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Home>Latest News

August 23, 2025 by SHI Staff

The Diddy Verdict Wasn’t the End – Part 3: What Happens Next Is Up to You

The sex trafficking charges against Sean Combs were dropped, leaving legal experts and advocates grappling with a familiar frustration: a high-profile case that seemed to have all the elements for conviction, yet failed to deliver justice. 

Sidney McCoy was “honestly, really devastated” when she heard the news. 

“At that point, we had heard the victim testimony from Cassie, and all of the evidence that was presented, it just seemed like such a home run case for the trafficking charge,” said McCoy, Director of Advocacy at Shared Hope International. 

But McCoy’s initial shock gave way to a sobering recognition. She has seen this pattern before. 

“I honestly wasn’t super surprised,” she said. “Over and over again, I’m being reminded by cases like the Diddy trial that as a society, we just have a very bad understanding of what human trafficking is and what it actually looks like.” 

 The ‘Taken’ Effect: How Movies Distort Justice 

The gap between public perception and legal reality may have doomed the prosecution from the start. McCoy points to popular culture as a significant factor. 

“Movies like ‘Taken’ have done so much damage to American culture and American society in terms of what their idea of human trafficking is,” she said. “This concept of like, yes, technically, these individuals were free to leave—I say that in quotations, free to leave at any time—not understanding that the coercion that was being exerted over them through fear and through threats of force and violence, or actual violence, in many cases, is just as difficult to leave as it would be like a jail cell.” 

In the Combs case, McCoy noted, there was extensive evidence of substance use at parties—a classic coercion tactic. “That use of drugs and that use of substances is a huge part of the coercion that we see pretty often,” she said. Combined with Combs’ power in the music industry, it created multiple layers of control. 

“You take these people who would do anything to have a career in the music industry, and you promise them, ‘I’m gonna get you a record deal, or you can be signed by my label.’ And then it’s almost like, well, now you owe me because I did this thing for you,” McCoy explained. 

The Jury Problem 

For prosecutors facing 12 jurors without expertise in trafficking dynamics, the decision to drop charges becomes a calculated risk assessment. 

“When jurors probably weren’t going to convict him on it in the first place,” McCoy said, she understood why prosecutors ultimately decided to abandon the trafficking charge. “When they hear the word ‘sex trafficking,’ and then their idea of that looks like little girls being taken off the street and kept in cages,” conviction becomes nearly impossible. 

The legal framework exists—federal law defines trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion for adults, with no such requirement needed when minors are involved. But applying these concepts to complex real-world scenarios requires education that most jurors lack. 

“Fraud oftentimes can look like the offer of employment,” McCoy said, describing cases where clients were promised legitimate jobs but forced into commercial sex. “Coercion can look like anything from giving substances and then withholding them and saying, ‘I’m not going to give you your fix until you do what I want you to do.'” 

  

The Criminalization Trap 

Perhaps nowhere is the misunderstanding more damaging than in how the legal system treats survivors themselves. McCoy describes what she calls “the unjust criminalization of survivors of human trafficking.” 

“Survivors often find themselves at this intersection of victim and offender,” she said, “because traffickers will use that force, that power, that coercion to manipulate or coerce their victims into committing crimes.” 

Beyond prostitution charges, McCoy’s former clients faced a range of convictions. “Many of my clients had felony larceny convictions on their record” from being forced to steal from buyers. Others had drug convictions from being expected to sell or distribute substances, or from using drugs “to numb themselves from their reality.” 

Some cases involved more serious charges. “It’s not uncommon to see cases where individuals who’ve been trafficked have been charged with the murder of their exploiter” in acts of self-defense, McCoy said. 

“What choice do you have in that matter, other than to do what your trafficker is telling you to do?” she asked. 

 

Five Ways You Can Make a Difference 

Despite the setbacks, McCoy sees clear opportunities for meaningful change—and specific actions everyone can take. 

1. Support Federal Legislation

The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act would allow survivors to vacate non-violent felony offenses from their federal criminal records. 

“Currently, there are 46 states that have some sort of post-conviction relief legislation for individuals who were charged as a direct result of their trafficking. But there is no federal relief,” McCoy said. “Having a criminal record is a huge barrier to so many things in life, including safe housing, meaningful employment, education, even some loans.” 

