So Who REALLY goes missing?

         by Cynthia Caron                       

                                                             

Alzheimer's:  This disease touches many lives. Those with cognitive disorders are at risk of becoming a missing person due to confusion and becoming lost or wandering. Many of those who have gone missing have families that depend on us to help locate their missing loved one.

Developmentally Challenged
 Those who are developmentally challenged are very much at risk and we work with many families whose missing loved ones disappear who are developmentally challenged.  There is a higher rate among those who are young adolescents due to their vulnerabilities. They are always considered endangered and may qualify for a "Silver Alert", depending upon the laws set forth in their state.

Autism

  With the increasing amount of loved ones diagnosed with autism each year, an increase also occurs with those who suffer with autism who go missing.  We've noticed that many of those who have autism, and go missing, are usually children or teens.  Depending on the level of their cognitive awareness determines the probability of where we may need to focus in locating them. Those who are higher functioning may be "wandering" the streets and find themselves in situations in which they are at risk of becoming harmed and/or taken advantage by others. Some are manipulated and persuaded to leave the comforts of their homes with false promises of "love" in which they are invariably "preyed upon" and are at high risks of danger. 

Those who are at a lower level of cognitive awareness may wander from their family and are highly drawn towards water. Studies are ongoing as to why and unfortunately many that become missing for more than 48 hours are commonly located passed away in a death by water. (Lakes, streams, ponds, pools, etc.)

Special and Medical Needs

From Diabetes, epilepsy to traumatic brain injury, (Stroke or brain damage) those who have possess any of these condition "types" are also at risk of becoming a missing person due to a medical incident/accident to confusion from cognitive awareness.

Emotional Disorders  

 Commonly known previously as "mental illness."  A large number of families of missing come to us whose loved ones have battled emotional disorders and have disappeared.  Families are already very exhausted, stressed and many have spent years helping their loved family members by advocating for them and assisting them through their low emotional states. Emotional disorders is a very difficult "find" for a missing loved one because many have the intelligence capabilities that can keep them missing for a very long time. 

While they may not be plagued with a lower intelligence level, they are in fact at-risk due to their emotional disorders, which in many cases can have disastrous outcomes including self-harm and suicide.  Those who are at higher risk of becoming a missing person are loved ones who have chosen to go off their medication(s). 

Some of the most common diagnosed loved ones who go missing are those who suffer with depression, Bi-polar disorder or Schizophrenia. Many times they are young adolescents who are in the process of receiving a diagnosis but disappear prior to it being confirmed. (This is very common in those between the ages of 18-24 and are college students.)

Accidents 

Missing loved ones become missing due to numerous "accidental situations" such as off road vehicle accidents, those lost in mountains while hiking or even "freak" accidents and can become a missing statistic due to not being able to locate or find them timely. A large majority located deceased are also known to have gone missing from a public gathering in which alcohol was served.

One does not have to be intoxicated or legally drunk to suffer an accident which can be fatal. Far too often we assist families of young college age students (primarily young men) who leave a public gathering, pub or nightclub (under the influence and not legally intoxicated) only to be located deceased with a death by water. (Same common to those with cognitive disorders, above.)

LostNMissing established the campaign, and website, "Friends Don't Leave Friends Alone" [2] as the same young deaths we believe could have been avoided had the person left with someone else and did not stray off alone from their friends.

Divorce/Separation/Break-Up
 It is very unfortunate but it is known that many women, and men, who go missing and are in the process of a separation from their spouses, or boyfriend/girlfriends, may disappear and a very high rate is due to foul play and by the hands of those they were leaving. This is a very complicated missing person case as families are enduring not only the pain of their loved one missing but also in states of confusion as to why law enforcement processes seem so complicated.

 Families find there are many barriers, due to the legal system and laws, that stand in the way of finding their missing and loved family member. In nearly all cases the family already is aware that their missing will not be located safely and this adds to the stress and trauma.  Detectives and investigators must adhere to the law of "just cause" in order to find needed answers.  This frustrates law enforcement, as well.  While many may want to do full "homicide investigative procedures", if there is not "just cause" to enable them...their "hands are tied." (Example: Luminol spraying a home, arresting a potential suspect and "making them talk" are just two examples of many tactics families expect, but is halted due to laws that protect those who are suspect.)  Because a case may turn to a homicide investigation, or may be classified as missing with foul play, organizations are limited in what information is presented to them (and sometimes to the family, as well) to enable finding the missing loved one.

 Law enforcement will always take the lead and organizations assist by making pleas to the public for awareness of the missing person.  At LostNMissing we will focus on looking for a "living missing loved one" and respect that law enforcement is looking for a deceased missing person.  By doing this we are making sure the family of the missing receive both aspects of a missing persons' case. When presenting a missing loved one as possibly being "alive and out there" invariably is also assisting law enforcement because the awareness campaign of seeking the missing loved one may bring tips/leads that can help make a break in the case. 

We also know, and have experienced, many cases in which all indicators show the missing may have been a victim of foul play (with homicide investigating) and the missing person is invariably located safely. Unless solid evidence (such as an obvious crime scene) exists, we always go with the hopes that the missing can be found alive and well.

Human Trafficking 

Missing loved ones can become victims of human trafficking and quite a majority that are trafficked is for sex purposes. According to the FBI website, they explain, "It's sad but true: here in this country, people are being bought, sold, and smuggled like modern-day slaves.They are trapped in lives of misery-often beaten, starved, and forced to work as prostitutes or to take grueling jobs as migrant, domestic, restaurant, or factory workers with little or no pay.

 We're working hard to stop human trafficking-not only because of the personal and psychological toll it takes on society, but also because it facilitates the illegal movement of immigrants across borders and provides a ready source of income for organized crime groups and even terrorists."  [2] While primarily those missing are young women, young men are known to have been trafficked as well.

