Posted 12:33 pm Sunday, September 04, 2011
Campaign Supports Sex Trafficking Victims
By BETTY WATERS
Staff Writer
American-born girls who are victims of illegal human trafficking for sexual exploitation soon could find a haven in East Texas.
If a fundraising campaign reaches its goals, such girls could come here to heal and transition into a new life at a cottage that would serve as a safe house.
Human trafficking involves labor trafficking as well as sex trafficking in every state, authorities say, although many Americans have the misconception that it is rampant only in foreign countries.
Staff Writer
American-born girls who are victims of illegal human trafficking for sexual exploitation soon could find a haven in East Texas.
If a fundraising campaign reaches its goals, such girls could come here to heal and transition into a new life at a cottage that would serve as a safe house.
Human trafficking involves labor trafficking as well as sex trafficking in every state, authorities say, although many Americans have the misconception that it is rampant only in foreign countries.
Refuge of Light, a new 501c3 nonprofit organization, aims to construct the safe house to serve victims in East Texas of child sex trafficking, ages 11 to 17.
The organization also plans to open a resale shop that would be a funding source for the safe house.
Refuge Resale Shop would open as soon as an affordable lease site can be found in Tyler. Backers hope Refuge of Light Safe House could open in spring 2012.
Out of concern that traffickers might come looking for the girls, location of land that will be the site of the safe house/cottage was not disclosed.
Norma Mullican, of Palestine, and her daughter, Missy Zivney, of Tyler, first became interested in the plight of victims of human traffickers when looking for a cause that proceeds from a book they wrote, titled “A Collection of Squirrel Tales,” could benefit.
The organization also plans to open a resale shop that would be a funding source for the safe house.
Refuge Resale Shop would open as soon as an affordable lease site can be found in Tyler. Backers hope Refuge of Light Safe House could open in spring 2012.
Out of concern that traffickers might come looking for the girls, location of land that will be the site of the safe house/cottage was not disclosed.
Norma Mullican, of Palestine, and her daughter, Missy Zivney, of Tyler, first became interested in the plight of victims of human traffickers when looking for a cause that proceeds from a book they wrote, titled “A Collection of Squirrel Tales,” could benefit.
They became aware of child sex trafficking in Cambodia and then found to their surprise that it was happening in the United States — including in Texas.
“The more we became aware of what was going on, God just laid it on our heart that we are to open a safe home for these kids,” Ms. Mullican said.
For about three years, the two women, joined by Ms. Mullican's husband, Mike, have promoted awareness of the problem, fostered education about it, founded Refuge of Light, established a board of directors, launched a fundraising campaign and worked toward construction of a cottage.
“The more we became aware of what was going on, God just laid it on our heart that we are to open a safe home for these kids,” Ms. Mullican said.
For about three years, the two women, joined by Ms. Mullican's husband, Mike, have promoted awareness of the problem, fostered education about it, founded Refuge of Light, established a board of directors, launched a fundraising campaign and worked toward construction of a cottage.
The safe home would accommodate six to eight girls.
“We want it to be a home –— not an institution,” Ms. Mullican said. The cottage would have a common area to serve as a large living room, a dining room table where the girls would eat together, plus a bedroom and a bathroom for each girl.
A professional licensed counselor would provide group and individual counseling, and there would be an on-site alternative accredited education program for the girls.
“Each girl will be evaluated as to what her needs are as far as counseling and education. They will have many needs that we will be dealing with on an individual basis,” Ms. Mullican said.
“We want it to be a home –— not an institution,” Ms. Mullican said. The cottage would have a common area to serve as a large living room, a dining room table where the girls would eat together, plus a bedroom and a bathroom for each girl.
A professional licensed counselor would provide group and individual counseling, and there would be an on-site alternative accredited education program for the girls.
“Each girl will be evaluated as to what her needs are as far as counseling and education. They will have many needs that we will be dealing with on an individual basis,” Ms. Mullican said.
Because no state funding is available for safe homes for victims of human trafficking, the Refuge of Light founders are seeking funds from private individuals, grants, donations and churches to fund construction of the cottage.
