Supply and Demand: The Complex Nature of Human Trafficking

by Emily Butler, on behalf of The Grace Network

Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It occurs in every country, including most regions and cities throughout the United States. California is no exception. Over the last five years, California has reported the most human trafficking cases in the nation according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Trafficking can be defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion. It takes many forms, including commercial sex, bonded labor, domestic servitude, etc.

Victims may be both minors or adults, foreign-born or U.S. born, males or females. Trafficking may take place in homes, hotels, massage parlors, bars, online or any other myriad of locations.

So, what can be done to help victims and potential victims of this exploitation?

While law enforcement plays an important role, the truth is that there is work that can be done by any community member to help prevent trafficking in our communities. In trafficking, there is a supply of victims, demand from people willing to pay for their exploitation and facilitators looking to make a profit. The prevention of human trafficking requires that we address all three.

In sex trafficking, most of the supply of victims in California come from youth who end up in the system — kids who are runaways, throwaways or victims of abuse or neglect. These kids are vulnerable to facilitators who pose as loving boyfriends or father figures, people who prey on their vulnerability.

Fortunately, there are already groups and organizations doing just that, often without the label of “fighting human trafficking.” They simply need more resources and manpower to continue their good work.

Groups that are directly or indirectly working to stop the supply of victims are any organizations that help empower and protect vulnerable youth. Among these agencies are group homes, foster care homes, after school programs, community centers, homeless shelters, drop-in centers and trauma recovery centers.

These groups are also helping to transform those who could become facilitators in the commercial sex trade. Young men and women who could become exploiters can find a different path through the influence of mentors and other opportunities.

The demand in sex trafficking comes from sex buyers, mostly men, who consume commercial sex, whether online, in clubs or on the streets. Groups that contribute to ending the demand work to stop the consumption of pornography, provide support groups for men and pursue other forms of accountability in the commercial sex trade.

The fight against human trafficking requires an army — it requires people to be aware and it requires that people get involved in their communities to serve vulnerable youth by helping give them opportunities for a safe future.

If you are a victim of human trafficking, help is available. Victims can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or The Grace Network at (916) 850-0846 for assistance.

Human Trafficking Victims — Hiding In Plain Sight

By Julie Nauman, CalVCB Executive Officer

January is known nationwide as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but how much do you know about this crime?

Human trafficking, also known as modern day slavery, is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that occurs on every continent and in every country and state. In 2016 there were 5,748 human trafficking cases in the United States, 1,012 in California alone. Of the 3,130 calls made to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline last year in California, the largest percentage were from people who suspected human trafficking within their own communities.

Given these statistics, it’s likely you have come across a victim of human trafficking without even knowing it. She could be the woman next to you on the bus you take to work. She could be a little girl in your daughter’s class. He could be the one who picks the fruit you purchase at the local grocery store. Victims can be hard to identify because they look like us, and are often hidden in plain sight.

Even though victims may be all around us, we may not notice them because we don’t know what to look for.

Public awareness is one of the most important tools we have to fight human trafficking. By learning to recognize the signs and raising awareness in our communities, we can all take part in fighting this horrific epidemic.

A victim could be someone who:

• Is not free to leave or come and go as they wish
• Is unpaid, paid very little or paid only through tips
• Shows signs of physical or sexual abuse, physical restraint or confinement
• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense or nervous/paranoid

The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) provides hope for many victims and families of violent crimes. We cover crime-related expenses such as relocation, medical and mental health treatment, home security and more.

CalVCB was established over 50 years ago and remains the largest compensation program in the nation. We recognize that victims of human trafficking are often hesitant to come forward, but we work with victim advocates and service providers to ensure victims get the help they need to move forward with their lives.

If you believe you know a victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB). CalVCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime.

Looking Ahead: Human Trafficking Awareness Month

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

Greetings, and a very Happy New Year to you.

As we enter a new year together, it is a good time to reflect on our accomplishments from the past 12 months, but to also take inventory, and to take action on the work that lies ahead.

Such is the case with the subject of Human Trafficking. The month of January is set aside to increase awareness of this important topic, and to increase access to the services we provide to trafficking survivors. Today we acknowledge and honor Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which is a part of a month-long commemoration set aside to increase awareness of this important topic and to increase access to the services we provide to trafficking survivors.

More than 20 million men, women and children around the world and in our own communities are currently victims of human trafficking — a $32 billion dollar industry that transcends age, gender, race and status. 

We have come a long way in how we now handle these cases. For years, state law did not allow these victims to receive benefits if they had participated in a crime or were involved in the events leading to their victimization. 