Drugs of Abuse
 When a loved one is under the influence of drugs and/or associates with those who buy, sell or take drugs...this puts them at risk of danger in which they can possibly become a missing person. We've had cases in which those have been located safely and living a life "off the streets" in a drug dazed world and we've had missing loved ones who were located deceased a victim of drug activities, suicide under the influence (or through withdrawal) or due to an overdose.

Of One's Own Choice with cognitive awareness and decision making 

Surprisingly, this is one of the lowest common causes of an adult person's disappearance. Highest among minors. Yet, adults receive very little media and public awareness.

Unfortunately the "general public" has the misconception that this is the "number one reason" someone is missing, especially as it pertains to adult males.

We certainly do need to have this category, and fact is...we wish this was the reason most loved ones go missing as the alternative reasons are not usually with a good ending.  85% of our missing adult cases end each year with the missing adult either located deceased or known to be deceased and no body recovered.

Those  missing, of their own free will, are due to their own choice to leave their present life. Again, a very low percentage of adults, high for teens. (ex: runaways.)  These decisions are made with cognitive awareness, are usually planned and usually are the easiest cases to locate the missing person as they leave more "trails" for investigations to track their whereabouts.  Some of the more common reasons are: To start over a new life, to escape and hide from law enforcement, to experience life outside the rules of a parent/guardian (commonly known as "runaway"), to escape an abusive person by going into hiding or to "live off the land" away from everyone, to start a new life with another person, or due to joining a cult.

Abduction/Kidnapping While rare, abduction is a possible cause for a missing loved one (both adults and children) to have disappeared. Parental abduction is the leading cause of missing children in this particular category along with abduction for trafficking purposes.  Lower on the rate of statistics is the kidnapping for the purposes of rape and/or murder. It is also extremely rare that one is kidnapped for the purpose to extort money in exchange for their safe return. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the major causes for missing children are:

• The most recent, comprehensive national study for the number of missing children estimated in 1999: [3] 
• Approximately 800,000 children younger than 18 were reported missing.
• More than 200,000 children were abducted by family members.
• More than 58,000 children were abducted by nonfamily members.
• An estimated 115 children were the victims of "stereotypical" kidnapping. These "stereotypical" kidnappings involved someone the child did not know or was an acquaintance. The child was held overnight, transported 50 miles or more, killed, ransomed or held with the intent to keep the child permanently.

Over 2,000 go missing in the United States EVERY day in the USA.
No person, no family is exempt from the trauma of having a loved one disappear. Every person, and every family, from all walks of life can have this happen at any time....and feel lost, confused, worried, fearful and will turn to us for help. We are here for those families and hope this public awareness campaign provides more clarity as to the plight families of missing have and the need for the public to assist whenever someone goes missing in their community.

Respectfully,

Cynthia Caron
President/Founder
LostNMissing, Inc.

NamUs-Victim Advocate (NH)

Office: 603.965.4621
24-hr Cell: 603.548.6548
www.lostnmissing.com

LostNMissing Inc., is an all-volunteer national tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "code") and qualifies as a public supported organization under Sections, or Categories: P99 (Human Services - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C.); M99 (Other Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness, and Relief N.E.C.); I01 (Alliance/Advocacy Organizations). LostNMissing is organized and incorporated under the laws of the State of New Hampshire. We never charge a fee for our services.

Truly Caring for the Kids

by Charles Moncrief

Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.  Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

Whenever a political hack wants to gain power and build favor with constituents, especially following a traumatic national event, speechmakers appear on television and in news photos with children surrounding them. Why? Because it works. It’s a cheap and dirty form of child trafficking, one of the worst. Anytime a point cannot be made on its own merits, a favorite tactic is to drag the kids into the fray.

Some precedents from recent history include Chairman Mao of Red China, Kim Jong Il of communist North Korea, Chancellor Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany, and Fidel Castro of communist Cuba. I admit that my ideals are different from those on this list, but I'd be just as disgusted to see some preacher surrounding himself with children as he pleads “Please bring your children to Sunday school, so that they don’t go to hell.” The believed merits of a cause simply do not justify this form of presentation.

While I'm writing this within a few weeks following the Connecticut school shooting, I'd rather leave the debates about gun control to those who follow those tactics. Instead of walking on those hot coals, my purpose is to focus on a much better treatment of children than launching a modern-day cheap version of the Children’s Crusade in the thirteenth century.*

Rather than dwell on child trafficking and abuse at the political and media level, we might want to look at forms of abuse that can occur at the level where we have some control and influence: the home. Admittedly, observations and reflections are intuitive; I'm no expert on raising children, and I'm suspicious of anyone who claims to be. But here are some observations and considerations.

Trauma or violence.Well-balanced children tend to come from peaceful homes, where there is respect and acceptance even for differences. And the opposite is true; unbalanced children generally come from traumatic home life where disrespect abounds. Violence in the home, whether physical or verbal, has its effect even on the children who are not the direct targets of the violence.

Parental example. Parents can have far-reaching effects on the children simply by the example they set. There’s no such thing as “when the children aren’t looking”. Children may be young, but they’re not incapable of picking up clues that build a picture for them over time. While nobody’s suggesting a return to the Ozzie and Harriet days, it makes sense to consider the effects of the behavioral examples parents set for their children.

Parental absence. How familiar is the story of a father whose success in business or society became more important than his family? Often a father or mother becomes so obsessed with providing for the children, at the expense of the relationship with those children. I get the picture of a parent driving by the house and throwing a bag of cash, food, or clothing into the front yard for the children to pick up.

Parental discipline. Failure to have realistic expectations on children’s formation can breed an atmosphere of disrespect and resentment. Remembering that children are not simply adults in small packages, it’s important to set standards of behavior and to enforce them. A child who knows his or her boundaries is actually much more free than one who doesn’t. Bruno Bettelheim offered an illustration of a child playing in a fenced-in yard, who knew the boundaries. He compared the situation to that of a child in an unfenced yard, who developed a fear of straying because there were no boundaries to serve as a guide.

