Latest News - Page 62 of 120 - Shared Hope International

April 21, 2015 by SHI Staff

Virginia closes legal gap on sex trafficking

By Lindsay Raynor | Capitol News Service

With the passage of House Bill 1964 and Senate Bill 1188, Virginia is the final state in the nation to enact a stand-alone law against human trafficking, officials say. Both bills were passed unanimously in the General Assembly and have been signed into law by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Statistics show why such legislation is needed.

There are 25 active cases against human traffickers in Henrico County, according to Mike Feinmel, the assistant commonwealth’s attorney there. Last year, Fairfax County received reports of 79 traffickers, but the state could prosecute only 10, Bill Wolfe, the lead detective for the Fairfax County Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit.

“Four or five years ago, when I got thrown into human trafficking, I really didn’t know what it was,” Wolfe said.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, human trafficking is the second fastest-growing crime in the U.S. Officials say that is because traffickers often can make a lot of money without getting caught.

Read the full article here: http://rvanews.com/news/virginia-closes-legal-gap-on-sex-trafficking/124383

April 15, 2015 by SHI Staff

Virginia’s First Sex Trafficking Law

Arlington, VA— On Wednesday, April 15, the Kids Are Not For Sale in Virginia Coalition held a joint press conference with Delegate Tim Hugo and Senator Mark Obenshain in Richmond to officially announce the enactment of HB 1964 and SB 1188, establishing Virginia’s first standalone sex trafficking law. Companion bills HB 1964 and SB 1188 were signed into law on March 27 by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

“I would like to thank my friend, Delegate Tim Hugo, and Senator Mark Obenshain for leading the Virginia General Assembly to unanimously adopt this vital legislation, Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said. “The collaboration and effort put forth by Virginia legislators, the Kids Are Not For Sale Coalition, and Virginia residents who helped advocate for this law serves as a testament to the Commonwealth’s commitment to combat child sex trafficking.”

This legislation was championed by Chief Patron Delegate Timothy Hugo (HB 1964) and Chief Patron Senator Mark Obenshain (SB 1188). Shared Hope International implemented the Kids Are Not For Sale campaign to advocate for the enactment of a strong sex trafficking law in Virginia. The Coalition consists of Virginia law enforcement, prosecutors, service providers, advocacy groups, schools, and hospitals who joined together to advocate for this landmark legislation.

This law:

Clearly defines and establishes the offense of sex trafficking.
Establishes penalties that reflect the seriousness of the offense.
Specifically criminalizes child sex trafficking as a Class 3 felony without requiring prosecutors prove that force, intimidation or deception was used to cause the minor to engage in commercial sexual conduct given the way the traffickers recruit minors by preying on their vulnerability and trust.
Assists in protecting and properly identifying sex trafficking victims.
Closes a loophole in Virginia’s existing laws by criminalizing the recruitment of minors and adults for commercial sex—conduct which was not criminalized under Virginia law.

“I am grateful to my colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly for prioritizing the issue of child sex trafficking by voting unanimously to establish Virginia’s first sex trafficking law,” Delegate Timothy Hugo said. “This great success was made possible in large part through the efforts of Kids Are Not For Sale in VA, a Coalition implemented by Shared Hope International. The education and support the Coalition provided was instrumental in building momentum to pass the bill this year.”

According to Senator Mark Obenshain, “Human trafficking is the second fastest growing criminal enterprise in America, and sadly it is a problem here in Virginia. For law enforcement it is really represents the next front in the fight against child predators.” Obenshain continued stating, “I am proud to have been the Senate patron of legislation to finally give Virginia a stand-alone sex trafficking statute. It is a critical new tool for law enforcement to have in fighting this rapidly growing criminal enterprise. We couldn’t have done it without hard work of colleagues in the General Assembly as well as the advocacy and support of the Kids Are Not For Sale in VA Coalition.”

Media Contact
Tabatha Mansfield
Coalition Coordinator, Kids Are Not For Sale in Virginia
804-937-4001
kidsarenotforsaleinva@gmail.com

ABOUT THE KIDS ARE NOT FOR SALE IN VA COALTION: The coalition was formed to advocate for the passage and enactment of a sex trafficking statute in Virginia in 2015. Members include: Shared Hope International, Richmond Justice Initiative, Virginia Beach Justice Initiative, Regent School of Law Center for Global Justice, Anastasis International Mission, Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, Central Virginia Justice Initiative, Courtney’s House, Vessels of Mercy International, The Gray Haven, Virginia Catholic Conference, Bon Secours Virginia Health Systems, Release Me International, Virginia Trucking Association, The Family Foundation, Straight Street, Youth for Tomorrow, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia, and AAUW Virginia Beach.