They were treated as prostitutes and disqualified, whether or not they had been forced into sexual slavery, and subjected to rape and physical and mental abuse. Many of them did what they had to do, simply to survive. We saw the need for change, and added a regulation in 2014 to allow them to get assistance from our California Victims Compensation Program (CalVCP).  

Since that time, we have received many applications from human trafficking victims — a population we had not served before. But we want to help all of these victims, so we need to collaborate with our partners to reach out to these individuals who desperately need our help.

In light of this, we are hosting a human trafficking trauma-informed training to educate our staff and our partners who work with these human trafficking victims. This training will be presented by Chris Stambaugh from The Grace Network, a grassroots organization that has mobilized thousands of people to combat human trafficking. Chris will discuss how they use technology to reach and serve victims, and will give a presentation on their free user-friendly resource app, “GraceCity” that allows first responders to access services for those affected by human trafficking. This training will be live-streamed on January 14, 2016 at 10 a.m. This focused training will be extremely informative and helpful as we continue to explore better ways to meet the unique needs of these survivors.

The training builds upon our earlier human trafficking workshop presented by Opening Doors, which is available to view anytime. This workshop gives insight into how you can identify a victim of sex trafficking, forced labor and debt bondage and the psychological mechanisms behind the abuse.  

Additionally, we have developed a short public service announcement (PSA) featuring our Board member, and San Bernardino County District Attorney, Michael Ramos. District Attorney Ramos has been a leader in California in recognizing that women, men, and children who are trafficked are victims of crime and their trafficking must be aggressively prosecuted. We ask that you share this PSA with your own networks.

As we go forward, CalVCP will continue to engage in the discussion of human trafficking and how this critical subject is handled through law enforcement and the victim services arena.

I am honored to work in a state dedicated to education and action, striving to make a tangible difference in the lives of victims. We invite you to participate in our workshops during Human Trafficking Awareness Month and we encourage you to join us in this effort to ensure that all victims of human trafficking receive the respectful and compassionate help they deserve.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Break Free and 3Strands Global, Inc. Join Forces to Combat Human Trafficking

Two Organizations with One Vision

By Ashlie M. Bryant, Global Executive Vice President, Development and Outreach, 3Strands Global, Inc.

3Strands Global recently merged to unite and mobilize a global community of individuals and organizations to combat human trafficking. Together as one organization, 3Strands Global, Inc. and Break Free will provide jobs, raise funds, build awareness and provide education and resources to fight human trafficking. We are in this fight together because we believe human trafficking and modern day slavery are NOT OK, and everyone can make a difference.

The timing was right for both organizations to come together and rally around this cause. There is a shared common vision to end human trafficking and build a worldwide community of supporters in order to do so.The expanded community of individuals and partners is rapidly growing and working together as a united front toward the common vision to end human trafficking. Our mission is to combat human trafficking through sustainable employment, education and engagement initiatives. Each initiative takes on a unique approach to combatting human trafficking, and the combination of all three initiatives is a powerful approach and enables change.

In the Fight Against Human Trafficking, Why Truckers?

By Lyn Thompson, Co-Founder, Truckers Against Trafficking

When working on a strategy to fight human trafficking, one of the first steps should be to determine which groups of people have the greatest opportunity to spot human trafficking as it is happening. In other words, who could serve as the primary surveillance?

When it comes to this crime, those front-line people include such groups as medical personnel, who treat victims in medical clinics, and service personnel in local neighborhoods (such as postal workers, and cable, electrical, and water providers), who come by homes on a regular basis and would notice if something unusual was going on. Restaurant and hotel personnel could also see trafficking taking place in their establishments, as could members of the transportation industry, including airport employees. Traffickers are continually transporting victims to sell them in a variety of places.

Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) began in 2009 as an initiative of Chapter 61 Ministries to work with the trucking industry, which is seven million strong. Truckers are trained to be extremely observant.

The Lost Children of Cambodia: Part 2

Last week, Kristin opened our eyes to the crisis of child exploitation in Cambodia. In part two of our blog series, she exposes some of the horrendous crimes against children that are occurring in Phnom Penh every day, while also revealing inspiring stories of hope and transformation emerging out of one of the darkest corners of the world.

As you mentioned last week, you volunteered at the Agape’s Rahab’s House, which helps and heals child victims of sex trafficking. Walk us through a typical day there.

The center serves 100+ kids at any given time. From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., we worked with kids who have graduated from the program. From 11 a.m. to noon, we would visit brick factory workers or impoverished families. We would bring them enough rice for a month, soap, mosquito nets, and blankets. At noon, we would eat lunch with the graduates and children at the center. Then from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., we hosted a kids camp for the children of Phnom Penh and brick factory children. During kids camp, we would host activities, games, and crafts. This part of the day was always my favorite. It was the moment that you could see children—those you knew would be trafficked that very night—laugh and start to understand that there are people out there who do not want to hurt them. Sometimes a mere high five from one of the campers could make your day.

