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August 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

5 Scary Statistics About Internet Safety

A new poll released by Netmums revealed shocking statistics on internet use by children. The survey of 825 children aged between seven and 16 and 1,127 adults showed that 16.7% of parents allowed children three years old or younger to go online. However, the most alarming statistics show how exposed and vulnerable children are online.

1. 42.1% of kids admit they have seen online porn. One in 16 have been exposed to hardcore pornography.
2. One in 12 have exchanged messages with sexual content to other people, while one in 25 have sent graphic photos of themselves.
3. 25% of children get away with pretending to be older to get an account online.
4. One in 20 children admitted arranging a secret meeting with someone they met online.
5. Almost three in 10 parents (29%) let their kids use the internet without any restrictions or supervision.

Child protection organizations have developed safety tools to help combat children’s ignorance and vulnerability to online predators.

Education

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has developed NetSmartz, a program that creates interactive, educational safety resources for children ages 5 to seventeen.
“Through age-appropriate activities, games, videos and safety presentations, NetSmartz prepares children to behave responsibly when confronted with issues such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, online exploitation, revealing too much information, sexting and scams.” Netsmartzkids.org

In addition, NCMEC has created NetSmartz411, an online service to answer questions about internet safety, computers and the web. The site provides an online library for parents to find answers to their online safety questions. Visit www.netsmartz411.org for more information.

Protection:

Today, parents have a wide array of online safety restrictions available to help protect their children. Sheild Genie is a comprehensive parental control software that allows parents to limit or remove access online content and games, shield children from inappropriate contacts or advances, monitor and record all computer activity, alert dangerous behavior, receive danger alerts by text or e-mail and place restrictions on sharing personal information.

Report:

NCMEC, in partnership with the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, military criminal investigative organizations, U.S. Department of Justice, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program, and state and local law enforcement agencies, operates a CyberTipline which receives leads and tips regarding suspected crimes of child sexual exploitation. The public can submit suspicious activity or suspected exploitation to the CyperTipeline 24/7. The TipLine is monitored by well-trained analysts who provide the information to law enforcement for investigation. According to NCMEC, over 1.7 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been made between 1998 and December 2012. Click here to make a CyperTipline report.

To learn more about internet safety and child sex trafficking, join us November 7-9 at Sharing the Hope for workshops and training sessions led by over 25 national experts, including presenters from NCMEC.

August 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

Dreamworks “Turbo” – ‘Pimp My Shell’ Activism Victory

Recently, one of our Defenders Captains, Richard Aronson, sent a letter to DreamWorks Animation Studios asking them to stop using the term “pimp my shell” in the promotion, trailers, and animated film “Turbo”. This is a great example of how one person, or a small group of people, can make significant social and cultural change. Thanks for being a stand up Defender, Richard!

Here is his initial letter:

Hello Miss Rawlings,

I am writing to voice my concern over the use of the term ‘Pimp my shell’ in DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming release, “Turbo.” I am one of many advocates fighting against sex trafficking here in the U.S. and hope that you will hear me out.

DreamWorks Animation is undoubtedly unaware of the vast problem we have in this country. Over 100,000 kids, every year, are forced into prostitution. Those kids are terribly aware what the word pimp means. Now, with your help, another generation of children will learn how cool it is to be a pimp. I know DreamWorks does not mean to do that but it will be the result. MTV is not who you want to emulate. To show you how wrong the term ‘pimp my shell’ is let me make a statement. I will let you pimp my shell if you will let me pimp your kids. You can tear that statement down and use semantics to bend its meaning but the word ‘pimp’ only means one thing: a pimp is nothing more than a modern day slave owner and whether you pimp a car, house or woman, you are treating all like objects.

I would appreciate it if DreamWorks Animation remove the statement ‘pimp my shell’ from the movie “Turbo.” I would also like you to stop using that term in any marketing, including the “Turbo Racing League” app.