At the same time, Refuge of Light is promoting awareness and education about human trafficking.
About $50,000 had been raised at last report toward the approximately $1 million cost of constructing the cottage.
Although money already had come in from organizations, the first formal fundraising event was a recent pancake breakfast organized by Robert E. Lee High student Catherine Butschi, which raised $829.
The next fundraiser will be a Made for Survivors Silent Auction and crafts bazaar from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 at Palestine Senior Activity Center, 200 N. Church St., Palestine.
Church youth groups and organizations are making artwork, handmade crafts or homemade cakes, pies and other baked goods to donate for sale during the “Made for Survivors Bazaar.”
The communitywide event, to be hosted by Refuge of Light and Palestine area churches, will feature a rummage sale of items donated by local businesses, area merchants and churches, as well as food, kid-friendly activities and “ident-a-kid” kits.
During the auction and bazaar, information will be available to families about human trafficking and how to protect children from becoming victims.
Also coming up is a human trafficking awareness rally and fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 at Tyler's Bergfeld Park.
Attractions will include a children's area with jump houses and face painting. There will be crafts, other booths, an art contest and silent auction.
The drama team Traveling Trunk will perform, whose members are Holly and Bryce McWilliams and Nick Hoenshell. Music will be provided by two bands, the Michael James Band and a group called Mental Custody.
Speakers will be Brinda Carey, author of “Don't Cry, Daddy's Here,” and Dr. Tomi Grover, an abolitionist and founder of Traffickstop and STOMP.
Sex trafficking occurs when people are forced or coerced into commercial sex trade against their will, a trafficking report stated.
Numerous governmental and nongovernmental agencies produce varying and sometimes contradictory estimates and statistics of the number of victims of sex trafficking, but some officials say it is impossible to know how many are involved because it is done covertly.
Federally funded task forces primarily led by local law enforcement agencies investigated 2,515 incidents of suspected human trafficking between January 2008 and June 2010, most classified as sex trafficking, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice indicate there are 100,000 to 300,000 people sexually trafficked within the United States annually.
The average age children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States is 12 or 13, but children as young as 10 are victims, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
The U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Person Report estimated that every year, 200,000 American children are at risk for sex industry trafficking.
In most cases, Ms. Mullican said, children are sexually abused in their own home and run away looking for a safe place, but “run right into the arms of the traffickers.” In other cases, the girls may still be going to school and living in their own home but sneaking out at night, she said.
A trafficker often is an older man who poses as a boyfriend and lures the girls with gifts and offers to pay their rent, then coerces and forces them into prostitution, Ms. Mullican added.
Children are a moneymaking business to traffickers, who see them as a product that can be sold several times every night — in contrast to drugs, which can be sold only once, Ms. Mullican said. “It's not unheard of for a trafficker to make over $200,000 a year from one child,” she said.
According to some estimates, human sex trafficking worldwide is a $32 billion industry yearly.
“I would like people to remember (young victims) may be dressed up to look older in an adult world where adult men buy them, but they are children,” Ms. Mullican said.
“They are often called the invisible children because they are all around us and we don't recognize the signs of trafficking.”
The signs, she said, include truancy, a girl suddenly having gifts from an unknown source, bruises, unexplained anger and inappropriate dress for school.
Other signs, according to the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center, are staying out excessively late, unexplained absences from home, associating with an older crowd, withdrawal from family and former friends, a sudden deterioration of performance in school or dropping out and secrecy concerning their whereabouts and who they are associating with.
Common locations of sex trafficking, considered a modern-day form of slavery, are private homes, hotels, nail salons, restaurants, bars, strip clubs and massage parlors.
The founders of Refuge of Light envision rescued girls staying in the cottage/safe house until they are 18 and having the opportunity to go to college or a trade school.
They anticipate girls would be assigned to the home by Child Protective Services or the juvenile justice system.
For more information about Refuge of Light or to arrange for a speaker on the sex trafficking problem, call 903-279-8769.