Kristin (third from left) with AIM staff at the Rahab's House facility in Siem Reap

Through this center, AIM communicates that if anything ever harms them, there is a safe, good place they can come to. AIM’s outreach efforts are about building relationships, community, and overall helping and healing victims.

What will you remember most about your time at the center?

The most rewarding part of my trip was meeting the warriors on the front line, the survivors of trade, and knowing that by just being there, I was helping. It was the interactions that I will remember.

The Lost Children of Cambodia: Part 1

It’s no secret that human trafficking is a worldwide epidemic. Increasing public awareness, political activism, and media engagement have allowed us to better identify and assist victims, but human trafficking remains a complex problem without a simple solution. This is especially true in Phnom Penh, where the sexual exploitation of children is unparalleled. In the bustling capital city of Cambodia, kids as young as four and five years old are regularly sold for sex with grown men. Why are parents trading their daughters into slavery, and why is the government allowing this appalling abuse to happen?

To shed light on the growing problem of child sex trafficking in Cambodia, the CNN Freedom Project recently released “Every Day in Cambodia,” a documentary featuring Academy Award-winning actress and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for Global Fight against Human Trafficking Mira Sorvino, that profiles two organizations actively working to prevent sex trafficking: Agape International Missions (AIM) and 3Strands.

Founded by activists Don and Bridget Brewster, AIM is a California-based nonprofit focused on ending the evil of child sexual slavery in Cambodia. The mission of AIM is to prevent, rescue, restore, and reintegrate.

Kristin Damask, a local community member and humanitarian, recently participated in AIM’s global outreach program, where she was able to experience firsthand the crisis in Cambodia. For two weeks, Kristin volunteered at AIM Restoration Home for formerly trafficked children, and upon returning, she shared with us both the horrific acts and the emerging hope she witnessed in Phnom Penh.

Cycle of Crisis: Already Facing an Uphill Battle, Foster Care Children Targeted by Traffickers Too

By Rosario Dowling, Program Director & Jay Rivera, Communications Manager, CAS (Californians Against Slavery) Research & Education

Every day in California, 70 children enter the foster care system for the first, second or third time depending on each specific case. Most children enter the system as victims of physical/sexual abuse, neglect, the lack of essential needs, or abandonment. These are also well-known indicators of vulnerability for a potential sex trafficking victim.

Where are our foster care children being housed? In out-of-home placements, group homes, juvenile hall, and homeless on our streets. In Sacramento alone, two of the children’s receiving homes are situated along “tracks” of pimping and pandering. It is no wonder that 75% of the girls that I have come in contact with in juvenile hall are from foster care and in a cycle of endless visits to our states’ juvenile court system.

A recent House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) hearing on Feb. 26, titled, “The State of Efforts to Stop Human Trafficking” had a detective testify that 67% of sex trafficked victims were in foster care or in the care of social services. The State of Human Trafficking Report released in 2012 found that 72% of the sex trafficked victims reported were born in the US.

Ending this cycle of crisis isn’t an easy fix but a long term solution that requires the efforts of everyone in the community—not just adoptive parents, emergency placement homes, and respite care homes. Teachers, mentors, role models, friends: become the stability and support that our children need and crave. Intervene on their behalf before the traumatized child becomes the 14% statistic that exits the system of “care” and enters the prison system, as stated in a 2011 Senate Office of Research CA report. We know who and where targeted victims of sex trafficking are. The resources are already in place to combat human trafficking. We cannot blame social services for the ills of our children, if we ourselves are not lining up to care for them.

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Rosario Dowling has been a chronic volunteer from an early age, starting as a bilingual tutor in 3rd grade. She believes that championing the “underdog,” especially those in their adolescent years, is vital to the fabric of our community. Besides having the perfect job, she still finds time to volunteer at the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall through Bridge-Network’s Motivated For Change program; mentoring, retraining, and redirecting of current mindsets for better outcomes with male wards in the Placement (group home) Unit. Rosario was an instrumental member of PROPOSITON 35 Team, leading its grassroots effort in Northern California.

The Scope of Human Trafficking In California

There are an estimated 20.9 million human trafficking victims worldwide at any given time. Astoundingly, this organized criminal enterprise ranks second only to the drug trafficking industry, generating revenues of approximately $32 billion a year.

And while most people associate the term with the smuggling of humans across international borders, the faces of human trafficking are more familiar than you might think. This modern slavery is happening not only on foreign soil but often in our very own zip codes. Would you believe that a staggering 72% of human trafficking victims identified by California’s regional human trafficking task forces are U.S. citizens?