Parental favoritism. Even the children who “benefit” from favoritism tend to have little respect for their parents, maybe more so than those who get the less favored treatment. The failure to provide even-handed discipline can have lifelong consequences when the children turn into adults.

In principle, the responses to these might be too simplistic:

• Provide a peaceful and nurturing environment for the children.
• Set examples of maturity in front of the children, even when you think they aren’t looking.
• Be present with the kids. They’d rather have your presence than your presents.
• Set standards of discipline and behavior, with consistent enforcement.
• Don’t play favorites.

I don’t like the simplistic responses, so I'll leave that to those truly skilled in the art of raising children into adults. But I would like to offer a few thoughts for the wounded veterans of relationships, since most of us live in some form of that state.

Repairing broken relationships. Consider the possibility that it is never too late to mend fences. Whether with alienated children or broken relationships with former close friends. If you can build up the strength to try (or to try YET AGAIN), this might be the time when you find gold. At least, you might find yourself liking the person you see in the mirror.

Reaching out. If you think you’re meeting a person halfway, think again. If you think you’re reaching out more than halfway, think again. Better yet, get an objective opinion from someone you trust.

Being open to honest feedback. Rather than considering the source, try considering the content. One scene comes to mind from “Last Holiday” in which a corporate president says (paraphrased) “She made a lot of accusations and we took it, because we thought she was someone important.” Sometimes the least of those around us can offer the greatest value if we will but pay attention. Remember, “The emperor has no clothes!” came from the mouth of a child.

Forgiveness kept in private. Before entering the presence of the person you’re reaching out to, silently and to yourself say the person’s name followed by “I forgive you”. Then never say it to the person’s face, at least as a lead-off line. At least, make the approach from a posture that the issue is too complicated to offer blame.

Even an attempt to repair a broken relationship can have far-reaching benefits. The grown children may not be receptive, even to the first hundred attempts, but they will on some level have to acknowledge that you’ve made the effort.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life worked this way all the time? We can all hope and pray for a perfect world, though we can at the same time hope and pray for the strength -- and even the sense of humor -- to deal with the reality that the system has its flaws. All the best in your journey through this new year.

Grace and Peace,
Charles+


* Legend, tradition, and lore have muddied the water about the events and sentiments surrounding the Children’s Crusade. Many modern historians even claim the participants were impoverished adults. Regardless, I'm using the name for what the words imply: exploitation of children to sell an idea that cannot stand on its own merits.

Frontline For Justice: Prevent, Protect, Restore

by Heidi Hiatt

Oh no. Not that question.

Squirming in my chair, I was listening to the questions being asked of Phil Cathey, an anti-human trafficking activist with Frontline for Justice. It was Phil’s presentation, not mine, but my education and life experiences had me champing at the bit to back him on some of his answers.

Who does this? Why do they do it? Who are the customers? Why don’t the victims leave? Cathey, an engaging speaker who had recently been on a mission trip to Thailand, was fielding these queries as he discussed the modern horrors of human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking. The audience was captivated and wanted to know what they could do to help stop it.

The questions being asked were incisive and legitimate. They were put forth by caring people who actively reach out to others in need. But admittedly my heart sank when I heard a comment to the effect of “couldn’t the victims just tell someone?” That question. It reminded me just how much work has to be done to educate the general public that victims of both human trafficking and domestic violence can’t “just leave.” That’s a common myth and assumption that denies the dangers victims face and the deadly control their abusers yield.

Frontline for Justice (FFJ), in their own words, is a group of men and women committed to the abolition of all forms of slavery and human trafficking. They “advocate for women and children at risk of, or enslaved in, the injustices of sexual exploitation, trafficking, and slave labor.” Their motto is Prevent, Protect, and Restore, meaning that they not only care about stopping modern-day slavery, but about restoring the lives of its victims.

FFJ works in partnership with organizations in Southeast Asia and they care deeply about the children affected by the unconscionable acts of their “owners” and the perverts who sexually violate them. There are some alarming statistics on their website and facts Phil mentioned that made me sick when I heard them. We tend to think of human trafficking as something that happens mostly in other countries or to immigrants. But Phil quickly repudiated those myths.

For example, the SeaTac area of Washington is considered the third best place in the country to have sex with underage girls. In my own backyard, hundreds of girls, some as young as 11, are made to work as prostitutes. These children are often recruited from public gathering places, like malls, by miscreants who pose as “boyfriends.” These include malls in affluent areas and locations that parents let their kids wander without supervision because they believe they are safe.

These predators approach the girls, fully aware of their vulnerability and naivety, and begin giving them attention and gifts to make them feel special. Soon these “boyfriends” are asking their prey for “favors” that coerce them into a life of prostitution—or they rape them. Whether the rape is forcible or coerced, it is still the rape of a minor. The girls quickly become trapped in a life of sexual servitude that can isolate them from family and friends, especially when their captors relocate them. Not long before, they were just a ninth grader cruising the mall with their friends, but now they are sex slaves.

Evidently there are more human beings in slavery now—about 27 million—than during the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade according to FFJ’s site. FFJ says that almost two million children a year are exploited in the commercial sex industry, and human trafficking generates billions upon billions of dollars every year. It’s big business, and the more our daughters, neighbors, and young people in our very own communities are exploited, the more money they make for their greedy, shameful masters.

Despite Washington being the first state to make human trafficking a criminal offense in 2003 and the first to increase oversight of escort sites this year, as well as King County prosecuting the state’s first trafficking case in 2009, modern slavery is flourishing in my area. While in other countries victims are sometimes sold into slavery by their parents or husbands, lured by the promise of a job, kidnapped, or deceived by a false marriage proposal, here we have tragedies that parents can do much to prevent.