Before you write me off as some Lone Ranger or isolated voice I would like you to know that I currently work with the following organizations in the fight against sex trafficking:
Shared Hope International
Forsaken Generation
Roadmap to Redemption
Trafficking Hope
WA Engage

We are people in the fight against modern day slavery. I am not the only one that thinks this way. To hear another person’s perspective please read the following article: Pimp My Shell

I have been in the media industry for over 20 years so please do not respond by telling me it is to late to remove that term from the film. I have seen many movies make last minute post changes a week before release and in today’s digital distribution age I know how easy it is to create new release prints.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Richard Aronson

Here is DreamWorks response:

Hi Richard,

We appreciate your thoughtful note on this matter. As you allude to in your letter, it is not DreamWorks’ intent to cause any harm.

We have removed the language in the Turbo Racing League Mobile Game – the game now highlights a player’s ability to show off his/her customized shell. In regards to the rest of our ad campaign, the phrase was initially used in minimal marketing materials, but we will not produce any spots going forward that contain the language. Please know that the use of the word pimp is not in the film, and that any reference to the snails’ customized shells is meant as a comment on car culture versus anything else.

Sincerely,

Allison Rawlings

DreamWorks Animation Public Relations

July 31, 2013 by SHI Staff

Back to School

Every year back to school season begins with the same fresh fervor. Children are outfitted with a new backpack, lunch box, crayons, binders, pencils, clothes and shoes. They anxiously wait to learn the name of their new teacher and cross their little fingers that their best friend will be in their class. But as every parent begins to prepare their child for another school year, there is one thing they often don’t prepare their child for: identifying and standing up against traffickers.

If you know a child, this article is for you.

“It will never happen to my child.”

This same thought that lurks in the minds of those parents who believe their child is immune to trafficking because of good parenting, income, social status, the neighborhood they live in or their child’s maturity and good decision making abilities is the same phrase the parents of the trafficked child often laments to us.

The truth is pimps target our children at the place they spend over 1,200 hours a year: their school.

“San Diego Police Detective James Hunter said…pimps recruit online, at schools, malls and bus stands.” – KPBS

“Federal prosecutors on Thursday accused eight people of recruiting underage girls from Inland Empire schools for prostitution.” –Los Angeles Times

“The leader of a Fairfax County gang accused of running a prostitution ring has been indicted by a grand jury. A federal grand jury has indicted 26-year-old Justin Strom of Lorton, also known as “J-Dirt”, who is accused of running a sex trafficking operation. Strom recruited girls at school, in the mall or on the Metro, according to Ronald Hosko, the FBI agent who took the lead on the case. “They had one girl who has a 3.9 GPA,” Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said after the indictment. “Her parents are what most people would call very well-to-do in a good high school in Fairfax, recruited though a partner of the gang, in the school.” – WAMU, NPR

“It’s the most chilling of hunting grounds. Sex traffickers who coerce kids into prostitution are using the city’s schoolyards and playgrounds as recruiting offices. It’s such a troubling problem that Brooklyn prosecutors have started training educators on how to spot kids in peril on their turf. ‘It happens enough that I can say it happens a bunch,’ Assistant District Attorney Lauren Hersh told the Daily News. “Many girls are forced to go to middle school playgrounds and recruit other young girls.” Hersh, who runs a pioneering sex-trafficking unit for the DA’s office, has held several workshops and hopes to expand into as many schools as possible. Last fall, pimp Abking Wilcox admitted turning girls as young as 15 into being sex slaves and making them recruit others in Bushwick and Brownsville middle schools. Wilcox, who pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Criminal Court to three counts of sex trafficking, called it his ‘team.’ “ – New York Daily News

chosn2pkwebstore — Special Offer! 2 Chosen DVD & Training Packages

The best way to prepare your child is to teach them about the dangers they could face. Shared Hope has created a resource to make the conversation easy. In our new 20-minute documentary titled Chosen, two teen girls tell about their real experiences of being tricked into trafficking. The documentary contains mature subject matter but no graphic content, making it appropriate for teens 13 years and older. Additionally, the package includes presentation resources like discussion starters, ideas to take action, handouts and presentation ideas.

Help us reach America’s children with this important news by ordering a copy for your child or grandchild’s school, sports team, or youth club.

July 24, 2013 by SHI Staff

Anti Sex Trafficking Double Header: Amending the TVPA and CDA

Congress Files Bill to Amend TVPA to Combat Demand; State Attorneys General Ask Congress to Amend CDA

Arlington, VA— Today Government officials are taking two pathbreaking actions in the fight against demand for and online facilitation of sex trafficking.

