Shared Hope International

Leading a worldwide effort to eradicate sexual slavery...one life at a time

  • The Problem
    • What is Sex Trafficking?
    • FAQs
    • Glossary of Terms
  • What We Do
    • Prevent
      • Training
      • Awareness
    • Restore
      • Programs
      • 3rd Party Service Providers
      • Stories of Hope
      • Partners
    • Bring Justice:Institute for Justice & Advocacy
      • Research
      • Report Cards
      • Training
      • Advocacy
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Internet Safety
    • Policy Research and Resources
    • Store
  • Take Action
    • Activism
    • Advocate
    • Just Like Me
    • Volunteer
    • Give
  • News&Events
    • Blog & Events
    • Media Center
    • Request a Speaker
    • Host an Event
    • Attend an Event
  • About
    • Our Mission and Values
    • Our Story
    • Financial Accountability
    • 2023 Annual Report
    • Leadership
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Conference
  • Donate
Home>Archives for child sex trafficking

October 7, 2024 by Leif Larson

Greetings attendees of the 2024 JuST Training Conference.

My name is Marian, and I’m a grateful OG survivor!

This year, I celebrated 20 years clean and sober and out of life. At the some time, I am 10 years healed from triple-negative breast cancer.

While maintaining sobriety and health issues are experiences mainstream society faces, those of us moving forward after the trauma of paid rape have a challenging journey.

The road from victim to survivor to survivor leader is an individual journey. Along the way, we bond with others at different points of our growth, sharing experiences, failures, and triumphs.

I want to let you know of a unique opportunity for attendees of this year’s jUST conference. We, the ‘Older Gals; or ‘Older Generation’ of survivor leaders, will be your opening keynote session,

OG’s Speak Out: Navigating Life Beyond Exploitation

Some refer to us as ‘Elder Survivors,’ a term of endearment and respect, because we have had rich journeys as survivor leaders for decades. We are friends, colleagues, and, most of all, sisters.

Our sisterhood has standard systems of prostitution and the journey out. It is that journey out that we will share in our conversation with each other and you. Meet my sisters!

Hello, I’m Vednita

I am the founder of Breaking Free. Younger generations tell me in group settings that things are different from when I was “in the life.” I ask, how? You’re still exploited, whether it’s direct or indirect exploitation. The technology may evolve, but the degradation of being used, purchased for a price for sex, or pornographic imagery still reduces you to an object.

Hello, I’m Terry

I joined the movement when I met Vednita Carter, Founder of Breaking Free. She introduced me to the issues surrounding exploitation, and it was then that I understood I was not alone. I began reading books by fellow survivors like Andrea Dworkin and articles by Melissa Farley and Gail Dines. In reading the stories, I started to see a bigger world where hope sprung. I had so many questions and didn’t know where to find the answers because I was afraid to voice my fears. Many of the answers came from conferences like JuST.

Hello, I’m Audrey

Those of us who have been in the movement for a while have much to offer. You have some up-and-coming leaders who are missing an opportunity to learn from OG’s! Mistakes we’ve made, like not prioritizing self-care and learning when to say no. Women of color share experiences and bring awareness so they don’t feel alone when discouraging things arise. They can keep moving forward and work with allies who want to support them, but they often need to hear from survivors to do so successfully. It can help you reach back and gather strength from OGs to keep moving against the naysayers and the struggles.

We are looking forward to hosting you in a salon, which has its roots in the aristocracy of France in the late 17th and 18th centuries.

Historically a male-dominated structure, the gathering discussed literature, art, philosophy, music, and, of course, politics. It was to become the model for the feminist movement, providing a space to discuss issues of social status and power.

There is no better forum to discourse on the disenfranchised and disempowered due to sexual violence. In this intimate setting, without harsh light, seated in a circle, tears may flow, and laughter may follow. Heartbeat to heartbeat, humanity is the goal—dignity and respect for all.

Delving into life after various systems of prostitution will allow you a unique opportunity to engage with us older gals as we share our multifaceted path to healing.

Our journeys range from the 1980s to 2024. We are providing not only personal perspectives but also historical, socioeconomic, legal, and political viewpoints.

Street, online, and image-based exploitation will be discussed, as well as laws used against us and laws we fought for!

We have a deep bench to use a sports phrase. From Executive Directors and officers of NGOs to policy experts and civilian law enforcement, our experience has, in many ways, established lasting threads in the tapestry of the “movement.”

Those threads are sinew binding together adversity, disrespect, pain, and loss with strength, healing, love, and liberation. This is the reality of our tapestry: never forgetting what we’ve been through but choosing to live forward-thinking and focused.

Join the conversation with us, the ‘old gals,’ the ‘older generation’ of survivor leaders, as we allow the strength of our friendship and accomplishments to give hope. Survivors and allies, come one, come all!

“Through our narratives, we aim to offer insights from our diverse journeys. From rebuilding shattered self-esteem to reconciling with loved ones, we have faced and overcome many challenges. Our stories illuminate the profound wisdom gained through adversity and the sacredness of the journey toward wholeness.”

