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March 11, 2013 by SHI Staff

WA House Hearing on Comprehensive Bill to Fight Child Sex Trafficking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2013

Contact: Taryn Mastrean

602-818-3955

Taryn@sharedhope.org

WA HOUSE HEARING ON COMPREHENSIVE BILL TO FIGHT CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING
Survivors of trafficking testify for SB 5669 and SB 5488 to bring justice to Washington’s trafficked youth

Vancouver, WA – A public hearing on SB 5669 and 5488 will take place on Tuesday, March 12. Together these bills would close gaps in Washington’s laws to ensure there are no places for traffickers and buyers of child sex trafficking to hide in Washington. Proposed bill SB 5669, sponsored by Senator Mike Padden (R-WA), would update the body of laws dealing with human trafficking to strengthen Washington’s ability to fight human trafficking, including criminalizing use of the Internet to sell or purchase sex acts or commit sex trafficking. Proposed bill SB 5488, sponsored by Seattle Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-WA), raises the stakes for Internet exploitation of children by imposing an additional fine when commercial sexual exploitation of children involves an Internet advertisement. Both bills passed the Senate unanimously on March 4, 2013 and are scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Public Safety at 8:30 AM on March 12, 2013.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE:
WHAT: House Hearing on SB 5669 and 5488
WHEN: Tuesday, March 12 at 8:30 am PST
WHERE: Hearing Room D, John L. O’Brien Building, 504 15th Ave, S.W., Olympia
WHO: Senator Mike Padden (R-WA)
Brianna, Survivor Advocate; Intern, Shared Hope International
Marie, Survivor Advocate; Resources Coordinator, Shared Hope International

ABOUT THE SURVIVORS:
Brianna and Marie know firsthand the importance of strong laws.

Three years ago, Brianna was targeted by a trafficker while working as a waitress at a local restaurant. The trafficker appeared as an older boyfriend and convinced her to travel to Phoenix with him to meet his family. Days before they left for Arizona, a friend intervened with the help of a trained law enforcement officer and Linda Smith, President and Founder of Shared Hope International. Today, Brianna serves as an intern at Shared Hope and attends nursing school. Stories like Brianna’s are only possible because trained, knowledgeable law enforcement had the tools they needed to protect Brianna.

Marie was five years old when she was first used in child pornography. By nine years old, Marie’s stepfather had taken her virginity and was selling her to friends for sex. Marie became pregnant by one of the men her stepfather sold her to and birthed her first son in the basement of her stepfather’s house when she was fourteen. Marie was placed in foster and group homes, only to flee to the streets where she felt safer than home. Yet, life on the street was dangerous and difficult and Marie fell victim to a pimp. One night, Marie got in the car with a violent buyer. In self-defense, she stabbed the man with a small knife she carried for protection. She spent six years in prison for the murder of that violent buyer before coming to work at Shared Hope International.

PROVISIONS OF THE BILLS:
• SB 5669 removes a barrier to prosecuting child sex trafficking crimes by amending the trafficking law to eliminate the requirement that force, fraud or coercion be proven when the victim is a minor, joining 32 other states and the federal government, and aligns Washington’s trafficking law with the federal law by using a reckless disregard standard in proving a defendant’s knowledge that a minor victim was under 18.
• SB 5669 addresses demand for sex trafficking by including buying or purchasing as prohibited conduct under the trafficking law.
• SB 5669 limits the need to rely on victim-witness testimony by expressly prohibiting a defense based on a minor’s consent to engage in commercial sex acts, recognizing that minors cannot consent to commercial sex acts. SB 5669 protects trafficking victims who testify at trial from traumatizing cross-examination by extending the protection of the rape shield law and expanding the law permitting testimony by closed circuit television to include minors under 14 who are victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
• SB 5669 increases deterrence and helps to pay for the costs stemming from trafficking victimization by raising the mandatory fee in a trafficking sentence to $10,000.
• SB 5669 requires defendants convicted of trafficking, commercial sexual abuse of a minor and promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor to register as a sex offender.
• SB 5669 provides prosecutors and law enforcement with a critical tool for combatting gangs and sex trafficking enterprises by amending the state racketeering law to include trafficking, promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor and permitting commercial sexual abuse of a minor as predicate crimes.
• SB 5669 addresses the pervasive use of the Internet to purchase, promote and advertise commercial sexual exploitation of children by amending the offense of communication with a minor for immoral purposes to include use of the Internet for “the purchase or sale of commercial sex acts and sex trafficking.”
• SB 5488 imposes an additional $5,000 fine when an Internet advertisement facilitates commercial sexual abuse of a minor, promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor or promoting travel for commercial sexual abuse of a minor.

