Invitation, June 2, Community Forum

Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC Community Forum Series:
“STOP Human Trafficking”

Event: Interactive Community Forum to Foster Action

Focus: Community Response

Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Check in: Starting at 1:45 pm

Time: 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Location: University of Phoenix, Raleigh Campus
5511 Capital Center Drive, Raleigh, 27606, 5th Floor

Directions: From Raleigh, South on I-440, Jones Franklin Road exit (Exit 1C), Turn left at top of ramp, continue over I-440, take first right, which is Capital Center Drive. First building on right. Parking in front of building.

Registration: forumregister[at]siraleigh.org 919.833.2490

PLEASE include your community affiliation, your title, and contact information (phone and email) with your request to register.

Questions: endingviolence[at]siraleigh.org

Websites:
Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC
Soroptimist International of the Americas, Inc

Intent
One of the goals of this series of community forums was to compile an expanded list of specific actions for implementation within our community addressing specific issues. The result is a list of more than 250 proposed action steps!!!

In this session, working in small groups and the larger group, the desired outcome is to enhance the list through three work items in order to compile a report of these proposed action steps that can be shared with appropriate implementers.

To begin, in small groups, classify the proposed action steps into several categories:
a) those affecting policy (no need for legislation to implement)
b) those that can be implemented by citizen groups working with government agencies (projects) and
c) those requiring legislation; and
d) any other categories.

Next, still in small groups,
a) prioritize the top five policy-related and project-related categories
b) report back to the larger group and identify the top five by consensus. Next, in small groups, develop a plan of how to implement one of the top priority action steps from each category. Each small group will work on different action steps. The resultant will be compiled into a report available to all attendees and appropriate implementers.

Agenda
1:45 pm Check In

2:00 pm Welcome
Introduce Resource Persons

2:10 pm Working Session to classify, prioritize and work on a plan for
implementation of prioritized Action Steps (as reflected in the Intent).

3:40 pm BREAK

3:50 pm Benefits of Neighborhood Association
Tyrone Lindsey, Community Services, City of Raleigh

4:10 pm Community Action Network

4:25 pm Wrap Up

4:30 pm Adjourn

Action Steps Proposed at Community Forums
To review the proposed action steps focusing on the issues identified for the follow on community forums, click on this link to the Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC website and scroll down to view Proposed Action Steps from Community Forums

THANK YOU for your support of this community forum series to foster awareness and action. We look forward to your participation on June 2 and beyond as we work together to implement these proposed action steps and stop human trafficking in our city, county, and our state.

Human Trafficking Meeting in Greenville

Human Trafficking is one of the largest growing businesses in the world.
This is not just a problem in other countries, it happens right here in the United States! Right here in North Carolina!

And possibly right here in Pitt County.

The Pitt County Sheriff’s Department has received a federal grant to assess the depth of the problem in Eastern North Carolina. They will be investigating and prosecuting the traffickers, and assisting the victims.

We are forming a Community Action Group called Eastern NC Stop Human Trafficking Now to educate the public about this issue.

We want our community to be proactive in addressing this issue. We want to educate our medical community, the ECU community, Pitt County Schools, our faith community, our civic groups and the public in general about the crime of human trafficking.

If you suspect you know a victim, we want you to know what to do and who to call. If you suspect you know a trafficker or a purchaser of a trafficked victim, we want you to know how to report it.

On Tuesday, May 19, we will meet in the Willis Building Auditorium (300 East 1st Street, Greenville, NC) from 7-8pm. Please join us for this groundbreaking meeting.

We will hear from the Pitt County Sheriff’s Department about their efforts, as well as hear about anti-trafficking activities across the state.

The key to our local awareness and education campaign is a walk to Stop Human Trafficking Now, which will be held Saturday, October 3 at 10am at Boyd Lee Park. Please mark your calendars now and plan to support this walk. (You can sign up now at www.sctnow.org! Please designate Global Impact as your partner. They will disperse funds to Eastern NC Stop Trafficking Now as needed.) We will have more information available at the May 19 meeting.

For more information, contact us at Greenville[at]SCTNow.org

Screening of Playground in Charlotte

NC State offering a summer class on sex trafficking

Women’s and Gender Studies at NC State University is offering a special
topics course during Summer Session I 2009 on Sex Trafficking of Girls
and Women.

WGS293 – Sex Trafficking of Girls & Women
Summer Session I 2009
M/T/W/H/F, 12:00pm-1:30pm
114 Winston Hall
3-credit course taught by Michelle Kaufman, PhD

Register now while there’s still space available!
Questions? Contact Women’s and Gender Studies at 919-515-6964.
http://www.ncsu.edu/summer/

Online Training about Human Trafficking

FREE INTERNET-BASED TRAINING
From THE CAROLINAS INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY POLICING
Lynda Leventis-Wells, Director

** Introduction to Human Trafficking **

CICP is pleased to announce the development of this new and cutting edge training technique. Agencies can now access the online version of the basic “Introduction to Human Trafficking” training course.

Class 1 – Awareness of Human Trafficking – This class is an overview of the problem of human trafficking in the United States. Its emphasis is on understanding the scope of the problem and the legal framework in place to help address it. After completion of this class the learner will be able to:

• Describe the problem of Human Trafficking.
• Detail the scope of the problem.
• Identify the characteristics of traffickers.
• Detail the roles of various organizations in human trafficking investigations.
• Discuss the relevant federal law in place to assist trafficking victims.

Class 2 – Responding to Human Trafficking – this class is an overview of the basics of law enforcement response to human trafficking situations. Its emphasis is on adopting a victim centered approach to achieve successful conclusions in trafficking cases, to include victim rescue and care and trafficker prosecution.