Within the United States, California has become one of the primary transit and destination states for human trafficking victims, with the populous metropolitan regions of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego nabbing three of the 13 spots on the FBI’s report of the highest child sex trafficking areas in the nation. Unfortunately, the same factors that make California an ideal place to live and work—our large economy, commercial influence, and prime geographic location—have also provided a fertile breeding ground for the exploitation of humans.

In commemoration of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, CalVCP has released a video PSA highlighting the broad scope of human trafficking. The good news is that combatting this crime can be as simple as being aware of its existence and knowing how to respond to it. Join us this month in helping to give silenced victims a voice and shed light on the prevalence of this dark crime.

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave—whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work, construction, factory, retail, or restaurant work, or any other activity—call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or the California Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) at 1-888-KEY-2-FRE(EDOM) or 1-888-539-2373 to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under United States and California law.

The hotlines are:

• Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Toll-free.
• Operated by nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations.
• Anonymous and confidential.
• Accessible in more than 160 languages.
• Able to provide help, referral to services, training, and general information.

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The California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) provides compensation for victims of violent crime. CalVCP provides eligible victims with reimbursement for many crime-related expenses. CalVCP funding comes from restitution paid by criminal offenders through fines, orders, penalty assessments and federal matching funds.

New Year Brings Renewed War on Human Exploitation

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

This January, I am honored to join Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr, the state of California, and the nation in observing National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. As stated in the Governor’s official proclamation, “we take this time to renew our commitment to ending the scourges of slavery and human trafficking, punishing those who engage in these illegal activities and aiding those who are being victimized.”

We must work together to save lives, provide healing, and administer justice for all victims.

CalVCP stands with the Governor in recognizing human trafficking as one of the greatest crimes against humanity of our time, and we rededicate ourselves to preventing and stopping a modern-day slavery that strips victims of the freedom and basic human rights guaranteed to all people by the U.S. Constitution.

As the world’s third largest criminal industry, human trafficking affects communities small and large, at home and abroad. Each year, millions of men, women, and children are bought and sold for the purposes of labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Defrauded, frightened or forced into compliance by their perpetrators, these victims often suffer in silence. You might find them camouflaged in everyday restaurants and retail establishments; hidden in fields and factories; concealed in motels and massage parlors.

Efforts to address this callous crime are often hindered by the hidden nature of trafficking activities. Thus, we must work together to save lives, provide healing, and administer justice for all victims.

During Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we stand united with trafficking survivors, celebrate our State’s efforts in combatting human exploitation, and commit to the continued fight to eradicate this despicable violation of human rights.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Leaders Collaborate to Provide Hope and Healing to Victims of Human Trafficking

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

I am pleased to be joining Courage Worldwide Founder and CEO Jenny Williamson, along with Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully, FBI Innocence Lost Task Force Supervisory Special Agent Mike Rayfield, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, and others this afternoon to share our dedication to fight human trafficking by putting criminals behind bars, working to find an end to these crimes, and providing healing services to survivors.

Victims of trafficking can often be mistaken as willing participants, but that is simply not true. Force, cohersion, manipulation, fear and false love encroach upon victims and can force them into something in which they never wanted to take part.

This afternoon I will share CalVCP’s steadfast effort to provide much needed assistance to survivors through financial assistance for mental health counseling, relocation and medical services. Teams from Sacramento, Denver, Las Vegas, and Washington DC will present on The Anatomy of a Case (featuring a survivor and key witness in a trafficking prosecution), Victim Centered Investigations, Profile of a Victim & Redefining Success with This Population, and Women Trafficking Women.

The informative training will further educate our California partners including first responders, prosecutors, attorneys, judges and probations officers about the true ugliness of human trafficking and will look to strengthen our combined resources to provide survivors with the hope and healing they need.

I am honored to work in a state dedicated to educate, equip and empower its leaders and community members to make a tangible difference in the lives of voiceless victims.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Enslaved Californians: The Fight Against Human Trafficking

By Michael Ramos, San Bernardino County District Attorney and Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board Member

To view a trailer for the documentary, please visit the San Bernardino County District Attorney YouTube Channel.

For some time, there has been the misconception that human trafficking is an evil that only happens in faraway countries; but make no mistake, it is happening right here in our own county and across our nation. Last week, following the premiere of a short documentary our office produced, we took significant steps and strengthened existing partnerships to send the message that if you commit this horrendous crime in our county you will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Part of my plan includes the creation of a Human Trafficking Vertical Prosecution Unit, providing training and outreach to teachers and students, and releasing the names and photos of those convicted of solicitation of prostitution.

DA Ramos and VCGCB Executive Officer Julie Nauman discuss the harsh realities of human trafficking with KPCC radio.

