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Home>Archives for sex trafficking

March 11, 2011 by Guest

Why So Young? — Why the average age a child is first exploited through prostitution is 13

The AVERAGE age a child is first exploited through prostitution is 13 years old.

This shocking number is not a coincidence or evidence that today’s youth are more delinquent than the generations before them.  Rather, it reveals the fact that pimps are using more manipulative tactics to recruit younger girls.

To understand why the average age of entry is so young, we must understand the strategy used by pimps.  When many people think of sex trafficking, they think of kidnapped children enslaved in a foreign brothel.  However, the commercial sexual exploitation of minors occurs in every corner in the U.S.  While kidnapping for the purpose of sex trafficking does occur in America, a common tactic used by pimps is trauma bonding.  According to Patrick J. Carnes, Ph.D., trauma bonding is defined as the “Dysfunctional attachments that occur in the presence of danger, shame or exploitation.”  Pimps often implement this strategy by initially playing the role of a girl’s boyfriend.  He takes her out to nice places and showers her with gifts in an effort to gain her trust.  As the relationship continues, the pimp starts to exert more power over the girl, engaging in increasingly rough sexual activity, and even beating her.  Eventually, the pimp convinces the girl that they are low on money.  Isolated from her friends and family, she often has no choice but to comply with the pimp’s demands to sell her body for sex. The trauma bonding process brainwashes the victim into believing that she is choosing to engage in this lifestyle, despite the fact that every step was calculated by the pimp to manipulate her.

According to Shared Hope International’s “National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking,” 70% of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) victims have experienced physical or sexual abuse prior to being trafficked.  In addition, the risk of being trafficked increases exponentially for children who run away from broken homes or abuse. In fact, research indicates that 1 in 3 girls will be trafficked within 48 hours of running away.  Girls who have an absent father figure may also be more likely to be targeted for the commercial sex trade. Many DMST victims have one or both parents in jail or on drugs.  Though these factors may increase the risk for a girl to be targeted for exploitation in the commercial sex industry, a girl’s most vulnerable point is simply her age. Young girls are often more susceptible to rely on the perceived love and security that a pimp initially offers. Additionally, youth brings a lack of life experience, a lack of social support, an increased difficulty to meet financial needs for survival and fewer coping mechanisms.

In such a lucrative industry, utilizing minors to meet the demand for paid sex is a sly business move – one that turns a huge profit for pimps. Thus, in an industry driven by an ever growing demand, the young and impressionable provide the most convenient and profitable supply for pimps.  Shared Hope International is committed to ending domestic minor sex trafficking and activating a nation that protects, rather than purchases, our children.

February 23, 2011 by SHI Staff

An Earnest Request: Survivor letter to 2011 Super Bowl Host Committee

After working on this issue for over a decade, we’ve read through countless touching letters, describing the horrific events of being sold for sex. This letter hits close to home as the author describes how she was forced to travel to Dallas against her will, in the very same area which will host next week’s 2011 Super Bowl. In hopes of persuading the Super Bowl Host Committee to endorse the I’m Not Buying Itcampaign, A.H. has shared her experiences in an open letter to both the committee as well as the NFL. Should they hear her request, both recipients have the power to discourage the buying and selling of girls who have been victims of sex trafficking during the Super Bowl celebrations next week.

Dear Super Bowl Host Committee & National Football League,

My name is A.H. and I’m a survivor of sex trafficking. I’m not a big football fan, but I’ll never forget my first trip to Dallas/Fort Worth several years ago. It was 2006 when I was dragged there against my will by a pimp. I was forced to dance, strip and sell sex (along with five other young girls) for over a month while he pocketed the cash ($1,000-$3,000/night from each girl) and planned our next gig. I was trapped in a life I never wanted without any hope of escape.

You might be shocked to know that I come from an upstanding, supportive and loving family. I’ve been an excellent student my whole life, earning a scholarship to college. I had dreams, ambitions and the courage to make them happen. Everything changed the day I met the man who would later become my pimp. He was intelligent, attractive and seemed to genuinely care about me. When I lost my scholarship due to an injury, he offered to help me and I believed he would. As soon as I realized what he had in mind, I tried to leave. He grabbed me by the neck, threw me down and almost choked the life out of me. When he threatened to hurt my family if I didn’t cooperate, I knew I was trapped.

This nightmare was my life for over a year. During that time, we traveled to several states where I was sold at nightclubs, bars, and parties — fulfilling a demand for sex nationwide. He was always there, always watching. If I refused to work, I was beaten and tortured.

