Somaly Mam Foundation

In exploring The Huffington Post's coverage of International Women's Day (today!), I stumbled across an organization I had not heard of previously. It is called Somaly Mam Foundation, and it was started by the foundation's namesake, herself a former victim of trafficking, rape, and violence. Their umbrella goals are action, advocacy, and awareness - these are accomplished through rescue and recovery, education, reintegration, and global awareness.

I am inspired by the sheer number of organizations and individuals working for this human rights issue!

From their website:
Founded in 2007 by trafficking survivor, Somaly Mam, the Foundation is dedicated to ending sex slavery around the world with a results-oriented, three-step approach: Action, Advocacy & Awareness.
The common thread woven through all of our programs is the collective voice of the survivors. We model our vision after Somaly’s inspiring life, ensuring that survivors take charge in reclaiming their lives, fighting back against their former oppressors, and refusing to turn their backs on those who remain behind.

Visit Somaly Mam Foundation's website at: http://www.somaly.org/programs

Somaly Mam also wrote a book chronicling her journey from oppression to advocacy. Find her book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Road-Lost-Innocence-Cambodian-heroine/dp/0385526210

It's International Women's Day!

Today, March 8, is not only Women's Day, but it is the 100th anniversary of Women's Day. Women's rights are intimately tied with the issues of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. There are so many ways the average person can call attention to these social justice issues!

I am presenting this blog in class tomorrow and I will have a letter and petition for my classmates to sign going to Congressman Jim McDermott (7th district which includes Seattle, Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien). The letter details how critical it is that the United States supports policy that helps the millions of women around the world with poverty, education, and health.

Here are some other ideas to honor International Women's Day:

• "Join Me on the Bridge" Event:

The largest events are taking place on the Brookyn Bridge in New York, the Millenium Bridge in London, and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, but there are over 100 grassroots events on other bridges around the globe. You can use google street view to virtually attend any of these events.

From the video below: Women do 2/3 of the world's work and produce 1/2 of the world's food, yet only make 10% of the world's income and own 1% of the property.

Event site: https://sites.google.com/site/internationalwomensday2011/

• International women's organization CARE is celebrating Women's Day with a TwitChange auction on Ebay. Twitter lovers can bid to have a celebrity follow them or re-tweet them. Proceeds support CARE's programs to help impoverished women around the world!

Auction site: http://stores.ebay.com/twitchangeauction

CARE's site: http://www.care.org/index.asp

• Test your knowledge about women's rights history and violence against women advocacy:

Quiz site: http://www.saynotoviolence.org/quiz

• For $65 (less than $0.20 a day!) you can educate a young girl for an entire year. Research overwhelmingly tells us that education is one of the primary vehicles for lifting oppression and improving the lives of girls and women around the world (it also makes them less vulnerable to sexual exploitation and trafficking!).

To donate $65 (provides books, education, teacher training and other vitals) please go to:
http://www.savethechildren.org/c.cvKSIeO0IjJ4H/b.6231309/site/apps/ka/ec/Product.asp?ProductID=852915

Or visit the Save the Children website to find other ways to get involved:
http://www.savethechildren.org/

• Finally, VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/default.asp

Cheers!

Sign the Body Shop Petition to End Human Trafficking!

"

Check out the SlaveryMap

http://slaverymap.org/


This interactive map lets you search in your community to find where there have been instances of slavery and human trafficking since 2008. I found it shocking how many instances of trafficking occurred within 1/2 mile radius of Seattle University (see below)! Check out your own neighborhood - what will you find?


From the site:

Welcome to the movement to end slavery.

Slavery thrives in the shadows. An estimated 27 million live in bondage today – yet we know about the plight of so few of them. The battle to end slavery begins by revealing it.

Every captive is a person; every survivor has a story. It's time to show the world that slaves exist among us. Restaurants and fields, construction sites and brothels, suburbs and cities: all are home to victims of trafficking in the United States and abroad. Twenty-seven million slaves in the world, and we want to find them.

SlaveryMap exists to record and display instances of human trafficking across the globe. Whether you find them hidden in your hometown or covered in The New York Times, report the incidents onto this map for people everywhere to see. If you encounter a current situation of bondage, do not enter the information here. Please immediately call the US national trafficking hotline number so that the proper law enforcement and service providers can be alerted: 1-888-3737-888.

Join with your friends, your school, your community and Abolitionists throughout the world. Together, we will finally put a face to this epidemic.

