Tag Archives: sex trafficking

Where Hope Lives!

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I took this photo to catch the morning light on our money plant.

Wednesday was a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception for a kitchen we helped fund at the Phoenix Dream Center. The Phoenix Dream Center I’ve mentioned before. In it’s former life, it was an Embassy Suites Hotel. Now it’s a residential facility for sex-trafficked women.

Although it’s not in a good area of Phoenix, it offers a chance at recovery and a renewal for many teens and women. The kitchen my women’s group bought appliances for is a respite and educational center for women who choose to keep their babies. It was a space that previously was used for storage, then a break room for staff.

A couple who own a construction company, transformed the space into a living area with a large screen TV where babies and toddlers can relax and play while moms cook for them. There’s a large dining room table in the room adjacent to the kitchen where moms and kids can share meals. Like one staff member told us, “The heart of the home is the kitchen.” It’s a place for assembly and fellowship.

The construction couple designed the plans and used their employees to complete the rebuild. The owner said they hired an AC guy who was a graduate of the Phoenix Dream Center and now owns a HVAC company. They said they often use current people in the recovery program as apprentices to teach them skills to help ensure their future.

Their vision was to have a place where women residents could learn basics of cooking. They explained that many of the women were trafficked at a young age. They never learned things like following recipes, measurements, menu planning, etc. Things we all take for granted. After they learn basic skills, the center will bring in guest chefs.

Wow. I was impressed on how beautiful the room turned out. It’s more than a kitchen, it’s a place for mothers and babies to hang out together, learn and feel safe.

The construction couple gave us a tour of the Children’s Learning Center, which will be finished by the end of the month. It’s a daycare center for infants up to preschool. They have rooms for each age from one to preschool age. They stressed the only way to break the cycle of sex trafficking and victimhood is through education. The three-year-olds will begin to learn to read. The four-year-olds will read aloud to caregivers. The five- and six-year-olds are in preschool and will be prepared to enter public school at the same level as their peers.

Meanwhile, the children’s learning center is a safe place for up to 95 children. While moms continue with therapy, training and education at the Phoenix Dream Center, the moms have a safe place to leave their children — right in the heart of the center. We were told that when moms graduate the program, they can use the center for free daycare. Most women starting out on a new life do not have the means for daycare.

The Phoenix Dream Center is protected by Homeland Security plus local Sheriffs and Police. We learned that a 13-year-old girl can earn their trafficker $300,000 a year. If he has three girls, he’s making big money. They often want to get their “property” back after they’ve been rescued by law enforcement. That’s why there is full-time security, plus high tech DHS equipment — and more they didn’t discuss with us.

Not only am I impressed with the mission of the Phoenix Dream Center and how it changes lives, the couple I met who are donating their time, money and expertise to bring these plans to fruition, truly got me teary eyed.

Here are a few photos from the kitchen we helped support. Next, we’re buying refrigerators for the Children’s Learning Center along with computers for their pre-school.

Thanks for coming along on my tour and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Phoenix Dream Center — Where Hope Lives!

Please share your thoughts.

My super busy week

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A cactus in bloom last May.
A cactus in bloom last spring.

Ever have one of those weeks? Where everything seems to be happening at once? I’m having one and I’m thankful it’s Friday.

My week started with one thing on the schedule each day. That’s unusual for me. I usually have more down days than days with things planned. I had appointments, my lunch bunch went to a fun new restaurant, I had a board meeting for my women’s group that supports sex trafficked women. We invited a neighbor over for dinner Thursday because his wife is out of town. I had my zoom call where we discuss all the things you’re not supposed to in polite company — current events, politics and yes, religion!

I even made it to the YMCA and started lap swimming again! Yay for me! It feels wonderful to be back in the water and helps my toes that have started to hurt again during my walks. I will credit swimming to keeping me calm during my super, busy week.

I got a phone call while out to lunch with my friends. A swim mom friend from Palm Springs called. We usually talk for an hour. I didn’t answer because like I said, I was out to lunch. I forgot about the call and then I saw they texted me several times. I realized I had missed a few calls from her earlier in the week, too.

This mom was one of my best friends on the swim team. I went to my first swim meet when our son was in second grade. I was overwhelmed. It’s like landing on another planet. I didn’t know what was going on. Our son was scared. We couldn’t figure out how we were supposed to know when he was supposed to line up at the blocks.

The first person to greet me with a big smile and welcome was this woman, who would become one of my best friends.

Our two kids swam with her daughter, who went to the Beijing Olympics at age 16 and London at 20. Their daughter is so humble that once our daughter said to her, “Wow. I get to train with an Olympian.”

