News from Shared Hope International

May 24, 2017 by Guest

Take the Next Step!

My daughter was 10 the first time I heard that children were being bought and sold for sex in my community. These weren’t foreign children born in a foreign country, they were boys and girls born and raised right here in my own town. That day changed me.

Being a business leader gave me a natural platform to raise awareness about Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST)—and I used it. I discovered Shared Hope International while preparing for a local panel on trafficking and I appreciated that Shared Hope was working on the issue internationally, nationally, and locally, going so far as to supporting a restoration home for female survivors in my region.

In 2016 I decided to go beyond speaking about DMST and actively do something to help make a difference in the lives of victims of this crime. My friend Lisa Stirrett is a local glass artist who uses her studio to host community events. She also has a heart for this issue. The idea formed for a Party with a Purpose, in which she would create glass butterflies that could be sold as part of a fundraiser for Shared Hope and those they serve. We sold about 50 butterflies, many of which were donated back to create a larger piece in progress. And we didn’t stop there!

Lisa has added the glass butterflies to her Products with a Purpose line as a way to continue the momentum and to provide a fundraising mechanism to give back to Shared Hope. Each butterfly purchased and donated back to the Lisa Stirrett Glass Studio will become part of a Butterfly Art Wall known as “Chrysalis,” with the net profits donated to Shared Hope. This wall will be a beautiful visual representation of the voices and lives of girls and women in trafficking being set free. We are currently in need of 50 more butterflies to complete the wall, and once it’s done, this will become a traveling art display housed in a public location to create ongoing awareness and to further the momentum of the cause. You can purchase them here.

[easy-tweet tweet=”This wall of butterflies is a beautiful representation of trafficking survivors set free” user=”SharedHope”]

This is our desire—creating an art movement of butterflies flying freely to represent an end to the pain and suffering caused to young girls and women because of the sex trafficking industry. In addition to collaborating with Lisa Stirrett Glass Art Studio, I am partnering with Shared Hope International because of the great work they are doing locally, nationally, and globally to educate and empower others to end sex trafficking.

So what can you do to end the demand of our children by traffickers and buyers?

I think the most important thing we as individuals can do is leverage our natural born gifts and talents where we’re already engaged. My background is business, Lisa’s is through art. Yours is uniquely suited to you. Whatever it is, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” as shared by Margaret Mead. Together, with our community, we are making a difference to end trafficking… and you can too.

[easy-tweet tweet=”The best thing we can do is leverage our natural born gifts and talents to fight sex trafficking. ” user=”SharedHope”]

By Shannon Bruce – Washington State

February 3, 2017 by Susanna Bean

Voices from the Field Part 2 – Survivor Interviews on Backpage.com

Since news broke that Backpage.com was shutting down the “adult services” section of its website, reactions have ranged from joy to concern. These reactions prompted conversations about the effectiveness of the shutdown in preventing child sex trafficking, concerns for potential detrimental effects, and questions about next steps. We have written about our perspective on the shutdown and the report released by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, “Backpage.com’s Knowing Facilitation of Online Sex Trafficking.” But the discussions that the news prompted are important, and to add to this dialog we are beginning a blog series featuring the voices of survivors and law Enforcement on the issue of Backpage.com and the online facilitation of sex trafficking. Tomorrow we’ll publish the last blog featuring these four survivors of sex trafficking on their perspectives on the Backpage.com debate. This is the second blog in that series. Read Part 1 here.

In this blog we interview four survivors of sex trafficking:

Tara Madison is a published author, speaker and a full time college student whose chief aim is to educate the public on the dynamics of human trafficking.
A Female Survivor
Kathy Bryan–A talented speaker, mentor, and author, Kathy attributes God’s amazing mercy and grace for the wisdom, joy and freedom she’s found after surviving two years of sex trafficking as a young teen. Kathy currently serves as Program Director and National Trainer for Rebecca Bender Initiative, passionately equipping thousands across the U.S. She has mentored hundreds of women, encouraging them as they journey towards truth, identity, and worth. kathybryan.com.
A Male Survivor

Critics of the closure of Backpage.com’s “adult services” section have voiced concern that exploitation will take place in much more dangerous conditions, such as on the street, rather than via the anonymity of the Internet. What is your perspective on that argument?

