Shared Hope International

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These Programs have Empowered Women Worldwide

Guest Post by Ashley Macdonald

While anyone can become a victim of human trafficking, Shared Hope recognizes that traffickers target susceptible individuals. Financial instability is among the vulnerabilities that can aid a victim to fall in to the horrors of human trafficking. Shared Hope International’s Women’s Investment Network (WIN) program offers women the opportunity to engage in hands-on vocational training, leadership development, and job skills courses so they build self-esteem and achieve financial independence.

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International training programs are active in Nepal, India, and Jamaica. Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepal’s economy, therefore Asha Nepal’s programs include vegetable, cow and coat farming as well as tailoring, cooking, and handicrafts. In India, Ashagram provides a range of handicraft services to fit the diverse economy. Ashagram includes a sewing center, jewelry unit, bag weaving and henna design. These programs contribute to positive integration into the global economy. In Jamaica, the economy is dependent on services. Remittances and tourism account for 30% of GDP, therefore the Theodora Project focuses on appropriate skills training that meet the demand within the tourist sector. These programs enable the student to acquire the skill set to start a small business. The WIN program looks at how providing these services can address Jamaica’s large-scale unemployment rate.

Domestically, Shared Hope runs a nine-month three-phase WIN program that focuses on computers and administrative skills. Women in the program commit 20-25 hours a week to train on-site. Shared Hope International looks for partners that emphasize the importance of helping survivors gain financial independence, reflecting the principals of our WIN program. For example, Fields of Hope, a project of ​​On Eagles Wings Ministries, allows female survivors of human trafficking (ages 16 and up) to receive valuable job skills training, spiritual mentorship, counseling, and accountability.

Sara, a participant of our domestic WIN program, states, “I gained the confidence I needed to believe I really would be able to support my son and myself. Being part of an organization that rescues women around the world while at the same time becoming better equipped for a career has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.” These programs have empowered women worldwide. Marcia, a participant of the Theodora Project, tells us of how her financial instability led her to fall in to the horrors of human trafficking. She has been working on her financial independence for over a year now with the help of our Jamaica WIN program. Providing survivors with the skills and means of creating their own economic sustainability helps reduce the risk of re-victimization and gain independence.

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Things Just Got Real.

Guest Blogger: Jo Lembo

My husband Nick and I go out regularly representing Shared Hope International’s message of prevention.  When we are invited into area schools, we use the film Chosen, which tells the story of two girls, ages 13 and 18, who broke the stereotypical at-risk youth picture.  They were from good homes, straight-A students, athlete, cheerleader, in youth group; and still they were tricked by traffickers.

This week when we introduced the film to 2000 students in two assemblies at Skyview High School in Vancouver, WA, I told about the five most common types of pimping: boyfriend relationship, violent guerilla, gang, survival sex where you trade your body for basic needs, and familial, where someone in your family is selling you.  As we always do, we encourage students who know if this happening to a friend or if it’s happening to them, to go to a trusted adult, “and sometimes it can’t be someone in your family.” Because we had met with 100 of the staff the month prior, I knew the counselors and teachers were ready to field questions and knew what actions to take if a child came forward.

After the second assembly, a security officer approached me and asked if we would be willing to talk with a 16-year-old girl who was, at that moment, in the counselor’s office and very upset.  He told us she had come in after the first film showing, crying and saying she was afraid that this was happening to her.

This is when you know what you are doing is important.  Really important. And possibly the lifeline for a desperate kid who has the courage to reach out.  So we took a deep breath and stepped into the counselor’s office with the girl I’ll call Amanda.  She struck me as being strong, almost defiant. And she was. Having heard that her family members might be the ones to groom her, and that sometimes the safe person might not be in her home, she left the first assembly determined to get help elsewhere. She stopped a security officer and told him she needed to go to the counselor’s office. He escorted her through the door, where she began to cry and unfold her story.  Then, at the close of the second assembly, he came to get me.  Would we be willing to talk to her?

When Nick and I arrived in her office, the school counselor had already done what she is trained to do. She had called law enforcement and had made a mandatory report to CPS sharing the details from Amanda. And she had found out that no crime had been committed yet.

Was the step-dad creepy? Yes.

Had he come into her room while she was dressing? Yes.

Had he made lewd remarks about what she could do to his body? Yes.

Had he touched her? No.

Had he threatened her? No.

Had she talked to her mother about his 9 counts of prostitution? Yes. And her mother had told her there’s nothing wrong with paying money to go on a date. Her mother also told her that she had a dirty mind and needed to stop thinking about him that way.

Was that going to stop her from sharing these things now that she had heard that Lacy and Brianna could have gotten help had they known? No.  She was now determined this was not going to happen to her.

What are you most afraid of? He said he’s moving us to Portland, to an apartment on 82nd Street. She doesn’t want to lose her support at Skyview.

