sex trafficking
awareness, advocacy, & action
WA State NOW unites with help from the Seattle NOW and Thurston County NOW Chapters for an empowering series throughout June featuring educational webinars, film screenings and insightful film panels!
– ADVOCACY FOUNDATIONS – FEATURED SPEAKERS – EXPERT PANELS – SURVIVOR STRENGTH SHARES –
JUNE 3, 2020: 6:30 PM – 8: 30 PM PST
Module 1: Introduction
Goals: Introduction of definitions, terms, data resources and review of the most impacted geographic locations. Perceptions of Sex Trafficking vs. Realities of who is affected, economic factors and school, businesses, and family impact. Covid-19 impact on the sex trafficking cases based on economic factors.
Legislator Speaker: Tina Orwall, WA State (D) 33rd District Representative
Washington State House of Representatives passed ‘Safe Harbor’ legislation (House Bill 1775) to better help child survivors of sex trafficking. “Children cannot consent to sex. They are victims of serious crimes. Traffickers target the most vulnerable, which means our foster youth are the most at risk. These are kids in all our communities, and they are experiencing severe trauma and abuse that can last a lifetime. We need to help them heal.”
Featured Speaker: Khurshida Begum, President of ASHHO – SPC
Khurshida is the president for ASHHO, SPC, a social purpose corporation that provides professional speaking, training, and catering services. ASHHO, means to “come” in her native language, signifying that all people should come join because all people matter. As a human rights advocate and social justice activist, Khurshida has been honored for tirelessly educating and inspiring people to confront and combat human trafficking and all human exploitation. Khurshida has been a keynote speaker and presenter at many conferences, colleges, K-12 schools, faith-based groups, corporations, and organizations throughout the U.S, Bangladesh, Egypt and Morocco.
JUNE 7, 2020: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PST
Film Screening – Skin in The Game
“Abducted off the sidewalk of suburban America, fifteen-year-old Dani (Sammi Hanratty) finds herself submerged in the horrific underground world of human trafficking. With no initial assistance from the police, Dani’s mother (Elisabeth Harnois) and an ex-prostitute (Erica Ash) take to the streets in an effort to find her before it is too late. First time director Adisa takes viewers on an intense journey of a horrific underground world and introduces us to characters from both sides of the street, some who survive… and others who are not so lucky.” More about the film.
JUNE 10, 2020: 6:30 PM – 8: 30 PM PST
Module 2: Grooming
Goals: Recognition of our sexualized cultural society’s co-relationship to sexual violence and sex trafficking grooming. Review of the mass economic range and diversity of cultural grooming and the transference into various levels of sex trafficking. Recognition of the girls at risk, and the intersection of race and sexism and its impact on grooming to include for LGBTQI youth. The impact of groomers on family relationships and various internet and related underbelly of daily targeted sex trafficking grooming.
Featured Speaker: Dr. Carolyn West, University of Washington – Psychology Div.
Dr. West is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Division Chair University of Washington. Courses include: Black Women and Sex Crimes and Sexual Violence. Dr. West was awarded the 2013 UW Distinguished Teaching Award and 2016 Distinguished Research Award. Author of more than 60 publications and the award-winning book, “Violence in the Lives of Black Women: Battered, Black, and Blue” (2004). Producer of documentary, “Let Me Tell Y’all Bout Black Chicks: Images of Black Women in Pornography” (2018). Sex Trafficking/Assault and DV Case Expert Witness and former WA Trafficking Prevention Board member.
Featured Speaker: Erik Gray, IHTC – Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative
Erik is Programs Director for IHTC – Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative and founding partner of Queers Uniting to End Exploitation. Erik is a highly sought-after national speaker, human trafficking survivor expert, and community organizer in Olympia, WA. He seeks to revolutionize the systems that sought to serve him but failed. Erik takes focus in anti-trafficking work. He is a National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance SOAR Certified trainer through the federal Office of Trafficking in Persons. Erik championed gender and LGBTQI inclusion for CSE (commercial sexual exploitation) services in King county through his work at REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Previously, he launched an emergency shelter focused on serving youth of color with YouthCare. He is the first male survivor advocate in Seattle, WA intentionally serving survivors of all genders. He has also served on the Kitsap County Human Rights Commission, as Student President of Olympic College, on multiple Diversity Advisory Boards and Bailey-Boushay HIV/AIDS hospice. Erik continues his dedication to public service through the City of Seattle Human Rights Commission Human Trafficking Taskforce Chair and as Chair of the Thurston County Human Trafficking Taskforce. He is the 2019 Recipient of the Unlikely Hero Award for his contributions towards ending human trafficking internationally.
