“Committed to ending modern-day slavery and sexual exploitation by raising awareness through the media and grassroots mobilization, education, advocacy and policy.”
WARNING: This newsletter may be disturbing because it’s true.
Dear Warrior:
A reliable source during the pandemic revealed to me thatfamilial trafficking in some black communities was escalating and becoming increasingly a way for vulnerable people to make money during the shutdown. People were turning to this hidden crime of exchanging a family member for rent, food, goods, substances, services or money.
I replied in horror that we must openly and honestly talk about this. Share facts and truths with the public. Use our online platforms and raise awareness with the media. We should discuss available resources and try to help people. I was told forget it. You cannot discuss this. I asked why not. The answer given to me — “You’re white.” And therein lies the problem.
TheWarriorsfocus and mission are raising awareness, educating the public and bringing media attention to all forms of human slavery. Affecting all groups of people. We see a goal of coming together and creating stronger partnerships and coalitions in order to better understand what needs to be done to help end human trafficking in all communities.
Let’s Learn More
February isBlack History Month. It was nationally recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976 asa time to honor the important role African Americans play in the story of our country.Originatingas a week-long celebration in 1926, it was organized by historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans of the time. Black History Monthis in February because Black people had traditionally celebrated the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, both of whom were born in the month of February.
Today we continue this tradition with celebrations, education, lectures, performances, documentaries and discussions to expand our understanding of the pivotal role of Black people in shaping United States history and culture.
Carter G. Woodson: “Black history is American history.”
Reality
Black History Month emphasizes the history of the struggles Black Americans faced. The Warriors wants to emphasize thehistory and struggles of Black women and girls. We just finished recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Let us tie January/February together and talk about the continued oppression of Black women and girls.
The definition ofhuman traffickingtakes on many forms. It is the use of force, fraud and coercion against a person to affect compelled sexual commerce, labor and the like. The definition is expansive. It is usually to compel someone to participate in some form of labor or commercial sex act. Although human trafficking is indiscriminate in race and gender, we must face the reality. It disproportionately affects Black women and girls, and at analarming rate. Of the estimated49.6 million victimsin the U.S., nearly 40% are Black women and girls, the highest of any racial group and despite making up only 13.6% of the U.S.population. Why? We must first understand the history of Black women and girls.
Dr. Stephany Powell – National Center on Sexual Exploitation “This racial significance in sex trafficking is, in part, due to the society that we live in and the history that we have on this continent; specifically, regarding the Black slave trade. Since the beginning of colonization, human trafficking has existed and been profitable in North America. As our society has developed from this dark period in our history, it is easy to believe that slavery, and human trafficking are no longer an issue, and that our history does not influence our treatment of Black communities. However, this is not the case. While there is an overwhelming general rejection of slavery and sex trafficking, the history and false beliefs surrounding racial minorities continue to influence the modern prostitution marketplace.”
It's 2023. It is long overdue. We must correct and start creating new history for Black women and girls. We must face the reality of what today’s sex trade means for them. It is unacceptable. Society must be educated. Sex buyers must be held accountable. Policy must be created that helps and not harms people. We must all speak up. Together. No matter what race. Time to #BeAWarrior
Lynn Shaw – Prostitution is not a job. And it never will be. Sex is not work. It’s exploitation. Talk to survivors.
Engage. Educate. Empower ourselves and our children.
So What Are We to Do? Community Creates Change
Take Action. Please read Dr. Stephany Powell’s The Unjust Treatment of Black Women and Girls Who Are Victimized in the Sex TradeSex Trafficking in the African American Community is a Human Rights Violation. “The epidemic of sex trafficking is a global issue that impacts all kinds of people. But too often, some people are disproportionately targeted for this kind of exploitation, specifically, Black communities.”
Take Action.What the Sex Trade Means for Black Women: A Legacy to ConfrontbyTaina Bien-Aimé “The comparison between the sexual trauma inflicted on Black women in slavery and in the sex trade also diverges when, in the latter, they appear to walk freely. These are the women the poet and women’s rights activist Audre Lorde called the “daughters who line 42nd Street.” Their exploiters — whether a pimp, a brothel manager or an intimate partner — have no need for literal shackles when our collective indifference makes us blind to the consequences of well-oiled coercion and control.”
