Saturday, June 20, 2009

A Culture of Indifference (R Rated)


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WARNING: The following post has some very serious content. If you are easily offended, read it anyway - it could wake you up to the issue of sexual of minors in America. As a father of two daughters, the issue of sex trafficking has strong personal implications. The famous phrase by Martin Luther King Jr. that "A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" ring equally true - the indifference to sexual exploitation anywhere is indifference to sexual exploitation in your own backyard (home, neighborhood, city).
If we are willing to ignore the wholesale exploitation of teens in Cambodia, India, or anywhere else in the world, we may find ourselves with an epidemic in our own country. We may also find a society that is anaesthetised to the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children. We must be willing to combat this for the sake of children globally - the future of society really does depend on it. I am not just 'crying wolf' - I have seen this close up around the world. We are talking about millions of young people; the future generation being sexually exploited and devalued.

What do we think this will bring to the next generation? If we are willing to sow indifference to children being sexually harmed, are we equally willing to reap the consequences? How about the consequences locally, right here in America? The truth is - we already experience it. It is here. News and media are beginning to elevate the issue of sex trafficking in America, particularly that of children. But, I am not sure we are ready to digest the reality.

I think the startling thing we are beginning to realize is that this is bigger, more complex, and disturbing than we would have ever thought. Articles emerging with minors 'pimping' out other minors. Parents, other adults, and even police officers trafficking children for sex. As a professional in the anti-trafficking field, we are always challenged by the issue of girls 'choosing' to be involved in prostitution. This deeply disturbs me that as a society, we actually have the inclination to believe that a 16 year old girl choosing to engage in commercial sex is actually a viable and acceptable option.Yet, I look at the media (not as solely responsible - (I volley between "art imitating life" and "life imitating art") and how girls are portrayed, how prostitution is glamorized at some level, and how there is a growing materialism in America to an extreme. This has created an attractive lure for young girls that are susceptible to being manipulated or coerced into 'the life'. As an example, 50 Cent is a celebrity, looked up to by youth.

Here are some of his recent lyrics from his song "P-I-M-P":
"She got a thing for that Gucci, that, that Prada
That BCBG, Burberry Dolce and Gabana
She feed them foolish fantasies, they pay her cause they wanna
I spit a little G man, and my game got her
A hour later, have that ass up in the Ramada..."
"...She like my style, she like my smile, she like the way I talk
She from the country, think she like me cause I'm from New York
I ain't that n***a trying to holla cause I want some h**d
I'm that n***a trying to holla cause I want some bread
I could care less how she perform when she in the bed
B**ch hit that track, catch a date, and come and pay the kid
Look baby this is simple, you can't see
You f**king with me, you f**king with a P-I-M-P"



What is the motivation for this kind of attitude and perspective? Money. This is a crime that is profitable. One girl, at 17, had made over a million dollars. People have said that the recession has caused Americans to reevaluate their values, yet sex trafficking in minors continues to be a cottage industry in the United States. What is my point? My point is this - our reaction to sex trafficking as a society makes us want to cringe and turn away. We don't want to see this. It's paralyzing. It's overwhelming and we feel helpless. We feel as though there is nothing we can do. Oh, certainly, we feel equal amounts of outrage - street justice comes to mind. But, neither of these are helping victims. Instead, we need to look for how we can make an impact. It is not an unsolvable problem, rather; this is something we can eliminate - we can bring an end to this. There are many things you can do:
1. Support your local and federal law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute sex trafficking cases.

2. Support laws that convict criminals (pimps, traffickers, buyers) and protect victims of sex trafficking.

3. Support, volunteer with, and encourage the agencies and organizations that are fighting sex trafficking and assisting victims.

4. Talk about this - sex trafficking is an invisible crime that only goes on undetected because we don't talk about it and bring it into our public forums.

"So, get involved. Find out who is doing what in your city and state - then, decide what it is that you can offer. Don't be paralyzed; do something - give money, give your time, commit to making a difference! Transitions Global has been moving its efforts to develop a domestic sex trafficking shelter forward, but it is a long journey. In the meantime, there are a number of great organizations that are doing good work in this field (there are many horrible ones too!). I encourage you to support the efforts of my heroes in the field: GEMS-Girls, SARC, and many, many more are doing great work in this field.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Why Don't They Just Run Away?


