Latest News - Page 48 of 120 - Shared Hope International

June 28, 2016 by Samantha

Human Trafficking Awareness Week in Mesa, AZ

The Mesa City Council announced a Proclamation establishing June 26-July 2 as Human Trafficking Awareness Week in Mesa, Arizona.

Mesa law enforcement and officials have taken up the fight against human trafficking, working with Shared Hope and the Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network to tackle and prevent exploitation in the City. In 2015 the Mesa Police Department initiated Project Blue Heat to identify and rescue child sex trafficking victims, and to arrest predators.

In 2016, the Police Department created the Human Exploitation and Trafficking Squad (HEaT) and zeroed in on the traffickers and buyers as the offenders.

Thank you to Mayor John Giles for putting your hand to proclaiming Human Trafficking Awareness Week!

The Proclamation -Human Trafficking Awareness Week Proclamation

June 26, 2016 by Guest

The Faith in Action Kit Opens Doors

From Beth in California

As an Ambassador for Shared Hope International in the Bay Area of California, I have found that those most interested in having awareness presentations are church groups, so the Faith in Action Kits resonates with their interest.

I was privileged to have been sponsored by the United Methodist Women (UMW), California-Nevada Region, to have a SHI booth at the worldwide UMC General Conference in Portland this past April. My relationship with the United Methodist Church began about a year and a half ago. Within five minutes of my arrival at the conference Shared Hope booth, the Bishop for that region showed up. We had met only briefly before, but Bishop Brown began our conversation with, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Kismet! And music to my ears!

I showed him the brochures and resources at our table, including the Faith in Action kit. Then I began to load him up with an armful of materials as I shared stories of our work. I knew Linda Smith wouldn’t mind if I gifted him with her book, Renting Lacy.

He was very interested in the faith-based materials and informed me that, upon his retirement this fall, he plans to train pastors using the Faith in Action kits to effectively speak and preach on the issue of sex trafficking. My reply?

“Well then, give me back all that stuff and I will MAIL YOU every single tool you will need to in order to do that, including a Faith In Action Kit. And I will come and train you!”

He is going to get permission from his leadership and then we’ll get started. I can’t tell you how exciting this is!

At the moment of this writing, I’m here at the California Nevada United Methodist Church Annual Conference working a Shared Hope booth, and Bishop Brown just walked by and shook my hand and thanked me for the packet! The new Faith in Action kit opens doors for us and all we have to do is walk through!

June 24, 2016 by Guest

What Could I Do to Make a Difference?

A Guest Post from Shannon in Virginia.

When I became an Ambassador of Hope, I was passionate about spreading awareness of trafficking in my native state of West Virginia. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by rich natural and cultural resources, it is easy to feel you are far away from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, West Virginia struggles with real world problems, such as severe poverty, drug use and unemployment. I grew up knowing the state I loved lagged behind others in economic growth and the health of its citizens. As I became involved in combatting sex trafficking, it broke my heart to find out that West Virginia also lagged behind in its laws to protect victims and bring justice to the people who exploit them.

As I began encouraging citizens and legislators to ask for stronger laws to protect their children, I have been honored to work with advocates and everyday citizens to educate West Virginians about the topic and ways that they can take action. In a recent visit, I spoke to a roller derby group about warning signs of trafficking while they are on the road traveling to competitions, worked with a women’s organization to hold a community screening of our prevention film Chosen, and was a guest on a radio show to talk about how West Virginia can strengthen its laws.

I was especially humbled to speak to a group of law enforcement officers, child and victim advocates in my hometown. These men and women are on the front lines of the issue and work hard to protect vulnerable populations from people who hurt them. It was exciting to meet the West Virginia State Police corporal (pictured here on the right) that had successfully worked a case I often use to illustrate that trafficking does not have to involve money, but that it can be anything of value exchanged for sexual acts. In this case, a man solicited elementary-age victims over the Internet and lured them with Ugg boots and cigarettes. The perpetrator received a long prison sentence and will be unable to harm other children in the community. Read the story here.