Welcome to the movement.

		report		how to		about		contact	1308 REPORTS SINCE 6.1.08

©2011 Yahoo! Inc

Sexual Minorities and Exploitation

Children of color are not the only minority targeted for exploitation. Sexual minority (LGBTQQI) minors living on the street are particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation. In terms of victimization, sexual minorities were physically and sexually victimized by seven more people than heterosexual homeless youth. According to the articles below, homeless youth are at heightened risk for many risky behaviors, such as drug use, alcohol dependence, suicide ideation and attempts, sexual promiscuity, and prostitution - and it is documented that the LGBTQQI contingency's risk is even higher. It is thought that the prevalence of these behaviors in this community is due to high levels physical and sexual victimization before and after they are on the street. The incidence of sexual minority youth running away from home, being kicked out of their home, and dropping out of school are much higher than their heterosexual counterparts. It is important that social service agencies know how to connect with the youth LGBTQQI community, and how to meet their specific needs and concerns.

Sexual Health Risks and Protective Resources in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Homeless Youth

Lynn Rew, Tiffany A. Whittaker, Margaret A. Taylor-Seehafer, Lorie R. Smith

Issues and purpose. To compare sexual health risks and protective resources of homeless adolescents self-identified as gay (G), lesbian (L), or bisexual (B), with those self-identified as heterosexual, and to determine the differences between these two groups and the differences within the GLB group.

Design and methods. A secondary analysis of survey data collected from a nonprobability sample of 425 homeless adolescents between 16 and 20 years of age.

Results. Sexual health risks and protective resources differed between those self-identified as GLB and those self-identified as heterosexual. More G/L youth reported a history of sexual abuse and being tested and treated for HIV, and more scored lower on the assertive communication measure than did bisexual or heterosexual youth. Moreover, there were gender differences within the GLB group; more males than females self-identified as homosexual and more females than males self-identified as bisexual.

Practice implications. Sexual health interventions for this population should be both gender- and sexual orientation-specific.

To purchase full article, go to: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1088-145X.2005.00003.x/full

Rew, L., Whittaker, T.A., Taylor-Seehafer, M.A., & Smith, L.R. (2005). Sexual health risks and protective resources in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual homeless youth. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing, 10(1), 11-19.

A Comparison of Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Homeless Young Adults

Tyler, Kimberly A.

Abstract:

Although high rates of sexual victimization have been reported among homeless youth, less is known about whether the risk factors vary for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth compared to heterosexual youth. Based on a sample of 172 homeless young adults ages 19 to 26, results revealed that depressive symptoms, prostitution, and having friends who traded sex were significantly associated with higher levels of sexual victimization. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual young adults experienced more sexual victimization compared to heterosexual young adults. A test for interactions revealed that the effect of sexual orientation on sexual victimization was moderated by trading sex and having friends who traded sex. Finally, there is support for partial mediation of the effects of sexual abuse, neglect, and depressive symptoms on sexual victimization through other risk factors.

To purchase full article, go to: http://www.ingentaconnect.com...

Tyler, K.A. (2008). A comparison of risk factors for sexual victimization among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual homeless young adults. Violence and Victims, 23(5), 586-602.

Peer Victimization, Social Support, and Psychosocial Adjustment of Sexual Minority Adolescents

Trish Williams, Jennifer Connolly, Debra Pepler and Wendy Craig

Abstract

The present study examined the link between sexual orientation and adjustment in a community sample of 97 sexual minority (gay male, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning) high school students, taking into account their experiences of peer victimization and social support within peer and family contexts. Adolescents were identified in a large-scale survey study conducted at 5 high schools. They were matched to a comparison sample of their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority adolescents reported more externalizing behaviors and depression symptoms than heterosexual youth. Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority youth reported more sexual harassment, more bullying, less closeness with their mothers, and less companionship with their best friends. There were no significant differences between gay male, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning adolescents. Overall, both victimization and social support mediated the link between sexual orientation and psychosocial symptoms. Among sexual minority youth, the link between social support and externalizing was mediated by experiences of peer victimization. These findings highlight the contextual risk and protective factors associated with non-heterosexual sexual orientation in accounting for the emotional and behavioral problems in this population.

To purchase full article, go to: http://www.springerlink.com...

Williams, T., Connolly, J., Pepler, D., & Craig, W. (2005). Peer victimization, social support, and psychosocial adjustment of sexual minority adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34(5), 471-482.

Challenges Faced by Homeless Sexual Minorities: Comparison of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Homeless Adolescents With Their Heterosexual Counterparts

Bryan N. Cochran, MS, Angela J. Stewart, BA, Joshua A. Ginzler, PhD and Ana Mari Cauce, PhD

Objectives. The goal of this study was to identify differences between gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) homeless youths and their heterosexual counterparts in terms of physical and mental health difficulties.

Methods. A sample of 84 GLBT adolescents was matched in regard to age and self-reported gender with 84 heterosexual adolescents. The 2 samples were compared on a variety of psychosocial variables.

Results. GLBT adolescents left home more frequently, were victimized more often, used highly addictive substances more frequently, had higher rates of psychopathology, and had more sexual partners than heterosexual adolescents.

Conclusions. Homeless youths who identify themselves as members of sexual minority groups are at increased risk for negative outcomes. Recommendations for treatment programs and implications for public health are discussed.