When we are talking about sex trafficking, the question that often arises is - "why don't they just run? If they want to be free, why don't they just leave?" I can understand why they are asking. In most global circumstances, victims of sex trafficking often appear to be free to do whatever they like.

In Cambodia, I have seen girls just meandering around the neighborhood, walking to the market, or talking with friends. In Greece, I watched girls eating at cafes, talking to friends, and walking along the streets during the day. Indonesia, the same. Vietnam, same. India, yeah, there too. The United States - yes, even there - the same. So, on the exterior of it all, the average person looking at sex trafficking victims must be a bit puzzled at the apparent solution to the problem - leave. Walk away from your circumstances and get help.

But, it is not that easy. First, I must add that I have seen the opposite side of the spectrum. It does exist. Girls held in chains, locked in rooms, and kept in horrendous living conditions in each of these places. That said, the majority of what we perceive looks to be a simple equation of self-will and action equalling freedom. Unfortunately, this is not the reality.

Anyone familiar with interrogation will know the power of psychological manipulation and control. The effect of having a person in a place of power and control over a person can have a serious effect. There is tremendous power in 'convincing' someone that something is true.

Let me give you an example - one of the girls that we work with in Cambodia was explaining the power her 'pimp' had over her. He never had to beat her or touch her. Many of the girls we work with, have had physical beatings, electrocution, and torture of unimaginable proportions. But, this particular girl told us of a different means of keeping her in control.

Having been taken from her home to a foreign city, she was out of her element. She didn't know anyone and had no bearings for where she was or how to get home. In the brothel, there were four other girls. She befriended one of them and they became like sisters - they trusted one another and depended on each other for strength. When this young lady would not 'obey' the brothel keeper, the pimp would bring her friend in and beat her in the girl's place.

She would be asked to follow the brothel keepers orders or her friend would be beaten repeadetly until she complied. This type of psychological manipulation trains the mind to believe and understand that there is nothing within your own control. Someone controls every element of your life.

This is why many sex trafficking victims believe that their pimps are everywhere and know everything. The pimps have created a false impression that they can control these young girls' worlds. It isn't true - pimps and traffickers are cowards - but, they have convinced their victims that they are somehow omniscent and worthy of their loyalty and obedience.


There are other ways of creating control - threatening family, promising hope for the future (money, marriage, etc.), having children with the girls and threatening to take them or harm them, and then of course, there is physical torture. Without getting into this too far, physical abuse can also become a part of the control, in that victims become 'addicted' to the abuse.

But, back to the question - why don't they just run? It would be so much easier for them if they walked away and got some help, right? Not so. First, victims believe that they are a part of the problem - that they are direct contributors to their plight. Most girls believe that they got into prostitution by being 'bad', worthless, or deserving of having men misuse them. They often believe that they are the criminals, which is re-enforced by the traffickers, pimps, and buyers.

They don't trust the police and they don't know where to turn for help. The reality in most places
is - you can't just walk up to a shelter and say, "I am a trafficking victim, can I stay here?" There are laws. In Cambodia, India, and the United States, there are specific laws that must be abided by to have custody of a minor. This means a process must be followed; a process that is often exploitive and intrusive by nature.

The truth of the matter is - we need more and better services that victims can access. Services that protect victims from the moment of rescue until they are in a rehabilitative service.

If you are interested in this topic and would like to explore this on your own, I would recommend Melissa Farley's book "Prostitution and Trafficking in Nevada - Making the Connections". If you are not a 'reader', I would highly recommend GEMS video "Very Young Girls". This film will give you a much clearer understanding in how girls are manipulated and exploited. We will continue to write on this topic and we will have more in-depth information available on the 'new' Transitions Global website coming later this summer.


Saturday, April 25, 2009

The "Human" Part of Trafficking


Human trafficking is a growing issue in the United States and daily more people are learning about the reality of modern-day slavery. Americans are becoming more aware through newspaper, television shows, movies, conferences, and word of mouth. It is, in many ways, becoming the "issue-of-the-day". There is a building momentum of information telling us that slavery still exists in our world and that there is much to be done to end it. Organizations across the country have made an entire living just telling people that there is a problem. As a result, there is a growing trend of mass marketing to the public to become 'abolitionists', which is great. But, what does that mean?

