Human trafficking hurts us all.
Editor’s Note: I’ve investigated human trafficking and child sex tourism the past four years and was deeply affected after reading the depositions of five Brazilian Indian girls. They told the Brazilian federal police about being illegally lured off their reservations into prostitution for North American fishermen, including members of a nonprofit fraternal group headquartered out of Indianapolis, Indiana.
In a related case out of Buffalo, three members of the same group were caught by the FBI in a human trafficking sting for taking an undocumented Asian sex slave from Buffalo to Kentucky so other members could have sex with her. They include a former NY state Supreme Court judge, his law clerk and a former police captain. This nonprofit group is the Royal Order of Jesters, a secret-sub group of the Shriners, best known for their hospitals for burned and crippled children. One must be a Master Mason before joining the Shriners, so all Jesters are Shriners, who must first be Master Masons.
Last June, four of these girls filed a first ever Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) lawsuit against the former fishing tour operator who allegedly forced them into prostitution while underage, with one as young as 12. He got the case suspended after submitting documents proving that he’s currently under a criminal grand jury investigation in Miami and is being prosecuted in Brazil for child sex tourism.
This article brings together law enforcement officers, prosecutors, non government organizations (NGO), the media, and victims to help reporters and editors better understand and, thereby, better report, on these forms of modern day slavery.
Thank you,
Sandy Frost
Starbucks, WA
These stories have sex but they aren’t sexy.
Headlines rage daily about human trafficking, sex tourism and child sex tourism.
CNN just posted “Commentary: Urge U.S. Congress to action via your tweets.”
According to a recent Seattle Times Editorial “Human trafficking is a $32 billion global industry, the fastest-growing and second-largest criminal activity in the world.”
Breaking news includes:
Twenty or so of the President’s Secret Service team thought it was ok to not only to frequent prostitutes in Columbia, but then stiffed one for $47.
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times just exposed Goldman Sachs as a 16 percent owner of Village Voice Media, sponsor of Backpage.com, a “leading site for trafficking of women and girls in the United States.”
The National Association of Attorneys General, under the leadership of Washington State’s Rob McKenna, has launched their “Pillars of Hope” initiative to unite AG nationwide against human trafficking.
Last June’s headline “Equality Now Spearheads Federal Civil Case against Alleged Sex Tour Operation in Brazil”reports on developments in a story I broke four years ago. Atlanta attorney John Harbin, of King and Spalding, is representing the four victims pro bono.
Journalists are also reporting legislative news from those states furiously enacting legislation that creates stiffer penalties for trafficking underage victims. This happened in Iowa where officials just passed new human trafficking legislation and approved human trafficking awareness training.
At this point, fashionable or not, unfunded mandates or not, the right people at the right time at the right places are collaborating to end these forms of modern day slavery.
This Soroptomists White Paper reports that, according to the FBI, human trafficking is estimated to annually generate 9.5 billion dollars of revenue and is the second largest criminal industry in the world today.
This FAQ from the Polaris Project provides answers questions like “What types of human trafficking can be found in the United States?” and “How do I get a copy of the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report?”
FYI, it’s here.
Certainly, there are those of us who live for the scoop, however, 99% of breaking such news requires professional and personal preparation.
The advice from the following three experts is intended to help reporters and editors better cover these crimes.
These three are Jon Daggy, an Indianapolis Detective Sergeant with 23 years in uniform and four years experience investigating human trafficking. Next comes out Cheryl Smith, who was lured from working as a professional escort to just now escaping an eight year relationship with a sex predator. Last is Michelle Bart, a tireless worker who has dedicated her life to ending human trafficking.
Here is Detective Sergeant Jon Daggy.
First, your bio? How do you want to be described?
I am a Detective Sergeant with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department. I have been on duty 23 years and spent most of my time in uniform. I did two years, from 1992 to 1993, investigating gangs in Indianapolis. I have taught at the academy and, for the last 6 years, I've been in the Vice unit responsible for vice crimes. Four years ago Human Trafficking became my responsibility.
If you’ve thought about this, providing advice to journalists, what have you thought about telling journalists about covering human trafficking? As a law enforcement officer, what would you like reporters to know before asking questions about a human trafficking case?
