“Committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation by raising awareness through the media and grassroots mobilization, education, advocacy and policy.”
“If we are open, connected and our intention is pure, we will always be protected by love and in service be better to others and never be harmed.” — Lynn Shaw
Dear Warrior:
WARNING: None of this is easy to read.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence Intersect
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure or wound someone.
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against his/her will.
Let’s talk about it. I said to someone recently that this month is domestic violence awareness month. They replied thusly: Let’s not talk about that, it’s too ugly. I said why not? We all know someone or have heard stories. It’s time to share education, facts and truths, about what domestic violence is, signs, indicators of it, what to do if it happens to you, a loved one or a friend or even your child. I said to this same person that teenage girls, and some boys, are increasingly becoming involved in abusive relationships. Teen dating violence is real.Children trafficking other children in their schools is real. In 2022, we have an increase in both domestic violence and human trafficking. We are witnessing habituation. It is time to stop and blow the top off of all this abuse. Enough. It’s reality. Therefore, it must be discussed openly and honestly with everyone, including our vulnerable children and teens. In-depth and age appropriate. Facts. Truths. We cannot do this alone. We need all of you.
2022 Theme is #WeAreResilient
You can start by sharing this newsletter with friends and family. Raising awareness is the first step to confronting and ending these cycles of abuse.
Domestic violence and human trafficking deserve their own individual recognition. However, onlyif we acknowledge the intersection of domestic violence and human trafficking, we can begin to recognize how truly complex patterns of abusive behavior create environments that enable and perpetuate violence. It is a vicious cycle. And one that must be broken. More importantly, we can help ensure that victims are recognized and connected to the resources they need to get the help they deserve. This is the goal. Helping people and providing hope. It is important to recognize that human trafficking and domestic violence don’t occur alone. Often there is a marked overlap in the pattern of behaviors that both abusers and traffickers use to exert power and control over a victim.
“Intimate partner trafficking occurs when an abuser [compels] their partner to engage in commercial sex, forced labor, or involuntary servitude.” Alternatively, trafficked individuals sometimes live with their trafficker and are subjected to the physical violence, emotional manipulation, and overbearing control that are hallmarks of domestic violence.” – National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.
Community Creates Change
Domestic violence. Let’s focus on awareness, education, resources, enforcing policies and laws and working to update our justice system. Let’s give hope. Let’s protect. Let’s start with communication. Let’s be Warriors.
LET’S FOCUS ON TAKE ACTION NOT REACTION. So, what are we to do?
Engage. Educate. Empower ourselves and our children.
There is Hope. There is Help.
Community Creates Change
Take Action. No one is exempt. 2022 Understand Domestic Violence Awareness Month(DVAM) launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues. Over the past 30+ years, much progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable and to create and update legislation to further those goals.
Take Action. Facts matter. National Statistics Domestic Violence Fact Sheet Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion or nationality. Physical violence is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior as part of a much larger, systematic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological trauma and even death. The devastating consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and last a lifetime.
Take Action. Intersection.Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking: Advocacy at the Intersections Similarities between victims of domestic violence and trafficking require the same kinds of trauma-informed services such as safety planning, housing stability, health care, substance use disorder treatment, mental health services and employment to achieve economic security, self-sufficiency, healing and well-being.
Take Action. Protect our youth. Millions of teens experience abusive relationships. Here's how adults can helpNo parent imagines that teen dating violence could affect their child. Yet according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26% of women say they experienced intimate partner violence before they were 18. Adults need to acknowledge that teen dating violence is real. Dating abuse can happen to anyone. It doesn't matter if the teen is a good student, plays sports or seems happy. A teen in an abusive relationship may not understand what's happen or have the experience to know what to do – so adults are critical.
Wherever the kids are . . . so are the predators.
Let’s start talking healthy not harmful in 2022-2023.
REALITY
If we help one child a day, then we have done our job.