If we look at the history of the first abolitionist movement, we see a growing awareness of the public, with key people stepping out in dynamic ways to 'free the slaves'. Public outrage, political action, and a long, bloody war resulted in the beginning of freedom for slaves in America. People risked their lives and their reputations to stand up for what was right. It took time, patience, and vigilance to accomplish the abolishment of human slavery in the United States.

In the 1830's, it was William Lloyd Garrison, who demanded "immediate emancipation, gradually achieved". In other word, the spirit of the law came before the actual application. We could morally demand freedom; though the reality of lives set free would take time. But, I also think that there was something greater at stake.  What would happen when hundreds of thousands of people were handed their liberty. When the Emancipation Proclaimation finally came about in 1863, the slaves in America were finally set  'free'.

But, history tells us a very different story - what actually happened to the slaves? What happened to the people decimated by years of exploitation and abuse? Where did they go? What futures were provided for them?

Certainly, we have stories of slaves that were given land, money, or some other form of subsistance that went on to achieve great things. But, the vast majority of slaves in the South remained in their stations as slaves. They knew nothing else, but a live of captivity. So, we just called it something else - servitude or 'paid help'. In the end abolitionists asked the imperitive question of freedom. But, it failed to ask what the cost to those enslaved would be.

Ultimately, slavery never went away. It went underground. By 1910, just about 50 years after the Emancipation Proclaimation, American writers such as Emma Goldman and Reginald Wright Kaufman were talking about trafficking of white womenin America for commercial sex. But, that
 is another story.

Today, we are looking at an enormous number of human being enslaved around the world - somewhere in the millions - 12 - 27 million to make our best estimates. In the United States alone, we are talking about 300,000 American children at risk of trafficking every year. If we look at that as raw data, that means that there are 6,000 children in every state of the US that are enslaved. So, if the abolitionist movement that is emerging today were successful tomorrow and every slave were 'set free', what would happen to these people?

One of the core principles that our organization lives by is that "freedom without a future is simply another form of slavery". We have an imperative to remember the human side of human trafficking. Its not about statistics, buying 'slave free' goods, watching gut wrenching movies about trafficking, or wearing clothes made in the US. It is about the people - the men, women, and children that have had their lives crushed and futures stolen from them. How do we provide these lives with 'true freedom'?

In my life of working with survivors of sex trafficking, I am constantly reminded that all the efforts and strides we make in the anti-trafficking world are about the girls that we serve. I keep pictures up at my desk that ask me to keep my focus on the lives that need rebuilding and opportunities provided for. These are girls that by most standards have been rescued from their captors, but they have not been freed from the hell that lives inside of them. They have not been emancipated into the possibility of a new future. So, instead of asking what slaves are being freed 'from', maybe we should ask ourselves what they are being freed 'to'?




Thursday, March 12, 2009

Cry of the Innocent


Today, I spoke at Cascade College in Portland. An auditorium full of students and a great morning of sharing the vision for the domestic trafficking shelter in Oregon. After making a number of great connections, we were getting ready to leave and a girl ran to the door and handed me a piece of paper. During the time I was up front speaking, she was in the back writing...the following is what she handed me:

Cry of the Innocent

On a street you know,
Not so far away
Stands a girl.
She stands there day and night
Except when she's not there;
Ominous absence.
And then when she returns
Nothing has changed. 
Nothing at all.
Fishnet stockings and pretty hair,
Eyes too big in her too-small face
She knows too much.
People walking by don't look at her
They don't see her, she doesn't matter.
They don't know her.
But she looks a them with her big eyes,
Dull, a frightening non-expression on her face,
And she asks them silently...
See me,
Help me,
Know me...please.

I was struck by this girl's brief poem...it brought up the trauma and pain of a young girl that we cared for at Transitions a couple of years back, who with tear filled eyes, asked me, "Why didn't you rescue me sooner?" How many people just didn't see her? In our busy lives, with our focus on so many things, do we take the time to look for those that are in need of rescue? 

Today, I have taken some time to reflect on the fact that victims only matter, when we do something to change their futures.

Thank you Rachael. Thank you for the reminder that seeing is more than what we take in with our eyes.

James

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Truthiness" and Domestic Trafficking Shelters


In 2005 Steve Cobert used a new term "truthiness" during his satirical report on Comedy Central. The term was defined to mean "truth that comes from the gut, not books." "We're not talking about truth, we're talking about something that seems like truth – the truth we want to exist," he explained. Something that seems like the truth - this is the air of honesty occurring within the human trafficking world.

