News from Shared Hope International

October 5, 2016 by Guest

Creating a county-wide CSEC MDT: Flying the plane as we are building it…

By Lisa Conn Akoni, MA, MFT; Rita McGaw, MS, MFT; Carrick Adam, MD, MSPH

Over the past few years, several of us from different county agencies have traveled to conventions, workshops, seminars, and trainings, learned from survivors, attended meet-and-greets, etc., and came to one central conclusion…

The only way we will be effective in delivering trauma-informed and victim-centered services throughout all partnering agencies, create systemic change, and provide a continuum of care that serves our population is if we collaborate!

Given the urgent need, we decided to “fly the plane as we build it.” We created a multidisciplinary team comprised of many county partners and local non-profits that are all using a trauma-informed lens (looking at a hierarchy of needs) and using a bio/psycho/social approach to prevention, intervention, investigation, prosecution and data collection.

We have worked very hard to unify our expertise and get people in the same room hearing the same educational messages. From that point of reference, we built a fantastic collaboration which is now accomplishing great things – thanks to the commitment of multiple agencies.

About the authors: Lisa is the Supervisor and program developer for the R.I.S.E. Project. Carrick is a Medical Director working with adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system. Rita is a Victim Witness Program Supervisor. They work together in Santa Barbara County to create systemic change in the county’s response to exploited and abused youth.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

September 26, 2016 by Guest

Attitude of Gratitude

Copyrighted Content ã By Marti MacGibbon, CADC-II, ACRPS

Attitude is everything. Gratitude is the ultimate attitude adjustment. Since 2000, psychologists have conducted numerous studies on the effect and benefits of gratitude. Gratitude, it turns out, is a very powerful and often overlooked emotion. In the words of Cicero, the ancient Roman philosopher, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues but the parent of all others.” When we live in a state of gratefulness for all that we have, all that we are, and all that comes our way, we constantly receive more things to be grateful for. Gratitude is a powerful force, which instantly begins propelling us forward toward happiness, success and health. Once established as a force within us, gratitude naturally begins radiating out toward others.

Here are three simple methods you can use to quickly become grounded in gratefulness, and continue to increase and refresh your inner gratitude force throughout the day:

Make a mental gratitude list in the moment. This can also be done with pen and paper, but people don’t always have time to do a physical list during a busy day, so try it now, inwardly. Start by thinking the words, “Thank you,” and repeat as you visualize all the things you’re grateful for. For example, take a deep breath, and acknowledge gratitude for the air you’re breathing, the lung capacity you have, and the oxygen to your brain and bloodstream. Look around you, and experience gratitude for your eyesight, the view you’re taking in, and your brain’s power to process the image. While acknowledging your gratitude, allow yourself to luxuriate in the feeling of joy and peace that comes from living in the moment, knowing that the future holds promise for you.

Create a written gratitude list to read aloud to yourself daily. Start by saying the words, “Thank you,” aloud a few times — to prime the gratitude pump, so to speak. Begin by recording at least ten things for which you are grateful. Read the list at least once during your day. Take time to celebrate each entry with a feeling of exultation. Your list may contain items as simple as a good cup of coffee or as wondrous as a spectacular sunset. Feel the thrill and joy of gratitude that fills you each time you read and contemplate your list, and notice how you begin to be inspired to reciprocate by sharing with others.

Give of yourself and express your gratitude to others. This step is essential in completing the gratitude cycle. As you begin to acknowledge all that you have, all that you are, and all that comes your way, you come to recognize that everything in life, particularly that which is challenging, is a gift — a miracle. Consciously celebrate each miracle, and out of your resulting joy comes a desire to “pay it forward.” Every moment experienced in life holds millions of things to be grateful for. Start each day with a gratitude list and see for yourself. Gratitude carries profound results, and it can kick your attitude into positive gear — instantaneously. It works when we work it!

About the Author: Marti MacGibbon has recovered from and triumphed over human trafficking, adolescent sexual abuse/assault, homelessness, domestic violence, severe PTSD and hard-core drug addiction. Today, she is an internationally known humorous inspirational speaker and a nationally award-winning, bestselling author.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

September 20, 2016 by Guest

Prevention: It Matters!

pre·ven·tion – prəˈven(t)SH(ə)n/ noun – the action of stopping something from happening or arising.

