International Justice Mission

As found on the International Justice Mission's IJMinstitute.org site, posted by Bethany Hoang:

Double success!
I am thrilled to bring you this report today from yesterday’s operations - significant rescues were secured in two nations last evening:

• Last night (July 28), IJM Cambodia and local police conducted a successful rescue operation at a remote brothel: 20 girls and young women were removed from the building in the coordinated operation, and all perpetrators were arrested. The brothel owner, formerly an officer in the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, initially attempted to escape by jumping from a second floor balcony over a brick wall, but was pursued by police and ultimately found hiding in a shed. The brothel was particularly cruel; the girls and women there were never free to leave alone and were sent to service customers at local casinos each night. One of the girls said to IJM staff, “Now we’re out of hell and going to paradise!” The victims are receiving care from IJM social workers as they share their stories with local authorities. IJM will ensure that each victim is equipped with the aftercare services she needs in collaboration with local partners. The accused perpetrators are in police custody.

• Additionally, last night, one of IJM’s South Asia teams conducted an operation in collaboration with local police at a brothel – the operation, a result of IJM investigative work, brought freedom to seven trafficking victims. Six suspected perpetrators were taken into police custody duing the rescue operation. The freed women and girls are being cared for by IJM social workers as they share their stories with authorities.

Praise God for his great love and rescue! As always, any comments you leave will certainly be shared with the team who fought so hard to bring this victory. And please continue to pray for them, as the rescue operation is only the beginning in the justice journey.

Proverbs 31:8-9

IJM SEEK JUSTICE CHALLENGE: September 12 in Sammamish

An email received from Mike Hogan with the International Justice Mission:

Bike, Walk or Run to Support International Justice Mission

As a supporter of IJM, you know the incredible misery one human can inflict on another. You’ve read about the sexual and violent oppression and shed tears for the victims. You’ve felt deep, aching compassion for the pain of someone on the other side of the world as they endure brutal abuse in the hands of a slave owner. This September, you have the opportunity to stand up with your local community and fight back. This time with the “weapons” of compassion, love, mercy, time and money.

We cannot walk in their shoes. But we can walk, run or bike, with our friends, neighbors, co-workers and families to help the victims find a new path—a path of hope illuminated by someone across a vast ocean who cares.

On Saturday September 12, the greater Seattle/Eastside community is coming together to help release these victims from their crushing oppression. The Seek Justice Challenge in Sammamish will offer an opportunity for families and individuals to:

participate in your choice of a 5K run, 5K walk, or 27 or 62 mile bike ride;
fundraise to support the work of International Justice Mission;
raise awareness of human trafficking, exploitation and modern day slavery;
build community and relationships and enjoy a meal together.

Much more information such as how to register/fundraise, routes and event day details can be found at http://www.spconline.org/sjc.

If you have additional questions, please send us an email at seekjusticeinfo@spconline.org . We look forward to seeing you September 12th!

Proverbs 31:8-9

L.A. Times Article: Africa's bitter cycle of child slavery

Another amazing article on child slavery and human trafficking. Slavery is a lot like homelessness - it is a generational thing. Despite the hope of "better" for their children, often what feels a hopeless situation resigns a parent that their children will not have better and instead offer them to what they know. Others do not give up but are duped - often by their own family. A very powerful read:

Africa's bitter cycle of child slavery

Proverbs 31:8-9

Shared Hope International: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Project

Shared Hope International announced today they will publicly release The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking at a Congressional Briefing tomorrow, July 21, 2009.

Below are the contents of the email I received:

Dear Aaron and Bonnie:

Shared Hope International is headed to Capitol Hill and we want you to join us!

A Congressional Briefing: American Child Sex Slaves Are Being Arrested, not Rescued

American children are being sold for sex to American men in the hundreds of thousands every single day. This is child sex trafficking - the victimization of a child through prostitution, pornography or sexual entertainment. Some in our government know this is happening in startling numbers and have been working to fight the crime at a prosecutorial level, a legislative level and a prevention level. But much more needs to be done. As Shared Hope International works to bring awareness to the public across the United States, the cry for action will be heard by constituents of every city, county and state - be part of the cry for action to your legislators.