Take action on TSRA:  https://act.sharedhope.org/h5NmuZy and contact your representatives to support both the House and Senate versions of this bill. 

2. Check Your State’s Grade

On October 14, Shared Hope International will release report cards grading all 50 states on their human trafficking laws. This is your opportunity to see how your state measures up and where improvements are needed. Be the first to get your state’s grade: https://go.sharedhope.org/reportcards-facebook   

“This is largely an issue that happens at the state level,” McCoy said. “It’s far more likely that somebody is going to be charged at the state level than they are at the federal level, so it’s super necessary that the states have a legal framework that really does protect victims of trafficking.” 

3. Contact Your Lawmakers

For individuals wanting to make a difference, McCoy’s prescription is direct: “Talk to your lawmakers about this. Tell them, ‘Hey, I’m your constituent and I care about this issue, and you need to do something about it,’ because they are in a position of power to actually legislate things that could make a difference.” 

Reach out to your state senator, representative, or congress members about human trafficking issues in your community. 

4. Get Educated and Spread Awareness

Combat the myths that derail cases like Combs’. The misconceptions are pervasive: that trafficking requires movement across borders (it doesn’t), that it only happens to women and girls (it affects all genders), and that victims can simply leave (coercive control makes this nearly impossible). 

Take action: Participate in our on-demand trainings https://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/prevent/training/#onlinelearning 

Join our Ambassador Program: to help with training efforts in your community: https://go.sharedhope.org/activism25-facebook  

5. Support Our Work

Help us continue our advocacy, research, and direct support for survivors. 

Take action: Make a donation to support our ongoing work to strengthen laws, educate communities, and advocate for survivors across the nation: https://go.sharedhope.org/donate-via-facebook 

Changing the Culture 

McCoy acknowledges the tension between legal and cultural solutions. While the Combs case had the legal framework for conviction, she believes broader change requires shifting how society views commercial sex. 

“Laws and policies have the ability to shape our culture,” she said. “There are ways that our laws and policies can ensure that our culture doesn’t normalize that behavior.” 

Key to this shift is “making sure that the people who buy commercial sex are held accountable and are held meaningfully accountable, not just a slap on the wrist,” she said. “Not just a misdemeanor where you’re not going to serve any jail time, you might have to go to John school, but actual, meaningful accountability for people who are purchasing commercial sex.” 

The Combs verdict may have been a disappointment, but McCoy sees it as part of a longer struggle requiring sustained advocacy. “So many of the solutions to the issue of human trafficking can be resolved through laws and policy,” she said. 

August 15, 2025 by SHI Staff

The Diddy Verdict Wasn’t the End – Part 2: Could This Happen in Your State?

An anti-trafficking policy expert explains why your state’s laws may not protect survivors— and how you can help strengthen protections for children where you live. 

Part 2 of “The Diddy Verdict Wasn’t the End” series 

The Diddy verdict was a wake-up call—but not for the reason many think. 

For Sarah Roberts, Senior Director of Policy and Legislation at Shared Hope International, the outcome was troubling but familiar. 

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t surprised,” she says. “Time and again, we see exploiters walk free while victims receive little justice—or worse, are criminalized for acts they committed as part of their trafficking. The verdict highlights the need for stronger laws that protect survivors and hold exploiters accountable.” 

On October 14, 2025, Shared Hope will release its State Report Cards—grading all 50 states on how well their laws support victim-centered responses to child sex trafficking.  

Why State Laws Matter More Than You Think 

Many people assume federal law governs trafficking cases. In reality, Roberts explains, most cases are prosecuted under state law—and state protections vary widely. 

“Most trafficking cases are prosecuted at the state level,” she says. “While strong federal protections exist, they operate under a separate legal framework. Since the majority of cases are charged under state law, it’s critical that states have strong laws and protections in place.” 

And many do not. 

  • Twenty states still allow child sex trafficking victims to be prosecuted for prostitution offenses. 
  • Only 18 states shield child survivors from prosecution for other crimes they committed as a result of their trafficking. 
  • Many states have not statutorily required access to specialized services or secured sustainable funding to help survivors rebuild their lives. 