A study in Minnesota shows a benefit cost analysis for providing preventative and early intervention methods quantified at $34 to $1. For every $1 we spend on preventative measures for young adolescent females at risk for sexual abuse/trafficking, we will save taxpayers $34 (due to increase costs for legal, social health, medical cost, etc.).¹This study is a perfect example of the benefits in analyzing prevention efforts.

Allow me to introduce you to a child we will call Joe. He showed up at school on Tuesday morning believing that it would be a normal day as a seventh grader. As the students filed into their health class, it was unlikely Joe knew that it would be far from normal. As the guest presenter began to share about Human Trafficking and the warning signs, the effects and local realities, the mood started to change. A fellow classmate raised their hand to seek clarity on a specific matter. She asked the facilitator “What does loss of bowel control mean”? The guest facilitator searched the health teacher’s face for the go ahead to answer. Getting the green light, the facilitator explained in an age appropriate manner what sodomization was. Joe subconsciously responded, unable to control his response that was triggered by the discussion. He began to rock with his head between his hands; unnoticed by classmates and even the teacher. Joe, like so many other students, was just given vocabulary to identify abuse that he more than likely believed was normal, or even his fault. The facilitator guided the health teacher to appropriate follow up and ensured that Joe was given a support system. This is just one example as to why prevention matters.²

Prevention is vital when it comes to eliminating any problem. When we look at the issue of human trafficking, prevention must become an essential part of our strategy. We will never have enough resources, time or people to respond to the increasing issue of modern-day slavery. We must find a way to swim upstream and put appropriate measures in place to prevent future victimization. Prevention is not only critical in the fight against human trafficking, but it is indispensable for eliminating the effects of trauma. We know that 70-90% of exploited children have a history of sexual abuse.³ Many states are passing laws (North Carolina, Virginia, and others) that require students in public schools be taught about Human Trafficking through their health classes. This is creating a demand for evidence-informed curriculum and systematic protocols that ensure at-risk children do not slip through the cracks. Our schools, communities, clubs, places of faith, and businesses are filled with students presenting risk-factors. The question I would pose to you: Do we know who they are? If and when we become a community that knows how to identify at-risk students, before further victimization occurs, then we will begin to change the culture. Prevention: it matters!

^{1: (Early Intervention to Avoid Sex Trading and Trafficking of Minnesota’s Female Youth: A Benefit-Cost Analysis, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, 2012).}

^{2: The story of Joe is true. His name has been changed to protect his identity.}

^{3: 1. Bagley, C. & Young, L. (1987). Juvenile Prostitution and Child Sexual Abuse: A Controlled Study. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health.;. Annual Report. (1991). Council for Prostitution Alternatives. Portland, Oregon.; Murphy, Patricia. (1993). Making Connections: Women, Work, and Abuse. Paul M. Deutsch Press, Florida.}

About the author: Hannah oversees the development and implementation of sustainable programs for females ages 12-18, focusing on awareness, prevention and direct services to victims of exploitation and trafficking. She blends her experience from the corporate and non-profit worlds into a unique balance of purpose and passion.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

September 12, 2016 by Guest

What is Justice Supposed to Look Like?

By Rose Mukhar, JD, Justice At Last

Imagine that you are an 11-year-old girl being sex trafficked by your parents. Or, that you are a 15-year-old boy trading sex for food and a place to stay. Or instead, that you are a 17-year-old girl willingly in “the life” to show loyalty to your gang. Now think about what would happen if one or all your exploiters were arrested on human trafficking charges? Would you be willing to testify in a court of law against your parents? Against your provider of food and shelter? Against your fellow gang members? Could you testify against any of them?

I have heard repeatedly from law enforcement or the prosecuting attorney in my cases or read in the news that “…without the victim’s testimony, the human trafficking charges against the perpetrator won’t stand.” In other words, without my client coming forward and testifying against his or her exploiter in court, there will be no human trafficking conviction against the defendant. The fact that my client’s testimony is the pivotal evidence, and that his or her testimony is often the determining factor for a case going forward to trial is troubling to me. Especially, given that all the human trafficking survivor clients I have represented have been threatened with serious bodily harm to themselves and/or to their loved ones if they were to disclose what truly happened to them.