Tara Madison: This is a biased argument. The concept that illegal sexual exploitation is safer from one’s own living room than on the street is only protecting the perpetrators of these illicit acts and not the victims. Victims of sex trafficking are in grave danger, regardless of the sale conditions! The anonymity of the internet only makes it harder to recover these victims whose lives are at risk!

A Female Survivor: “Conditions more dangerous?”—no. When you are in a hotel room you don’t know who is going to walk in the door. On the street, she actually has others around that might tip her off to the danger of a “bad trick”. She will be more alert and will size up a person for danger.

Kathy Bryan: I would never negate the fact that the comfort of a motel/hotel room is far better than the street, it totally is. The truth is trafficking is incredibly dangerous wherever it occurs. The main danger is from the trafficker and buyer, who will be present no matter the location. Trafficking has been occurring since the beginning of time. Telling ourselves that Backpage.com’s advertisement services somehow makes it safer and less harmful is an illusion at best, and a travesty at worst. Yes, the victim didn’t have to go procure the buyer, which is much nicer, and could add a small measure of safety. However, nothing makes the fact that you are being raped several times a day by someone, who paid to do it, easier to live with. Not to mention, there are, unfortunately, a great number of other sites on which to advertise.

A Male Survivor: The argument is that Backpage prevents pimping under-aged youth from happening on the streets? The only analogy I can think of is methadone and in that scenario, the fact that a person is using methadone instead of heroin, doesn’t change the fact that they are still a drug addict. And to assert that Backpage makes pimping children safer, is simply outrageous. This is another argument to assert Backpage should be allowed to facilitate illegal activity because they mean well. Really? Backpage wants to continue their facilitation because they mean well and cooperate with law enforcement? It’s nothing to do with the billion dollar industry, it’s just because they care so much about the children, right?

February 2, 2017 by Susanna Bean

Voices from the Field Part 1 – Survivor Interviews on Backpage.com

Since news broke that Backpage.com was shutting down the “adult services” section of its website, reactions have ranged from joy to concern. These reactions prompted conversations about the effectiveness of the shutdown in preventing child sex trafficking, concerns for potential detrimental effects, and questions about next steps. We have written about our perspective on the shutdown and the report released by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, “Backpage.com’s Knowing Facilitation of Online Sex Trafficking.” But the discussions that the news prompted are important, and to add to this dialog we are beginning a blog series featuring the voices of survivors and law enforcement on the issue of Backpage.com and the online facilitation of sex trafficking. For the next three days we will hear from four survivors of sex trafficking about their perspectives on the Backpage.com debate. This is the first blog in that series. Read Part 2 here.

In this blog we interview four survivors of sex trafficking:

Tara Madison is a published author, speaker and a full time college student whose chief aim is to educate the public on the dynamics of human trafficking.
A Female Survivor
Kathy Bryan–A talented speaker, mentor, and author, Kathy attributes God’s amazing mercy and grace for the wisdom, joy and freedom she’s found after surviving two years of sex trafficking as a young teen. Kathy currently serves as Program Director and National Trainer for Rebecca Bender Initiative, passionately equipping thousands across the U.S. She has mentored hundreds of women, encouraging them as they journey towards truth, identity, and worth. kathybryan.com.
A Male Survivor

It has been argued that Backpage.com should be permitted to maintain its “adult services” section because its cooperation with law enforcement and NCMEC has led to the recovery of victims and missing minors through the information provided. What’s your perspective on that argument?

Tara Madison: The notion that Backpage.com has worked cooperatively with law enforcement in the recovery of victims is nil at best. Backpage.com has been held in contempt by the US Senate for refusing to turn over documentation in child sex trafficking investigations and the recent Senate hearing divulged that the corporation had been editing submitted ads to avoid detection of minors, along with informing their employees to only report the absolute minimal red flags in the instance of suspected child exploitation.

NCMEC claims that 71% of child sex trafficking cases in America are linked to Backpage.com ads. Over one million ads were being posted daily on this site for illegal sex, so to what degree do we measure “cooperation”? If a corporation or individual claims to be cooperating with law enforcement, why would that same corporation or individual be unwilling to cooperate with the government about the same matter?

