What country is number one in buying sex and human trafficking?
The United States of America.
What is the number one desirable target of sex trafficking?
11-year-old boys who can earn $250,000 a year for their trafficker.
I learned these facts at a meeting last night with guest speaker Joanna Shipe who is a long-time volunteer with The Dream Center (for woman ages 18 and older) and StreetLightUSA (ages 13 to 17.) I belong to the Creative Women of Pinnacle Peak which fundraises and supports Where Hope Lives and hosted the event.
Where Hope Lives is home to the largest human trafficking rescue and recovery operation in North America. We are located at the Phoenix Dream Center (ages 18+), StreetLightUSA (ages 13-17), and Colorado City Dream Center (familial trafficking survivors). Our quality assurance report boasts a 94% success rate, one year after graduating from our program.
Why Give To Where Hope Lives? Where Hope Lives Provides
Onsite medical center to address survivor needs
Onsite chapel is offered for spiritual nurture
Onsite behavioral health care healing services
Onsite trauma informed high school
Onsite physical wellness and wholeness center
Onsite eye care and dental care clinics
Onsite career training and job placement program
30,000 square feet of space for healing care
12 safe beds for boys and young men
41 safe beds for girls and young women
200 sex trafficking survivors served each year
$46K per year per survivor in healing costs
10 Years passing legislation to help victims
But even with all this…Only 1 out of every 100 individuals trafficked will be rescued.
The facility needs 2,000 beds. Shipe said the former administration came to observe The Dream Center for six weeks. They decided it was a premier program for helping victims of human trafficking and allotted $13 million to the program after going through everything with a fine-tooth comb. That would have provided funds for a new 2,000-bed facility on land that has already been purchased. The current administration cancelled the funds because the center won’t allow men or transgenders into the residential facility with women or children — who were raped up to 15 to 20 times per day and are traumatized.
A question was asked on how long victims stay in the residential facility. Shipe said it’s all individual on what each woman or child needs. She said they have one resident who has been there seven or eight years and may never leave. She was from Ukraine and bought by Epstein at age 10. She’s now in her late 20s and is so damaged she may never be able to lead a normal life. Others are able to continue on with their education or begin careers in a year or two.
Another fact I learned was human trafficking is organized crime. It’s not a one-off kidnapping with a child being thrown into a van. Kids are targeted who are vulnerable. The groomers are not covered in tattoos and don’t look like thugs. They are extremely good looking and clean cut. If your daughter were to bring one of these groomers home, you’d be pleased. Shipe said to not let your children or grandchildren alone with their phones at night. Grooming often starts on apps.
Do these facts change how you view human trafficking? What organizations in your area provide services for human trafficking?
Shocking stats Elizabeth. This is such a dangerous situation and awareness must be spread about these criminals who kidnap children and force them into this heinous trade.
I think very few are aware of the extent of this evil practice. You’re doing a great job in writing about it. Thanks for sharing
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Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts. 💕
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It’s my pleasure dear friend
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😊
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It’s a sad world. Yes, yes, we need to face this issue, bring light to the problem/nightmare and put the handlers and the mob behind it behind bars. Thanks for writing about it EA!
Breaks my heart every time I read stories like this …. But change needs to happen!!
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This organization also works on getting laws changed so the sex buyers as well as the traffickers can be arrested and prosecuted severely.
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Feeling all of what you shared in your comment, Brian. Yes — we can’t turn away and Elizabeth – your post and sharing of the facts and surrounding issues is so important. Thank you for all of that.
I can’t say it was a happy evening. You should have seen everyone’s faces when the talk was over. It is an organization that I can support and help out in little ways, like donating my clothes after cleaning my closet or buying things they need like deodorant and underwear.
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I can only imagine. But you’re also helping the cause in a very meaningful way by writing about the crisis and using your talents as a communicator. Very, very important right now, I’d say. xo 💕
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Thank you! I never even thought about that. Until my neighbor took me to a meeting with her with a guest speaker from the center, I knew absolutely zero about human trafficking.
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I see you…you are making a difference and having impact, using your voice. Appreciate you! 💕
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You’re so kind and also encouraging! 🥰
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…as are you! 🥰
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😊
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This is so heartbreaking. No matter how many times I hear the statistics, I’m always shocked. I can’t imagine being the parent of a young children in this day and age. How do you protect you kids without being overbearing, or is limited freedoms the price we need to pay to keep kids safe? It’s a sad situation all around, and I know Phoenix is especially bad.