Some parents make the assumption that their unsupervised kids will be safe in public places. Predators know that and are on the lookout for just such children. Many parents aren’t involved in their children’s lives enough to know where they’re at or who they’re with. They might not screen the new “boyfriend” or truly know what their 14 year-old daughter is doing at 11:00 at night. More than ever before, it’s imperative that parents and other adults protect children from the sociopaths that stalk them, but at the same time, it seems to me that more parents than ever give their underage children free rein of their lives.

During his explanation of human trafficking, Cathey was asked who the consumer is. While our stereotypical view of a predator may be a visibly creepy, slovenly, antisocial type, reality is they’re all around us. Those who consume these children’s innocence are the guy two houses down, the family man three cubicles over, and the stylish madam on the next block who comes across as a successful business woman. In other words, those exploiting these children are not all suspicious characters camped out in a seedy motel by the airport, they’re among us.

For this reason, Cathey said, we need to be aware of our surroundings. If we see a house down the street in our quaint suburban neighborhood that has a lot of vehicle or foot traffic, we should acknowledge the possibility that drugs or sex slavery is going on inside. People in my neck of the woods don’t like to hear this, but we do have gangs and organized crime here, and this is often how they make their money. They are successful in part because they know how to blend in enough to go where the money is—and that’s often a place where people don’t want to believe that such crime is happening in their own backyard.

As with many crimes, people want the government to step in and stop human trafficking from happening. Cathey pointed out that the manpower and resources for this are limited, and after years of studying crime, I’ve concluded that crime prevention starts with each individual, not the government. We each need to report suspicious activity and speak up against problems in our own families and communities. True change starts with us. As I used to tell people when I answered the phones at a police department, “we’d rather have you report something and have it be nothing than report nothing and have it be something.”

Imagine, when slavery was legal in the 19th century, if everyone said, “yes, that’s terrible, but it’s up to the government to do something about it.” Concerned citizens outnumbered government agents exponentially, but let’s say they just decided to go on about their merry way and ignore the atrocities among them. Slavery could very well still be legal, or else illegal and flourishing because “it’s just how things are.”

It’s largely because of the grassroots efforts, the people willing to speak out openly for their fellow human beings and those who gave shelter to escaping slaves, for example, that the routine practice of slavery stopped. Dedicated activists at every level of society made this possible. The government can legislate all it wants, but until the attitudes of a majority match its laws, laws are thin cardboard cutouts easily blown over by the wind.

Phil Cathey is passionate about educating others about human trafficking, and Frontline for Justice is taking steps toward educating many more people about this problem. Just as every child in America needs to know what domestic violence is, what to do about it, and how to protect themselves, they also need to know how to guard themselves against modern-day slavery.

While this training should start at home, a lot of kids will never hear this information there, which means that schools should familiarize kids with the dynamics of abuse and exploitation. Organizations like FFJ should be highly sought after by administrators so that students can hear straight talk about the world they live in. I’m looking forward to seeing what Phil Cathey and others like him can do to spread the word about the epidemic of human trafficking, especially in these venues.

In the book and movie Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, we are presented with an axe-wielding Honest Abe who devoted his life to the eradication of soulless bloodsuckers. In this alternate version of history we learn that many slave owners were vampires who kept slaves primarily as a food source. By 1865, Lincoln has struck down the vampire leaders and sent most of the fanged ones running.

Morbid as this premise is, slave owners really are vampires. They are people who use other human beings as expendable commodities for their own benefit, including millions of children. The repeated violation of their victims doesn’t matter to them; profit and status do. Anyone who can facilitate the grooming and rape of children, or merciless exploitation of anyone, needs to be shut down and the law brought down on their heads.

While the Abraham Lincoln story tells us that most vampires hightailed it out of the slave business about the end of the Civil War, reality is– it’s 2012 and the vampires are back. They want your business and they want your children. They are actively prowling your communities and scouting your gathering places.

What are you going to do about it?


Frontline for Justice is in the process of revising their website but still has a lot of good information on the existing site: http://frontlineforjustice.org/. Their Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/FrontlineForJustice, and they have some great resources at http://frontlineforjustice.org/get-involved/educational-resources/.

To report suspected human trafficking, you can contact the Department of Justice at 1-888-428-7581 or use the other options on the FBI’s website athttp://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/human_trafficking/. You can also contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888; their website says that reports are considered confidential.

Last year the movie Eden was shot here in Washington State. It is based on a true story and the survivor was interviewed by the local media including in this article: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/sound/article/Survivor-of-human-trafficking-and-sex-slavery-on-2144670.php#page-1.

Heidi Hiatt, MA recently graduated as a Forensic Psychologist.  You can read more of her posts at her personal blog, Truth, Justice, and All-American Allergen-Free Apple Pie Straight Talk in a Crooked World

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The Forgotten Children: Trafficking in Haiti

By Gaetane Borders

January 12, 2010 is a day that I will not soon forget. It was the day that a massive earthquake leveled Haiti….my parents’ birth home. Although I was born in the U.S., I strongly identify with my Haitian roots, and felt as if a large part of me died along with the over 150,000 people who lost their lives during the natural disaster. What saddened me the most was seeing the images of the bodies of children and babies lined along the street. In fact, I didn’t think it could get worse. But it has.

Many of the orphanages were damaged, and therefore tens of thousands of children are currently living in the temporary camps. In addition, reportedly more than a million people were displaced by last January's devastating quake and are living in dire conditions. These horrible conditions have become a breading ground for trafficking in the small island.

It has been reported that trafficking has always been an issue in Haiti but has grown steadily worse in the last year. Since the earthquake the rates of trafficking into the Dominican Republic have increased incredibly. According to an investigative report by the Miami Herald, the Massacre River is a common crossing point for traffickers. It’s a river that links Haitian town of Ouanaminthe with the Dominican Republic’s Dajabon. There are individuals who are going to the temporary camps and posing those that have come as part of the aid efforts. According to news reports, parents desperate for money are falsely dooped into believing their children will lead better lives elsewhere if they sell them.