Why, then, does the justice system rely primarily on the testimony of these crime victims without factoring in the age or capacity or willingness to testify? Why does the justice system require that the victim testify in a courtroom where jurors will hear about how he or she was exploited, brutalized, humiliated and dehumanized? And, when a crime victim of human trafficking agrees to testify, is the justice system able to protect and prevent him or her from being re-victimized?

About the author: Rose Mukhar is a social justice and human rights attorney with experience in cases involving children, women, refugees, and survivors of domestic violence, torture, and human trafficking. Rose recently founded Justice At Last, a non-profit law firm dedicated to empowering trafficked survivors by providing critical pro-bono legal services in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This blog post was originally part of our 2016 JuST Conference Speaker Blog Series.

September 9, 2016 by Linda Smith

A Southwest Washington Girl was Rescued and Given Her Name Back

For four long years, Stephanie wasn’t even allowed to use her own name. She was only known by the name her trafficker gave her when he first enslaved her. She was only 13 years old at the time.

“He said I was no longer that girl with my old family,” Stephanie remembers, “No longer a girl who went to weekend retreats with my church youth group. But now a new girl that was a part of his family.”

It was a brutal family. Her trafficker beat her and continually manipulated her emotionally. Even worse than the beatings, Stephanie says today, were his constant reminders that he would go get her 10-year-old sister — unless Stephanie kept the customers satisfied.

Eventually, local law enforcement rescued her but she still couldn’t use her own name. Shared Hope moved her from her home community in SW Washington clear across the country, and gave her a new name for her own protection. And as she was loved, cared for her and counseled, the day came when she determined to share her story boldly, to help fight the scourge of sex-trafficking, to keep other girls from being subjected to what she had suffered.

As she prepared to speak at her first public events, the old shame bombarded her again. But then, something beautiful happened: “I walked to the microphone, looked out, and saw smiles of acceptance. Something had changed. I lifted my chin, stood tall, and said, ‘My name is Stephanie, and I am taking back my name.’ I then proceeded to tell them how the traffickers work, so they could better protect the children in their homes and communities!”

Her story is, in many ways, sadly typical: the older boy taking an interest in the younger girl, persuading her that their relationship is “fate,” promising to marry her, buying her nice things, and then demanding that she dance in a strip club to help him out of a financial jam.

“It was degrading, but I did it ‘for us,’” Stephanie says. When he demanded that she sell herself for sex, she refused — and he threw her out of the house on a bitterly cold night. She could sell, or she could freeze to death.

“I began endless nights of selling myself to make the money my trafficker demanded. I descended into depression. I drank and took drugs to dull the pain. Before I turned 16 all I wanted to do was die. Police picked me up, recognized me as a reported missing child, took me home — but fearing what he would do to my little sister if I didn’t return, I would get in the car when he drove up to my house.”

Arrests and returns became a cycle. At one point, the trafficker brutally assaulted Stephanie in front of her own home. “While I was hospitalized, my probation officer asked Linda Smith of Shared Hope to find a safe place where professionals had the skills to address my many needs,” Stephanie says.

The closest such place was 3,000 miles away. But Stephanie was willing to go. To escape the nightmare.

Stephanie has rebuilt her life, with strong support. Yet, as she often tells audiences, she likely would not have been tricked into the horror she endured if she, her youth leader, coach, or even her mom had known how the traffickers work. The signs were very evident.

Stephanie is one of two girls who tell their story in ‘Chosen,’ a gripping documentary from Shared Hope that opens hearts and eyes to the tragic dangers of sex trafficking and educates youth to recognize the danger signs. This 20-minute film tells the shocking true story of two all-American teenage girls tricked into trafficking. Both were manipulated. Both were exploited. Both were chosen.

“My journey has made me strong enough to be a voice for others,” Stephanie says today. “My faith in God and His way of making beauty from ashes has emboldened me to speak on their behalf.”

Shared Hope International is a global community dedicated to protecting our children on a local level. We’re thrilled to be working alongside the Clark County Sheriff’s office and Southwest Washington Churches on September 22nd to train parents, youth workers, community leaders, and teens how traffickers operate and how they can protect themselves and their friends. We invite those in the Northwest to join us for this event. In equipping our entire community with the proper knowledge and tools, we at Shared Hope believe we can protect our children before they come to harm.

We also invite you, our global community, to support our local efforts by giving to Shared Hope International as a part of Give More 24 on September 22.

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