A Female Survivor: Maybe some, but how many have slipped though that net? I have not had a conversation with a law enforcement officer that was thankful for that Backpage.com help. Might possibly find missing minors but with or without Backpage.com children will still be sold.

Kathy Bryan: It sounds good, in theory. However, that would be like saying don’t prosecute the alleged bank robber because he helped the little old lady cross the street, or has also assisted in the search for missing children in his area. Assisting with something does not negate any criminal activity you also participate in. Backpage’s involvement in human trafficking must be stopped, which, by the way, it hasn’t. The ads have simply moved to another area of Backpage.com.

Perhaps they have assisted law enforcement and NCMEC, however, it begs the questions how, and to what degree, when you read NCMEC’s own report detailing how little cooperation they indeed received from Backpage, despite intensive, ongoing efforts to work with them. Here’s a link to it: http://www.missingkids.com/Testimony/11-19-15

The real issue is we have a legal business profiting from the illegal sale of humans. Trafficking people is illegal in the U.S. Prostitution is illegal in most of the U.S., as is buying sex. If I were found to have assisted or materially participated in any of those three crimes, I would be considered guilty of those crimes. Backpage is not only assisting in the process of trafficking, they are making money from doing so! If Backpage were supporting any other illegal endeavor such as advertising illegal drugs, murder for hire, etc., it would have been stopped long ago, and criminal charges would be made.

One can purchase nearly anything on Backpage. A home, couch, car, clothing, animals, and yes, humans. Interestingly, Backpage posts FREE classified ads EXCEPT for those advertising people. Meaning they make money from the illegal activities of trafficking and prostitution, literally profiting from victimization. Allow me one example of just how lucrative it is for Backpage.com to sell adult ads. These are actual fees a fellow survivor knows were charged when she was sold. One daily ad was $30, and a repost of that ad was $5 per day. She was never advertised with less than four ads per day, and each was reposted five times. So, 4 ads x $30 = $120, plus 5 reposts x 4 ads = 20 reposts x $5 = $100. So, a daily charge of $220. After 365 days, this would have provided Backpage.com with $80,300 per year. This is from one victim! Perhaps now you can see just how much advertising human trafficking lined their pockets.

A Male Survivor: I think the argument that Backpage should be allowed to continue potentially illegal activity because now they are cooperating with law enforcement is a bit like saying, a company that allows its members to hunt endangered wildlife should be allowed to continue because they don’t tell their customers the police are probably watching them. It seems like a well-intentioned argument, but nonetheless, incredibly stupid. If every illegal activity could be justified because the police “might” catch one of the criminals, what shouldn’t we allow? It’s like saying let’s give members of organized crime a pass if they hand over one of their customers after an illegal transaction. Thanks but no thanks.

January 3, 2017 by Sarah Bendtsen

California Recognizes Kids are Victims, Not Criminals

New law in line with national movement to protect juvenile sex trafficking victims

California’s SB 1322 went into effect on January 1. This bill not only sparked a fiery discussion centered on one op-ed, it also led Assemblyman Travis Allen to introduce AB 1402 for purposes of repealing SB 1322. Contrary to sensational statements that SB 1322 “legalized child prostitution,” the 2016 bill clarified that children engaged in commercial sex are victims of sex trafficking, deserving of a protective, not punitive, response.

SB 1322 follows in the steps of legislation passed by 19 other states in the U.S. and recognizes that children who have been bought and sold for sex are victims of child sex trafficking. As victims of this crime, they cannot also be charged with or held liable for the crime of prostitution. This bill is not only a vital step to fighting juvenile sex trafficking in the US, it is in line with the national movement to ensure state laws treat child sex trafficking survivors as victims instead of criminals.

Shared Hope advocates for non-criminalization legislation, like California’s SB 1322, because it is based on the empirical research into the nature of a child’s vulnerability and brain development. Extensive research shows that children who engage in commercial sex do so in an effort to survive, or because a manipulative adult reaps a direct and substantial benefit from the child’s victimization. Tucked inside the non-criminalization debate is the inarguable element that, in the same way a children cannot legally join the military, purchase alcohol, register to vote, or enter into a contract, a child cannot consent to selling sexual services or performances.