Understand that when you find out that the police are investigating a human trafficking case that they may be in the initial stages of the investigation and the victim most likely does not even trust the police yet. It takes several long interviews before the victim will tell the complete truth about what happened. A lot of shame has built up in these victims and they may be realizing for the first time the acts that they were committing while they were trafficked. If they see that their case has made the news, which could ruin the building trust between the detective and the victim. The one thing they are most worried about is their family finding out about the crimes they had to commit while being trafficked. Also, reporters need to understand that a victim, especially in sex trafficking, will often return to the trafficker. Cases may take one to two years and losing then finding the victim again in another part of the country is quite common. It's very similar and many of the same dynamics of a domestic violence victim.
If a reporter has fifteen minutes to do research on human trafficking before calling a public relations type at a law enforcement agency (city, county, state and federal) where would you direct them?
Most departments have a Public Information Officer (PIO). He or she is usually the person that will get permission from the department head to have the officer speak to you. Also, make sure that you promise to not identify the victim or suspect. Most likely if a source tells you that the police just caught a human trafficking case, they don't want the trafficker to find out yet. It's difficult to outright arrest a trafficker. It takes a lot of investigation and documentation.
How many components are there to a human trafficking investigation? There are the investigators, the traffickers, the victims and who else?
There are also the NGO's or Non Governmental Organizations that provide the victims with food, housing, counseling, training, jobs, and other needs. They are the victim services and are worth their weight in gold. We had a Chinese victim and they know that housing them will be long and sometimes boring. Since they speak little to no English, they will get movies in Mandarin or any foreign language to help pass the time. Remember they are going through a life change and they are still connected to the trafficker through feelings, and even a sense of loyalty. Once again, very much like a domestic violence victim.
What kind of training do law enforcement investigators get on computer forensics? I have long wondered because I’ve heard in the past that the editor of the Jesters’ national newsletter claimed his computer got burned up in a fire and had to be replaced in an attempt to hide his work and emails. Isn’t data stored at the customer’s provider so there is always a record somewhere of what the suspect may have sent to others via email and/or viewed? Without letting the horse out of the barn, are there forensic tools to investigate someone’s computer beyond the one they have at home or work?
Unless they use a remote server that stores information, everything is on a computer. I don't know much more about computer forensics. Very few specially trained officers do these forensics.
What do journalists need to do to prepare for writing a human trafficking from a FBI or DOJ press release?
What you see is all you are going to get on a federal press release. All federal cases are cloaked with a grand jury umbrella and what is released was probably approved by the DOJ. If you have a source that is giving you information on a federal case, he is violating federal law and will go to federal prison.
What are the top online media for raising awareness of human trafficking? YouTube messages? Facebook pages? Wikipages?
I would say that Facebook does a really good job since it's the most popular. Ashton and Demi's DNA foundation on FB has over 100,000 likes. It doesn't seem as active though since they split up. Nevertheless, it has done a good job of raising awareness. Ashton is a patriot for being the only celebrity to front out Backpage.com for it's prostitution ads.
What is the most misunderstood aspect of human trafficking reporters don’t get?
That the cases are long term and sensitive and arrests aren't immediately made. The first goal of a human trafficking case is to make a victim safe and arresting the suspect is next. Also, they are usually more girls that haven't been recovered and too much publicity could make it dangerous for them.
In about 30 words, what turned you into an advocate? The moment you decided to fight human trafficking? Have you seen a point of no return for advocates? I read the depositions of those five Brazilian girls and my life was forever changed to give them a voice and fight for justice for them. Was there such a moment for you?
I am an undercover vice detective. About four years ago I was ordered to run the human trafficking investigations along with my other vice duties. I did not really want it at first since the laws were new and there was not a lot of buy into it. I'm a good order follower and gradually started to enjoy doing the investigations. I fight a lot of battles and lose most of them when it comes to these types of investigations.
I've actually had a couple of no return moments. One was when I realized the victim dynamics were similar to domestic violence and it no longer mattered to me "Why they didn't just run away from the trafficker?"
The second moment was when I recovered a Chinese girl who hated the only life that she did not pick here in America of being a prostitute. When she got to return to her family, it was a feeling that I wouldn't sell for a million dollars.
There is the possibility that some may experience PTSD or secondary trauma from investigating, prosecuting and reporting about human trafficking. Have you seen evidence of this or experienced this yourself?
I have not experienced PTSD from these types of investigations but I think some of the NGO's could possibly be a victim of this. So could police but not yet from these cases.
Do you feel comfortable providing an overview of the perpetrators? Are there commonalities among them? I am finding that they seem to be driven as successful business, community or public servants.