Prosguel Andre, 32, an admitted trafficker of the Haitian Cannibal Army gang, has admitted to selling more than 45 children. He has said….

"There are a lot of orphans here. Babies with nobody to care for them. It's easy to take them. Last month, a white woman came from the Dominican Republic. She gave me $500 for two little girls. I don't know what she wanted with them."

What is happening in Haiti is not unique because human trafficking usually increases after natural disasters. For example, the massive tsunami that struck Asia left thousands of children were left vulnerable to similar crimes.

There are organizations that are doing a lot to help bring an end to this disturbing issue. For instance, Unicef is working with the Haitian government to try and introduce anti-trafficking laws. As part of this, the United Nations police force (UNPOL) recently began patrolling these unofficial borders. Also, Hilton Worldwide has promised to combat child sex trafficking by becoming the second US-based hotel company to sign the international code of conduct known as "The Code" which is aimed at protecting children from being sexually exploited in the travel and tourism industries around the world. Hilton will implement policies that condemn child trafficking and also train employees how to spot potentially illegal activities. USA Today reports:

“Last year, Hilton came under fire by online social-justice groups such as Change.org on this issue following the discovery last year of a brothel in one of its hotels in China. In July 2010, Chinese police found a brothel operating in the independently run karaoke bar inside Hilton's five-star Chongqing hotel. At the time, authorities ordered the closure of the hotel for a full week and the hotel lost its fifth star. Although the issue of child trafficking did not come up, the connection was nevertheless made.”

More people and organizations need to get involved because this is an issue that affects every nation! One such organization is ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking). ECPAT and The Body Shop have formed a partnership to create and implement the global “STOP Sex Trafficking of Children & Young People Campaign.” For more information about them and this campaign, please visit www.ecpat.net.

Real Weapons of Mass Destruction

By Lavinia Masters

As a young girl in school I was always taught that a weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans (and other life forms) and/or cause great damage to man-made structures (e.g. buildings), natural structures (e.g. mountains), or the biosphere in general. In other words this weapon has the capacity to inflict death and destruction indiscriminately and on a massive scale. However the scope and application of the term has evolved and been disputed, often signifying more politically than technically.

Today I challenge what politics and society consider weapons of mass destruction because in this life I have come to discover a mass of weapons and evil devices that not only destroy the human being but these weapons destroy the human spirit. The weapons that I speak of all leave a devastating and long lasting negative effect on the victims yet they are weapons that seem to not be prioritized by politicians and society today when it comes to seeking and destroying them.

The weapons that I speak of also carry the capacity to inflict death and destruction indiscriminately and on a massive scale and they are sexual abuse/assault, domestic violence, stalking, human trafficking and missing and exploited children. These indeed are all the real weapons of mass destruction. These are heinous and horrendous crimes that happen to the young and old, rich or poor, black or white, male or female. These weapons not only destroy the individual lives and their way of living but they also destroy their families, friends, loved ones and their communities.

Did you know that the impact of sexual abuse on children can be devastating and long-lasting because children are generally victimized by someone they should be able to trust and depend on, they may not realize that the abuse is wrong and not their fault? Even after much time has passed, the effects of sexual abuse are powerful and it has been found that the long-term effects of maltreatment to include poor self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, anxiety, feelings of isolation and stigma, depression, self-destructive tendencies, sexual maladjustment, and substance abuse. In addition to these effects, a survivor of sexual abuse/ assault may develop Rape-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (RR-PTSD) and have possible physiological effects such as hyper vigilance (always being "on your guard"), insomnia, exaggerated startle response (jumpiness) ,panic attacks ,eating problems/disorders, self-mutilation (cutting, burning or otherwise hurting oneself),Sexual dysfunction (not being able to perform sexual acts) and hyper arousal (exaggerated feelings/responses to stimuli).

Then there is domestic violence which is the single major cause of injury to women, more significant than auto accidents, rapes, or muggings. In fact, the emotional and psychological abuse inflicted by batterers may be more costly to treat in the short-run than physical injury. Many of the physical injuries sustained by women seem to cause medical difficulties as women grow older and to add insult to injury battered women lose their jobs because of absenteeism due to illness as a result of the violence. Although the long term effects of domestic violence have not begun to be fully documented battered women suffer physical and mental problems as a result of domestic violence. Then it’s sad how survivors of domestic violence seem to often lose family and friends as a result of the battering. Generally because first, the batterer isolates them from family and friends then second, they become embarrassed by the abuse inflicted upon them and withdraw from support persons to avoid embarrassment.

Then there is a weapon that sometimes attacks us all and some are still unaware that they are indeed or have been a victim and that is the weapon of stalking; which is the crime of harassing somebody with persistent, inappropriate, and unwanted attention. Rokkers wrote, "Stalking is a form of mental assault, in which the perpetrator repeatedly, unwontedly, and disruptively breaks into the life-world of the victim, with whom they have no relationship (or no longer have)." For the most part, the separate acts that make up the intrusion cannot by themselves cause the mental abuse, but taken together they do, as there is a cumulative effect. Stalking leaves a victim unsure or living in the fear of what would happen to them next or afraid that the behavior would not stop not to mention that their stalker would not only cause bodily harm to them but their child or other family member.

Now on the other hand the weapon of human trafficking does not only affect victims, it takes a toll on the child or children of the victim. Many a times, victims strive to survive, even when they do not know the way out to protect their children. Virtually every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, either as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims. Due to the nature of trafficking there are three constituent elements that make up human trafficking, firstly the act; the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, the means; threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud and abuse of power and the purpose; for the purpose of exploitation, which includes exploiting the prostitution of others, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery or similar practices and the removal of organs. One alarming fact about this weapon is that women constitute the largest proportion of trafficked persons and with over half of trafficked victims being women they are the ones forced into sexual slavery and prostitution. The mass of trafficking victims are between 18-24 years of age, with also an estimated 1.2 million children trafficked yearly.