• Identify investigative considerations in a human trafficking case.
• Detail the information requirements for successful interventions and investigations.
• Detail the methods by which traffickers are identified.
• Discuss the victim issues that such cases entail.
• Identify strategies for interviewing victims.

Law Enforcement: we recommend that the training officer/coordinator register their agency for use of the training system and then enter their personnel. This will aid the agency administration of the training.

Other agencies or interested individuals: While the sites are law enforcement oriented, we welcome other agencies, victim’s advocates, etc. to take advantage of this valuable training tool.

To Register, visit: http://www.jpmaweb.com/map/index.html

For Technical assistance, contact:
Justice Planning and Management Associates
Paul M. Plaisted
Tel: (207) 621-8600 ** email: pplaisted[at]jpmaweb.com

STOP Human Trafficking Forums Continue

Soroptimist International of Raleigh is hosting a series of community forums tackling the issue of human trafficking in North Carolina.

The next “STOP Human Trafficking” forum will be held Tuesday, April 28 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the campus of the University of Phoenix in Raleigh. The topic of the upcoming forum will be “Needs of Victims.” Attendees will form small groups to share ideas and develop action steps. Each group will be supported by a resource person who will assist with feasibility of proposed steps and answer questions about the issues.

Public awareness of this important topic is a vital part of stopping this crime in our state. To maintain a cross-section from the community, this event is by invitation only. For more information, e-mail bswartz[at]siraleigh.org. To find out more about Soroptimist International of Raleigh, visit www.siraleigh.org.

May 3 Conference on Trafficking in Greensboro

Church Conference to Bring Focus to Human Trafficking and Its Victims
International Justice Mission, Shared Hope International and Triad Ladder of Hope among organizations scheduled to participate in event

GREENSBORO, NC —- On Sunday, May 3, Westover Church will host several local and international organizations dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking as part of its Spring Global Conference. The purpose of the conference, which is being organized by Westover’s Abolition! Ministry, is to raise awareness throughout the Triad about the exponential growth of human trafficking – or bonded labor and sex slavery — in the U.S. and abroad in recent years.

According to Jennifer Huitsing, organizer of the event and leader of Abolition!, “We’re finding that most people in our community have no real concept of the atrocities that men, women and children are experiencing every minute of every day.” Huitsing explains, “The most recent research shows that two children are forced into sex slavery every minute, resulting in the more than 27 million slaves in our world today.”

Huitsing adds, “Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just happening in places like India, Thailand and Eastern Europe. Though that’s horrific enough, it’s also right here in our own communities. Without question, we feel compelled to educate our friends, families and neighbors.”

To help with that task, Abolition! has invited Larry Martin, Vice President of Education for the International Justice Mission (IJM) based in Washington, D.C. to serve as guest speaker for the conference. Martin plans to share IJM’s vision and its experiences in working with national and international law enforcement agencies to save hundreds of women and children from the
ravages of slavery.

Other local and international organizations scheduled to participate on May 3, include Shared Hope International, Tiny Hands International, World Relief and Triad Ladder of Hope among others. Huitsing said she hopes people will take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about what these local and international organizations are doing on the front lines and will be moved to explore opportunities to help in this fight for freedom.

According to Huitsing, “We would love to see a huge turnout from the Triad community to join us in learning how we as a region can begin making an impact for change.” Huitsing added that parking attendants will be on hand to assist visitors on May 3 but because parking is limited, conference attenders are encouraged to arrive early.
Westover Church is a non-denominational church located at 505 Muirs Chapel Road in Greensboro, NC. Services are open to the public and will begin at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 3. For directions or more information, visit www.westoverchurch.com.

“Stop Human Trafficking” Series Continues

Soroptimist International of Raleigh is hosted a series of community forums tackling the issue of human trafficking in North Carolina.

The next “STOP Human Trafficking” forum will be held Monday, March 30 from 1:15 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. at Hope Community Church in Raleigh. The topic of the upcoming forum will be “Addressing the Demand Side of Human Trafficking.” The session will begin with a panel discussion followed by brainstorming on topics ranging from changing sexist attitudes that insult the dignity of females to showing respect and dignity to vulnerable populations.

Public awareness of this important topic is a vital part of stopping this crime in our state. To maintain a cross-section from the community, this event is by invitation only. For more information, e-mail bswartz[at]siraleigh.org. To find out more about Soroptimist International of Raleigh, visit www.siraleigh.org.

Roundtable discussion on trafficking, migration, labor and militarism

The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History and the Carolina Women’s Center at UNC at Chapel Hill will host human rights scholars Grace Chang and Margo Okazawa-Rey for a two-day residency March 19 & 20. Chang and Okazawa-Rey will lead a roundtable discussion on trafficking, migration, labor, and the proliferation of militarism on Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m.
The free roundtable will take place at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center on the campus of UNC at Chapel Hill. For more information about Chang and Okazawa-Rey, visit the Stone Center’s Web site.

http://sonjahaynesstonectr.unc.edu/programs/events/springresidency/.

Directions to the Stone Center

http://sonjahaynesstonectr.unc.edu/about/directions

Playground: The Child Sex Trade in America

A Private Screening and Discussion with the Filmmaker

Monday, March 2 at 6 pm

Chapman Hall, Room 125 on the UNC-CH campus

Every year an estimated 100,000-300,000 children are trafficked domestically for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and yet theirs is one of the most invisible forms of trafficking. Playground chronicles the problem here in North America. This feature-length documentary follows the stories of several girls who have been trafficked, exploring the cultural, social, and economic factors that make them, and all children, vulnerable to abuse.

Join us for a screening and discussion with filmmaker Libby Spears, local activists, and campus allies. Learn more about child sex trafficking and what you can do to put a stop to it.

For information about the film, see www.playgroundproject.com.

Sponsored by the Carolina Women’s Center and CAST (Coalition Against Sex Trafficking).