News from Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships

October 2012 Vol 2, Number 1

Nola headshot

We are excited about the Modern Day Slavery Forum to be held at Hodges University on October 18 and 19. The theme of the forum is "Creating Strategies and Partnerships in Combating Human Trafficking"

We are honored to have officials from the Dominican Republic and state and local experts who will be speaking about their efforts on October 18 and October 19. It is still possible to register to attend this event, but space is limited. There is no registration charge.

I had a wonderful time at my high school "Wall of Fame" event where I spoke to 7 groups of high school students from the 2 high schools in the Leyden district. It was an honor to meet the other 2 inductees who are leaders in their business and medical professions.

Jim Weigand, Nola Theiss and Daniel Martinez

Jim Weigand, Nola Theiss and Dr. Daniel Martinez

Nola Theiss, Executive Director

Train the Trainer ARTREACH Programs

Prevention is our goal when we conduct ARTREACH programs, but in order to make the program sustainable, we need to train others who can conduct the program in their own community. We are willing to conduct Train the Trainer programs in your community or to send you materials so you can do it yourself.

Thank you to the

The SWFL Community Foundation recently awarded HTAP a Community Impact grant for its new "Point of Contact / Point of Rescue Program"

Our next newsletter will feature stories about this new and exciting program.

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What's Happening in Our Community

committee

Representatives from law enforcement, social service agencies, HABA, businesses and the local school board formed the original organizing committee.

Groups from all over SWFL have joined forces to host an event on October 18 and 19 at Hodges University. The SWFL Human Trafficking Coalition and the Hispanic American Business Alliance which together represent hundreds of local groups joined together to form the Southwest Florida International Partnerships for Human Rights to sponsor "Modern Day Slavery: Creating Strategies and Partnerships in Combating Human Trafficking" Forum at Hodges University. In partnership with the Attorney General's Office of the Dominican Republic, speakers from the Dominican Republic and experts from across Florida will discuss how strategic partnerships can benefit both victims and those who work to protect the victims and to prosecute the traffickers.

At this event, the new TIPS (Trafficking Interactive Prevention Simulation) installation will be unveiled for a test run and evaluation by the professionals at the conference. A group of students from the Lee County 4H Trailblazers has built the moveable installation which will give students a glimpse at how students like them may be approached by traffickers.

There is no charge for the event, but registration is required and space is limited. See the flyer below.

Wells Fargo Presents Grant Check

Laura Wrenn Worzella, Senior Vice President and Area President of Wells Fargo, presented a check to Nola Theiss, Executive Director of HTAP and Allison Martins, Program Coordinator of HTAP. The donation from Wells Fargo was earmarked for operating funds and will be used to support Allison's position with HTAP. As Program Coordinator, Allison will facilitate ARTREACH and the new programs of TIPS and Point of Contact/Point of Rescue.

There will be more information about both of these programs in our next newsletter.

Amazing video on gangs and sex trafficking

to see this video go to:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oytvRXIXhAk

or click here:

Their Story

This video was supported in part by the Zonta Club of Yakima, Washington. It clearly shows in the stark stories of the two participants how kids can easily get involved. If it can happen in Yakima, it can happen in your town.

New Florida Legislation Goes Into Effect

The "Florida Safe Harbor Act," which is intended to provide a more coordinated response to address the child welfare service needs of sexually exploited children who are dependent was passed this Spring. It goes into effect on October 1, 2012. Kristi House in Miami is the first designated Safe Harbor House in the state of Florida. Florida is the tenth state in the union to have this kind of legislation.

Click Here to read the Act: Florida Safe Harbor Act

HTAP Read/Recommend/Act Campaign

We believe that the more available information about human trafficking is, the more likely it is that people will learn and take action.

This campaign was inspired by one of our board members who was unable to find any books about human trafficking while traveling on business. She said, "Human Trafficking is the second largest criminal business internationally and booksellers don't carry the great books that have been written about it. We need to do something to make these books available".

Some of these are "classics" in the field, some are personal stories, some are strongly based on research. Together they give a well rounded view of trafficking today.

Read these books and learn more about human trafficking.
Recommend these books to your local library and bookstores and encourage others to read and buy these books.
Act on what you've learned

HTAP's Recommended Reading List

The Big Picture:

*"A Crime So Monstrous" by E. Benjamin Skinner

*"Ending Slavery: How we Free Today's Slaves" by Kevin Bales

*"Half the Sky" by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn

*"Not for Sale" by David Batsone

*"In Our Backyard; A Christian Perspective on Human Trafficking in the United States by Nita Belles

* "Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking" by Benjamin Perrin

* "One Child at a Time" by Julian Sher

Child Sex Trafficking:

*"Girls Like Us" by Rachel Lloyd

*"Renting Lacy; A Story of America's Prostituted Children by Linda Smith

*"Somebody's Daughter" by Julian Sher

*"Stolen Lives" by Jaycee Duggard

*"The Slave Across the Street" by Theresa Flores

*"The Slave Next Door" by Kevin Bales and Ron Soodalter

*"A Walk Across the Sun" by Corbin Addison (fiction)

*"Sold" by Patricia McCormick (fiction)

* "Runaway Girl" by Carissa Phelps

Demand and the Economic Issues:

*"The Johns" by Victor Malarek

*"The Natashas" by Victor Malarek

*"Nobodies" by John Bowe

*"Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery" by Siddharth Kara

banner of first 12 paintings

Artreach Logo

ARTREACH banner

The banner above shows the first 12 paintings done by students in the ARTREACH program.

Meanwhile, we have begun another ARTREACH program for girls which will be followed by a program for boys sponsored by the EDGE organization and local foster homes for girls and boys
in Ft. Myers.

In addition,

Groups in Colorado Springs are in the process of initiating the first ARTREACH program based on the original program in their area.

You may see more of the artwork on our website for the ARTREACH program or if you are interested in learning about the possibility of an ARTREACH program in your community, go to www.htapARTREACH.org

SAVE THE DATE

November 29, 2012 is our target date for an exciting presentation by leaders of the Wadah Foundation, a group that supports many women's organizations fighting for women's rights around the world and supporting organizations dedicated to many causes, including human trafficking. The program will be held on Sanibel, pending travel arrangements for the speakers from Indonesia.

They are Anie Hashim Djojohadikusumo founder/patron of Wadah Foundation and her daughter Sara Djojohadikusumo who has founded "Parinama Asa" to strengthen the fight against human trafficking.

We will send out additional information as details and dates are firmed up.

239-415-2635 239-292-3834 877-395-1737

PO Box 1113 Sanibel, FL 33957

www.humantraffickingawareness.org

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