Hey Freedom Fighters,

I just read another news article about someone claiming that they were a potential victim of human trafficking because they were followed in a grocery store by a "creepy man." Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not selling their story short or suggesting that being followed around is right, but I am saying that incidents such as these do not have the earmarks of human trafficking. 

Human trafficking and sexual exploitation is a "trending" topic right now. The media covers it more and more and parents are taking to Facebook to heed warnings to other parents. I was talking with a high school social worker earlier this week who informed me that three of her students had previously been trafficked. That's three too many students. We get inboxed, voicemails, and emails every week from community members who are fearful and confused about what the issue of trafficking means for their kids and neighborhood. 

My heart hurts every time I read an article like this. It hurts every time a parent announces they're living in fear. It hurts when people aren't living their best lives because they don't want to be kidnapped. 

The honest truth? Kidnapping makes up less than 2% of all violent crimes and rarely involves weapons.  Abusers, like someone who exploits others for profit, depend on the grooming process in order to control and manipulate their victims. The grooming process, to train someone for a specific purpose, takes time and energy on the part of the trafficker. He or she may take months to build a foundation of trust and love with a victim. Even after the abuse starts, grooming can still take place as the relationship between abuser and victim evolves. 

Traffickers rely on mastering social norms to fly under the radar in broad daylight. They have a specific agenda to their behavior with a targeted end game of maximizing profit. A trafficker is an excellent master of disguise and will blend in so as to not even be noticed in most social and public environments.

Knowing the red flags and warning signs of trafficking are essential for everyone to be aware of. Not only can it keep potential victims safe but it ensures that the issue of trafficking isn't sensationalized. As we've said before, don’t let what is shocking cause us to miss out on the subtle tactics most traffickers use. 

You may have seen our recent post about the woman we met the week of the Fourth of July who was being trafficked in the Delafield area. Many people responded with comments about her situation and questions on how to help so we thought it would be good to address some of these things across the board. 

To level set, we did not express in full detail what happened during our time with this woman or outline her situation verbatim in our public post for a this defining reason; it is our job to ask for collective prayer, not to re-exploit her by sharing her story.

Her story is for her to tell, not anyone else to repeat. 

Were the police or CPS contacted? 
Yes, the police were contacted. No, CPS was not contacted because the woman is over the age of eighteen. 

Is Exploit No More mandated reporters? 
This young woman is in her early 20's so there are different mandated reporting requirements set forth by the government for adults and minors. Technically, we are not mandated reporters but of course, we report and refer to the most appropriate NGO's to assist individuals and to our law enforcement contacts, including local and federal. 

What is Exploit No More's protocol for emergency situations like this one?
Our connections are vast and our protocol is efficient as it takes into account what the individual needs and wants, versus what we think they need and want. 

What happens next for this young woman?
The road to freedom and recovery looks different for each person and at the first point of contact, many individuals aren't able to leave that life behind for various reasons, including abuse and drug addiction, like this young woman. That is why consistency matters because helping a trafficking victim isn't a one-time thing, it is difficult and ongoing. Our aim is to be a friend on the journey to freedom, healing, and hope for the future.

As some of our responses begin to touch on, the issue of sex trafficking has many moving parts and at times, resources are scarce or limited due to individualized needs. A huge way that our organization is committed to combat trafficking is through the MKE Resource Hub. 

Before the MKE Resource Hub became what it is, organizations throughout the community of Milwaukee kept noticing an unfortunate pattern of not enough personal care and basic necessity items for populations in need. Some organizations had an abundance of resources, some had none, and others had items that were expiring. 

When CRAY, Collaborative Rapid Advocacy for Youth, recognized that resources for victims and survivors of human trafficking as well as high risk youth were not being distributive in an effective way, they began to brainstorm ideas on how to bring balance into collaboration; which is how the Resource Hub came into existence. ​Through meeting the necessity for hygiene and health, one of the vulnerabilities that traffickers target, lack of basic needs, is greatly reduced. 

The organizations who will be benefiting from this pool of resources will be able to personalize backpacks filled with personal need and self care items for the populations they work with. Paired with the driving force of the community donating items, volunteering time, and spreading the word, the program will make the maximum impact. 

Donate Your Time 
​We need volunteers to inventory, organize, and pack items. 

However you may choose to help - volunteering, praying, creating care kits - there is strength in seemingly small acts and room at the table for everyone to join the fight against child sex trafficking. 

Written by: Melania Klemowits, Exploit No More's Executive Coordinator

Dear Woman,

I don’t know what circumstances lead you to this letter, but here you are, and I am grateful for that.

Today is about celebrating you! Your successes, your progress, your strength, your incredible being.
Don’t do that, I know you just flinched a little, slouching in your chair while reading that sentence. You’re thinking, I am not a woman worth celebrating. What have I done that’s good in this world?
​
I’ve felt the same at way during my life; everything was in slow motion, like wading through jello, and my body was numb. There was no happiness, no sadness, no anger, no spark. I was alone in a crowded room and worse, sometimes I was just alone.

Dear Woman,

I’m going to stop you right there – you have done good in this world, you are good, you are worthy.

You may not have seen the goodness that you’ve created but it’s there. What about the time you held the door open for the older couple with their arms full of groceries? What about the time your daughter or son had a nightmare and you crawled in bed with them and held them until they fell back asleep? What about the time you smiled at someone who looked like they were having a hard day?

Celebrating the small victories of a day in the life of a woman are just as important as celebrating the big achievements. The world may get caught up in the hype of standards and image – but you, beyond any doubt, are worthy of celebrating.