Sound the Alarm. September 30.Dared by the Algorithm: Dangerous challenges are just a click awayFairplay released new research investigating risky online challenges that explore two dangerous trends: car surfing – where people are filmed standing or riding on top of a moving car – and train surfing – where people ride on the top or outside of trains. The research shows how readily the algorithms on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube show videos of these well-known trends on a research account registered as a 14 year-old boy. A case for KOSA – Kids Online Safety Act.Take action now.
Parental Advisory. October 3. Sexual Predators Are Grooming Young Teens On Wattpad, A Storytelling App Beloved By Gen ZFor many teenagers, the reading and writing platform is a creative and educational outlet. But a Forbes investigation found that it’s also a place where sexual predators target and exploit vulnerable teens, in some cases leading to sex trafficking and assault.
Just Announced. 2022. It’s time to challenge the narrative. The World Without Exploitation Youth Coalition debuts the “Dear Professors”video featuring college students and survivors from across the country speaking up against how the sex trade is being portrayed by their professors. Share this video if you are a student with your professors and school administrators, especially those spreading harmful narratives about the sex trade. Learn more about the email template and toolkit with tips and resources for addressing the sex trade in the classroom.
Washington, D.C. September 29. PROTECT Act introduced into Congress. There are no federal laws requiring websites to verify the age and consent of each person depicted in explicit materials. This is a massive gap in the law, and one that must be and can be immediately rectified with the #PROTECTAct. IBSA – Image Based Sexual Abuse can happen quickly to anyone. Recognizing this problem after sitting down and working with survivors, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the Preventing Rampant Online Technological and Criminal Trafficking Act of 2022 (PROTECT Act) that would require websites allowing sexually explicit material (pornography) to obtain verified consent forms from individuals uploading content, or appearing in uploaded content, and to require websites to remove images uploaded without consent. Take action. Sign the petition here to urge members of Congress to prioritize victims of IBSA and pass the #PROTECTAct.
Molly took her own life in 2017 after looking at content related to suicide, depression and anxiety. A senior coroner’s conclusion that schoolgirl Molly Russell died while suffering from the “negative effects of online content” has been hailed the first of its type. Molly’s father Ian Russell said he hoped the conclusion would be an “important step in bringing about much-needed change” and asked Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg to “just listen… and then do something about it.”
Good News. September 28. Exclusive-Brands BLAST Twitter for ads next to child pornography accounts – CSAM (child sexual abuse material) Some major advertisers including Dyson, Mazda, Forbes and PBS Kids have suspended their marketing campaigns or removed their ads from parts of Twitter because their promotions appeared alongside tweets soliciting child pornography, the companies told Reuters. Thirty advertisers that appeared on the profile pages of Twitter accounts peddling links to the exploitative material, according to a Reuters review of accounts identified in new research about child sex abuse online from cybersecurity group Ghost Data.
Twitter’s response: Spokesperson Celeste Carswell said the company "has zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation" and is investing more resources dedicated to child safety, including hiring for new positions to write policy and implement solutions. (STOP IT. We’ve heard this one before. Ban CSAM.)
Justice. October 1. Prosecutors seek life sentence for man in sex trafficking of a minor case that stretched from Omaha to South DakotaA 42-year-old man, Carney Turner, indicted in an alleged sex trafficking operation could face life in prison. In requesting the life sentence, according to court documents, the prosecution said Turner's history "demonstrates that his conduct, in this case, was hardly an anomaly for him." In his guilty plea, Turner wrote that he recruited three minors "in reckless disregard of their age, to engage in a commercial sex act."