“These gaps mean that a child recognized as a victim in one state could face arrest in another for the exact same conduct,” Roberts says. 

Inside the 2025 Report Cards 

Since 2011, Shared Hope’s State Report Cards have been the nation’s most comprehensive review of state trafficking laws. This year’s edition distills the evaluation to 10 critical protections that Roberts describes as “the bare minimum needed to ensure survivors are met with protective—not punitive—responses.” 

These protections include: 

  • Prohibiting the criminalization of all minors for prostitution. 
  • Expanding non-criminalization protections to cover other offenses that child sex trafficking victims may commit as a result of their trafficking. 
  • Ensuring access to specialized community-based services. 

The scope of research is vast. “Every year we review over 3,500 bills nationwide for their potential impact on trafficking laws and survivor protections,” Roberts says. “We vet our analysis with attorneys general, governors, state task force supervisors, statewide coordinators, and partners in the field. The Report Cards aren’t just grades—they’re a framework for change.” 

A Tool for Mobilizing Change 

The Report Cards are designed not to shame, but to mobilize. 

“It’s always been our hope that these grades drive both nationwide reform and individual action,” Roberts explains. “And with the toolkit in hand, anyone should feel equipped to talk to their legislators and say: ‘Here are the areas where our laws fall short—here’s how we can strengthen laws.’” For the first time, Shared Hope will release a toolkit that offers a clear breakdown of state laws and their gaps, along with practical strategies to empower individuals to advocate for change. 

States like Tennessee and Florida have consistently improved by adopting recommendations year after year. Connecticut recently passed an affirmative defense law expanding protections for survivors after a sustained multi-year effort.  

Why It Matters After the Diddy Verdict 

For Roberts, the connection between the Diddy trial and the upcoming Report Cards is direct: state laws shape the reality of justice. 

“If people want to understand why cases like Diddy’s still fall short, they should look at their own state’s laws,” she says. “Awareness is the first step to change—and that’s what the Report Cards are for.” 

She also emphasizes that the goal extends beyond legislation. “The more people understand what their state laws actually says, the more we can drive the cultural shift needed to recognize minors engaged in commercial sex as victims—and traffickers and buyers as the serious offenders they truly are.” 

Be the first to see your state’s grade and get the advocacy toolkit. 

Get Your State’s 2025 Report Card
👉 Register here 

Understand the 10 Key Protections
– Learn what your state’s laws do (and don’t) cover—and how those gaps impact survivors. 

Start the Conversation
Share your state’s grade. The more people know, the stronger the push to close the gaps. 

The Diddy verdict wasn’t the end—it was a signal. Justice for trafficking survivors depends on the laws where you live. 

On October 14, you’ll know if your state is ready to protect survivors—or if it’s leaving them at risk. 

August 9, 2025 by SHI Staff

The Diddy Verdict Revealed America’s Dangerous Blind Spot About Trafficking 

An anti-trafficking expert explains what the jury missed—and how you can help others learn what to look for

Part 1 of “The Diddy Verdict Wasn’t the End” series 

“From the moment I knew Diddy was being accused of sex trafficking, I thought: he won’t go to jail for it.” 

Mikayla Simeral’s prediction wasn’t cynicism—it was expertise. As Director of Training Advancement at Shared Hope International, she brings a unique perspective shaped by years of direct field experience working hands-on with survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking. Her background in social work, combined with her MA in Ethnomusicology, gives her a culturally competent lens for understanding how trafficking manifests across different communities—and how to train thousands of law enforcement officers, educators, and social workers to recognize what trafficking actually looks like in America. 

Unfortunately, she was right about Diddy. And the verdict reveals exactly why traffickers keep walking free. 

The Hollywood Myth  

During the trial, Simeral watched people on social media struggling with the charges, observing they “didn’t understand the sex trafficking charges” because trafficking, to them, meant “transporting people across borders.” 

“I actually chimed in and said, ‘No, someone does not need to be moved across a border for it to be considered trafficking,'” Simeral recalls. “There was an exchange of goods for sex acts. Whether they could say it was consensual or not consensual—that’s where it got messy.” 

This Hollywood-influenced understanding of trafficking—reinforced by films like “Taken” and “Sound of Freedom”—has created a dangerous blind spot. Under federal law, sex trafficking requires only that someone recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, or maintain a person for commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion. No borders need to be crossed. No kidnapping need occur. 