Dear Woman,

If I could, I would throw you a party for yourself – any party you want, I would make it happen.

Dear Woman,

I see you.
In your hurt and pain, I see you.
In your loneliness and confusing, I see you.
In your long nights and unkept hair, I see you.
In your healing and redemption, I see you.
In your joy and freedom, I see you.

Dear Woman,

Wherever you are in your journey – beginning, middle, going through a big change, starting a new adventure, I see you.

I see you as someone who is worthy of celebrating, who is accepted with all the bruises, scars, and history, who has been put on this earth to do good things.

I am so glad to be living in a world with you in it.

Written by: Melania Klemowits, Exploit No More's Executive Coordinator 

​​Today is International Women’s Day. A day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year’s theme, Press for Progress, is a call to motivate and unite the community - everyone alike - to think, act, and be gender inclusive.

I write this on a Monday evening curled up on my clearance couch with my dog half on my writing arm, half on the cushions. When I move her aside, she gravitates back to me.
​
Tonight, my little and I watched The Great Gilly Hopkins (thank you Netflix!) a sweet tale of a girl shuffled around foster care until she finally finds her family.

Those type of stories always make me cry. Not the sniffles but the crying that takes my breath away.

My daughter, knowing I was crying because I kept adjusting my glasses and my fingertips were dirty with mascara, patted my head without taking her eyes off the show. “Oh Mommy. Don’t cry. It’s a good story.”
Somehow, I managed to nod.
“Mommy, stop worrying. You always worry. That girl,” pointing to our glowing tv, “is strong. She is good Mommy.”
“Good stories always make me cry.”
“Why?”
“Because they are becoming rare”
Not knowing what I meant, she blinked at me, no longer watching the tv.
“Sometimes my word makes me very sad, so when I watch good movies with happy endings, I cry. That’s just how I am.”

She nods, understanding. We watch the rest of the movie, me crying, her patting my head. 
 
I was raised by a strong woman, not knowing her strength until I became a mom myself.

My first three years of motherhood were rough; I was healing from an abusive relationship, trying to find my footing in college and a career, and figuring out what this motherhood thing was all about. My mom stepped in. Her non-judgmental wisdom saved me from breakdown after breakdown. She would say things like: failure makes you human, without it, you would be a fruitcake or listen to some music without words while you process or let’s go grab a chai and not talk about what’s bothering you.

I clung to her.

Last year was the first year that I felt grounded, secure in myself, my motherhood, my career, my home. I was talking to my cousin about well, everything, and she said, “You don’t know all that your Mom’s done, do you?”

I shook my head.

“Your mom supported our cousin in her teen pregnancy when you were a little girl, just like she did with you these past years. I’ve never seen anyone be so open to helping someone else. Others in the family weren’t as willing but your mom never hesitated, questioned, or judged.” She continued to tell me story after story of my mom showing up for others.

It made sense. Of course it did! My mom has always been this person defined by love and acceptance. What took me a few moments to get is that my mom – my quiet, reserved, non-judgmental mom – was, and is, progressive in her actions. 

Even though she is quiet, she isn’t silent. Even though she’s reserved, she offers a place of refuge for whoever needs it.

I raise my daughter in her shadow because that’s a great shadow to have a childhood in – and that’s how she recognized the strength in The Great Gilly Hopkins.

And that’s how I know she will press for progress – the strength within her summons her to.
 
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is Press for Progress.

A friend of mine said, “well that doesn’t apply to me because I don’t do marches.”
Hold up girl, there isn’t a definition of how people should honor this day or theme. It means anything you want it to mean.

Press for Progress for me means doing my job to my best ability until I see justice because every who is being forced to sell her body for sex are worthy of living in freedom.

It means being a voice for the defenseless and passing the mic to those who speak in whispers.

It means advocating for every single woman who is trapped in the life, exiting the life, survivors of the life.  

It means showing up, just like my mom did for me, for others.

It means leading my daughter by example in strength and compassion.

It means giving my daughter tools to be her own advocate and to advocate for people around her.
It means pressing on in courage to see progress.

Today is your day to define what Press for Progress means to you. Today is your day to commit to that manifesto for all the days to come. Today is your moment to hold the mic.

Here, I just handed it to you. Use it for good. Use it for progression. 

We've partnered with MKE Moms Blog over the last few months to bring human trafficking awareness resources to parents in our area. 

End It MKE Tee Campaign 
Read the entire post here: #EndItMKE Shirt :: Fighting for Freedom in Milwaukee 

The fight for freedom has come to our doorstep. Fighters across the globe and in our own backyard are shining a light on slavery and taking a stand. Education is being provided, questions are being answered and the word is out that parents can and must be involved. Through the sale and wearing of this #EndItMKE shirt, we are taking a purposeful step in saying that sex trafficking will no longer be tolerated in our communities. We, the citizens of Milwaukee, are standing up to say...
...NOT IN OUR CITY. NOT TO OUR KIDS. NOT ON OUR WATCH.  

Check out all of the posts here: 
June 2017 Human Trafficking 101 in Milwaukee 
July 2017 How Intentional Parenting Can Help Prevent Human Trafficking 
September 2017 The Red Flags of Human Trafficking :: Keeping Your Student Safe 
October 2017 Equipping Your Student to be a Champion for Freedom 

Although our posts are specific to Milwaukee, the majority of the information is applicable to parents and cities across the States. If you aren't located in Milwaukee, check out the links anyway; they are packed with some great resources for parents, educators, and anyone working with youth.