Media Microscope. October 3. Thank you Annette Lawless/ KAKE News/ABC for sharing Good News. #MissingInKansasThe best update! 3 runaway children were found safe, a day after reported missing in northeast Wichita. Thank you for sharing their story. #KAKENews
Warrior Reality. October. Reflective Spaces Ministry in Fort Myers, Florida suffered damage from the recent and horrific Hurricane Ian. However, our dear colleague Tammy Toney-Butler says all is minimal and they were blessed and spared. There is complete devastation all around the area and Tammy is helping her community with necessities such as food, water, transportation, pet supplies, blankets, a safe space and so much more. Please watch this video. Total devastation. Please consider a donation. Every bit helps. Many people are suffering. Thank you. #CommunityCreatesChange
Warrior Spotlight. October 4. Nina DeJonghe, Director of Public Policy at ECPAT-USA joins the Warriors Channel for an in-depth discussion about the landscape facing our youth and provides necessary tools and resources to help combat exploitation. The mission of ECPAT-USA is to protect every child’s right to grow up free from sexual exploitation and trafficking through legislative advocacy, education and partnerships. The vision of ECPAT-USA is a world in which no child is bought, sold, or used for sex. Thank you, Nina for your dedication and commitment to keeping kids safe.
Warrior Thanks. 2022. A very thorough report from AARP. Kids in Crisis. Social media, the pandemic and vast cultural change have left a generation anxious and depressed. They spoke to experts, parents and teens themselves to better understand why young people are suffering at unprecedented rates – and how parents can help. We have a youth mental health crisis in America. Let’s learn more and take action NOW.
Mark Your Calendar. November 8-10, 2022. Sign up NOW! #CESESummit2022 and the Warriors will be presenting. Online. FREE. You have no excuse. Engage. Educate. Empower. The rise of the Internet, social media and other technologies have completely revolutionized the way people live. Along with the good these developments have made possible, they have also unleashed tidal waves of sexual harm. Learn more. Register here.
SEXTORTION: The practice of extorting money or sexual favors from someone by threatening to reveal evidence of their sexual activity.
We can’t do this alone. We need everyone.
Have a Family Safety Emergency Plan in Place. “Children who become separated from their loved ones during and following a disaster are at an increased risk of trauma. Coping with anxiety and stress are much more difficult in the absence of those who know the child’s individual needs. Children separated from their parents or legal guardians are more vulnerable to maltreatment, abuse, abduction, and sexual exploitation. “ – NCMEC
If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or dial 911 in case of emergency. And 988 is now designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
ENGAGE EDUCATE EMPOWER
OCTOBER RECOMMENDED READING
From a world-renowned expert on creative play and the impact of commercial marketing on children, a timely investigation into how big tech is hijacking childhood—and what we can do about it.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, digital technologies had become deeply embedded in children’s lives, despite a growing body of research detailing the harms of excessive immersion in the unregulated, powerfully seductive, profit-driven world of the “kid-tech” industry.
CLICK ON BOOK COVER
WARNING!
WARNING! Be on the lookout for rainbow-colored fentanyl.
Talk to your kids.
WASHINGTON –The Drug Enforcement Administration is advising the public of an alarming emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available across the United States. In August 2022, DEA and our law enforcement partners seized brightly-colored fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 18 states. Dubbed “rainbow fentanyl” in the media, this trend appears to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell highly addictive and potentially deadly fentanyl made to look like candy to children and young people.
“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”
RELEASED. July 19. 2022 (Yearly) Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Launch. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is the U.S. Government’s principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-trafficking efforts and reflects the U.S. Government’s commitment to global leadership on this key human rights and law enforcement issue.(But remember, we need to hear more about addressing the demand side of the predation equation.)
NEW YORK STATE CALL TO ACTION 2022 – NEW YORKERS FOR THE EQUALITY MODEL.Join our movement to protect vulnerable people but hold responsible pimps, traffickers, sex buyers and any third party that causes harm. Do you want a brothel next door? NO. Learn more about the bipartisan Sex Trade Survivors Justice and Equality Act.#ProtectPeopleNotPimps
WE NEED YOUR HELP! 17-year-old Raymond was last seen on August 1, 2022 in Green Bay WI. Anyone having information is urged to the contact the Green Bay Police Department at 1-920-448-3200 or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! 14-year-old Kaylisha was last seen on August 21, 2022 in Mansfield OH. Anyone having information is urged to the contact the Mansfield Police Department (IL) at 1-419-522-1234 or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
Today and every day. Have a Warriors action plan in place. Stay connected with family and friends. Even if they seem okay. Keep handy these helpful phone numbers and websites of organizations available 24/7 365 days a year that offer free and confidential help.
