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November 11, 2015 by SHI Staff

NEW STUDY ON CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING LAWS IN THE U.S. SHOWS GROWING DIVIDE AMONG STATES

Shared Hope International Research Reveals Strongest and Weakest States in the Nation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C., A new study released by Shared Hope International finds a growing divide between states that aggressively address child sex trafficking through state laws and those with inadequate protections.

The Protected Innocence Challenge, a report on the state of child sex trafficking laws in the U.S., found that five years of sweeping legislative advancements allowed 47 states to raise their grade since 2011. In 2015, a record-setting 933 bills related to domestic minor sex trafficking were introduced in 50 states and D.C., resulting in the improvement of 14 state grades. Louisiana ranked top in the nation for the second year in a row, earning a 99.5 per cent. Michigan claims most improved state in 2015. View the state grades.

As states like Texas, Tennessee, Washington, Louisiana, Montana and Minnesota crack down on trafficking, earning top scores, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and South Dakota tie for last place – making these states more vulnerable to attracting this illicit business.

Shifting dynamics have states scrambling to tighten laws. North Dakota and Montana, states highly affected by the booming oil industry, significantly strengthened state laws over the past year to respond to the surge of transient workers flooding the area, increasing demand for commercial sex. In contrast, California faces the impending wave of visitors for Super Bowl 2016 and has not improved its laws to handle an increase in trafficking crimes, especially demand.

“In 2011, over half the nation earned a failing grade for its state laws addressing child sex trafficking,” Shared Hope International President Linda Smith said. “Five years later, we’ve made significant strides forward. Not a single state has a failing grade. Increased awareness, coupled with legislative will, is the reason.”

Shared Hope International is an international anti-trafficking organization focusing on prevention, restoration and justice for victims of sex trafficking. Access media resources.

Taryn Offenbacher
Shared Hope International
602-818-3955
Taryn@sharedhope.org

November 11, 2015 by SHI Staff

NEW STUDY FINDS NORTH DAKOTA, MONTANA RESPOND TO POPULATION SURGE BY TIGHTENING SEX TRAFFICKING LAWS; CALIFORNIA LAGS BEHIND

Why Some State’s Stricter Laws Are Creating a Threat of Trafficking for Others

WASHINGTON, D.C., As large events and expanding industries draw thousands of new visitors, a new study by Shared Hope International finds states like North Dakota and Montana enacted aggressive laws to confront the heightened threat of child sex trafficking while states like California continue to suffer critical gaps in state laws to address the crime.

In North Dakota, the booming oil industry drew over 100,000 new employees, primarily men, away from home, for high-paying jobs. This surge of men with disposable incomes in an area that is disproportionately male-dominate threatened to fuel an emerging commercial sex industry. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, violent crime, including murder, aggravated assault, forcible rape, and robbery, increased by 125% between 2005 and 2013 in the area. In 2011, Shared Hope International gave North Dakota an “F” grade on the Protected Innocence Challenge report cards for the sufficiency of state laws to combat child sex trafficking–leaving the state vulnerable to a wave of potential buyers with limited ability to deter the crime and protect victims. However, in 2015, North Dakota bolstered its protective provisions for child sex trafficking victims. This year, North Dakota earned a “B” on the Protected Innocence Challenge report card.

Montana, also vulnerable to the threat of increased trafficking due to its proximity to the Bakken region, overhauled its laws in 2015 to address the issue. Montana earned a mere 60 per cent on the 2014 Protected Innocence Challenge report card. After the sweeping legislative advancements in 2015, Montana climbed to a 90 per cent, and is now one of only six states in the nation to earn an “A” grade.

In contrast, California has consistently fallen in last place in the Protected Innocence Challenge–climbing from 41 per cent to 65 per cent between 2011 and 2015. The state struggles to overcome a difficult fiscal environment and a federal mandate banning an increase in criminal statutes. This limits the state’s ability to enact tougher laws that would impose increased penalties or felony convictions, actions that could cause fiscal triggers. In response, activists have developed work-around solutions, reprogramming state efforts to target system responses. However, as California prepares to host the 2016 Super Bowl, the state has not improved its laws to handle an increase in trafficking crimes, especially demand. Increasing the population of men who could be commercial sex consumers, compounded by weak state laws to deter the crime could entice traffickers to the region to meet the demand for this illicit business.