Shared Hope International will publicly release The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children on July 21, 2009, at a Congressional Human Trafficking Briefing sponsored by the Caucus on Victims' Rights and the Caucus on Human Trafficking. Shared Hope International has researched the scope of child sex trafficking in America and the responses to this crime by those who come into contact with the victims with support from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Justice. Reports assessing this victimization in eleven site locations across America have been written and posted on our website: www.sharedhope.org.


The findings and recommendations from Shared Hope International's National Report will be revealed at the Briefing on July 21, as we stand together with the U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, U.S. Ambassador Louis C de Baca of the U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and Polaris Project to discuss what is being done and what can be done to help the fight against child sex trafficking in America. We need your help!Every Congressman was hand-delivered a copy of the National Report today. Call your Congressman and encourage them to read the report and request that he/she attend the Briefing on Tuesday. You can find the contact information for your representatives and senators at: www.congress.org - simply enter your zip code and choose the "contact" tab for their information. Help us make this a priority for them!


Key Points for your call to Congress:

The Report confirms that hundreds of thousands of American children are being sold in prostitution every year from every state, including yours.

American child sex trafficking victims are being arrested and detained rather than treated as a victim. This must stop! American child sex trafficking victims deserve the same rights and services as foreign victims of human trafficking.

Traffickers and buyers of children deserve harsher sentances. Often the child is arrested while the abusers walk free. Demand that American children exploited through commercial sex be viewed as victims worthy of rescue and justice.

Be A part of History!

Also, we extend a warm welcome for all to attend the Briefing! Stand by our side as we present the reality on child sexual slavery in America.

Schedule for Tuesday:
Congressional Human Trafficking Briefing July 21, 2009
10am-Noon

Rayburn 2226

Audience: Hill Staff, Advocacy Groups

10:00-10:30am Ambassador Louis CdeBaca, State Department, TIP: Overview of 2009 TIP Report

10:30-10:50am DOJ Panel Discussion

*Andrew Oosterban, Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS)

*Robert Moosey, Civil Rights Division, Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit

10:50-11:00am Q&A

11:00-11:45am NGO Panel Discussion on Domestic Trafficking
*Former Congresswoman Linda Smith, Shared Hope International

*Ernie Allen, President and CEO, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
*Brad Myles, Deputy Director, Polaris Project

11:45-noon Q&A ****************************************************************

I hope to see you there!!

Sincerely,

Linda Smith
Founder and PresidentShared Hope International

You have NO idea how I wish I lived closer to Washington, DC!

Proverbs 31:8-9

Tim Matsui will present on his work in Cambodia as a photographer at Columbia City Gallery on July 29th at 7pm.

Here is the blurb from Columbia City's Gallery:

Tim Matsui's photographs are from his ongoing work documenting the complexities of human trafficking and exploitation in Cambodia. While the story can be as simple as a child sold by his or her parents, the complexities lie in education, poverty, health care, and gender equality; these turn human trafficking, he believes, into a mere symptom of a greater problem.

Proverbs 31:8-9

American Man Arrested in Thailand

Traveling to Thailand for sex is a huge business. It has been estimated that 25% of the men who travel overseas for sex are Americans. Sex Tours, etc. are a booming business.

The following story shows just one aspect of this issue:

American Pedophile Arrested in Chiang Mai

Proverbs 31:8-9

Another Pimp Arrested

Another woman forced to prostitute herself for a man who considers violence against women an ok way to make a living.

Police: Accused pimp threatens woman

Proverbs 31:8-9

July 11-12, 2009

Tim and Anne (from the Western Washington Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking) have just found out they have been accepted to the upcoming Innovative Aftercare Training Program in San Francisco, CA at the end of this month. What an awesome week this sounds like it will be!

In order to help raise the funds they will need for this trip, they are holding a yard sale this weekend, July 11-12, 2009. The address for the sale is: 22398 - 32nd Ave. W in Brier (98036). They are one block west of Brier Rd. at 224th. If you have any questions, please contact them via email: nabs4freedom@comcast.net.

If you are in town this weekend, head on over and see what treasures they have. It is a family yard sale and on the list to be sold so far: PartyLite items, a few antiques, a rocking chair, other furniture, kids' stuff and other miscellaneous items.

Proverbs 31:8-9