I was Trafficked. Why didn’t I Run?

“Women in The World” recently shared the story of Sophie Hayes (pseudonym) who was trapped in the web of sex trafficking by a boyfriend she had known for several years. She tells the story of her boyfriend inviting her to visit him in Italy. Once there she experienced this man whom she had learned to trust turned into a monster who threatened her with violence and death if she did not obey. She talks of the intimidation visited on her by her pimp/boyfriend who terrorized her into bondage. Sophie’s passport was taken from her and she was beaten daily. 

The author suggests that this year 700,000 to four million women and children will be forced into sexual slavery. Sophie now works with survivors to try and help them to reclaim their future.

Sophie Hayes is the author of Trafficked: My Story of Surviving, Escaping and Transcending Abduction into Prostitution. She has her own foundation which can be referenced at www.sophiehayesfoundation.org

Richard Lazere on behalf of East Portland Rotary Human Trafficking Committee

International Day of the Girl

October 11^th will be The International Day of the Girl to kick start a movement against gender bias and for girls’ rights everywhere.

This day will be an opportunity to raise a global voice on behalf of females everywhere in the service of providing equal opportunity for young girls to become educated and take their rightful place as respected citizens in society. This dedicated day will be an opportunity to make a forceful statement about the need to protect young girls from early marriages, sex trafficking, physical abuse and denial of personal growth opportunities. No society can flourish when half of its citizens are denied rights afforded to males. Elevating the status of women will create a rising tide that will lift all ships everywhere. Girls are not for selling, girls are not for hurting, girls are people too. The International 

Day of the Girl will trumpet these sentiments loudly around the world.

Richard Lazere, on behalf of East Portland Rotary Human Trafficking Committee

“Hotline”-Portland Johns Purchasing Sex online

A recent study by Arizona State University of men who solicit prostitution online was published in The Daily Oregonian. This study suggested that some 31,282 Portland men, 3.7 percent of the adult male population in this area had made online contact to purchase sex from “escort services” posted on such sites as www.backpage.com. The researchers posted decoy ads in the 15 American cities that were studied in this research paper. The title of this study is “Invisible Offenders” : A Study Estimating Online Sex Customers.” 

Portland ranked in the middle of the distribution of men soliciting sex on the internet of the cities included in the study.

Portland men were especially persistent and continued to pursue sexual services even after the decoy ads were removed. Fridays were a popular time for men trolling for sex online, likely due to paydays on Friday. The average number of ads posted on the sex sites was 145.5 providing ample opportunity for Johns to purchase sexual service.

The import of this study is to document the reality that many men are attempting to purchase sex online in addition to trolling for sex on the streets. Any effective remedy for prostitution of young girls will need to include a response to the online sale of sexual services.

Richard Lazere on behalf of The East Portland Rotary Human Trafficking Committee