In 2007, there were large questions surrounding the statistics being thrown around, with very wide variances. International victims in the United States has a margin of error, somewhere between 17, 500 and 50,000, without any explanation of the origin or methodology of these numbers. In SE Asia, there have been studies that put children in Cambodia being sexually exploited at anywhere from a meager 10,000 up to a sensational 100,000! Why such disparity? Well, there are probably many reasons. One, organizations seeking to get donors attention have felt the need to 'pad' the numbers to get a more urgent fiscal response. On the other hand, naysayers have wanted to quell the issue by throwing cold water disparity on the issue, taking a lower number to minimize the urgency.

Yet, on large - we really don't know. I feel fairly confident that the FBI's number of 300,000 domestically trafficked children is close. This number was extrapolated using numbers from homeless and runaway youth, youth agencies encountering unsafe youth, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). But, there is more at stake than just some inflated numbers.

Working in the United States, we are working carefully to approach domestic trafficking in an honest, intellectual, and non-sensational way. We have done this to our best ability in Cambodia and it has paid off. Intellectual engagement is really all there needs to be to communicate the horrors of sex trafficking. We don't need tear-filled eyes and dramatic images to get the point.

This means, we don't get to exaggerate, use suggestive marketing, and make outrageous claims. We need to work hard to respect our supporters and the public with the dignity and integrity of the actual work being done. There is no reason to make untrue claims on the basis that we think they will be true in the future. We have all heard the saying, "say what you mean and mean what you say."

So, what is going on with all of the sensationalism? One organization in California claims that they have shelters "located throughout the US...", but they haven't build a single thing - in a recent television interview the executive director said they are still in the 'dream phase'. On the website, they have a picture of a home, but its not the shelter they are claiming. So, why the deceptive language on the website? Well, truthiness - its the truth they want to exist. Another organization on the East Coast claims that they work in 12 countries (including Cambodia, but no one has ever heard of them), have a domestic trafficking shelter (described with photographs), but their most recent 990 says that their total income was around $90,000 dollars. For a point of reference, a quality aftercare program in Cambodia for 20 girls runs a little over $200,000. So what is going on?

Well, domestic trafficking is a flashy topic. It is inviting a large number of people to move quickly to get involved in establishing domestic trafficking shelters without any idea of what it will take to be successful. Look at a quality program like GEMS in New York and you will see that it is not about glitz and glamor or big dollars. It is about some very difficult and challenging work. Work that requires a lot more than great intentions and good ideas. This is a field in need of experienced organizations to take on this type of work.

But, we also need some truth in advertising. We, as organizations, are asking the American public to 'buy in' and help to provide the needed funds and support to establish shelter services for children being exploited in the commercial sex trade. As non-profit organizations, we need to understand the integrity of public trust. We have to be truthful and honest - eliminating 'truthiness' from our communication styles to allow the reality of sex trafficking and the need for shelter services to speak without clouding the issue.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Domestic Trafficking, Unicorns, and Faeries


If you live in the United States, depending upon which State you are in, domestic sex trafficking is probably overlooked or unrecognized. It's a national problem. It's not because it doesn't exist - its for much more insidious reasons. In New York and Texas, its a clearly recognized problem. New York has passed specific laws to ensure the safety and services of victims. Texas, particularly Houston and Dallas have taken measures to better identify victims, arrest traffickers, and properly prosecute cases of human trafficking. So, what about other States?

Well, it gets tricky. On a macro level, the United States generates the singular document used internationally to determine the level of effectiveness each country exercises in its anti-human trafficking efforts. Each year, the Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) is generated through the US State Department and the report contains every country in the world - except the United States.

Until recently, the United States had only really considered human trafficking to an international issue. Our first estimates of foreign born trafficking victims in the United States was 17,500. That estimate has grown significantly to a more healthy 50,000 (though at the rate of immigration, this number must be higher). But, domestically, we have overlooked a population that is now (see TVPA 2005 and 2008 Reauthorization) federally recognized as victims of human trafficking - US Citizens. Domestic trafficking is primarily a sex trafficking issue.

