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.
“The Life”: What Circumstances Walked Leah and her Sister into this Living Terror?
She was just 12 years old when she was led into “the life” by her 14-year-old half-sister. After several horrible weeks, she was rescued by police officers — they found her sister in a hotel room, engaged in a sex act with a man, with Leah naked and crouched in a corner, crying hysterically.
What circumstances walked Leah and her sister into this living terror? Did this scenario take place in conjunction with the Super Bowl or another major sporting event? Was her 14 year old sister one of those youngsters featured on Backpage.com as “young and fresh”? Was life at home simply a rehearsal for the abuse the girls would get on the street?
The arm that wrapped around them and pulled them close…the voice that whispered promises of hope and care…the hand that reached out with belonging…they suddenly turned into hot breath and a vice grip. No twisting out of its grasp. The grasp of DEMAND.
Regardless of how they got there, Leah and her sister were taken because young girls are seen as sex plums for the picking-and until there are real consequences for “picking”, there’s no stopping it. DEMAND.
Shared Hope is fighting DEMAND because even one girl is one too many. Our Protected Innocence Initiative is helping to change laws all over the country and bear down on that demand. Since December 1, 2011, when the Protected Innocence Initiative was announced, over 60 state laws have been introduced to address all aspects of the thriving marketplace of children for sale for sex. We applaud leadership in Indiana, host of this year’s Super Bowl, who moved aggressively to pass key anti-trafficking legislation in advance of the event.
And we are grateful to you for your encouragement and your support that have made the Protected Innocence Initiative possible and effective!
Media and News Coverage, January 2012
- Jan. 31: Indystar – New Indiana Law Will Strengthen Penalties Against Child Sex Trafficking
- Jan. 30: Courier Journal – Indianapolis child sex trafficking: City plans how to fight it long after Super Bowl
- Associated Press Video – America’s Child Sex Trafficking Report Card
- Jan. 27: Seattle Times – Critics Slam Backpage.com At Legislative Hearing
- Jan. 26: Fox News – Human Trafficking: Hunting The Predator
- Jan. 26: Huffington Post – Nicholas Kristof Blames Backpage For Aiding Child Prostitution
- Jan. 21: Kitsap Sun – Awakening To Real Horror : “Renting Lacy ” Book Review.
- Jan. 4: Washington Times – Virginia’s Struggle To Fight Human Trafficking
Washington State: Taking a lead in combatting the online facilitation of child sex trafficking
Backpage.com has been on the hot seat for months as policy makers, faith leaders, and advocates have intensified their efforts to hold the online advertising site, owned by Village Voice Media, accountable for its documented facilitation of child sex trafficking through online advertisement. Online facilitators have largely avoided liability as serious crackdowns on sex trafficking have hit the nation; however, today Washington state is taking a lead in the effort to combat online facilitation of commercial sexual abuse of children.
Today, Shared Hope International President and Founder Congresswoman Linda Smith will testify before Washington legislators on SB 6251 introduced by Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-WA), which would create criminal liability for media that allow advertisements of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, including prostitution, pornography and sexual performance. Together with Auburn Seminary’s Reverend John Vaughn, a leader in convening clergy to urge Village Voice Media to close its “adult services” section, Linda will advocate for this law that would deter child sex trafficking. Click here to watch the hearing live today at 1:30pm PST.
The Washington bill is a bold move in bringing accountability to –a growing venue for child sex trafficking. In a recent New York Times article, Nicholas Kristof cites a Brooklyn prosecutor’s claim that a majority of cases include girls aged 12 to 25 marketed through Backpage.com. According to an independent study by Advanced Interactive Media Group, Backpage.com’s “adult services” section is expected to earn Village Voice Media $24.8 million, accounting for over two thirds of the $36 million in revenue projected to be earned by all tracked online classified ads facilitating commercial sex.
