Press Releases Archives - Page 10 of 11 - Shared Hope International

July 3, 2013 by SHI Staff

Briefing — National Colloquium 2012 Report Release

An Inventory and Evaluation of the Current Shelter and Services Response to Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking

1:00-2:30pm, Monday, July 8, 2013

United States Capitol Visitor Center, HVC-200

A briefing will be held in coordination with Senators Portman and Blumenthal, Co-Chairs of the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking; Reps. Ted Poe and Jim Costa, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Victims’ Rights and Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler and Donna F. Edwards, Co-Chairs, and Reps. Kristi Noem and Doris O. Matsui, Vice-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues to discuss the findings and next steps from the National Colloquium on Shelter and Services for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims.

Hear recommendations from the recently released National Colloquium 2012 Report representing a wealth of perspectives from over 100 provider, survivor, government, advocacy and funding experts on emerging trends and barriers encountered in attempting to secure restorative shelter and services for juvenile sex trafficking victims and survivors. Hear from members of Congress and Congresswoman Linda Smith (U.S. Congress 1995-99), Founder and President, Shared Hope International, together with survivor leaders and individual creating national, state and local level solutions, as we explore the critical challenge of restoring the survivors of juvenile sex trafficking.

[youtuber vimeo=’http://vimeo.com/69921098′]

Briefing Agenda:

Welcome and Purpose | Linda Smith, Shared Hope International
Remarks from Caucus Chairs and Members
Summary of National Colloquium Report Recommendations and Nexus to Federal Involvement | Carol Smolenski, ECPAT USA
Current Impact of TVPA on Shelter and Services for Minors | Dr. Mohamed Mattar, The Protection Project at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Panel Discussion: National Colloquium Report Recommendations Moderator: Eliza Reock, Shared Hope International

Challenges to Measuring Outcomes: Joye Frost, Acting Director, Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice
Lack of Services Tailored for Boys: Marq Taylor, Survivor Advocate
Challenges to Placement: Dale Alton, Executive Director, Georgia Care Connection Office
Safety and Security: Dr. Courtney Gaskins, Director of Program Services, Youth For Tomorrow
Importance of Survivor Empowerment: Wilthelma TiOra Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, Anti-trafficking Advocate, Human Rights Project for Girls and Survivors

This event is open to the public. Seating is limited; please arrive early to guarantee seating.

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March 11, 2013 by SHI Staff

WA House Hearing on Comprehensive Bill to Fight Child Sex Trafficking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2013

Download Press Release

Contact: Taryn Mastrean

602-818-3955

Taryn@sharedhope.org

WA HOUSE HEARING ON COMPREHENSIVE BILL TO FIGHT CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING
Survivors of trafficking testify for SB 5669 and SB 5488 to bring justice to Washington’s trafficked youth

Vancouver, WA – A public hearing on SB 5669 and 5488 will take place on Tuesday, March 12. Together these bills would close gaps in Washington’s laws to ensure there are no places for traffickers and buyers of child sex trafficking to hide in Washington. Proposed bill SB 5669, sponsored by Senator Mike Padden (R-WA), would update the body of laws dealing with human trafficking to strengthen Washington’s ability to fight human trafficking, including criminalizing use of the Internet to sell or purchase sex acts or commit sex trafficking. Proposed bill SB 5488, sponsored by Seattle Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-WA), raises the stakes for Internet exploitation of children by imposing an additional fine when commercial sexual exploitation of children involves an Internet advertisement. Both bills passed the Senate unanimously on March 4, 2013 and are scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Public Safety at 8:30 AM on March 12, 2013.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE:
WHAT: House Hearing on SB 5669 and 5488
WHEN: Tuesday, March 12 at 8:30 am PST
WHERE: Hearing Room D, John L. O’Brien Building, 504 15th Ave, S.W., Olympia
WHO: Senator Mike Padden (R-WA)
Brianna, Survivor Advocate; Intern, Shared Hope International
Marie, Survivor Advocate; Resources Coordinator, Shared Hope International

ABOUT THE SURVIVORS:
Brianna and Marie know firsthand the importance of strong laws.