She looked around and answered, “Really? Who? Where’s the Olympian?”

Our son and her daughter would do homework together at the pool before practice when they were in high school.

Wednesday night I called and my friend asked if they could stay with us for three or four days starting the next day. Her husband is in a spear fishing tournament at a lake by us. He wants to scout out the lake before the big event. Of course I said yes.

They are arriving Thursday, while we’re having our neighbor over for dinner.

Thursday morning, I moved Olive and all her cat stuff from the casita into our master bathroom. I moved my files, books and laptop, too. We had guests a little over a week ago, and I prepped and readied the casita for them. Gradually, my stuff and Olive’s found it’s way back in there.

Sheets are washed, bed is made and grocery shopping is done to stock their fridge with a few goodies. I’m good to go. I did let her know that I had two meetings on Friday and would be gone most of the day.

She said she’s not expecting me to entertain her. So all is good! But I was a bit overwhelmed….

Do you like busy weeks, or quiet alone ones? Or a mix of the two?

Back in the PR biz again

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Desert view from a morning walk outside the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

I was asked a few months ago if I’d like to join the Board of Directors of the women’s group I belong to. The focus of the group is to raise funds for a residential facility for women who have been sex trafficked. We also clean out our closets, donate our clothes and purchase any items they need like deodorant and new underwear. I’ve written about the Dream Center HERE and HERE. The center provides medical care, eye care, clothing, psychologists, education and religious services if wanted.

The sad thing about my group of women is the club used to have 250 members. Now we’re at about 35. There’s not a whole lot of money raised by 35 people. What happened? COVID shutdowns plus an aging membership. I’m one of the new and young members — in my 60s!

In the end, I said yes and a neighbor friend also agreed to be on the board. Our first meeting was last month and I immediately knew what I would do. I agreed to be in charge of communication. My first project was to create a new brochure. Now I’m working on a sponsorship packet. After that it will be press releases. Back to my old career in the PR Biz.

I could see that communication was an area that could be improved. I’m glad I have experience and who knows? Maybe we can grow our organization back to where it will have a greater impact on the human trafficked teens and young women.

Then I saw this article:

42 arrested in Scottsdale human trafficking operation

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A human trafficking operation in Scottsdale led to the arrest of dozens of suspects, police said.

Scottsdale Police say they conducted an operation on July 12-13 “to arrest sex buyers, child predators, and individuals involved with the sex trade and trafficking.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/42-arrested-in-scottsdale-human-trafficking-operation/ar-BB1qdslq

Forty-two arrested? In two days?

What type of volunteering are you doing now or have done in the past?

Heavy topic alert: human trafficking

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After I filled the Bird Buddy AI bird feeder and birds were stopping by, these two hawks decided to hang out on our fence. All the other birds left immediately. (Photo has nothing to do with story except the hawks prey on weaker birds and animals than them.)

Yesterday, I attended a lunch with a women’s group I belong to. Our mission is to help victims of sex trafficking. We support the Phoenix Dream Center, a residential facility for victims that offers counseling, medical care, a safe place to live, ophthalmology, gardening, food, clothing and worship services if desired. They are changing their name to the Phoenix Dream Center Where Hope Lives. I’ve written about it HERE.

The guest speaker was from Arizona Anti-Trafficking Network, named Nate Boulter. He works with the Dream Center along with other organizations including government, police departments to train and save the victims of human trafficking.

One organization he belongs to is called CEASE Arizona. From the AATN website about CEASE:

OUR MISSION

The mission of CEASE Arizona is to train and educate employees of Arizona cities and counties, including first responders (law enforcement and fire/EMTs), to recognize, report, and respond to incidents of human trafficking in their communities thereby disrupting demand for commercial sexual exploitation. CEASE stands for Cities Empowered Against Sexual Exploitation.

https://aatn.org/cease-arizona/

Here’s a bio of our guest speaker from the AATN website:

NATE BOULTER

Program Director, Cities Engaged Against Sexual Exploitation (CEASE)

Nate joined the AATN team in July 2022. Nate retired after over 22 years as a law enforcement professional, having reached the rank of Sergeant with the Mesa Police Department. During his career, Nate has worked in plain clothes and undercover assignments and has been involved in all levels of investigations in Gangs, Street Crimes, Drug Interdiction, Special Investigations, and Human Trafficking. He was an AZPOST Instructor, having amassed several thousands of hours of specialized instruction, and is a qualified and certified subject expert in the Arizona Court System in Drug Trafficking, Prostitution and Sex Trafficking Investigations.