Our battle against human trafficking started in 2009 when my office took a leadership role to respond to this problem and created the county’s Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (CASE). Thanks to the hard work of all our partners involved in CASE, we have made significant strides by changing the way we as a legal community look at victims of human trafficking. It used to be that victims lured into prostitution were viewed as criminals. Fortunately, those perceptions are changing.

One of the difficult aspects of identifying victims of human trafficking is the underground nature of the crime itself, fueled in part by the prevalence of the Internet and social media. For example, in 2012, 338 prostitution-related cases were filed in San Bernardino County, the majority of which were the result of proactive sting operations conducted by those law enforcement agencies with known prostitution tracks in their jurisdiction. An additional 27 cases involved minors. While this number includes those soliciting sex and those offering sexual services, it's important to point out that it only denotes those who were caught and subsequently arrested.

The CASE banner, displayed at the Teenage $ex 4 Sale documentary premiere.

The number of pimping cases is even smaller. Last year, 15 cases related to pimping and pandering were filed. But we know the problem is bigger—much bigger. The low risks and potential for high profits associated with trafficking are steering criminals away from smuggling drugs and guns, which are generally riskier pursuits. Simply put, from the standpoint of these monsters, why run drugs and guns, a one-time deal, when they can use a trafficked victim over and over? In the eyes of the traffickers, these victims are nothing more than a reusable commodity.

Fortunately, when we are able to rescue the victims, there are services and support made available through the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP). Through this fund, we are able to assist victims with health issues related to being sexually brutalized and/or assaulted. In many cases, funds may be available for medical and hospital expenses, relocation, dental work, mental health counseling, and physical therapy. I have been a board member with VCGCB for the last eight years, and one of the great things I have come to appreciate about this fund is that it is paid for by restitution fines levied on criminal defendants—not one cent is taken from taxpayer dollars. As we move forward with a deeper understanding of human trafficking and how it negatively affects our children and our communities, it is important to remember that this is outright modern day slavery, and I look forward to serving our victims and bringing the perpetrators who commit these terrible crimes to justice.

Learn more about the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit on our website.

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For the past eleven years, Michael Ramos has served as San Bernardino County District Attorney. During this time, he has fought corruption and made victims' rights, public safety, and anti-gang programs the cornerstone of his office.

In 2011, Governor Jerry Brown appointed District Attorney Ramos to the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), which was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement. District Attorney Ramos is also member of the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board and represents the State of California on the National District Attorneys Association Board of Directors where he serves as co-chair of the committee for corrections and prison re-entry.

A Safe, Loving Home

By Jenny Williamson, CEO & Founder of Courage Worldwide

I live in a world where children are sold for sex. This fact broke my heart, but when I learned children were being sold for sex in my own backyard, I became angry and vowed to do something. So, I decided to learn everything I could about this issue. I read everything on the internet I could find on this evil called sex trafficking. I read the California State Report on Human Trafficking and called the author of the report to verify it was really happening here. I then called the Sacramento Police Department and asked just how bad the problem was. They introduced me to the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force, who told me they had recovered 125 children from the Sacramento area alone - to date that number is now close to 300. I asked what their greatest need was; they simply said "a home - these kids need a safe, loving home". I vowed to build one. That was in 2008.

Today Courage House, a home for children rescued from sex trafficking, has been open for eighteen months. Twenty-five children have called Courage House their home. Our youngest was twelve years old and our oldest seventeen. I have never been surrounded by so much pain. These children are truly victims of modern day slavery. Their needs are great, and we seek to meet them all at Courage House. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually; this evil affects every aspect of their young lives.

Being rescued is only the beginning of their journey. Providing them with an environment that is conducive to healing is vital, but tapping into their dreams is essential. And they do have dreams. They want to be doctors, lawyers, school teachers, moms and photographers, but first, they must do the hard work of confronting their past and their pain. This is not for the fainthearted. These young women are some of the most courageous individuals I have ever met. Two of our Courage Girls testified against their perpetrators in a court of law. I have never seen such a display of courage and grace. They were armed with people who believed in them and their future. They were armed with the truth that they were created on purpose for a purpose and they must fight for their destiny. And they did just that.

Courage House is a home not a program where young victims of sex trafficking can begin to realize that they have value. It is a place where they move from victim to victorious.

It was just a few years ago that I heard about human trafficking. Since then, my own life has changed, and I’ve been blessed to be able to change the lives of the 25 girls that have come through Courage House. I am just one person; so are you. What will you do?