Take Action. Warrior WorkshopsPlease learn more emphasizes that communication is key and supplies the tools and resources to accomplish this. Lynn’s Warriors educates children, teens, parents, teachers, trusted adults, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, community leaders and businesses and places of worship about the escalating impact of the Internet and protection from predators lurking online and in real time. Lynn’s Warriors focuses on and offers education and training about human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The emphasis and challenges are for everyone to become a Warrior in their own homes and communities. Lynn’s Warriors are essential, critical and now available to you and your community. Here we come, NY, CT, NJ and the entire United States! Stay tuned.
Lynn’s Warriors is at the forefront of raising awareness and mobilizing and coordinating community, state and national advocates, elected officials, representatives and leaders to work in a comprehensive and integrated approach to best address the issues and work at ending the demand that confronts our most vulnerable and precious citizens. Lynn’s Warriors utilizes a coordinated synergy to educate about all forms of digital predation, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), sextortion and all forms of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Learn more about becoming a Warrior and why Warrior Workshops are needed in your community. For more information Email Lynn.
Please use these helpful hashtags on your social media platforms to raise awareness about human trafficking and sexual exploitation issues and initiatives:
Warrior Wednesday WVOX10-05-2022 welcomes Melanie Thompson, survivor-leader, speaker, activist and leader in the global fight to end prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation. We’ll discuss the harmful sex trade in New York and how we can better protect victims and survivors. Make sure to listen to my 09-28-2022 interview with Yasmin Vafa, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Rights4Girls and how every girl today is at-risk for exploitation. Buckle up! Only on Lynn’s Warriors WVOX Radio. Join us every Wednesday from 3-4PM ET1460AMNY WVOX App WVOX.com = Across the Universe!
Please review our Official Lynn's Warriors merchandise site with proceeds going to help human trafficking victims and survivors reclaim their lives through economic empowerment and support Lynn's Warriors through AmazonSmile.
HELP FUND THE FIGHT AND KEEP THE SURVIVOR VOICE FRONT AND CENTER. Your Lynn’s Warriors donation supports the mission of human trafficking and sexual exploitation education and helping survivors reclaim their lives through purpose and providing financial support.
Please share this newsletter with family and friends.
Thank you.
Lynn Shaw
Founder and Executive Director
New York City Lynn’s Warriors
The time is now.
Healing.
We must protect our vulnerable children.
We can do this.
We must do this.
We are #Warriors
: 
Sound the Alarm. September 30. 
Just Announced. 2022. It’s time to challenge the narrative. The 
Washington, D.C. September 29. 
requiring websites to verify the age and consent of each person depicted in explicit materials. This is a massive gap in the law, and one that must be and can be immediately rectified with the 
In the News. October 1. 
Good News. September 28. 
Justice. October 1. 
stretched from Omaha to South Dakota
Tech Talk. October 3. 
Media Microscope. October 3. Thank you Annette Lawless/ 
KAKE News/ABC for sharing Good News. #MissingInKansasThe best update! 
W
Warrior Spotlight. October 4. Nina DeJonghe, Director of Public Policy at 
Mark Your Calendar. November 8-10, 2022. Sign up NOW! #CESESummit2022 and the Warriors will be presenting. Online. FREE. You have no excuse. Engage. Educate. Empower. The rise of the Internet, social media and other technologies have completely revolutionized the way people live. Along with the good these developments have made possible, they have also unleashed tidal waves of sexual harm. Learn more. 
October 26. 
vulnerable and precious citizens. 
to listen to 
