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May 18, 2016 by Guest

Finding Yourself in the Flow of Fighting Sex Trafficking

By Beth Edmonds

Yesterday I was listening while driving to the NPR talk show:Ted Radio Hour featuring Maslow’s Human Needs. I’ve been fascinated with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and often feel it’s intended to flow from the “bottom-up” with not just an individual person at its crux, but as a “we the people” all needing to flow from the “bottom-up” in order for there to ever be self-actualization experienced. It has to be done as a group. There was a part of the program that I resonated with. It was self-actualization, but that it comes only in brief interludes, and in what they called in the Ted Talk as being “in-the-flow.” It was something that you may experience but that it is only a temporary, fleeting thing: being “in-the-flow.” And then you go back to striving for “self-actualization” again. It was thought provoking as I drove into Portland.

This week I’ve been working the Shared Hope International booth at the United Methodist Church General Conference with 8000 people from around the world in attendance. (That’s a whole other story) It was kind of slow at the booth; all the attendees were occupied with church business. But somebody came by the booth so I drew them in with, “Where are you from?” The guy says, “I’m from San Jose” to which I replied, “I’m from San Jose!” He responds with, “I’m the pastor of Santa Clara UMC.” I say, “I’m speaking at your church in June!” He got so excited about meeting me (which really was a needle in a haystack kind of experience) and then asks if he can take a selfie with me so he can take it back to his congregation. It felt like one of those “in-the-flow” moments, and I found that exciting.

Originally the event in June was going to be just me talking to the United Methodist Women only, and then the door opened to present to their entire church, followed by a potluck dinner. That’s progress. That’s movement. Again, it feels like being “in-the-flow.”

This message of Sex Trafficking is for everybody in the church, which is described as the body of Christ – youth, women, men, and clergy. It’s not just for some to get involved, although all of our involvement will look differently.I’m involved in fighting sex trafficking because I feel like I have a purpose when I’m in-the-flow. Some like to call it purpose. I say it just feels right.

May 13, 2016 by Guest

She Fought Cancer so She Could Fight Sex Trafficking – Sharing Passion

What Motivates our Ambassadors?

We asked this question of several Ambassadors across the nation, and here’s one story:

A few years ago was the first time I came face to face with human trafficking. My family had the opportunity to live in Italy for my husband’s work. I began to notice women standing by the side of the road and learned they were from other countries, and had been promised jobs in hospitality. They were now being forced into prostitution. Discussing this with several friends, we were heartbroken by the day-to-day reminder of these women standing by the road, but we weren’t sure what we could do to ease their suffering.

At a regular appointment, my doctor said she had found something wrong with my throat. We flew back to the United States for a few weeks for surgery and planned to return to our beautiful new country we called home. Arriving in the United States, I was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and told that I would need to undergo surgery and seven weeks of aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. We were told the survival rate for the type of cancer was twenty-eight percent. We would never return to our home in Italy or be able to say goodbye to our friends.

I went through the treatment surrounded by love and support from our friends and family. They cared for our son, moved our things back from Italy and encouraged us during my treatment. It was a great celebration when after several months, I was declared cancer free. However, the road to recovery was far worse than we had anticipated. I felt like my world had turned upside down as I lost my voice and my ability to swallow. I was in a lot of pain and frustrated because I couldn’t communicate.

I leaned heavily on my relationship with God and struggled to learn to speak and eat again, praying for guidance on what to do. In the silence of my new world, my mind kept going back to the women that I had seen trafficked in Italy. I read about the issue of trafficking and was horrified to learn that our own children were being bought and sold in the United States for sexual exploitation.

Although still unable to speak, I was outraged and determined to do something about the issue as soon as I had the strength. Over several months, as I began to recover, I also began volunteering with an organization that provides employment for women who have overcome situations like trafficking and domestic abuse. I wanted these women to feel as supported and loved and encouraged as I had during my darkest time. Then, the unthinkable happened. After a surgery attempt to restore my ability to swallow, I woke up in the ICU with a tracheotomy and breathing with the aid of a respirator.

I felt defeated when I lost my voice for a second time and had to learn to speak again. Leaning on God, I pushed through a very long and painful recovery. I was driven by a determination that now, more than ever, I would give a voice to those who could not speak.

As soon as I regained my voice, I began speaking to educate others about domestic minor sex trafficking. I am honored to serve as part of a nationwide network of Ambassadors of Hope and grateful to Shared Hope for equipping us with the resources to spread awareness in our communities. My story isn’t about cancer. I believe God restored my voice to speak for others who cannot. And I won’t stop.