Attorney General Letter Asking Congress to Amend the CDA

A bill addressing demand, those individuals buying sex with trafficked women and children, will be filed today to amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) to clarify the range of conduct punished as sex trafficking to include the conduct of buyers. Representatives Poe, Granger, Maloney, and Nolan and Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar are sponsoring the bill. The bill adds just two verbs to clarify the reach of the law: “patronize” and “solicit,” but will be a critical clarification of the intent of Congress to prevent, deter and punish demand. The bill also directs the U.S. Attorney General to engage the efforts of existing task forces and working groups to increase the investigative capabilities of state and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of demand.
Forty-seven state attorneys general and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) are endorsing and circulating a letter to Congress advocating to amend the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) to remove the barrier to state prosecution of online businesses in violation of trafficking and prostitution offenses. Section 230 of the CDA, title 47, U.S. Code, provides criminal and civil immunity to Internet content providers, even when they allegedly participate in illegal activity. As a result, online classified advertising sites, such as Backpage.com, that have created a virtual marketplace for prostitution and child sex trafficking. Advance Interactive Media (AIM) Group estimates that online commercial sex ads will generate over $45 million in revenue this year, with over 80 percent of profits earned by Backpage.com. This change is particularly timely because sex trafficking has largely moved from the streets to the Internet. The amendment proposes adding just two words to extend to state and local governments the ability to investigate whether these organizations are aiding and abetting prostitution or related crimes.

“Buyers of sex with trafficking victims and executives facilitating online commercial sexual exploitation like those at Backpage.com are evading criminal culpability for their role in domestic minor sex trafficking. Amending these federal laws will close the noose on buyers and facilitators and bring justice to the countless children that are bought and sold for sex,” said Shared Hope International President and Founder, former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith. “We applaud these government officials for bravely taking action to bring our laws closer to the intentions of our nation’s leadership.”

July 24, 2013 by SHI Staff

Don’t Ever Stop Fighting

Blog Post by Ethan Morrow

In the midst of pain, and what appears to be failure, what do you do? How do you get up and keep fighting? I had to ask myself that question last month when the Oregon House passed a very tough bill.

After weeks of fighting to avoid passing this bill via an online petition, the bill was passed. For me, this was a devastating blow to my gut. I felt like I had been punched multiple times. Because of this bill, it was still a misdemeanor to pay for sex with a minor in Oregon. Because of this bill, I still felt like our children could not be protected like they should be. As a dedicated Defender, there couldn’t be any worse feeling.

For a while, I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t motivate myself. After all, what was the point of continuing the fight? Was I even making a difference? So, for a while there, in my mind, I had given up. I had lost hope. It may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was. The Oregon Senate not passing this bill was extremely discouraging, because it was a very simple bill that protected children. That’s a no-brainer, right? If the Senate won’t pass a simple bill, then how will we do anything else?

But then, out of nowhere, an internal voice spoke to me. You are a Defender, Ethan. You are a Defender. Defenders do not give up. Then I was reminded how we did make a difference. In just over 5 days, almost 800 people from all over the US had signed that petition. Nationwide, people stood in agreement with me. Nationwide, people stood up and supported young girls. And people did notice. The press noticed. Nationwide, people cared.

So, do you want to know what I did?

I got back up. I got back up, made the simple choice to go to work, and kept fighting. I turned my deep disappointment into deep motivation. And to my surprise, a few days after that, all of the fighting paid off. I watched the miraculous happen as Senator Floyd Prozanski stood up and made a movement to take the bill back to committee so it could be re-amended, making it a felony on the first offense to purchase sex from minors. An article on this event can be found here.

Because we kept fighting, life change happened. Because we kept fighting, Oregon is properly protecting trafficked children. And I now I realize something: If we had stopped fighting after a devastating setback, it would still be a misdemeanor in Oregon to purchase sex from a minor.

So I have one simple message to say to all of you today. Defenders, don’t ever stop fighting. Keep fighting, and never give up. Because if we stop fighting, what are all of the young girls who are still being trafficked going to do? Who is going to defend them, through thick and thin? That’s our job, men. That is our job.

Don’t. Ever. Stop. Fighting.