Shared Hope International is leading a national campaign inviting mayors across the nation to join our efforts to encourage Village Voice Media to stop illegal forms of commercial sex advertisements on Backpage.com. Additionally, 51 state attorneys general, 53 anti-trafficking experts and organizations, and nearly 500 faith leaders from multiple denominations have publically called on Backpage.com to remove the “adult services” section. Yet the “adult services” section remains active on Backpage.com. Our fight will not end until the online advertisement of children for sex does.
Shared Hope International will continue to support efforts to combat the facilitation, sale, or purchase of a child for sex. We aim to hold states accountable through the Protected Innocence Initiative which grades each state on its level of protection against domestic minor sex trafficking. States must have adequate laws to effectively prosecute offenders, protect children, and accurately identify and track the crime. We offer advocacy resource tools including state Report Cards, an analysis of each state’s laws as it relates to or impacts domestic minor sex trafficking, policy recommendations for each state highlighting gaps in state law and offering solutions , and user-friendly issue briefs on key legal components to provide an understand and examples of the legal provision.
Join Us In Getting The Word Out
Each of us has a sphere of influence, for example — family, friends, co-workers, church members, service club members. neighbors, etc. All of these people are persons who need to know about the horror of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. We need you to join us in getting the word out that an estimated 100,000 teenage women are lured into sex slavery annually. Please let those in your sphere of influence know of the pledge you have taken and ask that they join you. Together, we can defend and prevent children caught in the snare of the worldwide commercial sex industry.
I have promised that I would share some of the comments I have received from Defenders over the past several months. The names have been changed to protect the privacy of men who have shared their heart with us.
So good to hear from you , Ron. I am getting involved in the Midwest of America. I am part of a group of men that meet to reduce demand. We are just getting started trying to figure out what to do. I will keep in touch. – Regards, Daniel
Good morning Ron, attend two men’s Bible studies. Please send me 50 pledge cards and materials on The Defenders USA. I plan to challenge the men in both groups to get involved n the protection of young women. – Dan
Greetings and thanks for email. I wanted to share something with you….About two weeks ago I was working with a group of young women and educating them regarding sexual exploitation of minors. I proceeded to show them what happens on-line. I showed them the “circuit” of backpage.com & how to spot minors. As a result of this, we found a young woman and reported to NCMEC & Local Police Department. The young woman was not a minor, but was mentally challenged and unable to provide consent. During their investigation they were able to rescue a minor as well. I am diligent on insuring the safety of young women whenever and however I can. Thank you for your work. I do this, because I was prostituted as a young woman and someone saved me from being sold. Keep up the wonderful work as I will. – Amy & Bob
Thank you for contacting me. I am deeply passionate about this issue of sex slavery. I have 3 little girls of my own and I cannot imagine any of them going through what many of the girls saved by Shared Hope have gone through. I am so grateful for the work that Shared Hope is doing and I want to thank you for taking a strong stand as a man to see this horrible injustice come to an end. As for how the pledge is working out in my daily life, I can say that I am doing my best. I have abstained from pornography, prostitution and any form of commercial sex…to the point that I don’t even hardly watch television or movies any longer. Sex is used in almost every form of commercial entertainment and marketing, it is almost inescapable but we must try to avoid it at all costs—even if that means canceling our cable, passing on the latest movie and choosing to skip the magazine isle in the grocery store…whatever it takes. – Frank
I am female; and I think you want only male members; so I have turned this over to my husband to take to our Men’s Breakfast on Saturday as an outreach. – Thank you, Jackie
I could do a better job of holding my friends accountable for their actions toward women and children. I know everyone around me knows where I stand on the issue, but I wish I were more outspoken on the issue. I am continuing to pray for boldness in that area. – Reggie
I feel I am taking action to protect those I love from this market. I am trying to instill in my little girls an understanding that they are beautiful because they are created in the image of God, not because the culture or anyone else tells them so. I don’t want them to ever fall into the trap of being more concerned with their outside beauty than what is on the inside. I know that sounds like a cliché but I believe that is one of the fundamental lies that lead girls and young women into the commercial sex lifestyle. Again, thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts. Keep up the good work! Please let me know if there is anything more I can do to help. – Andrew
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