“As states strengthen laws, enabling more aggressive investigation and prosecution; traffickers may be searching for states with lower risk and greater tolerance. We cannot afford to leave our children vulnerable to traffickers because the state hasn’t caught up to the crime.” Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said.

The Protected Innocence Challenge was created to address key legislative gaps and makes recommendations for improvement so states can strengthen laws and implement effective state response. See all state grades at www.sharedhope.org/reportcards.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Taryn Offenbacher
Communications Director
703.351.8062 office / 602.818.3955 cell
Taryn@sharedhope.org

MEDIA MATERIALS

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including sex trafficking survivor comments, are available at this location: https://vimeo.com/user12564384/videos. Videos are password protected, please enter password sharedmedia1 to access media clips.

Shared Hope International is an anti-trafficking organization focusing on prevention, restoration and justice for victims of sex trafficking. Founded in 1998 by Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope is a trusted leader for training, research, restorative development, and legislative development

November 4, 2015 by SHI Staff

John Cotton Richmond, Department of Justice, Named 2015 Pathbreaker Award Recipient

Shared Hope International Awards Richmond for Outstanding Leadership to Curb Human Trafficking

ARLINGTON, VA. – Pursing justice for human trafficking crimes is more than his life’s work; it is a passion for John Cotton Richmond. As a federal prosecutor serving as the Special Litigation Counsel with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Richmond has investigated and prosecuted numerous victim-centered labor and sex trafficking cases throughout the United States. He frequently serves as an expert on human trafficking for the United Nation’s Working Group on Trafficking in Persons and at the European Union’s multilateral meetings on human trafficking. He has trained judges, prosecutors, federal agents, law enforcement officers, non-governmental organizations, and international delegations on human trafficking investigative and prosecutorial strategies. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, John worked on human trafficking crimes as the Director of the International Justice Mission’s slavery work in India.

“John was at the forefront of human trafficking investigations before the term was being used in most countries,” Shared Hope International President and Founder Linda Smith said. “His relentless pursuit of justice for victims of trafficking is inspiring and emboldens others to follow his lead.”

John’s work to combat human trafficking has earned numerous other honors, including: being named one of the “Prosecutors of the Year” by the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, receiving the David Allred Award for Exceptional Contributions to Civil Rights, twice earning the Department of Homeland Security’s Outstanding Investigative Accomplishments in a Human Trafficking Award, winning the Distinguished Law Enforcement Teamwork Award from the Federal Executive Board, as well as twice receiving the Department of Justice’s Special Commendation Award.

The 2015 Pathbreaker Award recipients also include Alexandra (Sandi) Pierce (Othayonih Research) and Sheriff Thomas Dart (Cook County Sheriff’s Office). The awards will be presented at Shared Hope International’s JuST Conference on November 12 in Washington, D.C.

History of the Award: In 2000, the U.S. Department of State engaged Shared Hope International to hold Pathbreaking Strategies Conferences in six countries to energize the global conversation and share innovative approaches to combat trafficking. During this process, the Pathbreaker Award was established to recognize the pioneering efforts of individuals throughout the world who broke the trend of inaction and initiated proactive responses to prevent trafficking. See all Pathbreaker Award recipients.

Media Materials: For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including survivor comments, are available at this location: http://vimeo.com/user12564384/albums. Clips are password protected, please contact Taryn Offenbacher at Taryn@sharedhope.org for access.

Shared Hope International was established in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, to prevent, restore, and bring justice to women and children in crisis. We provide leadership in awareness, training, prevention strategies, restorative care, research, and policy initiatives. www.sharedhope.org

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

November 4, 2015 by SHI Staff

Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart’s Bold Tactics to Stop Sex Trafficking on Backpage.com Win 2015 Pathbreaker Award

Shared Hope International honors Sheriff Thomas Dart for dedication to fighting demand for sex trafficking

ARLINGTON, VA. – Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart is named a 2015 Pathbreaker Award recipient by Shared Hope International for his revolutionary efforts to tackle the child sex trafficking industry through a campaign of advocacy and education illustrating the use of the online classified giant, Backpage.com, to promote this industry.