At the same time, Refuge of Light is promoting awareness and education about human trafficking.
About $50,000 had been raised at last report toward the approximately $1 million cost of constructing the cottage.
Although money already had come in from organizations, the first formal fundraising event was a recent pancake breakfast organized by Robert E. Lee High student Catherine Butschi, which raised $829.
The next fundraiser will be a Made for Survivors Silent Auction and crafts bazaar from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17 at Palestine Senior Activity Center, 200 N. Church St., Palestine.
Church youth groups and organizations are making artwork, handmade crafts or homemade cakes, pies and other baked goods to donate for sale during the “Made for Survivors Bazaar.”
The communitywide event, to be hosted by Refuge of Light and Palestine area churches, will feature a rummage sale of items donated by local businesses, area merchants and churches, as well as food, kid-friendly activities and “ident-a-kid” kits.
During the auction and bazaar, information will be available to families about human trafficking and how to protect children from becoming victims.
Also coming up is a human trafficking awareness rally and fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 at Tyler's Bergfeld Park.
Attractions will include a children's area with jump houses and face painting. There will be crafts, other booths, an art contest and silent auction.
The drama team Traveling Trunk will perform, whose members are Holly and Bryce McWilliams and Nick Hoenshell. Music will be provided by two bands, the Michael James Band and a group called Mental Custody.
Speakers will be Brinda Carey, author of “Don't Cry, Daddy's Here,” and Dr. Tomi Grover, an abolitionist and founder of Traffickstop and STOMP.
Sex trafficking occurs when people are forced or coerced into commercial sex trade against their will, a trafficking report stated.
Numerous governmental and nongovernmental agencies produce varying and sometimes contradictory estimates and statistics of the number of victims of sex trafficking, but some officials say it is impossible to know how many are involved because it is done covertly.
Federally funded task forces primarily led by local law enforcement agencies investigated 2,515 incidents of suspected human trafficking between January 2008 and June 2010, most classified as sex trafficking, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice indicate there are 100,000 to 300,000 people sexually trafficked within the United States annually.
The average age children are forced into sexual slavery in the United States is 12 or 13, but children as young as 10 are victims, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
The U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Person Report estimated that every year, 200,000 American children are at risk for sex industry trafficking.
In most cases, Ms. Mullican said, children are sexually abused in their own home and run away looking for a safe place, but “run right into the arms of the traffickers.” In other cases, the girls may still be going to school and living in their own home but sneaking out at night, she said.
A trafficker often is an older man who poses as a boyfriend and lures the girls with gifts and offers to pay their rent, then coerces and forces them into prostitution, Ms. Mullican added.
Children are a moneymaking business to traffickers, who see them as a product that can be sold several times every night — in contrast to drugs, which can be sold only once, Ms. Mullican said. “It's not unheard of for a trafficker to make over $200,000 a year from one child,” she said.
According to some estimates, human sex trafficking worldwide is a $32 billion industry yearly.
“I would like people to remember (young victims) may be dressed up to look older in an adult world where adult men buy them, but they are children,” Ms. Mullican said.
“They are often called the invisible children because they are all around us and we don't recognize the signs of trafficking.”
The signs, she said, include truancy, a girl suddenly having gifts from an unknown source, bruises, unexplained anger and inappropriate dress for school.
Other signs, according to the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center, are staying out excessively late, unexplained absences from home, associating with an older crowd, withdrawal from family and former friends, a sudden deterioration of performance in school or dropping out and secrecy concerning their whereabouts and who they are associating with.
Common locations of sex trafficking, considered a modern-day form of slavery, are private homes, hotels, nail salons, restaurants, bars, strip clubs and massage parlors.
The founders of Refuge of Light envision rescued girls staying in the cottage/safe house until they are 18 and having the opportunity to go to college or a trade school.
They anticipate girls would be assigned to the home by Child Protective Services or the juvenile justice system.
For more information about Refuge of Light or to arrange for a speaker on the sex trafficking problem, call 903-279-8769.