JUNE 14, 2020:
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM PST
Documentary Screening –
I Am Jane Doe
“Called “a gripping legal thriller” (Esquire); “a powerful call to action” (The Los Angeles Times); “viscerally emotional” (The Washington Post), I AM JANE DOE chronicles the epic battle that several American mothers are waging on behalf of their middle-school daughters, victims of sex trafficking on Backpage.com, the classified advertising website that for years was part of the iconic Village Voice. Reminiscent of Erin Brockovich and Karen Silkwood, these mothers have stood up on behalf of thousands of other mothers, fighting back and refusing to take no for an answer.” More about the film
Film Discussion & Special Guest: Nacole S. + Dr. Carolyn West
Find more details and how to register for I am Jane Doe here
JUNE 17, 2020: 6:30 PM – 8: 30 PM PST
Module 3: Advocacy & Lifeline Response Networks
Goals: Advocacy relationships within government task forces, coalitions, non-profit foundations and advocacy training programs for schools and businesses. Lifelines of resources including for all diverse communities and the interrelationship within the response and legislative advancements in advocacy.
Featured Speaker: Jeri Moomaw, Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative (IHTC) 501.c3
Jeri is the founder and executive director of Innovations Human Trafficking Collaborative (IHTC) based in Olympia Washington. In 2016, she was awarded by Department of Justice for her work to improve the lives of trafficking survivors. For the past 16 years she has worked in Tribal communities and beyond with trafficking survivors, developing and overseeing prevention and intervention programs, creating curriculum and training modules focusing on combating commercial sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. As someone who has been personally impacted by trafficking, she also knows first-hand the individual and collective toll it can take. Jeri is solution focused and works with communities, agencies, and organization to identifying service gaps, enhance opportunities to identify victims and to improve screening and response protocols in a trauma informed care and multi-cultural focus. Jeri is a consultant for the Dept. of Homeland Security Blue Campaign and a member of the Office of Victim of Crime and the Office on Trafficking in persons (NHTTAC) consultant network as a human trafficking subject expert.
Featured Speaker: Mar Brettmann, Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST) 501.c3
Mar worked as a university professor, teaching, and researching on topics of human rights, philosophy, and religion. In her research, she found herself increasingly concerned about the brutal exploitation that takes place through human trafficking. In 2011, Mar participated in a conversation of human trafficking experts who were advising a charitable foundation on interventions to prevent trafficking. The experts said that businesses were key to prevention yet were largely missing from the national response. BEST was created to fill that gap. As the Founding Executive Director, Mar is an author of the impactful book, “Theories of Justice” and educates business leaders on needed tools to implement socially responsible strategies that prevent human trafficking.
Featured Speaker: Alisa Bernard, Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS) 501.c3
Alisa Bernard has served OPS in a variety of capacities since 2013 including in her current role as Executive Director of Education and Partnerships. In addition to co-directing OPS, Alisa is known for her expertise on multi-prong and asymmetric policy model responses to CSE and the impacts these approaches have as they are implemented within American social structures. She is an independent consultant, educator and presenter having consulted to organizations and agencies across the US, including: Demand Abolition and World Without Exploitation. She is a founding member of King County’s Ending Exploitation Collaborative, is a member of the King County CSEC Taskforce, represents OPS on the Washington State Anti-Trafficking Task Force and sits on numerous public and private advisory boards. She developed and delivers an online skill-building and empowerment mentoring series for survivors of CSE.
JUNE 20, 2020: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PST
Film Screening – SOLD the Movie
“Based on true stories, SOLD, is the story of Lakshmi who journeys from a pastoral, rural village in Nepal to a gritty brothel/prison called Happiness House in Kolkata, India. Through one extraordinary girl’s story, SOLD illustrates the brutality of child trafficking, which affects millions of children around the globe every year” More about the film.
Film Discussion & Specials Guests: Jane Charles, Film Producer, and Marnie Backer, Executive Director of Stolen Youth 501.C3
Jane Charles is a producer of film and television. Her feature film, “SOLD,” shot in India and Nepal with Oscar-winning Director Jeffrey D Brown and Executive Producer Emma Thompson, has won 5 audience awards and 3 jury awards in international film festivals and has generated a global fundraising movement to end child trafficking. Jane serves on the Board of Directors for Stolen Youth 501.c3 in Seattle WA.