April 13, 2015 by SHI Intern

Volunteer to Fight Trafficking: How Photographer Tom Fideler is Using His Skills to End Sex Slavery

How can you affect others in the fight against human sex trafficking?

Several years ago, Thomas Fideler became aware of sex trafficking and educated himself on the issue. Compelled to share what he was learning, Tom began hosting awareness presentations at his church. Through these presentations, Tom met Nick and Jo Lembo, associate pastors of Tom’s church at the time. Tom’s boldness to educate his community inspired the Lembos to get involved! Jo now serves as Shared Hope’s Puget Sound Regional Growth Strategist and Nick serves on the Board of Directors, and co-chairs The Defender USA, the men of Shared Hope. Tom continues to use his skills and passion to make a difference!

10615410_904209119611134_5602194133508734028_n Tom is now retired and started The Color of Light Photography, turning a hobby into a business, traveling around the world to capture images and preserve memories. In 2013, he offered to donate one year of photography services to Shared Hope International for all Washington events! His contribution to our mission was vital to helping us communicate our programs and projects to the rest of the nation. He photographed the March 2014 release of our newest training product, Gang Trap, and its corresponding training and the public showing of Chosen, in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools. The highlight of his service was capturing the adventures of our Nepal guests! In October and November of 2014, four residents of Asha Nepal, our long-time partner in Nepal, who have been in our care since they were young, traveled to the U.S. to be a part of the Night of Hope 16^th anniversary tour. He captured their visit to Pike’s Market and the Seattle Space Needle and preserved tender moments of gratitude at the Night of Hope benefit dinner.

We are so grateful for Tom’s desire to donate his passion to fight sex trafficking. He is a commendable example of how all skills can be used to serve the cause!

What can you do? Share with those you know about your passion to fight human trafficking. You never know the extent of influence you may have to change the direction of someone’s life to serve. You may have a gift or talent that you can donate to Shared Hope or a local anti-trafficking organization to support the effort, share the workload for full-time staff, and leave a legacy!

To learn more about how you can get involved, learn about our Ambassador of Hope program!

You can connect with Tom on his business Facebook page.

April 1, 2015 by SHI Staff

Virginia: Last State In Nation to Establish a Human Trafficking Law

Arlington, VA— Today, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed SB 1188 and HB 1964 into law, officially establishing Virginia’s first standalone sex trafficking law.

“This is a landmark legislative victory for Virginia which until today, was the only state in the nation without a human trafficking law,” Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International said. “Traffickers and buyers can no longer slip through the cracks left by the absence of a specific sex trafficking law criminalizing their behavior, and our kids are safer for it.”

These crucial bills were championed by Chief Patron Delegate Timothy Hugo (HB 1964) and Chief Patron Senator Mark Obenshain (SB 1188). Shared Hope International convened and led the Kids Are Not For Sale in Virginia Coalition, a collective effort between Virginia law enforcement, prosecutors, advocacy groups, schools, and hospitals to advocate for the passage and enactment of Virginia’s first standalone sex trafficking statute. Nearly 1,000 constituents contacted their representatives to voice support for the passage of this crucial legislation.

This law:

Clearly defines and establishes the offense of sex trafficking.
Establishes penalties that reflect the seriousness of the offense.
Specifically criminalizes child sex trafficking as a Class 3 felony without requiring prosecutors prove that force, intimidation or deception was used to cause the minor to engage in commercial sexual conduct given the way the traffickers recruit minors by preying on their vulnerability and trust.
Assists in protecting and properly identifying sex trafficking victims.
Closes a loophole in Virginia’s existing laws by criminalizing the recruitment of minors and adults for commercial sex—conduct which is currently not criminalized in Virginia.