Three years ago, Brianna was targeted by a trafficker while working as a waitress at a local restaurant. The trafficker appeared as an older boyfriend and convinced her to travel to Phoenix with him to meet his family. Days before they left for Arizona, a friend intervened with the help of a trained law enforcement officer and Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International. Today, Brianna serves as an intern at Shared Hope and attends nursing school. Stories like Brianna’s are only possible because trained, knowledgeable law enforcement had the tools they needed to protect Brianna.

Marie was five years old when she was first used in child pornography. By nine years old, Marie’s stepfather had taken her virginity and was selling her to friends for sex. Marie became pregnant by one of the men her stepfather sold her to and birthed her first son in the basement of her stepfather’s house when she was fourteen. Marie was placed in foster and group homes, only to flee to the streets where she felt safer than home. Yet, life on the street was dangerous and difficult and Marie fell victim to a pimp. One night, Marie got in the car with a violent buyer. In self-defense, she stabbed the man with a small knife she carried for protection. She spent six years in prison for the murder of that violent buyer before coming to work at Shared Hope International.

PROVISIONS OF THE BILLS:
• SB 5669 removes a barrier to prosecuting child sex trafficking crimes by amending the trafficking law to eliminate the requirement that force, fraud or coercion be proven when the victim is a minor, joining 32 other states and the federal government, and aligns Washington’s trafficking law with the federal law by using a reckless disregard standard in proving a defendant’s knowledge that a minor victim was under 18.
• SB 5669 addresses demand for sex trafficking by including buying or purchasing as prohibited conduct under the trafficking law.
• SB 5669 limits the need to rely on victim-witness testimony by expressly prohibiting a defense based on a minor’s consent to engage in commercial sex acts, recognizing that minors cannot consent to commercial sex acts. SB 5669 protects trafficking victims who testify at trial from traumatizing cross-examination by extending the protection of the rape shield law and expanding the law permitting testimony by closed circuit television to include minors under 14 who are victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
• SB 5669 increases deterrence and helps to pay for the costs stemming from trafficking victimization by raising the mandatory fee in a trafficking sentence to $10,000.
• SB 5669 requires defendants convicted of trafficking, commercial sexual abuse of a minor and promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor to register as a sex offender.
• SB 5669 provides prosecutors and law enforcement with a critical tool for combatting gangs and sex trafficking enterprises by amending the state racketeering law to include trafficking, promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor and permitting commercial sexual abuse of a minor as predicate crimes.
• SB 5669 addresses the pervasive use of the Internet to purchase, promote and advertise commercial sexual exploitation of children by amending the offense of communication with a minor for immoral purposes to include use of the Internet for “the purchase or sale of commercial sex acts and sex trafficking.”
• SB 5488 imposes an additional $5,000 fine when an Internet advertisement facilitates commercial sexual abuse of a minor, promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor or promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor.

MEDIA MATERIALS
To access Washington’s Protected Innocence Report Card that grades the state on its level of protection against domestic minor sex trafficking, please visit: http://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/bring-justice/state-by-state-grades/

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including DMST survivor comments, are available at this location: http://sharedhope.org/media/

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International was founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, and exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery using a three-pronged strategy: prevent, restore, and bring justice. For more information about Shared Hope International, and the Protected Innocence Challenge, go to sharedhope.org

For more information contact Taryn Mastrean at (602) 818-3955 or taryn@sharedhope.org.
###

January 31, 2013 by SHI Staff

Close and Johnson will work to erase Oregon’s “D” rating on sex trafficking issues

Link to Download Full Press Release from www.leg.state.or.us

Oregon State Capitol
900 Court Street NE, S-303
Salem, Oregon 97301
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Michael Gay
January 30, 2013 503.986.1955
503.781.8559