The Johns are usually, not always, white married men with children, when it come the escorts online. Many of the escorts, whether white or black, will not serve African American men. The John that picks up the street walker has changed over the last twenty years from being mostly white men, to white and black men and now we see a majority of Hispanic males picking up street walkers and getting arrested for it. The chance of getting caught by the police is always in their mind since they put undercover female officers through "cop" tests. We still get them.
What is the top legislative solution you’d like to see enacted to help you better do your job?
I would still like states to lift the burden of proving force, fraud and coercion to victims under 18 years old. The federal job does a good law of covering this. Juveniles are vulnerable and can't make these decisions for themselves.
Is there a strong, united focus among worldwide agencies or do they fight among themselves?
There is a worldwide focus but it could be better united. Everybody has different statistical estimates on the numbers of people being trafficked. I am concerned more with the one that I can help at the time I'm doing an investigation. I do believe acting locally will affect us all globally though.
Lastly, for journalists. Let an investigation work without digging at first. You can review court documents to see what charges have been filed, which are public information. Also by that point the victim will have made the life changing decision to assist in the investigation and confront her trafficker in court which takes a massive amount of bravery.
Next, meet Cheryl Smith. She is on the tough journey from being an “escort” to a concubine controlled by a sexual monger the past eight years. She has hit rock bottom and is at the painful point of taking responsibility for recovering after her daughter moved out because she couldn’t stand to watch her Mom suffer. Cheryl has vacillated between loving and hating “Gregor” for destroying her personhood and ability to recognize the woman she has become today, living between terror and warrior.
Cheryl was led by Gregor (name changed to protect those innocent until found guilty) into the dark and dangerous world of sex tourism. Here is the “Sex Tourism” definition from Wikipedia:
Generally, an adult can travel and engage in a sexual activity with an adult prostitute, in similar circumstances as would apply to local prostitution. However, when the sexual activity involves child prostitution, is non-consensual or involves sex trafficking, it is generally illegal, both in the participating country and sometimes in the individual's home country.
“He exploited my naiveté,” she remorsed. “I became a pawn in his ‘sinister mind games.’”
Today, she is trying to identify predator traits as a warning system for others. She wants others to know how narcissism and sex addiction drives successful businessmen to endanger others by passing STDs.
Cheryl has advice for both victims and journalists.
“If you are being trafficked, go to the media,” she said. “You get the positive esteem coming back. Bring your story to light even when it’s painful to do so.”
Here is what Cheryl wants journalists to know.
“First,” she stated, “be aware that the victims have been treated in the worst ways possible. They’ve been sexually violated in every way possible. Gone are intimacy, trust and love. The victims can also experience the Stockholm Syndrome where they love and want to protect their captors in a weird kind of way, the perpetrator.”
Today, Gregor is under federal investigation and is believed to have been indicted for a long laundry list of financial crimes. Cheryl has been trying to connect the dots for her own healing and has come up with some common traits of those who sexually prey on women, children and family.
“We are ruled by these cons,” she said. “They are control freaks and that, in part, makes them successful in their professional lives. They do whatever they want. They are power hungry predators who get off on conquering and taking control, then going home to rule their families. “
“I watched him escalate into these episodes,” she continued, “he had these moments in front of others he wanted to recruit into his global mongering . What little he had of his intimate humanity is gone. He’s ultimately absorbed in himself, consumed by narcissism and a conquering addiction, but will show his affection with gifts, to purge any guilt of wrong doing.”
“It’s hard for outsiders to get it,” Cheryl explained, “that these guys get off on harming human spirits. I used to be so social, so beautiful and he’s had no remorse after destroying me. He knew he was going to go to prison but he’d beg me ‘Give me another day and week it will get better.’ It’s like living w/an alcoholic.”
“Journalists should know that there are two types of victims,” she said. “They’ll think ‘I brought this on myself.’ Unassuming lovers, in the same slave like position, don’t see someone as narcissistic while he’s growling and running his fingers through their hair calling them a pretty baby and to not doubt that their 'keeper' loves them. In my personal situation it would hurt his feelings when I voiced skepticism about his sincerity. Psychopathic. They are all most definitely are self serving, yet needy for constant attention even though they are in fact rulers and controllers. They’ll keep the perfect looking image and succeed because he'll exert manipulations in his games of control, that includes kind gestures and rewards as tools of entrapment.”