Media Contact
Taryn Offenbacher
Director of Communications, Shared Hope International
602-818-3955
Taryn@sharedhope.org

ABOUT THE KIDS ARE NOT FOR SALE IN VA COALTION: The coalition was formed to advocate for the passage and enactment of a sex trafficking statute in Virginia in 2015. Members include: Shared Hope International, Richmond Justice Initiative, Virginia Beach Justice Initiative, Regent School of Law Center for Global Justice, Anastasis International, Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Initiative, Central Virginia Justice Initiative, Courtney’s House, Vessels of Mercy International, The Gray Haven, Virginia Catholic Conference, Bon Secours Virginia Health Systems, Release Me International, Virginia Trucking Association, The Family Foundation, Straight Street, and Youth for Tomorrow.

March 12, 2015 by Eliza Reock

Just Response State Mapping Report & Experts Council; The Interrelationship of Statutes, Systems and Services

The JuST Response Report: Analyzing state statutory protective responses

Shared Hope International’s JuST Response is a survivor informed, protection-oriented research project that combines research on services for domestic minor sex trafficking victims with an analysis of state statutory protective responses. It serves to deepen knowledge of the interrelationship of statutes, systems, and services in developing state level responses to juvenile sex trafficking victims. By merging research on implementation and policy analysis, the JuST Response seeks to broaden the research in this emerging area to inform legislative efforts and the implementation of existing responses.

“The JuST Response is bringing two very important initiatives for trafficked women and children together…What we are looking at today is this:Should we have to lean towards giving her protection or should we have to lean towards giving her restoration. We are saying we want both. A JuST Response says both. Let’s have a system that protects her. That makes sure she gets the services she is entitled to as a victim of a violent crime, but let’s make sure also that the justice system, the courts, the court room system, all of those things are aligned to protect her and give her justice. We believe a just response harmonizes those two vital, important issues in this fight against child trafficking.”

– Linda Smith, President & Founder of Shared Hope International, JuST Response Experts Council 2015

Experts Council

Last week, Shared Hope International assembled nearly forty experts, advocates, and survivors of sex trafficking from around the country at the George Washington University Library in the heart of Washington, DC. In its inaugural JuST Response Experts Council meeting, Shared Hope previewed the JuST Response State System Mapping Report that will be released next week (view the webcast). The all-day event allowed the country’s foremost experts to join Shared Hope in identifying priority issues that need to be addressed to provide those victimized through sex trafficking a chance at restoration.

Federal laws, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Action (TVPA) of 2000, deem any minor engaged in a commercial sex act as a victim of sex trafficking. In some states, state laws are only beginning to recognize the crime of sex trafficking as it applies to minors. The JuST Response project merges Shared Hope International’s Protected Innocence Challenge research, the 2012 and 2013 National Colloquiums, the resulting Traffic Stop and National Colloquium 2012 reports and findings from the field, including Shared Hope partners and the Restorative Services Working Group. The JuST Response research identifies common barriers and emerging trends in service responses to juvenile sex trafficking victims by examining noteworthy statutory responses and implementation of these statutes to connect youth to services. Three critical elements comprise a JuST Response: Statutes, Systems and Services.

Statutes: Should direct survivors away from delinquency outcomes, make them immune from prostitution charges, and offer access to specialized services
Systems: Interagency collaboration, specialized training, identification and immediate and ongoing assessments are vital
Services: An array of specialized services, safe and nurturing environments, and individuals wrap-around continuum of care should be available for survivors

The JuST Response State Mapping report analyzed eight states separated into four categories:

States that have statutes that allow for immunity from prostitution related charges and mandatory referral to an alternate process: Illinois and Kentucky
States that provide immunity from prostitution related charges without a referral to an alternate response: Minnesota and Tennessee
States that do not provide immunity buy require a law enforcement referral to a specialized response: Kansas and Florida
States that do not provide immunity but specialized diversion process for juvenile sex trafficking victims: Washington and Ohio.

The JuST Response State Mapping Report further recognizes that many states and jurisdictions are implementing components of a JuST Response while still lacking protective response laws. Two main goals of a JuST Response are to avoid re-traumatization and guarantee that survivors have access to appropriate services. Expert Council member discussion reflected the reality that providing a full JuST Response will be an ongoing process, and that there are very few, if any, states that have identified a flawless continuum of care. Instead, the report and ongoing discussions seek to highlight promising practices to support incremental change as we seek to provide justice, safety and restoration to juvenile sex trafficking victims. By strengthening statutes, systems and services, Shared Hope, with the support of the Experts Council, seeks to empower youth and inspire policy makers and service providers to take on the challenge of implementing a JuST Response for those individuals who have survived sex trafficking.