“People think trafficking is like, ‘Oh, well, Diddy didn’t bring a bunch of girls across the border on a freighter,'” Simeral explains. “They didn’t understand the intricacies of how simple it can be in our country.” 

Power and Control 

The Diddy case represented a textbook example of how celebrity status transforms into a trafficking tool. “He’s potentially one of the most powerful hip-hop moguls in our culture,” Simeral notes. “Within the music industry, so many people wanted to be associated with him because they knew that could potentially launch their career.” 

This created what trafficking experts call the “power and control wheel.” People came forward describing an impossible choice: comply with Diddy’s demands or lose everything. 

“People would say, ‘Of course I would do anything he told me to do. If I crossed him, I’m out. There goes my career. There goes my potential in life,'” she explains. “[In the world of commercial music] When people are so starved for success and fame, a lot of people will do anything.” 

The Trauma Bond That Confuses Juries 

Perhaps no aspect of trafficking is more misunderstood than why victims defend their abusers. Simeral watched this play out in the Diddy case and has seen it countless times in her work with survivors. 

“A lot of jurors missed the intricacies of trauma bonding,” she explains. “Survivors, when they’re trauma bonded, will act “normal” with their offender because they don’t want to get in more trouble. They want to keep the trafficker as calm as possible so they don’t catch any heat.” 

This creates a devastating paradox: victims who appear compliant, even protective of their traffickers, are often those who have been most thoroughly controlled. During an interview about the intricacies of trauma-bonding, a survivor once told Simeral: “They can beat the mess out of you, but let them do one nice thing for you, and you melt.” 

Traffickers exploit this systematically, painting pictures of future success while isolating victims from other support systems. “They’re told, ‘We just have to push through, do these dates, make this money, then we’ll start a business, then we’ll start our dream life together,'” Simeral explains. For many victims, the trafficking relationship becomes their entire social world by the design of the trafficker.  

The Myth of Choice 

American culture’s emphasis on individual responsibility creates another barrier. Juries want to believe that adults engaging in commercial sex have made informed choices. 

“Americans want to say, ‘That’s your choice. You want to go have sex with people and party, that’s your choice,'” Simeral observes. But this fundamentally misunderstands trafficking. 

Drawing on her field experience, Simeral offers a powerful analogy: “There’s no waiver to get into trafficking. It’s not like they become an escort and there’s a competitive benefits package with a 401K, where they’re signing an employment agreement saying, ‘I consent to being beaten. I consent to having my nose broken, having sex with 20 people a day, and only keeping 10% of my wages.’ No one ever signs a waiver that says that.” 

Most adult survivors Simeral worked with entered the commercial sex industry as minors, often aging out of foster care with no other options. “They would say, ‘I want to go be an escort, Miss Mikayla, I want to go work at the club, because that’s all I know how to do. That’s all I know I’m good at.”  

What the Jury Missed That Every American Needs to Know 

Drawing from her training experience and direct work with trafficking survivors, Simeral emphasizes what juries consistently miss: the ability to see through surface-level compliance to the coercion beneath. 

“I knew all the girls I was working with were trafficked,” she concludes. “Even if a 15-year-old was defending her 35-year-old boyfriend, I knew better. I knew to ask the right questions.” 

When Simeral worked with young survivors, she didn’t accept explanations at face value. Instead, she asked probing questions: “Tell me more about your boyfriend. Where did you meet him? When was the first time you guys were intimate together? Did you want to be intimate with him?” These questions, informed by understanding trauma bonding and grooming patterns, revealed the truth that surface conversations concealed. 

This is the training gap that the Diddy jury exposed—the difference between what trained professionals recognize and what ordinary citizens understand about trafficking dynamics. 

The Solution: Education That Changes Outcomes 

“Every single person in America needs to be educated on what trafficking looks like in our country,” Simeral insists. “People see it as a distant problem, a foreign thing. Not so much here.” 

The reality is different. Digital technology has transformed how traffickers recruit victims. “Kids can meet an older person, they’re being recruited and groomed through a game, through apps. They think they’re in this safe, fun relationship, then they’re meeting up for dates, then they’re being sold to other people.” 