“A journalist needs to know this personality type, else they be similarly fooled,” Cheryl explained. “When I met Gregor, I was strong, happy, confident and never felt uncomfortable around people. I would never have been sleeping for ten hours. He slowly removed me, changed me, even the way I dressed. I cut my hair and began wearing dresses below the knee to be this conservative Stepford type. Once I achieved the Squeaky Clean image, he started making it obvious he was chasing exactly what I 'was'; "sexy." However, I could no longer even put on lingerie. He told me I looked like a slut. It was common that I would discover websites and phone numbers of prostitutes and fellow 'mongers' on his iPad and cell phone. He stopped having sex with me and would treat me like shit. Oddly he obsessed over my photo's, as if I were his 'fluffer' before his conquests. He’d say ‘I come when I can if you don’t like it, tough shit.’ He would commission me to work on business marketing projects that never truly existed. At times, he would also 'ration' his supporting funds and encourage me to sell off my jewelry and every other small asset I had, with claims that a big business deal would soon pay off. He did this to have more control and I fell for it. Physically weak and sinking into depression, I felt like I was going crazy sometimes as he was chiseling away at my 'being'. Tried to kill myself twice.”
“A psychiatrist we saw together said ‘It’s obvious you’re a con man. You don’t want help.’ He blamed me for that too, but later reverted into delusional self-righteousness and faulted my depression. Away from public’s eye, he treated me like a princess, but would turn on me if I called his office 5 minutes later. Everyone in his office thought I was a Looney tune with this other personality. He strategized his pawns that way. Everyone in his life is carefully 'compartmentalized.’”
As Cheryl learned more about Gregor and his international business dealings, she became a threat to his operation and learned more than she wanted about sex-tourism. Today, he blames her for his arrest related to a 192 charge indictment filed against him. She has been honest with authorities and honest with him about every report made, as he 'encouraged' with proclaimed innocence.
“People have to know what it’s like,” Cheryl re-emphasized. “It’s hard to make sense of. He tells me I’m sick and his crimes are the works of others trying to frame him. In the end, he left me in dire straits and hurt the emotions of my developing kids. He’s known my son his whole life. He didn’t care. At one point, my daughter took his side with admiration, but before she moved out, she hid behind her bedroom door to protect her heart.”
“As I was getting help and therapy,” Cheryl went on, “it destroyed everything in his 'fantasy.' The man delivered magic into everything he did and charismatic charm. Sweet, perfect and wonderful. I know no one will ever compare to that. On the flip side, he was sinister, berating and never kept a single promise spoken so beautifully. I’m shell shocked. It’s going to take a long time to heal.”
Cheryl first contacted me after reading my investigation into the nationwide network of human trafficking conducted at tax payer expense by the Royal Order of Jesters. “Jester wives are like Stepford Wives,” Cheryl explained. “It’s like they’re 17 and on the cheer leading squad. They identify as ‘Jerry’s wife’ instead of their name. I’m not internally that type of woman, but became such. Their identity becomes that of their husband. They don’t think they need help and most seem to be in denial.”
An interview with a Jester’s wife can be read here.
“I tried to bring sense to light with Gregor and he’d react with anger,” she recalled. “His mindset was described to me like this. If you look at the way the mind of a serial killer is like that of a predator. A sexual monger like Gregor develops a similar 'conquer' mentality as that of a serial killer. It’s about conquest and control. Gregor arrogantly demanded that I turn in evidence that I’d gathered. He knew he was guilty because there is a part of them that wants to get caught. He swore I would learn he was 'clean.' Collecting trophies and leaving trademarks was his boast in online forums. Haha I was here and you didn’t catch me. Push it that far, wanting to get caught. Hit rock bottom.”
“These guys get away with it because it’s a different addiction and it’s acceptable,” she said. “You don’t see the bad behavior. You don’t see it unless you’re part of it. Like I said, when I saw pix of them being dropped off. Taking pictures of the puddle jumpers and get off in the middle of the Amazon make shift huts, each one, holds different age groups. In camps, sex camps. I do know what I saw in photographs where these people are held in villages, to rape groups of women to leave a few bucks. Going home like ‘I’m a man hear me roar’ because I fucked a boy, a girl, mom and daughter. Completely detached. They are your more powerful power hungry, as low as a manager in a movie theater to your major CEO. Or they like to be dominated. These are predators who exchange photos. Trophy photos. A social addiction, when they bring each other into it it’s all OK. It becomes a sport. It’s not healthy. Even if they don’t hit rock bottom, it’s still not acceptable. It’s taboo. When I’ve told people sex trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the U.S., they think I’m exaggerating.”