We spent an entire month in Dallas/Fort Worth, where my pimp said the “real money” was. We were all young (some as young as 14-years-old) and that’s what the men wanted. No one asked if we were being forced to work, or if we enjoyed it. No one cared. While we were being sold for sex every night, our pimp was recruiting other local girls – from the Galleria, the clubs, concerts, and even McDonald’s.

I lived in fear every day, hoping I’d survive to see the next. It wasn’t until I heard him loading his gun to kill me that I finally mustered the courage to escape. Today, I’m a survivor. I share my story with you in the hopes that you’ll realize sex trafficking is real. It happens to young girls across America every day – girls as young as 13. With the Super Bowl quickly approaching, you have a choice to help stop it. Dallas/Fort Worth will soon become the nation’s biggest party – and every pimp’s center for business.

Please join me, Dallas Cowboy Jay Ratliff, and 65,000+ fans who’ve signed the Change.org petition in taking a stand against the exploitation of women and children during the Super Bowl. Every victim deserves the chance to become a survivor. And every young girl deserves to be protected and live a life free from slavery and exploitation.

I’m asking you to endorse the I’m Not Buying It campaign. By placing posters and billboards in and around the stadium you can deter men from engaging in the commercial sex market and save the lives of countless victims. You can make a difference – please, what would you do if it was your daughter?

Thank you,

A.H., Survivor of Sex Trafficking

A.H. was provided support and assistance through the anti-trafficking organization Courtney’s House, and her letter is supported by Courtney’s House and Shared Hope International. You can support A.H. and the many other trafficking survivors who have been sold in Dallas/Ft. Worth by joining the campaign to fight sex trafficking at the Super Bowl.

January 14, 2011 by SHI Staff

Oregon Receives Dangerously Low Grade for Child Sex Trafficking Laws

Portland, Oregon, often referred to as “Pornland”, has earned a reputation for having the largest legal sex industry per capita in the nation, even compared to Las Vegas. One Portland directory lists 40 erotic dance clubs, 47 all-nude strip clubs, 35 adult businesses and 21 lingerie modeling shops and most of these businesses are stacked conveniently on 82nd Avenue.  Numerous child victims have revealed they were groomed by their pimps and ultimately advertised for purchase through these legal sex markets. In 2009, the Sexual Assault Resource Center served at least 75 victims of trafficking. Is Portland one of the most dangerous cities for children in America?

Despite the mounting negative press, the leadership of Portland is confronting this issue head on.  Mayor Sam Adams recently stated

“Human trafficking, and especially juvenile human trafficking, goes against everything this city believes in and stands for, and we must do much more to combat the causes and symptoms of this problem.”

And it’s not all talk.  City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, recently sponsored a resolution that was approved by the council to dedicate assets seized from pimps and their customers to shelter and services for victims.  In a downtrodden economic environment, it’s a brilliant and fitting idea to make pimps and buyers foot the bill for the victims they create.

However, according to the Protected Innocence Oregon Report Card, which landed Oregon a “D”, there is clearly more work to be done.  The Protected Innocence Legislative Framework outlines six areas of law critical to protecting and responding to child sex trafficking. The Report Card identified several areas of Oregon law that should be applauded for its strength such as the strong investigative tools provided to law enforcement to combat the crime of trafficking.  This lightens the responsibility of the child victim as the primary witness in a case.  Additionally, Oregon’s broad child abuse and neglect statues allows for a child protection response rather than a delinquency response.  The Report Card provides legislators, community advocates, students, and professionals with a road map of the changes necessary to ensure protection for the victims and punishment for the criminals who exploit them.

The Oregon Report Card outlines four critical legislative changes needed:

– Amend the state human trafficking law to align with the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act by eliminating the requirement of force in cases of child sex trafficking.

– Amend the sex offender registry law to require convicted traffickers and buyers of child sex trafficking victims to register as sex offenders.

– Make buying or attempting to buy sex with a minor a separate crime from solicitation of an adult for prostitution and reference the trafficking in persons statute as the applicable crime and penalty.  Currently, the law on solicitation of prostitution does not differentiate adults from a minor and is a misdemeanor – regardless of age.

– Amend “rape shield” law to include the victim-witnesses of compelled prostitution or sex trafficking so they are not left unprotected from a re-traumatizing examination when they testify.  As in other sexual offense cases, evidence of a victim’s past sexual behavior should not be admissible.