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Jenny Williamson is the Founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide, an international, non-profit organization that builds homes for children rescued out of sex trafficking. These homes are called Courage House. Jenny and her organization have spearheaded a comprehensive program to assist in the rescue and restoration of these young, vulnerable victims and have done ground-breaking research regarding the complex trauma of sexual exploitation, best practice therapy models and the healing process. Courage Worldwide successfully operates two homes for rescued children – one in Northern California and one in Tanzania, Africa.

Due to her efforts, expertise and leadership across the nation, Jenny was awarded the FBI Director's 2010 Leadership Award, the 2011 Community Spirit Award by Sacramento's District Attorney, Jan Scully and the 2012 William Jessup University's prestigious Community Impact Award. Jenny was also invited to be part of the California Attorney General's Working Group on human trafficking as well as Shared Hope International's Practitioners Working Group for their National Colloquium in Washington, D.C. She is also a member of Abolition International Shelter Association's advisory board.

Calling All Modern-Day Abolitionists

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

Humans are being bought and sold for labor and sex all over our world, country and here in California.

In the last decade, many organizations, agencies and government groups have formed to combat this dreadful crime. However, with continued challenges of globalization and the use of technology, the fight against one of the world’s most profitable criminal enterprises is not yet over.

California is home to three of the thirteen FBI-identified high-intensity child sex trafficking regions in the nation. The Victims of Trafficking Division of WEAVE, a Northern California based advocacy and crisis center for women and men, confirms the realities I wish were not true: “The survivors we work with are reporting initial trafficking victimization between 12 and 14 years old. It is disheartening.”

Our work to ensure the rights of human trafficking victims, prevent future violence, and reach all victims has never been more challenging. Now more than ever, collaboration is the pathway to success. Our collective energy, skill, and commitment will lead the way to realizing freedom.

Today in recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, will you resolve to join me in this fight? Anti-trafficking organizations have many needs, affording us numerous ways to get involved:

• Volunteer your time and skills at a nonprofit or agency. Organizations in every county need assistance with public relations, training, office work, graphic art, fundraising and awareness, and outreach efforts.
• Donate care package items such as backpacks, sweats, underclothing, journals, shampoo, and bus passes. Most agencies need help meeting the basic needs of trafficking survivors.
• Donate money to help fund a local anti-trafficking program.

There is a long way to go until all of California experiences freedom, but if we each play our part, we can end this battle.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Working to Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking this January
By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

It’s sad but true: here in this country, people are being bought, sold, and smuggled like modern-day slaves. They are trapped in lives of misery—often beaten, starved, and forced to work as prostitutes or to take grueling jobs as migrant, domestic, restaurant, or factory workers with little or no pay. (FBI; Human Trafficking Prevention, 1/10/12.)

A visual from CalVCP's Tumblr blog,
"Human Trafficking is about Exploitation".
January marks the observance of National Slavery
and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

As we enter a new year, I cannot think of any story more horrific than the trafficking of children and adults who are sold over and over again throughout this country and around the world. Now, with the growth and popularity of social networks and Internet chat rooms, the technology has inadvertently helped traffickers expand their reach by luring vulnerable boys, girls, men and women from their homes with promises of a better life, only to exploit them and turn them into modern-day slaves.

As we have become more aware of this heinous crime, we are beginning to see just how widespread with now epidemic proportions this has become. These victims are everywhere: in factories, restaurants, elder care facilities, hotels, housekeeping, child-rearing, agriculture, construction or landscaping, food processing, meat-packing, cleaning services and the commercial sex industry.

From mid-2010 to mid-2012, California's human trafficking task forces identified 1,277 victims. However, that number is believed to be only a small fraction of those actually affected.

Human trafficking generates billions of dollars of profit each year, making it one of the world’s fastest growing criminal activities. Human trafficking activities exist and cross over into other criminal areas as well, including organized crime, crimes against children and gangs. Human trafficking can affect the quality of life for all of us.

While the majority of human trafficking victims are from other countries and may speak little or no English, approximately one-third of victims are Americans. According to the recent report, “The State of Human Trafficking in California 2012," released by the Attorney General’s office, California is one of the nation's top four destination states for human trafficking, believed to be a $32 billion a year global industry. From mid-2010 to mid-2012, California's human trafficking task forces identified 1,277 victims. However, that number is believed to be only a small fraction of those actually affected.

While we hope that victims of human trafficking will come forward and seek the assistance so many desperately need, yet we realize that often, many victims are too scared to come forward out of fear of retaliation or from embarrassment. This is why outreach and education are so important, so that as a community we can recognize the warning signs and help these victims. Many times, victims of trafficking display warning signs such as acting fearful, tense, depressed, submissive, or paranoid, avoiding eye contact and may appear malnourished and defer to another person to speak for them. They also tend to show signs or physical and/or sexual abuse, confinement or torture, and work excessively long and unusual hours, often with a pimp/manager.