Backpage.com has been at the center of national advocacy efforts for years, with thousands calling for the site to shut down its adult entertainment section. According to Shared Hope International, 495 victims of child sex trafficking have been linked to Backpage.com. In July 2015, Sheriff Dart asked credit card companies, Visa and MasterCard, to join him in his fight against child sex trafficking by removing their cards as payment options on Backpage.com. Within days, both credit cards were no longer available for use on Backpage.com.

Though efforts to pressure Backpage.com to shut down the adult entertainment section have continued for years, Sheriff Dart’s fresh approach of educating the credit card companies and their resulting withdrawal impacted the child sex trafficking market and Backpage.com’s bottom line – stirring them to respond. According to Sheriff Dart’s office, Backpage.com may rake in as much as $9 million a month from adult entertainment ads, of which an extreme majority are solicitations for illegal activities. Backpage.com began allowing free basic ad posting; however, if the company cannot identify an equally convenient alternative payment option, the impact on this open market for child sex traffickers will become permanent and this easy way of peddling children will be no more.

“Sheriff Dart faced intense backlash from Backpage.com for his campaign calling on credit card companies to do the right thing and remove their cards from being used on Backpage.com, a site linked to child sex trafficking,” Shared Hope International President and Founder Linda Smith said. “Still, he remains relentless in his pursuit of justice for child victims of trafficking by tackling the crime at the source of the marketplace. He is a true Pathbreaker – one who is willing to blaze bold new trails in the name of justice.”

The 2015 Pathbreaker Award recipients also include John Cotton Richmond, Esq. (U.S. Department of Justice) and Alexandra (Sandi) Pierce (Othayonih). The awards will be presented at Shared Hope International’s JuST Conference on November 12 in Washington, D.C.

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

November 4, 2015 by SHI Staff

Sandi Pierce Named 2015 PATHBREAKER Award Recipient for Groundbreaking Research on Sexual Exploitation of American Indian Women and Girls

ARLINGTON, VA. – Alexandra (Sandi) Pierce, Founder and President of Othayonih Research, has been named a 2015 Pathbreaker Award recipient by Shared Hope International for her outstanding leadership in exposing, addressing, and preventing domestic sex trafficking of American Indian, Alaska Native, and other girls of color. Her report, Shattered Hearts: The commercial sexual exploitation of American Indian women and girls in Minnesota was the first research published in the United States on the impact of this issue on Native communities.

As a nationally recognized doctor of applied sociology, Dr. Pierce contributes new research on emerging issues including the commercial sexual exploitation of Native women and girls (Shattered Hearts; New Language: Old Problem) and trafficking markets, specifically the structure and processes of trafficking operations that exploit minor girls (Mapping the Market). Dr. Pierce draws on her experience as a survivor of sex trafficking to elevate the integral voice of survivor leaders in the national discussion on sex trafficking. She is of Onondawaga (Seneca) descent, a position that allows her to raise awareness of the unique and complex plight of Native American sex trafficking victims while promoting leadership from members of tribal nations.

One of her most notable contributions to the field was her research, Shattered Hearts, commissioned by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center and W.K. Kellogg Foundation, that found a unique link between sex trafficking and generational trauma or historical trauma. This unique form of trauma is caused by significant historical events or generational hardships imposed on Native Indian women and girls and contributes to their increased risk of sexual exploitation and trafficking.

“Dr. Pierce has exposed the problem of sexual exploitation of Native women and girls that can lead to improved justice for the victims,” Shared Hope International President and Founder Linda Smith said. “Her continuing research on the issue of sex trafficking provides unique, experiential insight challenging us to respond.”

Dr. Pierce holds Master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Sociology. She is a member of the State of Minnesota’s Human Trafficking Task Forces, and Shared Hope International’s JuST Response Council.

The 2015 Pathbreaker Award recipients also include John Cotton Richmond, Esq. (U.S. Department of Justice) and Sheriff Thomas Dart (Cook County Sheriff’s Office). The awards will be presented at Shared Hope International’s JuST Conference on November 12 in Washington, D.C.

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

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