It is heartbreaking. I think parents today have to limit freedoms, especially on phones to keep children safe. The speaker said the parents own the phones, not the kids.
I noticed you said 11-year old boys are the prime target, yet none of the facilities say they serve children that young. The one that takes kids starts at age 13. Is that because they are not rescued for several years?
That’s a good question. Maybe you’re correct. They do have a separate area for boys and they call it “timed out foster care” because there is such a stigma for them to admit to be sex trafficked. The speaker said it’s really difficult for them to recover and they need a lot of therapy and care.
I feel so sad for all these children. There are some sick people out there. Beyond that it is organized crime with big money behind it. Look at Epstein and how none of his “customers” have been held accountable.
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If you want to protect your child you are labelled a ‘helicopter parent’ – a badge I will proudly wear. This is beyond comprehension for normal people, the things that are involved in this sort of behaviour are a different species to us – they have to be to do what they do.
I was a helicopter parent, too. I’m glad my children are grown now and I’m not worrying about what is on their phones. One thing the speaker said was the groomers target vulnerable kids, ones who aren’t popular or outgoing. They avoid kids with high self esteem.
What if your kid is a mix of this – not outgoing but has good self esteem and has a healthy distrust of strangers?!
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That sounds like a healthy personality. I think it’s important to know what apps are on their phone, who they are talking to in real life and online. One guest speaker I heard, who was a deputy and rescues trafficked kids, said he had his son’s phone set up so it couldn’t access the internet.
We seem to have gotten lax on punishing offenders, but that’s a different topic
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From one of the speakers I’ve heard, who is a deputy and breaks down doors to rescue these kids, said that the laws are on the books, but the judges often don’t give the sentences. He asked us to look into judges records before voting.
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Smart idea
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Yes. The last ballot I filled out had two pages of judges. I left them blank. Next time I’ll do research.
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Wow, Elizabeth. This is just heart-breaking and hope-making. Thank you for the information and support of this great organization.
You wrote a great article here about something so abhorrent that it is difficult to comprehend. I don’t know much about local efforts to stem the tide of human trafficking, but am pleased to read about this organization. Thanks for the information.
A super scary area for anyone who has kids. It is disgusting our country leads the world in sex trafficking. I imaging we lead the world in a lot of undesirable areas. Peanut and I went and saw Sound of Freedom in the theaters. While embellished a bit for entertainment sake, I thought it did a lot to bring this topic out into the light.
I agree with you about Sound of Fury. It did put light on this horrific subject. The speaker said it was more accurate about sex trafficking in other countries rather than ours, where it’s big business and organized crime.
It’s good that you are bringing awareness to this horrific crime being committed against children. I wondered if the people being helped at the center are from all over the U.S., just near the border, recent immigrants, or whatever demographics you could provide.
The majority of residents in the center are from our area. They are citizens. They don’t see sex trafficking from the border. They are kids who are vulnerable with low self esteem. I initially thought it would be a border issue, but it’s not. Phoenix is a hub for sex trafficking because of all the freeways and easy access to other states.
Shocking stats Elizabeth. This is such a dangerous situation and awareness must be spread about these criminals who kidnap children and force them into this heinous trade.
I think people in US aren’t aware it is happening here.
I think very few are aware of the extent of this evil practice. You’re doing a great job in writing about it. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts. 💕
It’s my pleasure dear friend
😊
It’s a sad world. Yes, yes, we need to face this issue, bring light to the problem/nightmare and put the handlers and the mob behind it behind bars. Thanks for writing about it EA!
It’s so sad. Yes, I agree more light needs to be on the issue and people arrested.
Breaks my heart every time I read stories like this …. But change needs to happen!!
This organization also works on getting laws changed so the sex buyers as well as the traffickers can be arrested and prosecuted severely.
Feeling all of what you shared in your comment, Brian. Yes — we can’t turn away and Elizabeth – your post and sharing of the facts and surrounding issues is so important. Thank you for all of that.
I can’t say it was a happy evening. You should have seen everyone’s faces when the talk was over. It is an organization that I can support and help out in little ways, like donating my clothes after cleaning my closet or buying things they need like deodorant and underwear.