Then the last weapon I want you to consider destroys on such a massive level that it was one of my worst nightmares when I had my son; this weapon attacks like a thief in the night and that is the weapon of missing children. When a child is kidnapped or abducted, he/she is put into captivity against their will. When a person who was missing as a result of abduction is found, they can have adverse psychological effects. Abduction is a very traumatic experience in which the victim has suffered through an emotional and physical ordeal. The experience can be so traumatic it will take time and possibly professional help to assist in coping with it. The sad part about this weapon is that some children are never found and some children when they are found are no longer alive.

So I ask you how can we sit idly by and let these weapons of mass destruction continue to destroy our lives, our families, communities and the world without trying to find a solution. How do we consciously continue to say we love our children, communities and country when we are found lacking in the support of fighting against these heinous crimes? What do our children learn when they see us take the “backseat” to making changes in the laws or legislation when it comes to addressing that we as a society find an end to the real weapons of mass destruction.

You see school may have taught me a lot on how the way things should be defined but life has shown me how life really is. These weapons of mass destruction have been launched all over the world and they are subtly stealing, killing and destroying our world. I ask, are you prepared to fight in this battle…you should be because no one is exempt.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING MONTH--NOT JUST AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM

By Michelle Simonsen, true crime writer and victim's rights advocate

When you ask the average American what they think of sex trafficking and where it originates, you will most likely hear, “Thailand, Philippines, Eastern Europe.” The majority of Americans don’t believe that most sex trafficking occurs within our own borders. Many victims are regular kids and young women who aren’t runaways or have been abandoned. They are lured and coerced by clever predators.

FBI Deputy Assistant Director, Chip Burrus, who started the Lost Innocence Project, which specializes in child and teen sex trafficking stated, “What you can see time and time again, is that the predators will adapt their means to whatever the young people are doing—whether it’s malls, whether it’s ski slopes, whether it’s beaches…predators are going to do everything in their power to try to convince young girls, young boys, to come with them and enter this particular lifestyle.” [i]

United States is recognized among the top three countries for sex traffickers, along with Japan and Australia. Traffickers pick locales and business “fronts” in cities all over the country, but many choose to “set up shop” in areas such as San Francisco, New York, Arizona, Las Vegas and other cities and counties that would make your jaw drop.

Statistics and Economics of Human Trafficking in the U.S.

There is a huge economical difference between human trafficking and drug/weapon trafficking. You can sell a kilo of cocaine or a semi-automatic weapon only once. With a person, they can be sold over and over and over, making them nearly priceless to the trafficker.

Research and studies done on human trafficking within our borders is pathetic. The Department of Justice reported that in 2008 there were more than 1,200 “reported” incidents of human trafficking. [ii] Due to each state’s little to no research on human trafficking, that reported statistic cannot be a true, definitive number.

“Because sex trafficking is so far underground, the number of victims is not known and the statistics vary. According to Ambassador John Miller, director of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, “The number will always be an estimate, because trafficking victims don’t stand in line and raise their hands to be counted, but it’s the best estimate we have…The CIA won’t divulge its research methods, based on its figures on 1,500 resources, including law enforcement data, government data, academic research, international reports and newspaper stories.” [iii]

However, in a February, 2006 ABC News article it states, “The FBI estimates that well over 100,000 children and young women are trafficked in America today.” [iv]

Could the FBI’s estimate be more accurate than the Department of Justice’s 1,200 “reported” cases?

The level of apathy towards education, prosecution and punishment of these crimes is dismal. I have to wonder if our own police officers, local officials, or politicians are not making an issue of this crime because “money talks”? Think about it. Sex traffickers yield profits of over 32 billion dollars a year. That makes drug and weapons traffickers look like kids with a lemonade stand. [v]

Difficulties in Prosecution

The trafficking industry thrives because it is hard to prosecute. The women who are victims need to serve as witnesses and testify in court in order for the prosecution to prove their case against the perpetrator(s). These women don’t come forward not only because of the “re-victimization” in court, but also the threats made to them by their traffickers. They have been burned with acid, “disappeared”, or have had their families threatened or murdered.

“We have to explain the woman’s mind-set—that she’s often unsophisticated, comes from a country with a corrupt government and would believe her captors’ lies that if she flees should could get arrested by the police…Juries have a hard time. They wonder: If the door was open, why didn’t she just run?” [vi]

Destination America--From Sea to Shining Sea…

New York

Neighbors wondered why a 65-year old man had a succession of young foreign women living in his home. He told neighbors they were au pairs, yet Joseph Yannai had no children.

“You’d think a warning bell would go off in a neighbor’s mind,” said author Ron Soodalter, “The Slave Next Door: Human Trafficking and Slavery in America Today”.

The State Department estimates 17,500 people are trafficked INTO the U.S…but Nassau County Detective John Birbiglia, who runs the Long Island Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces says “that’s a guess because less than 1 percent of cases get prosecuted…it’s the invisible crime.” He thinks the number of enslaved people is much higher. He continues, “We used to arrest these women, now we know they’re victims.” [vii]

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas has an infamous slogan, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” They didn’t get the name “Sin City” for nothing. The Associated Press reported in 2008 that Las Vegas is a “hub” for child sex trafficking and that more than 400 children were found working as prostitutes during a SINGLE MONTH in 2007.

Shared Hope International, a non-profit based in Vancouver, Washington released a 165 page report in March 2008 that stated, “Las Vegas was one of 10 U.S. locations for which the agency completed reports. Others included Salt Lake City, Dallas, Bexar County and Fort Worth, Texas, the New Orleans area, Clearwater, Florida, Erie County, New York, Independence, Missouri, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.” [viii]

“Federal officials have recognized Las Vegas as an area where human trafficking is a concern, and a cooperative effort was launched in 2006 called the Anti-Trafficking League Against Slavery.” Even with the well-intended effort of the groups involved, there are no local safe houses to protect the victims.