Audry, Marian, Terry, and Vednita

 

August 21, 2024 by Leif Larson

Shared Hope International Institute for Justice & Advocacy strongly opposes the sentence imposed on Chrystul Kizer


https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/08/19/chrystul-kizer-sentence-wisconsin-sex-trafficking/

Chrystul Kizer’s story is one of victimization and survival. She was a victim of child sex trafficking, forced into a life of exploitation and abuse. However, she was treated as a criminal instead of being recognized as a survivor. The outcome of her case has been widely criticized, with many arguing that it fails to acknowledge her victimization and perpetuates an unjust system.

Shared Hope International Institute for Justice and Advocacy’s Senior Director of Public Policy, Christine Raino, J.D., strongly opposes the sentence imposed on Chrystul Kizer. Raino highlights the unjust treatment Chrystul has faced from the beginning and emphasizes the urgent need for Wisconsin to pass a Safe Harbor law. Raino states, “The outcome of Chrystul’s case is tragic because of the unwillingness to acknowledge her victimization. It is a sad reminder of the immediate need for the state to pass a Safe Harbor law to prevent more young people like Chrystul from having their status as a trafficking victim even debated.”

April 19, 2013 by SHI Staff

Advocating: Will You Join the Cause to End Demand?

Guest Blog Post by Ethan Morrow

Defenders capitol building
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending a lobbying event at the Oregon capitol building, in Salem, OR. At the event, hundreds of people advocated for two bills that would help crack down on buyers, and offer better protection for victims of human trafficking. It was very encouraging to see the variety of people that showed up. From pastors and ministers, to college students and children — who took a day off of school to make a difference, a very diverse crowd of people showed up.

It was very encouraging for me to see so many people show up and engage in the process of politics in order to make a difference and protect women and children. In addition to this encouragement, the process of this event was also fascinating. I say this because I got an inside look into the political system. Everyone who lobbied, including myself, got the opportunity to enter into the offices of individual politicians. We got to speak with senators and representatives personally. We got to have a regular conversations, and we got to share our own personal experiences with human trafficking, and why it is important we end it.

I realized that politicians are people too, and they are highly influenced by the power of personal, individual story. A group of students from a Warner Pacific College student club delivered a large stack of hand-written, individually addressed letters that encouraged the politicians to support the bills. People showed up, conversations were had, and we made a huge influence!

That is a testament to the power of taking action. It truly shows that together, we can end demand. Together, we can change society and make a difference. At this lobbying event, the idea of changing the world wasn’t just an idea—it was becoming a reality.

Defenders, we can make a difference. Our stories have impact. We just need to share them. I want to issue a challenge to all Defenders: show up and share your story. At this lobbying event, it was probably 90% women—maybe even more. What if we had a lobbying event that was 50/50, or even 90% or 100% men? Imagine the impact we could make in supporting bills that target the johns and buyers. My fellow Defenders, together, we can end demand. Will you join the cause?

August 17, 2012 by Guest

Baking Toward Freedom: How One Woman is Changing the World From Her Kitchen

In the United States alone, at least 100,000 children are exploited through prostitution every year.  Based on the facts, it is easy to understand how an individual might feel completely helpless and alone in the fight against child sex trafficking.   Gail Ferguson, a baker from Virginia Beach, Virginia, understands the powerless feeling that tends to overwhelm individuals who desire to make a difference in the trafficking of children.

When a bicycle accident put Gail out of work, she started baking in order to make ends meet.  Eventually, Gail became a licensed baker and started to work out of local restaurants.  Gail was asked to bake around 300 cake pops for a women’s conference at her church.  She soon realized that such a large number of cake pops was no easy task for one woman, and she vowed that day to never make another cake pop!  However, the vow was short lived when Gail realized her tasty treats were a huge hit.  Everything clicked for Gail when she was able to hear presenters from the conference talk about the realities of the sex trafficking industry.

“I realized that God could use the little cake pops in a big way to make a difference in a child’s life that is caught in human trafficking.  And it was something that I could do now!”

Gail knew at that moment how she could use her passion and talent for baking to combat the sex trafficking industry, and she realized she could do so from her kitchen.

Gail started small.  She began selling her newly named Freedom Pops at local coffee shops in the area.  She was able to display brochures and information from the conference’s organization alongside her Freedom Pops, and she gave the organization a percentage of her profits.  Soon, a friend of Gail’s brought Freedom Pops to her office at the Christian Broadcasting Network.  Again, Gail’s desserts were a hit, and she received numerous calls for orders.  One of the calls happened to be an interview request about Gail and her Freedom Pops.  Gail was ecstatic about the prospect of an outstanding boost in business; however, she had a funny feeling in her gut that it was not the right time to grow her business.“I knew that orders would soon come in from everywhere, and I was still doing this out of my home.  As much as I wanted to say yes, I knew that I had to wait for this interview to happen.  I knew I needed to take my time to give this the best I had.  I knew I would have more miracles to talk about and better opportunities to share with the world if I waited.

(From Left) Gail’s daughter Perry, Gail’s mother, Gail’s daughter Brooke, and Gail

Although unknown to Gail, the timing was actually perfect.  That same day, Gail watched an interview on CBN with Shared Hope International’s founder Linda Smith.  Gail was so moved and inspired by all the work that Linda and Shared Hope International were doing both abroad and in the United States to stop human trafficking.  She began displaying Shared Hope’s brochures alongside her Freedom Pops.  According to Gail, that’s when the ball really started rolling.