Without proper education, even well-intentioned jurors struggle to distinguish between consensual relationships and exploitative ones. 

The training programs that Simeral develops—like Shared Hope’s 90-minute “Exploited ” online course—draw from her micro-level experience working directly with survivors in Florida and her macro-level understanding of how to create culturally competent education. “If one day you find yourself on a jury with an abuser or offender, you would be able to recognize the signs and see through things that are presented as consensual,” she explains. 

From Verdict to Action 

“I felt powerless in the outcomes,” Simeral admits. “It’s very sad that now we’ve come to a point where the general public kind of feels like they can’t make a difference in holding offenders accountable.” 

But powerlessness isn’t the answer. The question isn’t whether trafficking is happening in communities across America—it’s whether those communities will be equipped to recognize it when they see it. 

“I would challenge people to push into it more and say, ‘What could this look like in my town, my state, my country?’ Do that to better protect young people in this next generation.” 

The Diddy verdict wasn’t the end—it was a wake-up call. The same education that could have changed this outcome is available to every American today. The recognition that trained professionals have—that trafficking hides in plain sight, that victims often protect their abusers, and that justice requires more than surface-level judgments—can be learned. 

Take Action: Be Part of the Solution 

🎓 Take the FREE Exploited Training
Shared Hope International’s 90-minute training teaches you to recognize trafficking in your community and understand what juries are missing. Perfect for parents, educators, community leaders, and anyone who wants to make a difference. https://store.sharedhope.org/product/exploited/ 

📚 Bring Resources to Your Community
Schools, libraries, and community centers need trafficking education materials. Contact Shared Hope International to learn how to introduce these life-saving resources to your local institutions. https://sharedhope.org/resources/ 

🎙️ Learn from the Experts
Watch Shared Hope’s Invading the Darkness podcast to hear directly from survivors and professionals, like Mikayla, who have trained thousands of individuals to recognize the signs of trafficking. These insights provide the context that transforms statistics into understanding.
https://invadingthedarkness.buzzsprout.com/1784950/episodes 

📊 Know Your State’s Progress
Get your state’s 2025 report card to see how your community measures up and where advocacy is needed most.
https://go.sharedhope.org/reportcards-facebook 

 

 

July 16, 2025 by Guest

New Rights4girls Research

Rev. Dr. Marian Hatcher 
Shared Hope Policy Consultant 

Shared Hope International (SHI) has focused on demand deterrence and victim centered responses since its inception—clear-sighted that ending sex trafficking requires emphasis on both. One of the earliest research reports published by SHI, in association with the Hickey Foundation and Arizona State University, was the Demanding Justice Report in2014. This addressed demand for sex acts from children as well as enforcement efforts related to Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC).

That same year, I was privileged to be the recipient of the Pathbreaker Award for “determined leadership in pursuing the buyers of sex trafficking” on behalf of the Office of the County Sheriff, Thomas J. Dart. Since then, Shared Hope has continued to advocate for demand reduction, in particular by ensuring that laws against trafficking children and CSEC unambiguously include buyer conduct and include meaningful penalties to stifle demand.

This past January, Shared Hope ally Rights4Girls published new “Buyers Unmasked” research. As a survivor leader and expert on demand reduction, this was music to my ears! Not only did the release resonate with me as one who has participated in research of this type in the past, it resonated because it finally offered what survivors know all to personally: a look into the type of men who buy sex and the horrific impact they cause marginalized women and girls.

Demand is buyer driven, fueling and financing an industry built on intimidation, violence and lack of personal autonomy. The report uses the buyers own words to make clear their motivation and lack of concern or remorse for the buying of sex acts. I have personal experience with this, not only as a survivor, but as a civilian member of law enforcement.

From 2011 to 2019 I was responsible for coordinating the Cook County Sheriff’s Office National Johns Suppression Initiative. In that role I saw not only trends and attitudes, but the cooccurring dangers and criminal activities associated with sex buying.

Buyers would sometimes have children, even infants with them when to trying to purchase sex. I remember a buyer left his seven year old daughter in the car while they went into the motel. Another had an infant in the backseat while a loaded weapon was in the front seat.