With the counselor, the security guard, Amanda and us, the two presenters of the film Chosen, we talked about a plan for her to stay safe. As a part of a strong and broad network, I was able to give the counselor contact information for a wonderful victim advocate right there in her county who is willing to talk with Amanda and help her figure out what is happening and advise. We gave the counselor information about a strong program operating in Portland and the contact information of someone in the Portland school system for Amanda to reach out to if they move. Her counselor encouraged her to call 911 if anything happened to make her feel unsafe; that she had a right to call no matter what anyone would tell her. She remembered in the video Chosen the guy had told her bad things would happen to her family if Lacy asked for help, and she said she wasn’t going to let that happen.  She would call.

Amanda seemed visibly stronger and more confident as we stood up to go.  I handed her my card so she would have my information.  I told her she is brave and strong and she is going to be okay.

And I believe she will be.  Because now she knows.

For more information go to www.justfaithsummit.org 

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 Faith Summit  Speaker Blog Series.

 

 

 

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Wake Up Call Leads Man to Fight Sex Trafficking; How JuST Faith Summit Will Equip the Willing

Guest Blogger Jay McKenney

I remember the first time I heard the phrase “sex trafficking.” I didn’t quite understand it. When I did hear what it meant I saw it as happening somewhere else, far away from my life or ability to do anything about it.

jayAbout 10 years ago someone told me it happens here, in Oregon, all the time. It rocked my world, especially now that I am a father of two daughters who I would give my life for. There are so many things I want for my daughters. I want them to know they are loved, by me and by God. I want the men in their life to treat them with the same respect and care that I do. I know there are many things I will not be able to shield them from in this life, but there are some that I would die trying.

I was at a leadership conference about four years ago and one of the speakers challenged everyone with a question, “What’s the evil in the world that you can’t live with, that you can’t stand more than any other?” For me, sex trafficking was the obvious answer. The thought of men stalking my or anyone else’s daughter, to bring her into a world of pain and agony for financial gain, fills me with more emotion than I know how to handle on my own. And I know there are many girls who don’t have a dad around like me to care, and they need dads like me to step up and become educated and take action on their behalf.

Like a lot of things in life, after some time had passed, I settled back into my comfortable American routine and forgot about that question and my answer, pushing both to the back of my mind.

The comfort was short lived as I suddenly began a three year battle with cancer. Three brutal surgeries followed by three even more brutal recoveries. My priorities in life changed, and my gratefulness for each day grew exponentially. By the grace of God I have been cancer free for a year now. And it is possible life could go back to a temporary season of comfort.

But I feel like God has something else in mind for me than my old view of the American dream. When a friend reached out about the upcoming JuST Faith Summit, I knew immediately I was supposed to go. I know God is putting things in place in my life to bring that question, and the answer, back into the forefront. I am meant to go beyond just thinking about how much I hate the idea of sex trafficking, to getting really practical about what I can actually do to help the problem.

At this point I don’t know what that looks like, but I’m excited to find out. I’m excited the second chance I have in life right now could intersect with a meaningful and intentional mission in whatever time I have left.

Jay McKenney is the Minister of Creative Arts at Sunset Presbyterian where he has served for 10 years. He has been married to his wife of 20 years, and has two daughters. In addition to family time, Jay enjoys photography, videography and health coaching. You can see some of his love for photography at Mac in Black Productions on Facebook or @macinblackproductions on Instagram.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 Faith Summit  Speaker Blog Series.

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How Tennessee Sentenced Buyer to 22 Years in Prison

He wanted to buy girls “just over 8, not over 16.” That’s what Michael Kohlmeyer told the person answering responses to an online ad for sex.  Thankfully for our children, the person answering the phone was actually an undercover Metro Nashville (TN) police detective.

Men wanting to purchase sex with a child are, unfortunately, not uncommon. What sets Mr. Kohlmeyer apart is that he was the defendant in the Davidson County (Nashville) District Attorney’s Office’s first successful prosecution of a customer of sex trafficking under Tennessee’s enhanced human sex trafficking laws. Kohlmeyer was found guilty of Trafficking for a Commercial Sex Act—convicted of offering to pay $5,000 for sex with a 12-year-old girl and sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.

The case was built on a 2014 law increasing the penalty for patronizing a prostituted person who is under 18 from a Class E felony to a Class B felony, and to a Class A felony for victims under 15.

During Kohlmeyer’s sentencing hearing, End Slavery Tennessee called on a strong volunteer base to pack a courtroom that would have otherwise stood virtually empty. Our intent was to send a clear message that the community cared and would not tolerate the purchase of our children.

Prosecuting those who purchase sex with minors under trafficking laws is one of the tools Tennessee now uses to stem the tide of demand for purchased sex. As with any business, if demand decreases, so does the motivation for suppliers.

In other approaches to lessen demand, End Slavery Tennessee (ESTN) uses a curriculum from the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (C.A.A.S.E.) with middle and high school boys. These sessions leverage an interactive approach to engage young men in dialogue about the sex trade and empower them to stand as allies against sexual exploitation and violence.

ESTN also teaches a session in the local John school, letting men arrested for soliciting prostituted persons know that their choices drive human trafficking of children. And we educate the participants that adult prostituted women invariably have been abused as children, often multiple times, and that customers perpetuate the abuse when they buy sex.

We’ve shared on our social media and in trainings the excellent research and infographics from Shared Hope’s Demanding Justice Project.