These are changes that legislators can make right now.  Let’s lend our voice to advocate for those who have been silenced through sexual slavery.  Getting a “D” on the protection of children from traffickers is not acceptable!  Legislators are stepping up to the plate, let’s encourage them to follow through on their commitment to make Oregon a safe place for children.  Those stuck in sexual slavery are counting on you to make a difference!

January 12, 2011 by SHI Staff

Washington Scores a “C” Despite 2010 Strides

Today, Washington State Attorney General McKenna joined Shared Hope International to release the first Protected Innocence Report Card – Washington.  The Report Card is based on the Protected Innocence Legislative Frameworkand sets a national standard of protection against domestic minor sex trafficking.

Washington State is blazing a path to protect their children from child sex trafficking. First, bi-partisan leadership from across the state came together to amend the Promoting Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor law, which significantly increased penalties for traffickers and buyers of children.  Additionally, YouthCare opened the state’s first shelter specifically funded and programmatically designed as a safe haven for child victims of sex trafficking.  However, despite these great strides, Washington received a “C”, indicating that it still has significant legislative gaps to close in an effort to create safe environments for Washington’s children.

The embracing of the Report Card by Attorney General McKenna, in spite of the mediocre grade, shows his commitment to advancing Washington’s efforts in strengthening laws that would protect children from traffickers. In December at the National Association of Attorney’s General, Attorney General McKenna challenged his colleagues to take Protected Innocence Initiative back to their states and to make combating child sex trafficking a top priority in 2011.

The Washington Report Card outlines four critical legislative changes needed:

– Amend the state human trafficking law to align with the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act by eliminate the requirement of force, fraud or coercion in cases of child sex trafficking.

– Amend the patronizing a prostitute law to distinguish the solicitation of a minor with reference to commercial sexual abuse of a minor and/or human trafficking law as the applicable crime and penalty.  Currently, the law on solicitation/patronizing a prostitute does not differentiate adults from a minor and is a misdemeanor – regardless of age.

– The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) should amend their definition of caregiver to include a “person in control and possession of a sexually exploited child” to bring a child victim of trafficking within the protection of DSHS.

– Amend laws to increase investigative tools for law enforcement by allowing for audio-taping conversations with persons involved in sex trafficking without need for a court order.

Linda Smith commended the work done in 2010, which she recognizes for raising Washington’s grade to the resulting “C”.  However, Smith challenges: “We must ask ourselves, is a barely passing grade good enough for our children?” If barely passing isn’t good enough for you, take action by asking several key leaders to uphold their commitment to Washington’s children by strengthening the laws this legislative session!

January 11, 2011 by SHI Staff

Shared Hope Launches Protected Innocence Initiative Starting in Washington State

Child sex trafficking is happening in every community, city and state in America. Yes, even your city. Unfortunately, this crime is too often under-reported and under-identified – effectively silencing victims and empowering buyers to continue the cycle of exploitation. Training and awareness are vital in identifying victims of trafficking. Response, however, leans heavily on the strength (or weakness) of the laws used to protect victims and prosecute traffickers and buyers.

Tomorrow, on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we are launching the Protected Innocence Initiative. Under this initiative, we will release fifty-one individual Report Cards in Spring/Summer 2011 to measure the level of protection afforded by state laws regarding sex trafficking of children. The Report Cards are based on the Protected Innocence Legislative Framework, an analysis of state laws performed by the American Center for Law & Justice and Shared Hope International.

The Protected Innocence Legislative Framework outlines six areas of law critical to protecting children and responding to domestic minor sex trafficking.

  • Criminalization of domestic minor sex trafficking
  • Criminal provisions for demand (buyers)
  • Criminal provisions for traffickers (pimps)
  • Criminal provisions for facilitators (hotels, transports, websites, etc.)
  • Protective provisions for the child victims
  • Criminal justice tools for investigation and prosecutions

The Report Card is premised on the belief that the true measure of a state’s standing is how well it protects its children and provides them with access to justice. By exposing the legislative gaps within each state that fail to provide the cornerstone of strong law to victim advocates, prosecutors and law enforcement, we hope to spark innovative action to increase protection for the victims and punishment for the criminals who exploit them.

Does your state allow children’s bodies to be converted to cash and innocence sold by the hour?  Find out when we release the Protected Innocence Report Card for your state. Click here  to let your Governor know that the quality of your laws mean the difference between safety and danger for children in your state.

Read more about the Protected Innocence Initiative online at Change.org.

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