We must, as concerned citizens of California and of the United States, do our part to help the thousands of victims that are all around us. By becoming more aware of people that surround us in our every-day activities, we may be able to help curtail this growing problem and save victims of this horrendous 21st century crime.

To report suspected trafficking or connect with anti-trafficking services in your area, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Even Lemons Can Stop Slavery

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

Vivienne documents her daily
work to end slavery through
photo posts, her Twitter feed and
her Make a Stand Blog.
Photo credit: #MAKEASTAND!
Not For Sale Lemonaid – via Instagram

It is shocking to me that there are more slaves worldwide today than at any other point in history. As a mother, I cannot imagine the injustice, agony, and sorrow felt by those whose children and loved ones are brutally forced into sexual exploitation or slave labor.

Many are fighting to put a stop to slavery. I am encouraged by the work of organizations that educate and mobilize communities against human trafficking, teaching that everyone can play a role in the fight–even a child. Chances are good that you’ve already heard of Vivienne Harr if you are involved in this fight; but for those who don’t yet know of her determined efforts, this eight-year-old has accomplished more this summer than many do in their lifetime.

Many are fighting to put a stop to slavery. I am encouraged by the work of organizations that educate and mobilize communities against human trafficking, teaching that everyone can play a role in the fight–even a child.

In June 2012, Vivienne became aware of child slaves and was determined to do something about it; she wanted to raise a substantial amount of money to help in freeing young slaves, some her own age. With the support of her mom and dad, she quickly resolved to sell, for donation, 100% organic, fair-trade lemonade from her home, rain or shine every day, until she raised $150,000 to go to the nonprofit Not For Sale. To date, she has raised nearly 25% of her goal, with donations reaching over $38,000. It is no wonder this young lady is wanted for interviews all over the world and will be pouring MAKEaSTAND! LemonAid at the White House in October.

Vivienne shares in Make a Stand Lemonade that, “Mother Theresa was one person. Gandhi was one person. Why can’t you be one person?” To say the least, she is strong-willed and will not slow down until she helps free 500 slaves. She fights with a lot of heart.

Vivienne and many, many others are an inspiration to me and a reminder that the efforts of every person individually and collectively make a great difference. As we continue to bring this problem to light and refuse to tolerate it, I am hopeful that exploitation of humans for labor and sex will end one day.

To learn more about human trafficking, visit the Attorney General’s webpage and CalVCP’s brochure to see how CalVCP can help trafficked victims.

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Julie Nauman is the Executive Officer for the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB). VCGCB provides compensation for victims of violent crime and helps to resolve claims against the State.

Human Trafficking: Meeting the Need in San Francisco

By the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women

Given that human trafficking impacts millions worldwide and thousands right here in the U.S., and that 80% of victims are women and children, there was no question that the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women would get involved.

Sadly, San Francisco has a long history of human trafficking, beginning with the importing of Chinese women to work in brothels during the Gold Rush days and beyond. Thankfully, we also have a history of fighting back. Gum Moon Women’s Residence, a transitional housing program currently funded by the Department, began offering safety to trafficked Chinese women as early as the 1870s.

More recently, and as a catalyst of our ongoing efforts, San Francisco was the site of a national sting in 2005. Operation Gilded Cage uncovered over one hundred Korean women trafficked into our city and forced into prostitution at legal, City-sanctioned massage parlors. The Department was spurred to fund the Asian Anti-Trafficking Collaborative in 2006 to conduct outreach into the Asian community and to raise awareness about this crime. It became evident that our efforts were not complete, and we realized we needed to engage in this issue on a policy level. The one hundred freed Korean women – and the thousands of women, men, and children still enslaved out of sight – demanded it of us.

In 2009, the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women teamed up with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and the Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking to host the first ever Community Forum on Human Trafficking in our city. The 2009 Community Forum hosted over 150 advocates engaged in the fight to end human trafficking.

Following the Forum, the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (SFCAHT) was quickly formed to raise awareness, strengthen partnerships among members, and monitor trafficking data and legislation. The Collaborative officially launched in January 2010 with a month-long awareness campaign. Over 20 agencies represent a broad array of non-governmental organizations, government agencies, law enforcement leaders, service providers, educators, and community members. The work of the Collaborative is jointly shared between the Department and the Human Rights Commission.

Raising awareness is one of the most pressing needs in the fight against human trafficking. When speaking about human trafficking at public events, the most common reaction is surprise – surprise that it exists at all, surprise that it exists here in the U.S., in California, in San Francisco. If the public does not realize that the crime is occurring, public policy will lag far behind the needs of survivors. Slowly, legislators are proposing new laws to create harsher punishments for perpetrators, and to create a fund for services for survivors.