Salem, OR – Senator Betsy Close (R-Albany/Corvallis) and Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose)
are introducing legislation to fight the purveyors of the sex trade in Oregon and protect its victims.
Both Senators believe that by working across party lines and with organizations like Shared Hope
International, the legislature can pass legislation to protect minors from the commercial sex trade.
“This is an issue of safety and justice,” said Close. “When you hear the stories and statistics
surrounding this modern slave-trade, it cries out for action. I think Republicans and Democrats
together can take a stand for the victims of sex trafficking.”
It is easier to not confront the horrors associated with an issue like Oregon’s sex trade,” said Close.
“We would prefer to think something this terrible couldn’t happen in our state. But it is happening,
and to ignore it is to be complicit in it. It is our responsibility to not only be aware but to act in the
defense of sex trafficking victims, and to fight for its end.”
Oregon recently received a “D” in a report card from Shared Hope International, an organization
dedicated to fighting sex trafficking. The report outlines several flaws in Oregon’s sex trafficking law.
Close plans on working with Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) to push legislation closing the
loopholes and ending sex trafficking in Oregon.
“We want to end the menace of sex trafficking in this state,” said Johnson. “By making some changes
to Oregon law, this legislature can help prevent trafficking from happening, prosecute it vigorously
when it does, and give its victims hope.”
Legislative concepts proposed by Shared Hope International and introduced by Close and Johnson
deal with criminalizing domestic minor sex trafficking, increasing sentencing allowances for
consumers, suppliers and facilitators of sex trafficking, providing greater protection for child victims
of sex trafficking and giving investigators and prosecutors additional tools.
The 2013 legislative session begins on February 4th.

###

November 29, 2012 by SHI Staff

National Study Reveals Top Seven States that Protect Against Child Trafficking

A National Call To Action Spurs 44 States to Strengthen Child Trafficking Laws

Press Release: Protected Innocence Challenge Grade Announcement 11 29 12

Arlington, VA—Sweeping national legislative advancements proved successful for Louisiana, Florida and Georgia who will join the ranks of Illinois, Missouri, Texas and Washington in leading the nation with laws that provide protection and justice to child victims of domestic minor sex trafficking, according to research released Nov. 29, 2012 by Shared Hope International.

Recent findings from the 2012 Protected Innocence Challenge Report, the first comprehensive study on state child sex trafficking laws, show 15 states have raised their grades by enacting legislation that strengthened laws that impact or relate to domestic minor sex trafficking. In addition to the seven leading states listed above that scored a “B” on the 2012 report, nine states earned a “C,” compared to only six in 2011. In 2012, 35 states received grades of “D” or lower, including 18 failing grades— a significant improvement from the 2011 scores with 41 states receiving a grade of “D” or lower and 26 failing states.

The release of the Protected Innocence Challenge report is being hosted in conjuncture with Sharing the Hope 2012, a three-day event that includes training, the National Colloquium, a forum of national experts on the issue of shelter and service provision for child victims of trafficking, and the Sharing the Hope Gala and Pathbreaker Award Ceremony honoring Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children; Drew Oosterbaan, Chief, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the U.S. Department of Justice; Amy O’Neill Richard, Senior Advisor to the Director in the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons; and Deborah Richardson, Executive Vice President of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

“In 2011, Shared Hope International challenged each state to review the laws on its books and the impact they are having on local children.” Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said. “Advocates around the nation united, forming coalitions, legislative review committees, and petitions to strengthen their states laws. Citizens showed they want stronger laws on the books and their efforts proved successful.”

“For me the Protected Innocence Challenge signifies liberation from a life of slavery with the opportunity for the oppressed to pursue the American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Shamere McKenzie, Program Assistant, Shared Hope International and Survivor Advocate said.