I can only imagine. But you’re also helping the cause in a very meaningful way by writing about the crisis and using your talents as a communicator. Very, very important right now, I’d say. xo 💕
Thank you! I never even thought about that. Until my neighbor took me to a meeting with her with a guest speaker from the center, I knew absolutely zero about human trafficking.
I see you…you are making a difference and having impact, using your voice. Appreciate you! 💕
You’re so kind and also encouraging! 🥰
…as are you! 🥰
😊
This is so heartbreaking. No matter how many times I hear the statistics, I’m always shocked. I can’t imagine being the parent of a young children in this day and age. How do you protect you kids without being overbearing, or is limited freedoms the price we need to pay to keep kids safe? It’s a sad situation all around, and I know Phoenix is especially bad.
It is heartbreaking. I think parents today have to limit freedoms, especially on phones to keep children safe. The speaker said the parents own the phones, not the kids.
I noticed you said 11-year old boys are the prime target, yet none of the facilities say they serve children that young. The one that takes kids starts at age 13. Is that because they are not rescued for several years?
That’s a good question. Maybe you’re correct. They do have a separate area for boys and they call it “timed out foster care” because there is such a stigma for them to admit to be sex trafficked. The speaker said it’s really difficult for them to recover and they need a lot of therapy and care.
I can’t even imagine!
I feel so sad for all these children. There are some sick people out there. Beyond that it is organized crime with big money behind it. Look at Epstein and how none of his “customers” have been held accountable.
If you want to protect your child you are labelled a ‘helicopter parent’ – a badge I will proudly wear. This is beyond comprehension for normal people, the things that are involved in this sort of behaviour are a different species to us – they have to be to do what they do.
I was a helicopter parent, too. I’m glad my children are grown now and I’m not worrying about what is on their phones. One thing the speaker said was the groomers target vulnerable kids, ones who aren’t popular or outgoing. They avoid kids with high self esteem.
What if your kid is a mix of this – not outgoing but has good self esteem and has a healthy distrust of strangers?!
That sounds like a healthy personality. I think it’s important to know what apps are on their phone, who they are talking to in real life and online. One guest speaker I heard, who was a deputy and rescues trafficked kids, said he had his son’s phone set up so it couldn’t access the internet.
It’s horrific.
It is. There needs to be more punishment for the buyers of sex as well as the groomers.
We seem to have gotten lax on punishing offenders, but that’s a different topic
From one of the speakers I’ve heard, who is a deputy and breaks down doors to rescue these kids, said that the laws are on the books, but the judges often don’t give the sentences. He asked us to look into judges records before voting.
Smart idea
Yes. The last ballot I filled out had two pages of judges. I left them blank. Next time I’ll do research.
Wow, Elizabeth. This is just heart-breaking and hope-making. Thank you for the information and support of this great organization.
You’re welcome. It is a cause I can get behind although I didn’t know anything about the problem a year or two ago!
You wrote a great article here about something so abhorrent that it is difficult to comprehend. I don’t know much about local efforts to stem the tide of human trafficking, but am pleased to read about this organization. Thanks for the information.
Thank you for the kind words. It is abhorrent and it’s disgusting that our country leads the world in sex trafficking.
A super scary area for anyone who has kids. It is disgusting our country leads the world in sex trafficking. I imaging we lead the world in a lot of undesirable areas. Peanut and I went and saw Sound of Freedom in the theaters. While embellished a bit for entertainment sake, I thought it did a lot to bring this topic out into the light.
I agree with you about Sound of Fury. It did put light on this horrific subject. The speaker said it was more accurate about sex trafficking in other countries rather than ours, where it’s big business and organized crime.
It’s good that you are bringing awareness to this horrific crime being committed against children. I wondered if the people being helped at the center are from all over the U.S., just near the border, recent immigrants, or whatever demographics you could provide.
The majority of residents in the center are from our area. They are citizens. They don’t see sex trafficking from the border. They are kids who are vulnerable with low self esteem. I initially thought it would be a border issue, but it’s not. Phoenix is a hub for sex trafficking because of all the freeways and easy access to other states.
Have you seen this article?
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/fbi-agent-undercover-human-trafficking-stings-nikki-badolato-1234923666/
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading it.
It answered my questions and was a real eye-opener.
I’m beginning it now.
That was a very moving story and it is right on track with what I’ve learned from Where Hope Lives.
This so sad. I know my church has a ministry devoted strictly for these issues.
That’s good. I believe this residential facility is affiliated with a church in some way.