For example, when California legislators penned the 2005 state law against human trafficking, the fine for perpetrators was a paltry $5,000. As of last year, new legislation allows law enforcement officials to confiscate property, real estate, and cars used in the crime, with proceeds to support local services.

Even so, few agencies exist with the sole mission of serving trafficking survivors. And while expertise exists in the community, to truly develop a holistic, multi-faceted victim-centered response network, we need more resources and training for service providers, law enforcement, and City workers.

The needs of survivors of trafficking are not simple. Trafficking survivors have compounding issues at play that make their stories uniquely challenging. For example, survivors of international trafficking are often controlled through threats to family members in their home countries. Thus, even if they are rescued by law enforcement, they may be unwilling or unable to cooperate in order to protect their loved ones. Victims must make tough decisions about whether they will cooperate with the U.S. Attorney and other law enforcement or be deported back to a country that may or may not be a safe place to return to.

If a survivor elects to remain in the U.S., perhaps through a T visa or some other form of legal relief, she or he must assimilate to a new culture, learn a new language, learn how to navigate a foreign city, and find employment, education, and counseling services, as well as legal support for any immigration or other legal proceedings necessitated by that decision. These can be overwhelming obstacles, and require intensive supportive services for successful healing and integration.

SFCAHT’s Awareness Campaign exists so that people may know that trafficking occurs; as it is only through the outrage and advocacy of everyday citizens that we can pass laws to penalize traffickers and raise funds for survivors. Everyone must take a stand.

For more about the Department on the Status of Women’s work, visit www.sfgov.org/dosw. For more about the SF Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, visit www.sfcaht.org.

Fighting Human Trafficking in California

By Anna M. Caballero, Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and VCGCB Chair

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified abolishing slavery in the U.S., yet it is disturbing to note that 147 years later, thousands of human beings, many of whom are children, are taken forcibly from their homes and families and forced into prostitution or other subservient environments.

This form of modern-day slavery occurs worldwide. Victims are of all ages, including young children. Forms of human trafficking include: forced hard labor, sex trafficking, debt bondage, involuntary domestic servitude, forced child labor and child sex trafficking. The website stopslavery.net indicates that from 1998 to 2003, more than 500 victims from 18 countries were found in California, and it is believed that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

California is unfortunately a top destination and hub for traffickers due to the need for workers, a large immigrant population, extensive borders, and major harbors and airports. The State Capitol, Sacramento, is a target location for these illegal activities because of its locale. Nestled at the crossroads of four interstate highways, victims can be easily moved throughout the state, staying one step ahead of the authorities. Still, many residents are shocked and surprised that trafficking exists at all in California.

Public awareness is one of the most important tools in the fight against trafficking. Victims are here among us in plain sight, but many of us don’t know what to look for. Since 2005, the FBI has recovered 200 children forced to work as prostitutes in the Sacramento area. The FBI group, Innocence Lost Task Force, formed to address the growing problem of children forced into prostitution, has recovered more than 1,200 children from the streets throughout the U.S. in the last seven years. The internet is now used as a conduit for making these illicit transactions even easier.

It is difficult to assess the actual number of victims; it is such a covert activity. However, the Homeland Security estimates that there may be as many as 800,000 victims in the U.S. today. The Congressional Research Services advises that “as many as 17,500 people are believed to be trafficked into the U.S. each year.” Many victims are undocumented foreigners who fear deportations if they cooperate with law enforcement officials, but many are citizens.

Thankfully, in October 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 was enacted. Prior to that, no comprehensive federal law existed to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute their traffickers. In 2005, California passed the California Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which made human trafficking a felony. California continued to strengthen this law, increasing the fine from $5,000 to $20,000 for any person convicted of forcing into prostitution a child under the age of 16. It also allows for the forfeiture of property and proceeds acquired through trafficking.

California is a leader in the effort to combat human trafficking, acknowledging that it is a worldwide issue; Governor Brown signed the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act that became law on January 1, 2012. The new law requires retail sellers and manufacturers with annual worldwide gross receipts over $100 million doing business in California to publicly disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chain.

By becoming more knowledgeable and raising awareness, Californians can do our part to combat human trafficking. Join us in fighting this terrible scourge.

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Anna M. Caballero serves Governor Jerry Brown as a cabinet member and as Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. She is responsible for the oversight of departments charged with civil rights enforcement, consumer protection, and licensure for 2.4 million working professionals. She has served in state and local government as Mayor of Salinas, as a city council member for fifteen years, and in the California State Assembly for four years. Prior to her election to the Assembly, Caballero established Partners for Peace, a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth violence prevention in Salinas.