The following December, she had so many orders for Freedom Pops ranging from treats for bible study groups to Christmas gifts for businesses’ VIP customers, not to mention the growing demand from her usual coffee shop and restaurant orders.  Although her business was growing each day, she knew that this was the perfect time to take her stand in the fight against human trafficking.

“I felt that God was telling me to give all my profit in the month of December to Shared Hope.  And so I did.  And to top it off, that month Shared Hope was matching all the gifts that were being given.”

Gail continues to use her Freedom Pops as her way to take a stand and make a difference in the lives of children caught in the sex trafficking industry.

“They have helped make people aware of this crime and the growing rate that it is taking place in our world.  I see so many of us pulling together , knowing it is going to take all of us working together to put a stop to human trafficking and see freedom become a reality for these children.”Although the fight is far from over, Gail and her Freedom Pops serve as a constant reminder that one person can make a difference in the fight against trafficking.  The power to end human trafficking lies within individuals like Gail who utilize their skills and passions to raise awareness and bring about change within their communities.

Interested in learning how you, like Gail, can make a difference in the lives of children right now?  Visit http://sharedhope.org/GetInvolved.aspx for details on how to start.

For more information about Freedom Pops, or to place an order, contact Gail at freedompopsAOoco@gmail.com 

July 27, 2012 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope International Launches Billboard in Times Square

The call came in like any other.

An agency that creates and places ads in Times Square was interested in talking to us about advertising in Times Square.

As a non-profit organization, we view every dollar as a donor dollar. We are diligent stewards of what has been entrusted to us to restore the lives of others. Advertising in Times Square didn’t quite fit our advertising budget or our promise to our donors.

Faster than we could make a few cursory remarks, thank them for calling, and get back to our work- they mentioned one of our favorite words—donated. Their client had reserved—and paid for—three months of advertising on the CBS “Super Screen” in Times Square. Unfortunately for the client, the product they were going to advertise was still in development and wouldn’t be ready for the start date of the ad.

That’s when opportunity came knocking on our door.

The ad agent had an advertising spot that was already paid for but nothing to advertise. She cared about the issue of sex trafficking and wanted to use this opportunity to donate the airtime to an organization that would bring about greater awareness of the issue. And that’s the story of how Shared Hope ended up with a 15-second commercial in the center of Times Square for the next three months!

Our ad is playing on the CBS “Super Screen” at 42nd St. between 7th and 8th Ave in the heart of the Times Square Plaza. 1.5 million people pass through Times Square daily and will be exposed to the issue of sex trafficking.

About the Times Square Sex Trafficking Ad

The ad depicts a “normal” American girl. She was cute. A good student. An athlete. A target of a human trafficker.  Brianna was targeted to become a product in the commercial sex industry. Men she knew lured her with warmth, generosity, promises and love. Soon she was tricked into working in a strip club. Right before Brianna plummeted into the deepest terror and torture of sex trafficking, she was rescued. Frantic parents, a knowledgeable police officer and Linda Smith, Shared Hope’s president and founder, created a safety net that allowed Brianna to be rescued. She allows her picture and story to be used for ads such as this so YOU will be alert and aware of the dangers that lurk, trapping unsuspecting youth into the hell of sex slavery.

We need YOU to stand with us! Every woman and child is not fortunate enough to so narrowly escape the terrifying grasp of sexual slavery. Please take a minute to share this video with your friends and family to prevent the loss of another innocent life to the illicit sex industry.

 

 

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page >
  • What We Do
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Take Action
  • Donate
Shared Hope International
Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating

STORE | WEBINARS | REPORTCARDS | JuST CONFERENCE
 
Donate

1-866-437-5433
Facebook X Instagram YouTube Linkedin

Models Used to Protect Identities.

Copyright © 2025 Shared Hope International      |     P.O. Box 1907 Vancouver, WA 98668-1907     |     1-866-437-5433     |     Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Service

Manage your privacy
SHARED HOPE INTERNATIONAL DOES NOT SELL YOUR DATA. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Shared Hope InternationalLogo Header Menu
  • The Problem
    • What is Sex Trafficking?
    • FAQs
    • Glossary of Terms
  • What We Do
    • Prevent
      • Training
      • Awareness
    • Restore
      • Programs
      • 3rd Party Service Providers
      • Stories of Hope
      • Partners
    • Bring Justice:Institute for Justice & Advocacy
      • Research
      • Report Cards
      • Training
      • Advocacy
  • Resources
    • All Resources
    • Internet Safety
    • Policy Research and Resources
    • Store
  • Take Action
    • Activism
    • Advocate
    • Just Like Me
    • Volunteer
    • Give
  • News&Events
    • Blog & Events
    • Media Center
    • Request a Speaker
    • Host an Event
    • Attend an Event
  • About
    • Our Mission and Values
    • Our Story
    • Financial Accountability
    • 2023 Annual Report
    • Leadership
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Conference
  • Donate