MEDIA MATERIALS
To access Washington’s Protected Innocence Report Card that grades the state on its level of protection against domestic minor sex trafficking, please visit: http://sharedhope.org/what-we-do/bring-justice/state-by-state-grades/

For media convenience, a variety of video clips and resources, including DMST survivor comments, are available at this location: http://sharedhope.org/media/

ABOUT SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL: Shared Hope International was founded in 1998, by former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith, and exists to rescue and restore women and children in crisis. We are leaders in a worldwide effort to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery using a three-pronged strategy: prevent, restore, and bring justice. For more information about Shared Hope International, and the Protected Innocence Challenge, go to sharedhope.org

For more information contact Taryn Mastrean at (602) 818-3955 or taryn@sharedhope.org.
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March 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

Survivor Story: Robin’s Journey to Redemption and Restoration

My name is Robin. I was born in Portland, OR but grew up my whole life across the river, in Vancouver, WA. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a home where I could feel safe and know I was loved. My mother took me to Sunday school and taught me the love of Jesus. Every teacher I ever had liked me and I did we’ll in school. Growing up I was popular, and had a lot of friends.

I became alcoholic after my first drink at 14-years-old. Gradually through my adolescence, I began experimenting with other substances and they became more important to me than school. After miserably failing almost two years of college, I dropped out. I had just turned 21 before I met the man who sold me a dream. The dream turned into a nightmare and the nightmare lasted six years. In those six years I was prostituted up and down the I-5 corridor from Seattle to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Honolulu, Hawaii. I walked away from my pimp in 1999, penniless, alcoholic, and addicted to crack-cocaine. I have never gone back to him.

It took me over 12 years away from the life to be strong enough to really look at what had happened to me. I was 21 years old when my pimp walked into my life and because I was an “adult”, I always carried the guilt and shame for “choosing” this lifestyle. I wasn’t ready to look at my past until I learned about my past. Once I learned about my past, I gathered enough strength and humility to tell my story. Telling my story and backing it up with the truths, rather than misconceptions about prostitution, allowed me to heal. When I saw myself as a victim, no matter my age- that’s when I was able to forgive myself and move on.

Defenders were few and far between when I was living in the streets where men bought and sold women and young girls for sex. There was only one Defender who could save me from the bondage of sex-trafficking; that Defender was Jesus! I often wonder if my life would have turned out differently if there were more men of God living as Defenders.

Despite growing up in a good home, learning manners and respect, no one taught me to love or respect myself. When I see men taking the Defender’s pledge today, my heart fills with love and hope for the future; but I don’t see enough men taking the pledge. I want to see our nation’s leaders, our pastors, and our teachers taking the pledge.

I want to see these men teaching our sons how to live as Defenders of women and how to stand up against immorality — without feeling like there is something wrong for doing so. When a man promises not to purchase or participate in pornography, prostitution or any form of the commercial sex industry, demand decreases.

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Tim 6:11). When a man promises to hold his friends accountable for their actions toward women and children, our daughters become safer and demand decreases. “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17). When a man promises to take immediate action to protect those he loves from this destructive market, families are not torn apart and demand decreases. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8).

When I see men taking the pledge to be a Defender, I see God moving.

Robin became involved with trafficking when she was recruited by a pimp in 1993. After six years of abuse and many near death experiences, she was delivered by her Savior Jesus Christ in 1999. In June 2012, Ms. Miller earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Portland State University. She is active as an advocate for victims of sex-trafficking. Today Robin is the volunteer coordinator and receptionist for a non-profit organization in Vancouver, WA.

March 7, 2013 by SHI Staff

Media and News Coverage, March 2013

Mar. 7 – Examiner: What you can do to stop Human Trafficking – Part 2

Mar. 8 – Northwest Asian Weekly: Washington State Senate adopts comprehensive anti-trafficking law

Mar. 10 – KSL-Utah: Sunday Edition: Child sex trafficking, prison relocation, smoking in cars with kids

Mar. 12 – CSU Chico News: S.T.O.P! Presents Human Trafficking Awareness Week March 25-29 at CSU, Chico

Mar. 13 – The Examiner: Oregon nearly fails the Raise Your Grade report card

Mar. 19 – Mail Tribune: Talk on human trafficking set

Mar. 21 – Huffington Post: Organize to Scrutinize Your Local Sex Trafficking Laws

Mar. 26 – San Francisco Chronicle: Oregon lawmakers target child sex trafficking

Mar. 28 – ChicoER: What’s happening today in the north valley

Mar. 28 – Washington Times Communities: Sex trafficking: Ministry works with victims in Washington, DC

March 5, 2013 by SHI Staff

The Justice Conference 2013 – Defenders’ Theology

5,000 people.