Though West Virginia struggles with issues that make it vulnerable to trafficking, it has heroes like this officer, concerned citizens and legislators that continue to sponsor and push for stronger laws against trafficking. They all recognize that there is a need for awareness and are constantly working to ensure West Virginia lives up to its state motto, “Mountaineers Are Always Free.” I am happy to do my small part.

June 14, 2016 by Guest

Unforgettable and Life-Changing: My Experience as a Volunteer with Shared Hope International

A Post from Stephanie Tynan.

No life is worth another man’s profit.

I had heard about sex-trafficking before I stumbled upon Shared Hope International’s website; I knew that this devastating crime existed in our world. But what I didn’t know, was how sex-trafficking is an international, multi-billion-dollar industry that is so corrupt, so heartless and so gut-wrenching. It strips the life and soul from the victims it captures and so many of the ruthless perpetrators who profit off of human life are hiding behind the shadows, without punishment.

Volunteering with Shared Hope not only gave me the chance to dedicate my time to an organization with a generous mission, but it taught me more about sex-trafficking: the signs to recognize sex-trafficking and ways to help prevent it from happening to someone I know. The employees and volunteers at Shared Hope exude selfless support, love, and encouragement to help the women and children who were or are affected by the evil that this awful crime haunts them with. The staff are friendly and they truly care about the well-being of the people who suffer from sex-trafficking. They shared their resources with me and their knowledge about the issue. I thank them for their kindness to me and for what they do to help others.

I was not aware of how incredible of an organization Shared Hope International is and I am so glad I stumbled across their website that day. Shared Hope International is doing miraculous things. I feel so honored and appreciative that I was able to work with Shared Hope and to join their mission to help end this devastating crime.

Thank you Shared Hope International.

May 18, 2016 by Guest

How our Culture normalizes Sexualization

by Karen Morris, LP, NCPsyA

Linda Smith’s account of her encounters on Falkland Road in Mumbai, in Renting Lacy, brought me to tears in a way I thought would never stop. I was as George Harrison wrote, “drowning in the tears of the world.” I knew then I had to stop tuning out the pervasive commercial sexualization of children, and do something. Compassion and empathy for the suffering of others are basic human civilizing factors. How is it they are seemingly undone and in their places posited the values of cruelty, debasement and torture in the name of entertainment? If 27 million people are enslaved in the world, how many more are willing to victimize and enslave others for profit? This must be understood in order for all victims of trafficking to heal, including those who knowingly and unknowingly profit from the suffering of others.

Recently on “The View,” a conversation began among the female celebrity hosts with a provocative statement about female porn stars having the most desirable of all professional life styles. They went on feigning envy about making “a ton of money” for having sex all day, wearing really sexy clothes, especially shoes, which are of high value for these women. This style of dialogue reinforces class distinctions by inciting primitive feelings of greed and envy. Commoditizing women as sex-objects powers the desire to imitate that life style for those left behind in the national/global craze for porn. Those who crave “the look” put forth by “The View” as desirable become a link in the chain of normalization of trafficking. Perhaps they are not aware of the more than 20 million child pornography websites, some containing millions of images of children for sale, 10 million sites of which are based in the United States. The intention of commercialization is to enslave, evident in speech, mannerisms and fashion, perceivable in every form of media. Their drive is to get us to want more, wasting lives and resources. Civilization thrives only when conditions support the development of Wisdom and valuing of human potential.

Karen Morris is a PA Ambassador of Hope and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City and Honesdale, PA. She is an award winning author and poet. Her book CATACLYSM and Other Arrangements (Three Stones Press), received the Gradiva Award for poetry (2015, NAAP). She is co-author with visual artist John Tomlinson, of RAGE: The Misery of Men::Hope: The Dawning of Men (2016), and co-founder of Two Rivers Zen Community in Honesdale, PA.