, the core and primary objective is to create an environment that allows men to connect with and hear from the Father directly – allowing Him to interpret and speak insight directly into their lives.

July 10, 2019 by SHI Staff

2019 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report – Our International Reflection

2019 Visit to new Village of Hope in India

By Nancy Winston, Vice President, Shared Hope International

Each year at this time the TIP report lands with a thud. The huge undertaking by the U.S. Department of State to define the state of human trafficking world wide used to represent a couple pounds of paper on my desk and now is a virtual thud on my computer. While I have interest in this report and trafficking writ large, I am always drawn to look more closely at those where Shared Hope has had a presence. While the report talks mostly about what the governments are doing, there is always acknowledgement of NGO activity at some level within the sections that discuss Protection and Prevention—and yet, it is impossible to see in a report like TIP the real difference that an NGO like Shared Hope has made and is continuing to make.

Human trafficking awareness was only beginning to impact the global conscience, beginning with books like Kevin Bales’ Disposable People, about 20 years ago. Remarkably, that is also when child sex trafficking came to the attention of a member of Congress who would found Shared Hope, making us one of the first NGOs to establish programs for protection and prevention in India and Nepal. Those early efforts were quickly followed by establishing resources in Fiji, South Africa and Jamaica. It is gratifying and humbling to realize how much Shared Hope was already doing by the time the first TIP report was produced 3 years later. While certainly not able to do the extensive evaluation that the Department of State subsequently did, Shared Hope learned enough to quickly address needs for protection and prevention —not for all, of course—but for some, giving birth to our motto of “one life at a time.” [easy-tweet tweet=”Shared Hope learned enough to quickly address needs for protection and prevention —not for all, of course—but for some, giving birth to our motto of one life at a time.” user=”SharedHope” hashtags=”SharedHope” url=”https://sharedhope.org/2019/07/10/2019-trafficking-in-persons-tip-report-our-international-reflection/” template=”dark”]

This spring I had the privilege of returning to India, Nepal and Jamaica to evaluate our support of partners in those countries doing the work on the ground. Our relationship with these groups goes back over much of these two decades of the anti-human trafficking movement and illustrates the value of Shared Hope’s investment in protection and prevention. In India, one partner established an academy specifically for young women who were little ones rescued from the brothel when we first met them; now they are being trained in disciplines specifically intended to equip them (academically, emotionally, psychologically) to be some of the first females to go from the brothels of India to leadership in the country. Another partner in India has taken on the role of legal guardian for children whose mothers are still trapped in the brothel until those moms can get free. During the period of guardianship (which for most is many years), they make sure the moms and children continue to have regular times to spend together and work on their relationship with the hope of re-unification someday. In Nepal, the rescued children we met in those early years have graduated college, or married, or pursued careers of service to give others the gift of freedom. In Jamaica, our partner is teaching 13 year olds who have had babies due to incest or rape how to mother, and helping take care of those babies as well. [easy-tweet tweet=”In Nepal, the rescued children we met in those early years have graduated college, or married, or pursued careers of service to give others the gift of freedom.” user=”SharedHope” hashtags=”SharedHope” url=”https://sharedhope.org/2019/07/10/2019-trafficking-in-persons-tip-report-our-international-reflection/” template=”dark”]

I’m proud of the fact that our Department of State continues to challenge the world to do better, but what is most inspiring to me is the privilege of seeing how improvements are occurring on the micro-level such as the ones Shared Hope has been able to touch, one life at a time.