10-2-10 Sex Trafficking and Your Child
Human Trafficking: Recognizing a Predator and Protecting Your Daughter
No young girl wakes up one morning and says, ‘I think I’ll become a prostitute!’
No, young man and women almost always become sex workers because they are lied to, manipulated or forced into a life of prostitution by men who specialize in exploiting a young person’s vulnerabilities. Experts know that the lower a young person’s self esteem, the easier it is for this process of ‘grooming’ into the life of prostitution to take place. Therefore, building our children’s self esteem and educating them about the realities of the sex industry is imperative. It is every parent’s worst nightmare to find that, too late, they ignored the signs that their children were selling themselves.
Human trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labor is the second largest criminal industry in the world. Approximately 27 million people worldwide are enslaved, most of them women and girls. Youths, especially runaways, are most often the victims. 
Are your children at risk?
Join me and my two special guests for a heart stopping discussion.
Nancy Todd is a former sex worker who entered the sex industry when she was 16 years old. A former heroin addict, Nancy became a prostitute to support her drug habit, first working in massage parlors in Berkeley, California. She eventually ended up working the streets, worked at Mustang Ranch and later started her own escort service.
With the help of a Twelve-Step program, she left the industry when she was about 30. Since then, she has devoted her time to helping other sex workers exit the industry. She is the founder of Because She Matters, a support group for the loved ones of prostituted men and women. Nancy holds a masters degree in Sociology and is also an expert witness and writer.
Jeanine Swatton an advocate to stop sex-trafficking and cyberbullying prevention expert. Jeanine works with survivors of sex-trafficking and will share with you the signs and dangers as well as protecting your children from becoming victims. Hear their stories and learn how you can detect signs that your child may be in danger.
Click link below to listen to the BlogTalkRadio.Com broadcast
Human Trafficking – Recognizing a Predator and Protecting Your Daughter
Resources
Sex Workers Anonymous
http://www.sexworkersanonymous.org/
Children of the Night
Toll Free, Confidential, National Hotline, Child Prostitution
1-800-551-1300 (se habla español)
Polaris Toll Free, Confidential, National Hotline, Sex Trafficking
- (Multilingual) 1-888-3737-888
- Korean Hotline 1-888-976-5274
- Spanish Hotline 1-888-80-AYUDA (1-888-80-29832)
- If you feel more comfortable writing an email, writeReport@PolarisProject.org
Handbook for parents to help avoid a child entering the industry
http://www.justicewomen.com/guide/part3.html
Support for parents/loved ones
http://www.becauseshematters.blogspot.com
The GEMS Girls has a good list of centers around the U.S. that work with prostituted girls. Go to the GEMS web site. Call some of these programs on their list. Ask questions about their programs. Get their written materials so you can pass them to your daughter and to others who would be willing to give them to your daughters.
The 84 minute DVD “Very Young Girls“, more than any other resource we’ve seen, will help you understand so much about what has happened to your daughter, and how she can be helped. The DVD was made by GEMS, Girls Educational and Mentoring Services. If you have Netflix, you can watch the DVD online here or, you can buy the DVD directly from GEMS for $35 here. http://www.gems-girls.org/gemsshop.html
Here is an excellent, free, online self-teaching course that will give you a very comprehensive set of tips for helping a child who is being, or has been, prostituted. Unfortunately, this course has not been translated into Spanish.
The Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Children Who Have Been Commercially Sexually Exploited
More free information and workbooks on commercial sexual exploitation of children, many of which are available in Spanish http://www.ecpat.net/EI/EI_publications.asp
Help for women trying to exit the industry
- Veronica’s Voice, Kansas City, MO (816) 483-7101
- Dignity Program, Phoenix, AZ (602) 258-2785
- Mary Magdelene Project, Van Nuys, CA (800) 371-7230
Remember that these projects operate almost solely on donations. All of them have been forced to cut staff and sell buildings or other reductions so services are limited. Please help support these valuable organizations – you just may need their help some day.
Deborrah
Veteran social researcher, relationship advice columnist, author and radio host. Author of hundreds of articles on American and black culture, gender issues, singles, dating and relationships. Author of "Sucka Free Love!" , "The 24 Types of Suckas to Avoid," "The Black Church - Where Women Pray and Men Pray," and "Why Vegan is the New Black" all available on Amazon.Com. Her unique voice and insightful commentary have delighted fans and riled haters for 20 years. Read her stuff on SurvivingDating.Com and AskHeartBeat.Com.
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Category: Media Events
Essence magazine last month posted an article on this very subject and of course nobody talked about it like they did when Essence hired a white lady to do their fashion stuff. SMDH at black people’s inability to figure out what matters.
Human trafficking is a hideous crime watch these stories they provide a compelling look into this dark, inhuman, and exploitative world and shows how each one of us can help to prevent modern-day slavery. watch http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/479