In the United States, there is an estimated 300,000 girls that are enslaved in the commercial sex trade. But, how long has this been going on? For decades. This is not a 'new' problem. The difficulty is - it has taken us this long to properly label it. For the past 25 or so years, these girls have been identified as runaways, homeless youth, delinquent youth, throwaway youth, unsafe youth, and most frighteningly - youth or child prostitutes. Wow, when did we believe that a 15 year old girl was choosing prostitution as a career option?

So, how does your State view this population of young girls? Likely, child welfare and youth programs in your State still use an old paradigm to designate youth and still use terminology that is outdated. If this is true, then law enforcement is likely using the same terminology. The end result is that the State is not identifying victims, not prosecuting cases, and then ultimately believing that sex trafficking in their State is likened to unicorns and faeries.

There are three dynamics that contribute to this, but for now, we will address the first. The other two involve having appropriate laws in place (that contribute to a working system) and prosecuting cases (which involves organized crime, the RICO Act, and other elements of getting bad guys in jail).

I am not insinuating that States don't care about these youth - actually, I think its the contrary. Most law enforcement are frustrated in coming across a 16 year old girl that they know is unsafe and being forced into prostitution, but they don't have the needed infrastructure to ultimately help them. Child welfare, DHS, and the court system are equally flustered that they have a high risk population of girls that are unable to obtain appropriate services for the level of safety and trauma treatment they require. These girls are washing through State systems and people are unsure of how to best help them.

Transitions Global is looking at a number of other States and how they are addressing this problem. For the past year, we have been working with law enforcement, the court system, and other youth related agencies to develop a workable, efficient system to address the needs of sex trafficking victims. In the next weeks, I will address the other two contributing factors, as well as, writing more on the infrastructure needed to serve victims in a meaningful way.

In the meantime, I look forward to your comments, suggestions, and opinions. Thank you.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Beware the Fund Raiser


In the years that we have been working in the human trafficking sector, we have learned a lot. One of the key lessons we have learned has been about fund raising for this issue. At the moment, human trafficking is the top of the day (for some). It is trendy - there are movies, television, and print newspapers and magazines talking about human trafficking. On the surface, you would have to imagine that this is positive. Yet, the reality is, it creates both positive and negative effects.

On the positive side, more people know about it - there is awareness. It is easy to discuss the topic and certainly there are more supportive people to the plight of slaves. Hopefully, a secondary effect for those of us working with survivors - it brings additional donors.

Though the negative side is - more people know about it. It becomes common knowledge and an ambivalence occurs that leads to people not taking action. But, this is a different issue. Let's get back to fund raising.

One positive effect of people knowing about human trafficking is that good people want to do something about it. On occasion, people step up to help organizations raise money. The reality is, especially among small non-profits, this is a big deal. Someone comes along and wants to help your organization raise funds.

In our organization's history, we have had some pretty creative fund raising ideas come across our desk. Whether it is concerts, dinners, movie nights, poker (yes, poker) - people have taken something they are passionate about and used it to raise money. We have taken time to recognize these people as Transitions Global HERO's in our monthly newsletter.

But, we have also encountered problems. People who either feel very deeply, but do not follow through or others that feel that they can use fund raising to position themselves with your organization for favor or influence. Worse, we actually had a young lady raise money through her sorority that never sent the money to us. She used our organization to hold an event and never sent the funds. So, beware.

The learning lesson for us has been to take the following precautions:

1. Make sure that a potential fund raiser understands how the money will be used.
2. Make sure that they have your expectations of what can be said about your organization, what kind of media can be used, etc. - it is a good idea to send them jpegs of our logo, tag lines, etc. for them to use in print media, posters, etc.
3. Sign an agreement - what, when, where, how, who - add a date to finalize the count of funds and how funds will be paid out to the organization.
4. Provide some support - these are people giving their time, talent, and resources to do something positive. Give them exposure, support, and encouragement.
5. Follow up with a 'thank you' - people that do fund raising are doing your non-profit a tremendous benefit. Find a meaningful way to recognize their efforts.
6. Be cautious - not everyone has good intentions. Some people want to use your efforts to make themselves money and others want something from you.

Overall, we have had a wonderful experience with people stepping up to do something wonderful for the girls we serve and the work we do. From the couple in Washington that used their wedding to raise money for us to people that run marathons, hold poker games, or perform a concert - their creativity, passion, and action means that, for us, young girls will have the futures that have been stolen from them.