5,000 people is about how many people showed up to the Justice Conference on February 22nd and 23rd in Philadelphia, PA. Almost 10,000 if you include all of the simulcast locations. If you don’t know about the Justice Conference, it is an annual international conference held every year where people gather together and discuss what it means to pursue holistic justice. I don’t know about you, but it is pretty encouraging to see so many people passionate about this. It excites me to see that there are so many people out there that think it is better to give than to receive. I’m excited that people are ready and willing to make a difference. On top of that, there were hundreds of exhibitor organizations, ready and willing to equip people to pursue holistic justice that cares for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. I’m so happy about that.

At the Justice Conference, I got to have many great conversations with people I’d never met before. Often, I would introduce myself to men by saying, “Hi, my name is Ethan.” Then the person would introduce himself, and then he would almost always ask, “So why are you here?” Whenever this question was asked by a man, I would first say, “well… I’m a Defender,” and then I would continue to say my other reasons, like me being a pastor, student, and writer on Justice. Almost always, the followup question would be, “Oh…what is a Defender?” Then I would get to explain about the Defenders, and I invited them to check out the website (and our booth at the conference), and to take the pledge. It was so awesome to see so many men excited about taking the pledge and becoming a Defender!

I’d like to spend some time thinking about the theology of a Defender. Brenda Salter McNeil, a speaker at the Justice Conference, said that our theology directly affects our anthropology. Theology is answering the question of who is God. This question will directly affect how you see and view people.

For me, I believe that God has a heart for the oppressed. I believe that God wants people to be well, to be whole, and to have dignity—including the women and children who are trafficked daily! Deeply rooted in my belief about God is the idea that he cares for the oppressed, the marginalized, and the well-being of all human beings. As you can see, my theology directly affects my anthropology. And I think yours does too. Think about that yourself, and ask this question: how do I view God and how does that affect how I view people? I think as Defenders, we need to have a Defenders theology. God cares for the widows and orphans, and he cares for women and children. Everyone has dignity. Everyone has rights. As a Defender, we are called to end the demand for commercial sex because that is at the heart of God’s desires.

I’ll end with another quote by Rev. Brenda Salter McNeil. “God is raising an army that is going to do justice and love mercy” and “God is [definitely] doing something unusual.” Defenders, its time to take action. We have the support of at least 10,000 other people who care about what we are doing to bring about justice. Be encouraged by that, and lets make a difference. Lets end the demand.

February 26, 2013 by SHI Staff

Defenders Guest Post: Stop Traffick Fashion

Guest Blog Post by Melissa Wuske

“I have found great freedom. I want to give God thanks. He has given me good things—health, peace, a good husband, a good family.”

—Ashoka, survivor of the sex trade in Kolkata, India

At Stop Traffick Fashion, we’re all about women around the world like Ashoka. Started in 2009, Stop Traffick Fashion provides opportunities and hope for survivors of human trafficking, while offering women stunning ethical fashion. Survivors and those at-risk of human trafficking make all of our products and are paid a fair wage for their work. This empowers them to create a sustainable income and live a free, happy life. In addition, a portion of all sales revenue is donated back to organizations that rescue victims and provide rehabilitation and training for victims of human trafficking. So whatever you buy, from T-shirts to handbags to jewelry, you’re helping someone make a fresh, free start in life—and freedom is a beautiful thing.

We’re working toward cultivating and expanding our custom line of bags, jewelry, and t-shirts in order to bring socially conscious, fashion conscious women products that tell a story of freedom. We want every piece in our collection to be so striking that it starts a conversation, opening an opportunity for people to talk about human trafficking.

At STF, we’re passionate about helping people use their unique skills and interests to fight against human trafficking and become everyday abolitionists. We’re not all lawyers and social workers living on the frontlines of the fight against trafficking, but each one of us can take small steps toward big change. Our founder, Emily Hill, lives out her love of ethical fashion and social justice through STF. As the communications director, I combine my writing skills with my compassion for exploited people. It’s exciting to know that I can equip people to end trafficking by blogging about ethical fashion, human trafficking, and empowering women.

This excitement to mobilize all types of people makes us so excited for The Defenders movement. Men are a powerful and needed part of the anti-trafficking movement, and while STF’s approach is decidedly ladylike, we love to see men taking a pledge to action.

Melissa Wuske, Communications Director at Stop Traffick Fashion. Melissa loves merging her passions for writing and for helping provide restoration for exploited people. She graduated from Miami University with a degree in Adolescent English Education and is a former middle school language arts teacher. She now works full time as a freelance editor and lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Melissa has visited Fresset, one of STF’s partners, in Kolkata, India.