Vegas Under-Reports Problem—Dare I Say “Tourism”?

“There is a huge and growing sex-oriented trafficking problem in Las Vegas. Yet they quickly add that no statistics have ever been gathered and law enforcers never before have made it a top priority—so the scope of the problem still needs to be determined.” [ix]

…Police in the past haven’t paid sufficient attention to the signs that the prostitutes or others they’re investigating may also be trafficking victims—meaning the problem has gone underreported for years.” –Terri Miller, Civilian Director of “Anti Trafficking League Against Slavery”, and Las Vegas Metro Captain, Terry Lesney. [x]

Could this problem be underreported because of the implications that would affect Las Vegas’s TOURISM? There are too many people invested in that moneymaking machine of a town, so it is plausible to assume that many are paid to look the other way. Starting from the top such as politicians and law enforcement all the way down to cab drivers and hotel managers and/or employees.

An anonymous source, who is an employee with Clark County’s law enforcement sector stated, “We’ve had some very sad cases of sex trafficking. Naturally, they don’t report that kind of stuff because it would ruin tourism.”

Everyone can be bought in Vegas.

San Francisco, California

“San Francisco’s liberal attitude towards sex, the city’s history of arresting prostitutes instead of pimps, and its large immigration population have made it one of the top American cities for international sex traffickers to do business undetected, according to Donna Hughes, a national expert on sex trafficking at the University of Rhode Island.” [xi]

Once in California, the women learn too late that the job offer was a ploy. They are beaten into submission, drugged and raped, then transported and hidden inside homes, massage parlors, apartments and basements.

The women are most often locked inside by security doors, watched by video surveillance and guards who analyze their every move and gesture. They are forced to have sex with as many as a dozen men a day. The organization pays crooked taxi drivers and hotel operators who are willing to shuffle the women to their “appointments” and accommodate the pimps.

They are constantly beaten, drugged, raped and starved.

Arizona

Debbie, a 15-year old from Phoenix, got a phone call one evening from a girlfriend who said she was stopping by. Debbie, wearing only her Spongebob pajamas, went outside to her driveway to greet her friend at the car who was with two older men. Debbie’s friend lured her to the car door and the three pulled Debbie into the car.One of the captors ordered Debbie’s friend to tie her up and put tape over her mouth and eyes.

After being drugged and gang raped, Debbie was trapped in one of Phoenix’s toughest areas. She was driven around Phoenix and ordered to prostitute herself, and when she refused, she was raped and kept in a dog kennel for 40 days.

Her traffickers put an ad on Craig’s List for Debbie’s “services”, and shortly thereafter men came all hours of the day and night demanding sex. Debbie was forced to have sex with over 50 men during her 40-day nightmare, not including the pimps who gang raped her on a regular basis.

The pimps told her that they would kill her family, “they even threatened to throw battery acid on her 19-month old niece.” Debbie stated, “After they told me that, I didn’t care what happened to me as long as my family stayed alive.” [xii]

Eventually tips came into the police and the apartment Debbie was kept in was searched, but they couldn’t find Debbie. Luckily, a police officer found her tied up and crushed into a drawer under a bed.

Police arrested two individuals and were only charged with kidnapping and sexual assault. They have pleaded not guilty and the current disposition of their cases is unknown. [xiii]

Georgia

Chelsey lived a seemingly “normal” middle class life with her family in Georgia, but at age 10 her life forever changed when she was sold as a prostitute by her own father. Chelsey’s story is one of redemption. After her escape, she managed to graduate from high school and received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia. Chelsey is now working on her master’s degree. The following is an excerpt of a journal passage Chelsey wrote during her unfathomable ordeal:

“As I hang from the beam of a dim, musky, cold basement, I think of as many descriptive words as possible for the body parts I loathe the most. I have endured 14 hands, 70 fingers, all the while my hands are tied.They are numb from being laced above my head and are exhausted from supporting the rest of my body. I am naked, beaten, bleeding, and alone. Sunshine creeps in through the holes in the shades and amplifies my new wounds. I am coming down from a large dose of cocaine and I hope that at least one pair of hands returns to feed me some more. I close my eyes because the drips of sun, of life hurt, and I begin thinking of names of presidents and countries. Dusk approaches with footsteps. I count 14 feet, 70 toes, returning for another round. I inhale, I exhale, I brace myself. I close my eyes, ask silently for death, and hope they have enough blow to get me through the night. I am twelve years old.” [xiv]

Rate Your State

U.S. Current and Pending State Laws on Human Trafficking

The U.S. Policy Alert on Human Trafficking charts current and pending state laws in regards to human trafficking. Polaris Project gathered information in regards to whether or not each state had (a) prosecution for human trafficking, (b) a state task force, (c) research commission, (d) law enforcement training, and (e) victim protection.

“U.S. states with no existing law or pending legislation specifically addressing human trafficking: Alabama, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.” [xv]

Hawaii is the only listed state that does not have any laws prosecuting human traffickers, in addition to no law enforcement training and no victim protection.

States With No Human Trafficking Task Force[xvi]

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia

States with no Human Trafficking Law Enforcement Training [xvii]

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Texas

Virginia

Washington State

States with no Human Trafficking Victim Protection [xviii]

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

North Carolina

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Virginia

“Loverboys”—a/k/a “Pimps in disguise”

Many women lured and trapped in sex trafficking are brought by “loverboys”. These are men who befriend women and even engage in false relationships in order to win a woman’s trust, who then in turn releases them to the actual pimp. These are the men who control the women on a daily basis, through orders of the “head trafficker”, the man in charge. This is the man who decides which girls go where, and most often are the “head of operations” via their “legitimate” business fronts such as beauty parlors, hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies that are scattered throughout the entire United States.

