All it takes is one story to make domestic human trafficking real to people.

NAPLES — All it takes is one story to make domestic human trafficking real to people.

So that’s how Klaas Kids Foundation Search and Rescue director Brad Dennis closed a three-hour training seminar on domestic trafficking awareness Tuesday at Florida Gulf Coast University — with his own story of survival.

“Back when that was happening to me we didn’t have that term ‘human trafficking.’ I didn’t have any recourse,” said Dennis, as he told the crowd of more than 60 how for a year his uncle sold him to friends so he could support his drug habit.

Dennis was part of a free training about human trafficking sponsored by FGCU’s honors program, the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Global Child Rescue and the Klass Kids Foundation. The event came on the heels of Monday’s worldwide observation of Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Attendees ranged from college students and law enforcement officials to area residents who just wanted to find out how they could help tackle the problem.

“I knew that it happened here, but I didn’t know to what extent,” said FGCU junior Oprah Stuart, 20, adding that the event was a learning experience.

The event’s keynote speaker, Klaas Kids Foundation president Mark Klaas led the first part of the event that covered the big issues plaguing human trafficking advocates when it comes to helping domestic trafficking victims, including what anti-trafficking legislation may say and what’s actually being funded.

Due to the U.S. being considered a destination/demand country for human trafficking, the U.S. passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000. The TVPA defined all minors involved in commercial sex acts as human trafficking, including minors who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Klass said even though the legislation is there, no actual funding has been set aside to deal with domestic human trafficking victims that are U.S. citizens and don’t necessarily qualify for any of the services that foreign victims can access.

And instead of receiving the services they need, many domestic minor sex trafficking victims are detained in the criminal justice system under charges of prostitution.

“Not one red cent has been allocated for the service provider to deal with these kids once they are brought off the street,” Klass said.

Dennis took over for the second half of the evening, which was aimed at taking it down to the street level and explaining how a child or runaway teen ends up as a victim of human trafficking.

“To see what it looks like down to a pimp’s and a victim’s relationship,” he told attendees.

But part of the problem with human trafficking in America, Dennis said is although the people have identified that the U.S. has an issue, it’s only being identified as an international problem with America as a destination country.

“What we want to bring to the forefront is that America is also a source country,” said Dennis. “We are providing that sources, meaning our own citizens.”

According to Klass, the commercial sexual exploitation of American children through prostitution or pornography or sexual performance for money or other compensation (shelter, food or drugs), is rampant in the U.S.

In a 2009 report, the U.S. Department of State acknowledged that an unknown number of American residents and citizens are victims of human trafficking for sexual servitude.

The Klass Kids Foundation estimates that half of the 1.6 million to 2.8 million children that run away annually in the U.S. are girls and that within 48 hours of hitting the streets, one third of these children are lured or recruited into the underground world of prostitution or pornography.

That’s why domestic trafficking has now become a priority in 2010, said Ana Rodriguez, Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking founder.

“We’re seeing that there is a high increase in the trafficking of minor U.S. kids rather than international,” said Rodriguez citing November’s Shaniya Davis case as an example. “We had a five-year-old that was sold by the mother and killed … She was a U.S. citizen and she sold her daughter. It’s time we start talking about domestic human trafficking.”

Connect with Elysa Batista at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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Thursday, January 14, 2010
President Barack Obama has declared January - National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
How CyberTraffickers Target Their Victims:

It is hard to believe that, in America, we have people trapped and forced to work as laborers or prostitutes as slaves of human traffickers. North Carolina has been ranked in the top 8 most common sites for human trafficking. One of the reasons we are so popular is I85 and I95.

The problem in the U.S. is so serious, that President Barack Obama has declared January - National
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Human trafficking is the modern day version of slavery. These criminals force their victims into labor and it can be in any industry. The most common forms of enslavement include labor, such as farming or working in a sweatshop, and sex trade.

Human traffickers love the I85 and I95 highways in North Carolina and they also use another highspeed highway to recruit, enslave, and find new customers-the internet.

Human traffickers target those who are society’s most vulnerable, have the quietest voices and find it hard to fight back. Often, victims include immigrants and children. Children who are loners or runaways are also a popular target of cybertraffickers.

North Carolina passed a bill in 2007 which makes human trafficking a felony and offers state assistance to victims.

In the last several months there were several cases in human trafficking uncovered in North Carolina.

One recent case was a spa in Union County who was using Craiglist to advertise services and the clients had no idea the staff there had been coerced into a human trafficking scheme.

We also had the tragic case of Shaniya Davis who was allegedly sold into sex trafficking via the internet by her mother.

Human trafficking via the internet to enable their crime rings has long been on the radar of the law enforcement community.

Statistics:
2,300 Arrests: The FBI has been diligently fighting this evil crime resulting in 2,300 arrests. They have also recovered 170 kids during sting operations.

15,000-18,000: The number of people drafted into slavery each year in the U.S. (Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

2 Million: Estimated number of people worldwide drafted into slavery via Human Trafficking

A Few Recent NC Cases:

Sex Ring:
April 2009, a man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for operating a human trafficking sex trade between Charlotte and Washington. Girls were as young as 16 and smuggled in from Mexico.

Child Sex Case – Internet Sting:
June 2009, a Duke University official, was arrested after an Internet sting. He was charged with trafficking a 5 year old boy for sex. His name was provided by a defendant in a different trafficking case.

Spa case in Monroe – Ads on Craigslist:
In 2008, a spa in Union County was using Craiglist to advertise services that were offered by people who had been coerced into a human trafficking scheme.