To access full article, go to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447160/

Cochran, B.N., Stewart, A.S., Ginzler, J.A., & Cauce, A.M. (2002). Challenges faced by homeless sexual minorities: Comparison of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender homeless adolescents with their heterosexual counterparts. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 773-777.

Perpetrators of early physical and sexual abuse among homeless and runaway adolescents

Kimberly A. Tyler and Ana Mari Cauce

Objective: To examine abuse specific variables among homeless and runaway adolescents and to look at perpetrators of childhood abuse.

Method: A total of 372 homeless and runaway adolescents were interviewed using a systematic sampling strategy in metropolitan Seattle. Young people were interviewed on the streets and in shelters by outreach workers in youth service agencies.

Results: Approximately one-half of these young people reported being physically abused and almost one-third experienced sexual abuse. Females experienced significantly higher rates of sexual abuse compared to males, and sexual minority youth experienced significantly higher rates of physical and sexual abuse compared to heterosexual youth. Average duration of physical and sexual abuse was 5 and 2 years, respectively. Both types of abuse were rated as extremely violent by more than half of those who were abused. The average number of different perpetrators of physical and sexual abuse was four and three, respectively. Biological parents were the majority of perpetrators for physical abuse whereas nonfamily members most often perpetrated sexual abuse. Average age of perpetrators was late 20s to early 30s and the majority of perpetrators were male for both types of abuse.

Conclusions: The pattern of exploitation and victimization within the family may have serious and cumulative developmental consequences for these youth as they enter the street environment. Early intervention programs are needed to break the cycle of exploitation and abuse that adolescents experience within the family. Without intervention, many of these youth may be at risk of future exploitation and re-victimization out on the street.

To purchase full article, go to: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

Tyler, K.A. and Cauce, A.M. (2002). Perpetrators of early physical and sexual abuse among homeless and runaway adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26(12), 1261-1274.

Local News | State Senate approves child prostitution bills | Seattle Times Newspaper

Originally published March 5, 2011 at 12:27 PM | Page modified March 5, 2011 at 4:02 PM

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State Senate approves child prostitution bills

The state Senate has unanimously approved two bills aimed at fighting child prostitution. The bills would expand the criminal definition of human trafficking and allow police to record telephone calls involving underage victims when the victims give consent.

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. —

The state Senate has unanimously approved two bills aimed at fighting child prostitution. The bills would expand the criminal definition of human trafficking and allow police to record telephone calls involving underage victims when the victims give consent.

Senators Jerome Delvin of Richland and Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle are collaborating on the bills to combat the problem in Washington.

Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg told the Tri-City Herald that trafficking in child prostitutes isn't an everyday occurrence in the Tri-Cities, but police see it often enough to be concerned.

Current law prohibits police from employing minors in sex trafficking investigations. It also prohibits police from recording conversations without the consent of both parties on the call.

Local News | State Senate approves child prostitution bills | Seattle Times Newspaper

2008 Trafficking in Persons Report

The 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report on 170 countries is the most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons. Its findings will raise global awareness and spur countries to take effective actions to counter trafficking in persons.

The annual Trafficking in Persons Report serves as the primary diplomatic tool through which the U.S. Government encourages partnership and increased determination in the fight against forced labor, sexual exploitation, and modern-day slavery.

Tier 1 (Full compliance with the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA))   Tier 2 (Significant efforts to comply with TVPA)   Tier 2 Watch List (Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards AND a) The absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing; or b) There is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year; or c) The determination that a country is making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with minimum standards was based on commitments by the country to take additional future steps over the next year)   Tier 3 (No efforts to comply with TVPA)   No data/Special

The Tier Rankings for countries of interest to http://HumanTrafficking.org are:

» Australia: Tier 1
» Burma: Tier 3
» Cambodia: Tier 2
» China: Tier 2 Watch List
» Hong Kong SAR: Tier 1
» Indonesia: Tier 2
» Japan: Tier 2
» Lao PDR: Tier 2
» Malaysia: Tier 2 Watch List
» Mongolia: Tier 2
» New Zealand: Tier 1 
» Philippines: Tier 2
» Singapore: Tier 2
» South Korea: Tier 1
» Taiwan: Tier 2
» Thailand: Tier 2
» Vietnam: Tier 2

To download the full Trafficking in Persons Report, visit: http://www.state.gov/g/tip

"We are pleased that in the seven years since the creation of the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, the United States and our friends and allies have made important strides in confronting the reality that human beings continue to be bought and sold in the twenty-first century. It has been gratifying to witness the determined governments, human rights and women’s groups, faith-based organizations, and many brave individuals who are dedicated to advancing human dignity worldwide. Trafficking and exploitation plague all nations, and no country, even ours, is immune."
    --Secretary Rice, June 4, 2008