NACCTEP New Orleans February 25-27, 2011 Janet Johnson, Ph.D, Rio Salado College Deborah Richardson, CPO, Women’s Funding Network Kayrita Anderson, CEO, Harold & Kayrita Anderson Family Foundation

Advocating for Kids: Preparing Teachers to Keep Our Kids Safe from Child Sex Trafficking

Describe the problem How prevalent is it?

Around the world an estimated more than one million children are subjected to human trafficking for sex or porn. The statistics are staggering.

“At least 100,000 American children are being used as commodities for sale or trade in cities across the nation. These kids are 21 st Century slaves. They cannot walk away.” The Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Why Is It In America? Child sex slavery can only happen in countries & communities that have developed a culture of tolerance for commercial sex. It is no longer Western men traveling to developing countries to buy sex. It is found worldwide. Research funded by the U.S. Department of State’s “Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons”

Why Is It In America – con’t Because of stricter immigration laws and heightened terrorism threats internationally, it has become harder to move girls across the borders. The internet has created an explosion of pornography use (which is a marketing tool for sex trafficking). Child porn is widespread. Research funded by the U.S. Department of State’s “Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons”

How Children Get Abducted 1. Targets 2. Courtship 3. Isolation 4. Transition 5. Control

Who is affected? Girls? Boy? Young KIDS or Teens?

Near schools? Where? Or not?

What is being done? National level & State level

National Level Former US Representative Linda Smith

October 28, 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed What has happened since then? Purpose of TVPA is to report what foreign governments are doing to stop human trafficking. The very country that reports on foreign governments is not looking within its own borders. US is not included within the report process.

Linda Smith started organization called Shared Hope International. S.H. first to actively address the sex trafficking of American Children Project investigated buyers, facilitators, and traffickers in four countries: Japan, Netherlands, Jamaica, and US Found sex trafficking can’t happen with THE DEMAND. S.H.’s work focuses on Prevention, Prosecution, and Protection (3 P’s)

“I offer this book for the sake of the girls I’ve found trapped in slavery, the girls we’ve rescued, the girls to whom we’ve been able to give a fresh start –- and the thousands & thousands of girls we have yet to reach. If the journey you’re about to take with me can inspire you to help us help even one of them, it will have been worth the risk, worth any effort, any sacrifice.” Linda Smith

State of Georgia State Level

250 girls per month Commissioned an independent research group to conduct a study to quantify the number of adolescent girls being commercially sexually exploited. 400 girls per month

What happens in our legal system?

Georgia arrests statistics Juvenile girls arrested for prostitution Pimps convicted of prostitution of girls under the age of 18

“ An Epidemic of Tragic Proportions” Judge Nina Hickson quoted in the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s op-ed pages ~ Women’s task force convened to combat prostitution of children (Juvenile Court of Fulton County- Commissioner Nancy Boxill & Deborah Richardson ) ~ The Atlanta Women’s Foundation creates Angela’s Fund to raise $1 million for services for prostituted children. 2000

~ Senate Bill 33 passes Georgia state legislature ~ Anonymous donor gives a home to house children who had been victimized by prostitution ~ Angelina’s House begins to accept referred children ~ US Attorney general successfully prosecutes 7 arrests pimps ~ Atlanta’s two most notorious pimps, “Batman” and “Sir Charles” are given 30-year sentences

 Secures funding for a regional assessment center  Begins law- enforcement training  Joins Governor’s Office to develop a statewide system of care  Partners with the Fire Department to begin training A Future. Not A Past:  2009 – Partners with National Association of Women Business Owners to help victims  2009 – Launches its John Warning Campaign (billboard telling johns they will go to jail if they engage in commercial sexual activities with a minor) A Future. Not A Past:

What is happening in your State?

I was lucky!

What can we do about it?

Any suggestions?

Get involved Questions ?