The passage of SB 1322 in September 2016 was a significant and imperative step in reconciling a glaring contradiction in California state law which allowed a child engaged in commercial sex to be both a victim of commercial sexual exploitation and an offender under the same prostitution statute. Removing criminal liability for an offense that a child cannot commit prioritizes the safety, welfare, development, and protection of all children.

For that reason, it is critically important in the fight against child sex trafficking to recognize that removing criminal liability for minors engaged in commercial sex does not incentivize adults who commercially sexually exploit children. Instead, making sure that the buyers and sellers of sex with children are the only possible offenders under prostitution laws de-incentivizes such behavior by removing the facade of “consent,” “willingness,” or “desire” of the child that offenders rely on to avoid culpability.

One commonly raised, but misguided, argument against non-criminalization for children is that such laws strip the criminal justice system of a tool that ultimately protects children from the injurious nature of commercial sex. In fact, treating children as criminal offenders, particularly as “prostitutes,” is stigmatizing and re-traumatizing. In the same manner that we do not arrest and treat child sexual abuse victims as delinquent children, we must require a protective response for children similarly abused through commercial sexual exploitation.

Shared Hope’s six years of research on best practices for writing laws to fight domestic minor sex trafficking show that California has joined 19 states and the District of Columbia in recognizing these realities and passing laws to end the criminalization of child sex trafficking victims. California follows in the footsteps of states across the nation, from Montana to Alabama, from New Hampshire to Illinois, from North Dakota to Connecticut, who already passed non-criminalization legislation. SB 1322 is not an isolated state law, but instead brings California into the national movement of state legislatures rejecting outmoded ideas about the culpability of children for their own sex trafficking victimization and passing legal protections for them.

Ultimately, the laws governing a society reflect the attitudes and beliefs of that society. As a country, we have continuously demonstrated our commitment to protecting children from harm, and in the unfortunate moments that such harm cannot be prevented, we have collectively demanded that rehabilitation and refuge be provided for them. Victims of child sex trafficking are certainly deserving of these protections. Criminalizing children for the crimes committed against them is not only unjust and harmful; it is contrary to the ideals that we strive to reach for all of the nation’s children. SB 1322 is consistent with the growing national recognition of the need to protect rather than criminalize child sex trafficking victims.

December 21, 2016 by Susanna Bean

Partnering to Serve DMST Survivors

Like many minor victims of sex trafficking, Sofia* felt isolated and unsure, but adding to her anxiety was her inability to speak English; she simply couldn’t understand the help offered by the Department of Child and Family Services. This is when the department reached out to Saving Innocence, a survivor assistance program supported in part by Shared Hope. Fortunately, our support in 2016 enabled them to hire their first bi-lingual case manager, Jasmine. Jasmine’s language and professional skills working with survivors were just what Sofia needed.

Sofia took the phone and Jasmine began talking with her, speaking in Spanish. She began to feel at ease as Jasmine explained the medical care that the DCFS social worker could offer. Jasmine encouraged her to get the medical check and Sofia finally agreed. Even though this interaction was brief, Sofia felt cared for because she was understood.

These moments of care happen each time case managers at Saving Innocence come to the aid of survivors of trafficking. Because of your financial support to Shared Hope you are a part of the care being offered. To see what that means to survivors of trafficking check out the video below: A Day in the Life of a Case Manager. It illustrates their work, and the role you play too as you support the efforts of our partner organizations.

This December your impact on the lives of survivors will be doubled through a generous matching grant. All gifts, up to $150,000 will be doubled if given before December 31^st. Help us support survivors of trafficking by giving at this link.

Our passion to see child sex trafficking survivors restored and empowered is a central theme of our work. Not only do we help provide services through our partners; we work to affect the systems that serve trafficked youth at every level. Your support enables us to strengthen laws through our Protected Innocence Challenge so victims have avenues to comprehensive services, your support helps us research and promote best practices for serving trafficking survivors through our JuST Response Council, and you help us offer training to professionals interacting with trafficking survivors.

With a gift of financial support this Christmas season you can join us in making sure that every survivor of trafficking receives comprehensive services from caring professionals.

*Name changed to protect confidentiality.