In May 2015, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) agents conducted an undercover operation to identify potential victims of trafficking, arrest those seeking to purchase illicit sex, and learn more about the specific nuances of this type of crime. Among the fourteen men arrested were a pastor, an Army lieutenant, a farmer, and a small business owner. Their names were printed in local newspapers and on local news media sites.

Law enforcement and prosecutors are very much in the game now in Tennessee, thanks to strengthened laws, effective NGO partnership, years of awareness and education efforts and now the energized and organized efforts of those who enforce and prosecute. Other states take notice—our traffickers now seek relocation to a more hospitable business climate. By employing such tools and efforts in every state, we can drive many traffickers out of business.

DERRI SMITH is the Founder and Executive Director of End Slavery Tennessee (ESTN), an anti-human trafficking organization working to promote healing of human trafficking survivors and strategically confront slavery in the state of Tennessee.

Previously Derri launched an anti-human trafficking initiative for a worldwide organization of 1,200 workers. But her heart and passion remained for the travesty of this crime, in epidemic proportions yet hidden in plain sight, right here in her own backyard.

Derri has presented sessions on the topic of Human Trafficking and Slavery to thousands in professional and community groups, and recently in the U.S. Capitol and on the TEDx stage. She is recipient of numerous awards, most recently the 2014 Baptist Healing Trust Salute to Excellence award. She sits on both the governor appointed state Human Trafficking Task Force and the Federal Human Trafficking Task Force.

derri headshot glasses final rev

For more information on Demand and to view reported demand activity in your state, visit demandingjustice.org.

Visit demandingjustice.org

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For a Bullseye: Keep your Eye on the Target

Today, after over a month of debates surrounding the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), members of the Senate announce a bi-partisan agreement. Thankfully, Senators from both sides of the aisle repeated calls for negotiations and persevered to find a creative solution.  With the proposed amendment, critical protections for survivors contained in this important bill can proceed, including increased funding for victim services and prevention efforts and clarification that the offenders who drive the demand for sex trafficking victims are committing the crime of sex trafficking.

While the bill has received unwavering support from many advocates and survivors, recent controversies arose regarding the funding mechanism, particularly as it relates to application of the Hyde Amendment, which only allows federal funds to be used for abortions when the life of the mother is threatened or when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest.  The new agreement proposed by Senator Cornyn and Senator Reid was reached with bipartisan support and is expected to satisfy concerns on both sides of the debate. In this agreement no medical services will be provided through monies collected for the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ Fund, but instead these services will be provided through matched financing from another, recently created fund, established last week in the ‘doc fix’ bill.  By adding matched funding, the proposed agreement will actually increase funds available for victim services and law enforcement training but will neither increase or decrease federal funding for abortions specifically, nor will it widen or restrict access to abortion.  But, with respect to collecting and designating new funds towards restoration for survivors and prevention of human trafficking, the JVTA makes dramatic changes as it ushers in landmark advancements for anti-trafficking efforts.

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act accomplishes exactly what its name suggests, increased justice for victims. For 15 years now, advocates have rightfully and loudly criticized empty promises in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 because its aspirational authorizations receive little or no funding. The JVTA offers a revolutionary solution to generating this desperately needed funding by levying significant fines on convicted perpetrators and funneling the income to victim services and prevention efforts. Programs need increased financial support to meet the needs of sex trafficking victims from investigations and identification to restoration. Survivors should be offered comprehensive services, such as medical treatment, shelter options, and counseling.  Particularly, youth who have survived sex trafficking crimes are often in need of specialized services, including access to multidisciplinary services and residential placement options that are designed to help break trauma bonds.  This bill also provides for direct services through Children’s Advocacy Centers for victims of child pornography.  In addition to increased fines, the bill also facilitates asset forfeiture, the proceeds from which would have to be prioritized for victim restitution, because victims often never see the results of asset forfeiture.

Justice is better served through the victim-centered construct presented in the JVTA, which increases financial penalties for perpetrators by requiring payment for the harms they’ve inflicted, which would then help fund restoration for survivors and enable law enforcement entities to continue complex investigations.

The JVTA also clarifies that individuals are liable as participants in the crime of sex trafficking if they knowingly purchase sex from a trafficking victim or “in reckless disregard of the fact” that the other person is a sex trafficking victim.  This provision echoes federal appellate case law interpreting the federal sex trafficking law as applicable to the acts of culpable buyers.  This provision in the JVTA reflects wide support for focusing anti-trafficking efforts on demand.

The recent standoff has been threatening to abandon victims of human trafficking by neglecting to fund and secure needed services for restoration and justice systems. But, now is the time! The Senate must accept a bi-partisan agreement so that the JVTA’s groundbreaking improvements for increased, funded services for human trafficking survivors are not lost. We call members of the Senate to do now, what they just did with the ‘doc fix’ bill — that is consider and accept a bi-partisan solution.

Thankfully, the JVTA will likely not be the last bill to address victim services, but it makes key advancements that are needed right now. It will increase accountability for those who exploit sex trafficking victims. It will provide much needed, yet currently missing services for survivors.

To contact your Senator and encourage support for this bill, visit Shared Hope’s Legislative Action Center today and sign the letter.

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