“Someone does need to help,” Cheryl pleaded. “Lovers and wives and the victims ourselves. I can’t function sometimes today. He told me I need to watch out because fellow mongers want revenge. The things that scare me most are the things in the bigger picture. I have reason to not be at ease.”
Though Cheryl fears for her life, she still wants to stand on her own two feet. Some days she feels that her only true freedom will come with Gregor's loss of freedom. It makes her remorseful.
“He killed me slowly from the inside out,” she lamented. “I was sick because of the dysfunctional situation. These are not healthy situations. No one would participate if we were healthy. It takes lots to recognize that.”
“Here are some words to never use when talking about sex trafficking,” Cheryl said. “Never ask ‘Why did you stay?’ The codependent can’t explain their surrender. If they’re at the point of recognizing it, maybe, but you can’t explain to anyone. There might be a trigger that can bring back all those insecurities.”
“Never tell them how to move forward,” she said. Never say ‘This is what you need to do now’ or they’ll go ‘You’re fucked up’ and end up isolated. If you could talk to someone and they’d not look down on you as being weak or messed up, where would you go? We need to support and create more programs for victim assistance. Not enough exist.”
“Always be mindful because it’s hard to understand,” Cheryl said. “Treat them like a beaten spouse. You don’t know what their triggers are going to be. They’ve been under someone’s control. Make them feel valued. That’s how you will get more people coming out. Be mindful that the article is supposed to help fight human trafficking, even if a reporter respects their anonymity.”
How does Cheryl advise a reporter if the victim has been a prostitute?
“If it’s in the US, I would not tell them they are doing something wrong,” she said. “I’d not tell them they are bad. Not bad, not doing drugs, sober. The majority of girls, many girls, go downhill because of drugs. They’re single moms with a habit. A lot of dysfunction, if they’re still working, if they’re still in the profession, they don’t divulge it.”
“The money becomes an addiction too,” she confessed. “With $7 to 8 thousand a month, I was an exception; I had a reputation for being the golden girl. I built mystique. Nothing feels better than to be here. The ones who have done it previously, keep it in your past. It’s surprising how many people understand. Empower the person you are interviewing. Ask questions like ‘If you could be in a better position sooner, what would that be?’ With that, both might be able to help each other. Don’t shame a prostitute. There really is a way out.”
When it comes to sex tourism, Cheryl shared her experience as an investigator for three years. “This is a huge contributor to trafficking. Smiling faces don’t betray that they are scared because their family could be killed. There is always a threat or promise. No one should support sex tourism yet it’s an unspoken benefit of foreign business trips. It’s like a guerilla war against the economy of victims. Worst is that you’re a slave on top of it. If more people are in a safe haven of recovery with victim assistance programs, we can reach more victims. Tip hotlines and financial services and clothes are OK but when can I talk w/someone?”
“Then there’s the emotional detachment disorder,” Cheryl shared. “It’s hard to convince yourself because on one hand he was wonderful but it isn’t real to him. It’s only real to me. The minute he left, it was part of making him happy. I’ve been to the hospital 21 times. I finally had to leave without any money. He was like a daddy figure, my rock, my husband. Through therapy when I was paying attention to whether or not he was there and the lights were on. He was my greatest lover, my life love. I was willing to sacrifice my whole self to him, my biggest betrayer. It’s hard to remember that part. When you have BWS, we wipe the bad from our brains. That’s how we end up stuck. I had to let go of my earth’s core and come to terms that none of this was real for him,” she said. “I was a fantasy and was created to fulfill his self image. He was not there for his wife either.”
“I’ve left him countless times. I have letters from him how he’d mesh his family with mine. I can’t live like this,” she concluded.
Next is Michelle Bart. She owns Helping Heroes, which helps families of missing children by keeping a child’s face and case visible through national media outlets including HLN’s Nancy Grace Show, “Issues” with Jane Velez-Mitchell on HLN, Fox News, CNN’s Larry King Live, and People Magazine. Michelle was on Lifetime Television’s “American Most Wanted” Human Trafficking 2-hour Special and recently was also seen on E! Entertainment’s “True Hollywood Story.”
Michelle also hosts “Voices for Justice” on BTR, is the Public Awareness Chair for Soroptimist International Northwestern Region and the Region Chair of the Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking. Michelle is a member of Soroptimist International, NCLR and is a member of Society of Professional Journalists.