Shannon Langford, VA Ambassador of Hope

How can you use your voice to let YOUR story be heard and motivate others to support the work of Shared Hope International?

You can help us raise funds for Shared Hope and the Ambassador Advocacy Program as our first line of defense against traffickers and abusers! Protect the young women and children in your life and community and #ShareYourPassion! Our goal for the fundraiser is to raise $15,000 by June 10th.

Did you know that last year our Ambassadors reached over 21,000 people! Let’s recruit Ambassadors and reach 50,000 people in 2016!

Get started today and #ShareYourPassion by clicking HERE!

Thank you for working to raise funds and friends!

May 7, 2016 by Rachel Harper

Regional Collaboration in Combatting Juvenile Sex Trafficking Surrounding Large Events and Beyond

As part of our Regional Collaboration Project, on Wednesday afternoon, May 18 at 3:00pm (Eastern), Shared Hope International will host a national briefing call on proactive, collaborative approaches to combatting human trafficking during large events, such as collegiate and professional sporting events or conventions. As cities across the U.S. host large events, leaders benefit from observing and capitalizing on the successes and challenges of task forces and collaborative efforts demonstrated in other regions. The call will cover a wide array of issues and prove helpful to first responders, local and federal law enforcement agencies, victim advocates, health care professionals, service providers, community organizers, policy advocates, and general volunteers.

Questions such as “when should preparations begin?” will be addressed, as timing continues to surface as a primary factor. Even leaders of successful efforts consistently report that they wish they had started earlier with substantive preparations.

The panelists will share a variety of tested tactics, campaigns and investigative operations. One consistent recommendation is that strategic collaboration and planning are needed to address human trafficking during large-scale events. Not only do thousands of individuals visit cities to attend high-profile events, but volunteers and other groups may also travel to the city in efforts to address human trafficking and raise awareness. Thus, the importance of communication and united efforts between law enforcement agencies will be highlighted, as well as collaboration between law enforcement and non-governmental entities, such as the hospitality industry and service providers, which can enable better identification of victims.

For example, conducting targeted trainings within all levels of law enforcement and to personnel within key industries, as well as developing outreach plans to reach potential victims, could increase reports and needed information regarding suspected trafficking activity. Additionally, considering conscious engagement and use of media through a collaborative lens can enable stronger, more consistent messaging within campaigns designed to deter demand and facilitate shifting perspectives away from viewing victims as criminals.

Another theme which will be stressed is the need to ensure access to services for victims, through non-punitive processes. To that end, the panelists will include reasons and methods to prioritize and ensure victim-centered approaches during investigations, as well as establishing various avenues for victims to access services.

These following leaders will share successes and challenges surrounding the 2015 and 2016 Super Bowls:

Agent Marty Parker, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Oakland, California;
Sergeant Kurtis Stenderup, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office; Santa Clara, California;
Christopher Watson, Program Director, Sexually Exploited Minor Program Bay Area Women Against Rape, BAWAR; Oakland, California;
Special Supervisory Agent Ryan Blay, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Civil Rights Unit/Human Trafficking Program Manager; Washington, D.C.;
Sergeant Clay Sutherlin, Phoenix Police Department; Phoenix, Arizona;
Savannah Sanders, Human Trafficking Services Manager, SAFE (Safeguarding Adolescents from Exploitation) Action Project, Sojourner Center.

April 6, 2016 by Guest

Shared Hope joins Anti-Trafficking Leaders in Launching Generation Freedom

With the race to the White House in full swing, the leaders of various anti-trafficking organizations, faith-based organizations, clergy, etc., are calling on the future President to make anti-trafficking measures a top priority in their term. Generation Freedom is asking the candidates, if they are elected President, to allocate three billion dollars of their budget to fight human trafficking. Three presenters from the upcoming JuST Faith Summit, Dr. Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor Northland, Mara Vanderslice Kelly, Director of the United Way Center on Human Trafficking, and Shared Hope’s Founder, Congresswoman Linda Smith joined anti-trafficking leaders, celebrities and presidential campaign staff in a press call and national launch of the Generation Freedom last week.

Congresswoman Smith began her career fighting the ever-growing and profitable business of human trafficking while she was in office and first encountered human trafficking in Mumbai, India. The earliest efforts of Shared Hope International were primarily international, but soon the organization began to focus mainly on domestic minor sex trafficking. For Generation Freedom, gaining the endorsement of many prominent leaders and of the candidates for the presidency is vital to continuing the fight against human sex and labor trafficking.