Every year in the United States, experts estimate at least 100,000 children are exploited in the U.S. commercial sex industry. The average age a child is first exploited through prostitution is 13 years old.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

1. 15 states improved their grades from 2011

2 states went up two grades: AK and MA went from F to C
13 states went up one grade
3 new “B” states: LA, FL, GA
6 new “C” states: AK, IN, MA, OH, OK, WI
6 new “D” states: CO, MD, NE, NV, SC, UT

2. 7 states improved their Protected Innocence Challenge scores by 10+ points

MA went up 29.5 pts
WV went up 21 pts
LA went up 17 pts
SC went up 17 pts
AK went up 14.5 pts
OH went up 12 pts
WI went up 10 pts

3. States were scored based on six categories of law. Scores by area of law – states have achieved perfect scores in sections 1 and 6, with “near perfect” scores in the other areas of law:

Section 1 (Criminalization of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking): IL and TX have perfect scores (10 points possible)
Section 2 (Criminal Provisions Addressing Demand): LA now has a “near perfect” score with 24.5 points (25 points possible)
Section 3 (Criminal Provisions for Traffickers): MS, KY, FL and AL have a “near perfect” score with 14.5 points (15 points possible)
Section 4 (Criminal Provisions for Facilitators): LA and WA have a “near perfect” score with 9.5 points (10 points possible)
Section 5 (Protected Provisions for Child Victims): IL is the closest to a “near perfect” score with 24.5 points (27.5 points possible)
Section 6 (Criminal Justice Tools for Investigation and Prosecution): AL, MN, OH and TX have perfect scores (15 points possible)

4. Most Improved = MA
5. Highest Score = LA
6. Worst score = WY

GRADES:

B (7) – FL, GA, IL, LA, MO, TX, WA
C (9) – AK, AZ, IN, MA, MN, OH, OK, TN, WI
D (17) – AL, CO, DE, IA, KY, MD, MS, NE, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OR, RI, SC, UT, VT
F (18) – AR, CA, CT, DC, HI, ID, KS, ME, MI, MT, NH, NM, ND, PA, SD, VA, WV, WY

2012 Legislative Progress:

One year after the release of the 2011 Protected Innocence Challenge:*

240 state and 38 federal bills were introduced that relate to domestic minor sex trafficking.
78 laws were passed that relate to domestic minor sex trafficking.
40 states had legislation introduced that relates to the Protected Innocence Framework.
33 states enacted legislation related to the Protected Innocence Framework.

*Statistics are based on Congressional Quarterly State Track accounting for legislation introduced or passed between August 1, 2011 and August 1, 2012.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Taryn Mastrean

Communications Director

703.351.8062 office / 602.818.3955 cell

Taryn@sharedhope.org

ABOUT THE PROTECTED INNOCENCE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK: The Protected Innocence Legislative Framework is the legal analysis tool of the Protected Innocence Challenge, a comprehensive strategy to promote zero tolerance for child sex trafficking. Shared Hope International conducted a 41-component comprehensive analysis of each state’s existing laws as a basis for the Report Card. The Protected Innocence Legislative Framework solely evaluates a state’s existing laws and does not evaluate enforcement or implementation.

The methodology was vetted by experts in the anti-trafficking field including Ambassador Mark Lagon (U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons 2007-2009) and directors from the following organizations: the National District Attorneys Association; American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law; the Protection Project at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies; ECPAT-USA; Children at Risk, Houston, Texas; and A Future. Not a Past., Atlanta, Georgia

MEDIA MATERIALS

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including sex trafficking survivor comments, are available upon request.

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International was founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, and exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery using a three-pronged strategy: prevent, rescue & restore, and bring justice. For more information about Shared Hope International, and the Protected Innocence Challenge, go to www.sharedhope.org.

February 9, 2012 by SHI Staff

WA Senate Passes New Bill to Fight Child Sex Trafficking

Read the Full Release

The Washington state Senate unanimously passed a raft of Protected Innocence bills targeted at tightening the state laws against child sex trafficking, including the pioneering SB 6251, aiming at stopping the online facilitation of child sex trafficking.