In other words, she’s an expert.
Listen to her.
What do journalists need to do to prepare for writing a human trafficking from a FBI or DOJ press release?
They need to write with an open-mind and with ethics. Journalists must never re-victimize the victims just to support the power and money of the high-profile folks caught with their pants down. NWCAT created the Jane Velez-Mitchell Journalism Award and the purpose is to honor those that have a voice for women and children in the media!
What resources do you recommend?
There are so many fraudulent individuals and organizations with hidden agendas and we are very cautious of those who we continue to partner with. These are just a few partnerships we constantly refer to:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
America Overseas Domestic Violence & Trafficking Crisis Center
Colorado Human Trafficking Task Force
What is the economic benefit, if any, for media to report on human trafficking? In other words, are there sales points owners and publishers can exploit to increase the bottom line by including human trafficking in crime reporting?
Any media that takes a penny from an advertiser selling sex in my opinion is not doing justice against exploitation of women and children. In fact those that take dirty money are just as much to blame as those doing the selling and those buying the sex. You cannot have it both ways – we must all be a part of the solution or the problems in our society will continue to spiral out of control.
What are the top online media for raising awareness of human trafficking? YouTube messages? Facebook pages? Wikipages?
Hard to say. All of the partners listed above have great sites including our own www.NWCAT.org. We must all do our part to clean up the Internet and have a voice for the voiceless!
What is the most misunderstood aspect of human trafficking that reporters “don’t get”?
No child and, for the most part, most women did not go into prostitution and were trafficked because it was their choice; most were forced from the beginning. For those that stay in the “life” may not know anything else and they are not to blame; the Johns and Pimps must be taken down and until we can begin prosecuting and arresting those doing the crime the children and women will not be rescued and restored to a better life!
In about 30 words, what turned you into an advocate? The moment you decided to fight human trafficking?
“It was in Los Angeles; I heard a child victim tell her story…how can anyone not have a voice once you learn about this horrific epidemic?”
There is the possibility that some may experience PTSD or secondary trauma from investigating, prosecuting and reporting about human trafficking and/or associated sex crimes. Have you seen evidence of this or experienced this yourself?
Yes I have seen this in some of our survivors from our NWCAT Survivor Network. I am not a survivor of trafficking so much of what I experience is in the conversations and eyes of our survivors. Unfortunately past survivors are never really living without the stress of their experiences. Survivors deal with PTSD among many other issues; many survivors we have are in therapy 20 years later – there will always be triggers, smells, visions and other “past life” things that may continue the rest of their life – dealing with it helps them to cope and move onto their future. Support groups, therapy, faith and wellness efforts help survivors make it thru!
Do you feel comfortable providing an overview of the perpetrators? Are there commonalities among them? I am finding that they seem to be driven as successful business, community or public servants but somehow the power corrupts them and they go off the deep end sexually. Common traits seem to be narcissism and self-delusion. Overall, my assessment is these individuals suffer from addictions and need to be treated like the sick criminals that they are.
I suggest you ask a doctor on this – I can get you a recognizable psychologist to answer this for you if you like.
What is the top legislative solution you’d like to see enacted?
In my opinion, the state of Oregon needs to change their constitution so that Portland and other cities can reduce the number of business licenses given to “legal brothels” – every time the city issues a license to a strip club, lingerie shop, massage parlor – the city ultimately is adding to the epidemic of human trafficking and exploitation and they are just as much to blame as those doing the criminal acts.
Is there a strong, united focus among worldwide agencies or do they fight among themselves instead of fighting for the victims?
One of our major unified focus is Ending Modern-Day Slavery – despite many with hidden agendas, most reputable organizations agree this inhumane criminal activity needs to end and the violence against women and children needs to be addressed locally, state-wide, nationally and internationally. The war on women needs to end and civic and governmental leaders need to pony up and stop fighting over petty things…for every minute we waste on verbiage and not law it’s a minute lost on another life – we need to be a voice for the voiceless and it starts with all of us!
Thanks to these three for their time.
My advice to those wanting to learn more about human trafficking is read this 77 page FBI request for arrest warrants. It gives provides rare insight into how carefully the FBI builds a human trafficking case, the dire living situations of sex slaves and provides evidence necessary for the judge to sign off on arrest warrants. Those arrested included a former NY state Supreme Court judge, his law clerk and a former police captain.
No one should be above the law, especially those who enforce it.
All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from by Sandy Frost must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com/ Copyright © 2012 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.