Not only is Generation Freedom’s goal to bring an end to human trafficking, but also to provide support for victims of modern-day slavery in trafficking. To this day, many domestic minor sex trafficking victims are being labeled as “child prostitutes” and are being charged as such, regardless of their classification as minors under the law. States have claimed the arrests are providing these victims with the only safe place for them to go; however, according to Shared Hope’s Protected Innocence Challenge there are many other options beyond arrest and incarceration of the victim. Instead of continuing to stand with the thirty six states that continue to charge victims of trafficking with prostitution, Generation Freedom and anti-trafficking leaders have created a call to action for the future President: spend two cents for every dollar of profit made by traffickers and we can end trafficking and provide support to survivors. For prominent members of the anti-sex trafficking circle the coalition brings accountability to businesses that either foster trafficking or allow it to happen, while providing support to those who stand against this violent crime.

United Way’s Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery coordinates the nonpartisan effort by Generation Freedom while continuing to educate and provide facts to non-experts in the field. Human trafficking has provided a profit of $150 billion dollars to traffickers around the world and 20 million victims of trafficking. Generation Freedom has asked experts in the field to join them in signing a petition and gathering others to sign in order to present their platform to the candidates and then to Congress when a President is chosen in November. Congresswoman Smith pointed out in her statement of support that the first girl and victim of trafficking whom she encountered was the age of her middle school granddaughter. We must end slavery for the betterment of the world and America’s young people so no young girl will be subjected to this horrific crime.

Written by Jordan Selby, Shared Hope Intern, Spring 2016

April 5, 2016 by Rachel Harper

Shifting towards Justice: Non-Criminalization of Child Sex Trafficking Victims

During the 2016 legislative sessions this year, at least 10 states have introduced legislation that would protect a child from being blamed for their own commercial sexual exploitation, meaning that prostitution offenses would not apply to minors. As of August 1, 2015, 14 states and DC had already enacted full non-criminalization provisions to prevent prosecution of minors for prostitution. This means that almost half of the country has enacted or is considering legislation to protect child sex trafficking victims from being put on trial for the very conduct that constitutes their victimization. Under federal law, any child who is bought or sold for sex acts is a sex trafficking victim. Last year, in the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, Congress urged the states to treat commercially sexually exploited children as victims and direct them to services instead of punitive responses and prosecutions.

Laws that protect all minors from prostitution charges are necessary to justly respond to juvenile sex trafficking victims and safeguard child victims from being treated as criminals. No child should be unfairly stigmatized as a “prostitute,” especially by the courts. In short, there is no such thing as a “child prostitute.” Shared Hope’s policy paper, Non-Criminalization of Juvenile Sex Trafficking Victims “discuss[es] the social and legal importance of ending criminalization of minors for prostitution offenses.” Prosecuting or charging a youth for prostitution offenses based on commercial sex acts is irreconcilable with the fact that the commercial sex act, itself, constitutes the abuse, rape, and exploitation of the child, rendering that child a victim in need of restorative services. Arresting, charging, detaining, and prosecuting child sex trafficking victims can re-traumatize these vulnerable victims. Additionally, arresting youth can strengthen trauma bonds with traffickers who have warned victims that they would be arrested and blamed if they were to seek help from law enforcement or were “found out.” Youth are often further bound to their trafficker and feel isolated from society when they are arrested. In her book, Walking Prey, Holly Austin Smith shares the harmful effects of her arrest and detention:

When I was arrested by law enforcement for prostitution, I was made to feel like a criminal, like a juvenile delinquent. I felt stupid, ashamed, and ostracized by society. Days later, alone in my bedroom, I felt so abandoned, so forsaken by society, that I attempted suicide.

Implementing non-criminalization and ensuring safety for commercially sexually exploited children is a consistent concern, and states have taken varied approaches in shifting from punitive to service-focused responses. Shared Hope’s field guidance document, Justice for Juveniles – A Field Guidance Report, surveys promising approaches to implementing non-criminal responses for juvenile sex trafficking victims.

Ensuring that comprehensive, trauma-informed, individualized services are provided to these victims is vital. As the trend of non-criminalization grows, states must simultaneously increase avenues to specialized services for commercially sexually exploited youth. According to the Protected Innocence Challenge, as of August 1, 2015, 29 states plus DC have enacted some sort of protective system response to direct minors away from punishment or detention and towards services, including responses of non-criminalization and other mechanisms, such as diversion or mandatory referrals by law enforcement to child welfare. Dollars are better and more justly spent on providing services to child sex trafficking victims, instead of arresting, prosecuting and punishing.

We look forward to the day where no commercially sexually exploited child in the U.S. can be charged as a “prostitute.”