While difficult to read, the sex buyers in this report reflect a community far from Hollywood’s Pretty Woman fairytale but rather embody the disturbing mantra of ‘your body, my choice.’ Their words reveal them to be fully aware and indifferent to signs of violence, trafficking, coercion, substance abuse and desperation in the women and girls they purchase for sex.”

Yasmin Vafa, Executive Director-Rights4Girls

Having collaborated with Yasmin since 2016, this report is a breath of fresh air. It addresses problems with the solution of the “Full Decriminalization” model which I have long espoused. This approach does not control or constrict the sex trade, it expands it trying to meet the supply. Fallout increases sex trafficking of adults and minors as well as increases organized crime.

The solution offered in the report is the “Survivor Model”, also referred to as the Swedish model, Nordic Model and Equality Model. The Survivor Model is in my opinion appropriate, as we are looking how we can best provide a solution for those involved in the sex trade to find their way out. The solution requires 1) exit strategies, 2) end exploitation by targeting demand for prostitution.

This report provides a roadmap that is hopeful, aligning with my personal and professional beliefs as a survivor leader as well as Shared Hope International’s principles. We look forward to partnering with Rights4Girls supporting this effort.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from Yasmin Vafa, Executive Director of Rights4Girls, at the Closing Plenary of JuST 2025:
“Buyers Unmasked: Exposing the Men Who Buy Sex & Solutions to End Exploitation.”

🔗 Register now for JuST 2025: Get Your Seat 

 

June 25, 2025 by Guest

Sean (P Diddy) Combs Arrest: Response from a Survivor Leader

Rev. Dr. Marian Hatcher 
Shared Hope Policy Consultant 

First, I must state as a retired civilian member of law enforcement, Mr. Combs is of course innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The charges are grave and pierce my soul as a survivor of sex trafficking and substance use disorder. They include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution (the Mann Act). All for the pleasure of an organized crime boss. Living above the law. What is alleged is horrific and triggering for those of us who suffered atrocities such as those outlined in the unsealed indictment.

Unfortunately, in the age of the internet many instances of what is alleged to have taken place is seen in video and pictures. While horrible to watch, they have yet to be proven as criminal acts, and many are obviously manipulated to implicate others.

Criminal enterprises are built on the backs of willing and unwilling participants. Many are victims of sexual and labor abuses. They can also be ordered to procure and dispense illegal items such as weapons, narcotics and more.

I was discussing Sean Combs’ arrest with a good friend, Doug Gilmer, President of Resolved Strategies LLC, and retired federal law enforcement leader at Homeland Security Investigations. We commiserated that as we focus on the carnage of the Sean Combs case, there is always more. Doug said,

“Homeland Security Investigations is leading the Sean Combs case, just as they did with R. Kelly. Big name cases, right? But they aren’t the only cases. In fact, during this past year, HSI has also identified and provided services to well over 700 other HT victims, initiated about 1400 new cases, made over 3600 human trafficking arrests, seen over 1000 indictments, and about 630 human trafficking convictions. This is just one federal law agency; it doesn’t include the work being done by state and local agencies across the country. HSI’s numbers are just a fraction of what is really out there. Meanwhile, everyone is focused on Sean Combs. It’s sensational. But guess what? The suspects are not all R Kelly’s and P Diddy’s. Some are gang members, but many others are schoolteachers, community leaders, and family members engaged in trafficking. The victims are young and old, are from every socio-economic class, every ethnicity, both foreign and U.S. citizens.” [Stats from the Homeland Security Investigations and the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking.]

Spanning decades, men and women alike are alleged to have endured prolonged abuse. The testimony by Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, was four days of heart wrenching details of violence, manipulation and coercion. She bravely shared her dehumanization, aware of the victim blaming to come. In the later stages of her third pregnancy, she did for herself and others what was necessary and held Sean Combs accountable.

The common thread of all of this is societal numbness, the normality of this lifestyle. The pervasiveness. There are ecosystems of criminal and exploitive threads in our society that do not protect minors or adults. We must strive to address the willingness to ignore or accept, depending on which way you look at it, the lifestyle described above which exists in hiding and/or glaringly in our face. No one should have the opportunity or privilege to act with impunity, stripping victims of their dignity, respect and liberty. We must continue to bring all manner of bad actors to justice.

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