As the Mesa HEaT (Human Exploitation and Trafficking) Sergeant, Nate successfully planned, carried out, and assisted in numerous major operations in Mesa and across the Valley to combat sex trafficking. He created and hosted training for undercover decoys across several Valley law enforcement agencies, and established a partnership with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to better prosecute sex trafficking cases. He has worked to influence the revision of state statutes and city codes to better respond to the very real victimization of people in The Life.

Nate received numerous awards, citations, and commendations during his tenure at Mesa PD for his work keeping the community safe and “smashing bad guys!”

https://aatn.org/board/

I was seated at his table for lunch and asked him about our border crossing in Lukeville that is closed to legal crossers like myself to get to Puerto Penasco, our beach getaway, but has an influx of single men from throughout the world coming through.

He explained that it’s a staffing issue. Without the budget dollars being passed in DC to address our border issue, they can’t hire enough people. They have no idea if a position would be funded full time or for one month, so they are having a tough time filling positions. He also explained that Mexico has a zero immigration policy. They are bussing the immigrants to the border crossing to get them out of their country and into ours.

His words to describe the situation at the border: “It’s radical.”

Later in his talk to our group, he explained there is a difference between sex trafficking and human smuggling. Human smuggling is happening at our border. It’s a crime against our border, but it’s willful by those being smuggled. Sex trafficking is completely different and it’s a crime against a human being. Some of the people crossing the border may find themselves human trafficked at a later date, but that is a separate issue and crime.

According to Boutler most of the people sex trafficked are young girls from age 14 to 27. They are US citizens. Many are groomed online by someone they fall in love with, although some may be trafficked by family members. Like any abusive relationship, the victim believes things will change and that the trafficker loves her.

Boulter said “Nobody who loves you will sell you.”

One shocking statistic is the quota. A victim of sex trafficking may have a quota of $1,000 a day. Taking out days for illness, etc. one girl may make her trafficker $300,000 a year. If he has three girls, he’s making close to a million dollars a year.

The relationship is one of control. The trafficker controls what she wears, where she lives, when she can eat and he may dole out drugs to her. Her ID and credit card are in his possession and she’s been cut off from support of family and friends. Her phone will have an app on it where the trafficker can track her, listen to her calls and read her texts.

Boulter talked about “Force, Fraud and Coercion” which is used by the sex trafficker on the victim. He gave us things to look out for in public — like a huge age difference in a couple. Also, if the girl has her head down and cannot look the trafficker in the eyes. He also said parents need to take phones out of their kids rooms at night. Phones are the way most teens meet their sex trafficker.

He gave us a local number to call if we see something suspicious and said the best number to call is 911.

As parents how many of us were or are aware of what our children are doing on their phones?

Do you know if your area has a problem with sex trafficking?

Yet another reason to be grateful for the lives we have!

First trip to the Dream Center

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sunset pink sky
Pink sunset sky Tuesday night.

I took a tour of the Phoenix Dream Center with a group of women yesterday. It’s the residential facility that heals and houses victims of human trafficking.

I wrote about The Dream Center HERE.

The building itself is an old Embassy Suites. It has security from Homeland Security as well as their own security staff surrounding the building.

I was impressed that it had it’s own medical office. They said they want to check the victims out physically within a day of them entering the program. Often human traffickers keep the victims documents like driver’s license or social security card when they escape, so it could take 45 days to get new documents and a doctor’s appointment. They lost one young woman to organ failure and felt that they could do better. So, they built their own medical office and doctors volunteer their time so there is no need for documents or insurance.

The girl who died said she was at peace, because she was free and felt like the Dream Center was home.

The center also has a dental office and optometrist office.

I cleaned out my closet the day before my visit and found they have two rooms for men’s and women’s clothing that were clean and organized. Residents can go into the clothing rooms and pick whatever they want off the racks for free. Residents also are responsible for maintaining the clothing rooms.

There’s a garden which is healing for the residents to work in. They also have a chapel, therapists and psychiatrists.

One of the eye popping statistics was that unlike the drug traffickers who sell their product and then need to find more to sell, human sex traffickers can sell their victims from 12 to 16 times a day for years. Young boys around 11 years old can earn $300,000 a year for their traffickers.

We were told that 95% of the residents grew up in the Phoenix area, they are not coming from the southern border. The number one trafficker is a Romeo, who a vulnerable young woman falls victim to and is manipulated into sex trafficking. They may meet their trafficker online or in person.

It was a worthwhile day, but I’m emotionally exhausted.

I thought human trafficking was a border issue, but it turns out it’s not and it’s throughout our country and the world.

What are your thoughts about human trafficking NOT being a border issue?