Marnie Backer is the Executive Director of Stolen Youth 501.c3. Early in her career, Marnie served as the director of development and alumni relations for the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. After moving to the Pacific Northwest and working in development for several organizations including an international global health and disaster relief agency and the nation’s largest nonprofit infectious disease research institute, she began consulting for two international nonprofits and Stolen Youth 501.c3. Today, as its executive director, Marnie’s focus is on expanding the reach and effectiveness of Stolen Youth 501.c3, with the ultimate goal of preventing more young people from falling victim to child sex traffickers.
JUNE 24, 2020: 6:30 PM – 8: 30 PM PST
Module 4: Prevention & Action 4 Advocacy – Graduation
Goals: Overview of Prevention Training Programs for both the public and for various businesses and schools. Review of WA supportive coalition and foundation prevention community networks. Legislation advancements in prevention and further protections for victims. Discussion on loopholes and new ideas to further the expedited prosecution of traffickers. Inspiration & Action for Advocacy.
Featured Speaker: Kyra Doubek, WA Trafficking Prevention (WTP) 501.c3
Kyra is the Executive Director of WTP WA Trafficking Prevention 501.c3 and has over a decade of nonprofit leadership and advocacy experience in Washington, championing the movement to end exploitation and increase services for human trafficking survivors. Throughout Kyra’s career she has led crucial anti-human trafficking initiatives with the Port of Seattle, Attorney’s General Office, and various state and local task forces. She built instrumental relationships with federal and local law enforcement, developing protocols and partnerships to increase unity and enforcement across sectors. Kyra has served on the board of Renton Youth Advocacy Center and the Organization for Prostitution Survivors – OPS 501.c3. A survivor herself, Kyra experienced firsthand the commercial sex landscape in WA. After exiting “the life” Kyra joined the movement to end commercial sexual exploitation.
Featured Speaker: Kelly McCaughey, Shared Hope International 501.c3
Kelly is the Volunteer and Community Engagement Manager at Shared Hope International 501.C3 in Vancouver, WA. Kelly supports and manages volunteers, both locally and nation-wide, serves as a community educator on domestic minor sex trafficking, and heads Shared Hope’s internet safety initiative. Kelly’s passion as an advocate for youth experiencing sex trafficking began as an undergraduate student at Azusa Pacific University, where received her BA in Sociology. While there, she focused her studies on the production of images of child sexual exploitation as a form of trafficking in the U.S. Kelly also served as a lead intern at a global anti-trafficking organization, where she managed volunteers and advocates across the world, as well as assisting in the planning and execution of two global campaigns to spread awareness about human trafficking and Kelly leads Shared Hope International Trafficking Prevention Ambassador’s school program.
JUNE 28, 2020: 12:00 – 2:00PM PST
Film Screening – “SAnds of silence”
‘Sands of Silence” (SOS) is not a film exclusively about trafficking. Rather, is a film that addresses the interconnectivity of the full spectrum of sexual violence through its common denominator: silence. It is our clear vision that abuse and exploitation survivors need stakeholders to move beyond the silo paradigm that distinguishes one type of abuse/exploitation from another so they can jointly solve the common cause of all abuse and exploitation: survivor and community silence.” More about the film
Film Discussion Panel Special Guest: Chelo Alvarez-Stehle, Film Producer/Director
World reporter and filmmaker Chelo Alvarez-Stehle producer/director/writer of the feature-length documentary SANDS OF SILENCE: Waves of Courage, has spent over two decades denouncing sexual violence and trafficking through her creative and humanitarian work. She became foreign correspondent for Spain’s El Mundo daily in Tokyo and then in Los Angeles. Chelo was interviewer and assistant director on TIN GIRLS documentary on child trafficking from Nepal to India, where she co-founded the Masala Project, an income-generating spice factory and animal farm for survivors. She has directed/produced several short documentaries, among them, SOLD IN AMERICA: A Modern-Day Tale of Sex Slavery, and developed SOS_SLAVES: Changing the Trafficking Game, a social impact video game. She is currently working on three documentary projects, one of them with sexual aggressors serving time.
Find more details and how to register for Sands of Silence here