Shaniya Davis – Mother allegedly sold her into sex trade via internet:
In NC we have the pending case and trial regarding the alleged human trafficking of Shaniya Davis. Her own mother alledgedly sold her daughter into the sex trade using the internet to find a buyer and to send messages. This case should be a wake up call to parents, teachers, and all caregivers.

THE DIRTY TOOLKIT THAT CYBERTRAFFICKERS USE:
Online Ads: Ads offering great jobs at high pay in big cities. Often they hide behind ads for modeling, singing, or acting. Sometimes they will offer to fly the person to the other city for the “interview”.

Online Auctions: Craigslist is considered a magnet for international sex trade of children via the adult services section.

Photo Sharing Sites: Bypasses printing photos and allows operations to disseminate photos online for viewing by prospective buyers.

Social Media: Cybercreeps will use Chatrooms, social sites such as Facebook and MySpace, to recruit or trick kids into joining their trafficking scheme. They use these sites and blogs to connect to other cybercreeps to barter, trade, and sell their victims.

HOW TO SPOT THE WARNING SIGNS:
Many of the warning signs that a child is a victim of trafficking, or is being recruited, are similar to signs that the child is being cyberbullied or being groomed by a pedophile. They may include one or more of the following:
Unexplained absences
Runs away or discusses running away from home
Exhibits bruises, suddenly withdraws from social gatherings, displays depression
Demonstrates a sudden change in attire
Behavior becomes erratic, severe mood swings
Suddenly has material possessions given to them by a “friend”
Hides emails, text messages, or other online posts
Extreme change in online behavior – suddenly online all the time or suddenly not interested in
being online


PUT AN END TO TRAFFICKING:
E: Engage your kids in a conversation about trafficking. Targets start as young at 12 years old.

N: Notify and advocate for change. Notify your elected officials and ask what they are doing to improve awareness, catching cybertraffickers, and convicting them.

D: Don’t fuel the criminal economy. Where possible, research and choose free trade or slave-free certified products.

HOW TO REPORT SUSPECTED TRAFFICKING:
1. Contact local law enforcement
2. If you are unsure and want to talk through the situation first, you can start with the National 24/7 Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
3. If you want to report an incident, you can do so at the National Center’s CyberTipline at 1-800-the-lost or online at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
4. The FBI Human Trafficking Hotline is open 24 hours: 866.252.6850.

OTHER RESOURCES:
There are several websites that provide helpful information about Human trafficking. We have highlighted a few of them below:

Organizations:
Global Awareness, Outreach, and Victim Services: Polaris Project at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Check Your Chain Store’s Policies and write them letters about Human Trafficking at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Sites that include tips plus blogs that cover human trafficking:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Information on Global and U.S. Issues: FightSlaveryNow.org

North Carolina Focus:
NC Stop Human Trafficking: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Triad Ladder of Hope: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Government Sites:
U.S. Department of Justice Web site: 
http://www.usdoj.gov/whatwedo/whatwedo_ctip.html.
U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
http://www.state.gov/g/tip

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/index.html

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
http://www.ncmec.org

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


Presidential Proclamation:

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 04, 2010

Presidential Proclamation - National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

A PROCLAMATION
The United States was founded on the principle that all people are born with an unalienable right to freedom -- an ideal that has driven the engine of American progress throughout our history. As a Nation, we have known moments of great darkness and greater light; and dim years of chattel slavery illuminated and brought to an end by President Lincoln's actions and a painful Civil War. Yet even today, the darkness and inhumanity of enslavement exists. Millions of people worldwide are held in compelled service, as well as thousands within the United States. During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we acknowledge that forms of slavery still exist in the modern era, and we recommit ourselves to stopping the human traffickers who ply this horrific trade.
As we continue our fight to deliver on the promise of freedom, we commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation, which became effective on January 1, 1863, and the 13th Amendment, which was sent to the States for ratification on February 1, 1865. Throughout the month of January, we highlight the many fronts in the ongoing battle for civil rights -- including the efforts of our Federal agencies; State, local, and tribal law enforcement partners; international partners; nonprofit social service providers; private industry and nongovernmental organizations around the world who are working to end human trafficking.
The victims of modern slavery have many faces. They are men and women, adults and children. Yet, all are denied basic human dignity and freedom. Victims can be abused in their own countries, or find themselves far from home and vulnerable. Whether they are trapped in forced sexual or labor exploitation, human trafficking victims cannot walk away, but are held in service through force, threats, and fear. All too often suffering from horrible physical and sexual abuse, it is hard for them to imagine that there might be a place of refuge.
We must join together as a Nation and global community to provide that safe haven by protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers. With improved victim identification, medical and social services, training for first responders, and increased public awareness, the men, women, and children who have suffered this scourge can overcome the bonds of modern slavery, receive protection and justice, and successfully reclaim their rightful independence.
Fighting modern slavery and human trafficking is a shared responsibility. This month, I urge all Americans to educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking. Together, we can and must end this most serious, ongoing criminal civil rights violation.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2010 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, culminating in the annual celebration of National Freedom Day on February 1. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the vital role we can play in ending modern slavery, and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA

Im glad they are making this more known to the public!! I know that here in New Mexico we now have a new commercial on human trafficing and is pleading with people who think this is going on in their neighborhoods to contact authorities! at the same time, it puts the fear of god in me and makes me even MORE protective of my kids.