Women Used as Traffickers

Believe it or not, a large amount of traffickers are women themselves. They are used to coerce naïve girls and young women into going with them for various jobs. Many claim modeling opportunities for the girls, where they are then tricked into going overseas or to a mansion used as a “front” in the method of their coercion.Once the bait is taken, the girls are beaten, drugged, kidnapped and sold. The woman trafficker gets her “cut” and she walks away looking for more vulnerable women and children.

Why Use Women as “Ploys”?

Using a woman as a trafficker is a fool proof way of obtaining a child or young woman’s false sense of security; simply because she is a woman. The woman predator is easily believed because the victims don’t perceive her as a threat. Children and women trust women more than they would a man who would offer the same things: opportunities of jobs, modeling, traveling around the world, making money to help their families or build their lives.

America’s Culpability

Let’s take into consideration the “supply and demand” aspect of why sex trafficking and forced prostitution is such a lucrative business. It is the high demand of these “services” that men command, and unfortunately, many of the solicitors are male American citizens.

There would be no sex trafficking and exploitation if there weren’t a need for it.

Who are these men? Why do they think this is ok? Maybe the latter question is something we will never know or understand.

Let’s Get to the “Root of the Problem”—the Solicitors

Dr. Jerry Albom

Meet Dr. Jerry Albom, a middle-aged radiologist from Oklahoma. Dr. Albom decided to take a trip before starting his new job at medical facility on the island of Guam. His destination? A secret. His family, friends and colleagues think he’s going to Bangkok. But he’s really going to Cambodia…his favorite and most frequented travel locales where he can have cheap sex with young teen girls.

Dr. Albom is a “child sex tourist”.

He is one of thousands of adults who travel overseas every year to sexually exploit children, some as young as five years old.

The majority of sex tourists are adult males from more industrialized countries who travel to lesser developed countries where laws are weakly enforced and sex is cheap and readily available. According to recent reports, Americans comprise an estimated 25% of all sex tourists. In countries such as Cambodia and Costa Rica, the percentage of American sex tourists jumps to 38% and 80%, respectively. [xix]

“Many impoverished countries rely on sex trafficking as a source of real income, and in effect, often have a vested interest in maintaining the status-quo…countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, the ‘sex sector’ accounts for anywhere between 2 and 14 percent of national income.” [xx]

“In many countries…the lack of political will and the abundance of corruption among government and law enforcement officials…undermine efforts to enact stronger laws and harsher punishments for perpetrators of child sex crimes.”

As a result, in countries where corruption is rampant, public officials are often part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

A new report released by the humanitarian organization World Vision—Cambodia indicates that ‘many high ranking officers [in the Cambodian Ministry of Tourism] are involved in child sex tourism and the sexual exploitation of children and even support the activities of child sex traffickers.” [xxi]

PART ONE:

“Usually I buy out three girls for 50 bucks. Take ‘em for the whole night.”

Albom warns the undercover sex tourist not to tell his educated friends “who read” because they will know about the area’s reputation. He states, “Don’t tell them where you’re going…tell them you’re going to Bangkok. And then come here very discreetly.”

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

PART TWO:

Albom Confronted With Hidden Video

“I don’t want to participate and make judgments of something I may have said when I was drunk, or…or, may have been slipped a pill, who knows?”

“Drunk or slipped a pill…that’s your defense?”

“Yes.”

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Bottom Line

You don’t have to be a politician, law enforcement, or part of some special group to make a difference. As a citizen…just be aware. Take notice. If you see something strange, odd, or just not right, do something! Say something! If nothing is done, call the local media! Spread the word within the community until something is done.

We, as American citizens need to take part in the responsibility of protecting these innocent children and women. Let’s officially put our U.S. politicians ON NOTICE, educate your family and friends on human trafficking, and make some noise!

Michelle Simonsen is a victim's rights advocate, crime analyst and blogger for "Michelle Says So", founder of the grassroots consumer boycott, "Boycott Aruba--Justice for Natalee Holloway", an advisory board member of "Survivors in Action", and is a contributing writer for "Now Public", and "True Crime Talk".

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[i] ABC News, “Teen Girls Stories of Sex Trafficking in the U.S.”, June 2006

[ii] Department of Justice—“More Than 1,200 Alleged Incidents of Human Trafficking Reported in the U.S.”, January 15, 2009

[iii] May, “San Francisco is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave”, October 2006

[iv] ABC News, “Teen Girls Stories of Sex Trafficking in the U.S.”, June 2006

[v] Polaris Project, “U.S. Police Alert on Human Trafficking—Summary of U.S. Policy Activity”, July 2007

[vi] May, “San Francisco is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave”, October 2006

[vii] Adapted from N.Y.’s Hidden Trafficking, Metro, 21 June 2009.http://www.humantrafficking.org/updates/865

[viii] Associated Press, “Report: Las Vegas a Hub for Child Sex Trafficking”, March 2008

[ix] Adapted from: Sam Skolnik, “Do we have a human trafficking problem? Justice Department names Las Vegas among 17 most likely destinations.” Las Vegas Sun, January 29, 2007

[x] Id.

[xi] May, “San Francisco is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave”, October 2006

[xii] ABC News, “Teen Girls’ Stories of Sex Trafficking in U.S., February 2006

[xiii] Id.

[xiv] Wagner, Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Untold Horrors”, June 2009

[xv] Polaris Project, “U.S. Police Alert on Human Trafficking—Summary of U.S. Policy Activity”, July 2007

[xvi] Id.

[xvii] Id.

[xviii] Id.

[xix] Susan Song, “Children as Tourist Attractions”, Global Child Sex Tourism,http://www.yapi.org/rpchildsextourism.pdf

[xx] Klain, “Prostitution of Children and Child Sex Tourism”

[xxi] The Associated Press, “Child Sex Tourism Spreading in Asia”