Take Action. Policy. Learn more about theEquality Model. Decriminalize those who are exploited, provide support and services and hold traffickers, pimps, brothel owners, sex buyers accountable for harms caused. Are you in New York? Join us. Learn more. New Yorkers for the Equality Model.
Take Action. Use your voice and the Lynn’s Warriors Tool Kitto contact your elected representatives. Ask them what they are doing to support human trafficking survivors and holding sex buyers accountable in your community? Resources, legislation, laws enforced, compassion and love are needed to protect people, not pimps and traffickers.
Please share this newsletter with family and friends.
There is help. There is hope.
Please always check on your loved ones and friends who might be in need of someone to talk to and care. Find more resources at 988 Lifeline.
Wherever the kids are . . . so are the predators.
Let’s start talking healthy not harmful in 2023.
If we help one child a day, then we have done our job.
BE A WARRIOR!
Gabb Wireless– Technology has countless benefits and allowing children to use safe technology in moderation can help them learn phone etiquette and media literacy skills. However, too much of anything can be harmful. By taking the steps to balance tech in their lives, kids have more time to be kids and learn healthy tech habits.
Sound the Alarm. February 1. Children as young as nine exposed to pornographyA quarter of 16-21-year-olds first saw pornography on the Internet while still at primary school, it suggests. By the age of 13, 50% had been exposed to it. The findings have been linked to low self-esteem among young people and harmful views of sex and relationships. In a nationally representative survey of more than 1,000 16-21-year-olds, 38% had found pornographic content accidentally.
Parental Advisory. 2023.Everything Parents Need to Know about AI and ChatGPTProtect Young Eyesexplores what parents need to know about ChatGPT,and related artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like Jasper.ai, including capabilities, potential uses, and any concerns parents may have about its impact on their children’s learning and development.
Just Announced.February 3.Chat Site Omegle Must Face Claim for Sex Trafficking Minors Videochat website operator Omegle.com LLC can’t avoid a federal sex trafficking claim made by a plaintiff who alleges the site randomly paired her with a man who sexually abused her online when she was preteen.
Washington DC.February 1.The Warriors were honored to join Hope for Justice, who sponsored a roundtable event in the U.S. Senate for anti-trafficking stakeholders who want to stop human trafficking at the policy level. Eleven Congressional offices, both parties, plus a number of leaders in this space, survivors of human trafficking and 27 non-governmental organizations attended. Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee gave remarks about upcoming human trafficking legislative efforts.
Justice. February 3.Owner of Northeast Philly Hotel Must Pay $24M to Underaged Sex Trafficking VictimsThe owners of a Days Inn on Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia must pay millions to underage victims of sex trafficking after a court found the hotel knew about the crimes and did nothing. Most of the victims had previously been in the child welfare system and in foster care and some of the girls were repeatedly beaten by the traffickers.
In the News. January 31.A humane approach to sex work: Lawmakers from three states call for action by Sen. Liz Krueger (Left), Mary S. Keefe and Lois Galgay Reckitt “As state legislators representing districts in Maine, Massachusetts, and New York, we believe it is the job of government to aid and protect vulnerable and marginalized people against the systems of exploitation that seek to harm and take advantage of them.That is why we support a policy of partial decriminalization, also known as the Equality Model or the Nordic Model.”
Good News.February 5.FBI on high alert, preparing for sex trafficking activity during Super BowlLaw enforcement officials and victim advocacy groups are working together in Glendale, Arizona, to fight potential sex trafficking activity predicted to have a significant presence near the Super Bowl. The influx in travelers has many concerned the event is a perfect environment for sex traffickers to exploit young girls and boys, with trafficking activity typicallytaking place in hotels and resorts. Officials have begun taking steps to get in front of the issue before the city is flooded with fans and spectators.
Education. 2023. WARNING.As Cartels Turn to Social Media to Push Fentanyl, Experts Teach Parents How to Keep Kids Safe.As a projection screen displays a collection of rainbow-colored pills, National Guard Sgt. Tommy Morga asks the dozens of parents, teenagers and educators gathered in a sprawling room: “Who here has heard about fentanyl?” A few hands go up. “Only 17% of parents talk to their kids about (fentanyl overdoses),” Morga said “There are ways to monitor the social media applications. The biggest thing is to have an open conversation with your kids.”
Medical. February 3.It’s All In Your Head: Surviving Human TraffickingSandy Storm is living with trauma from human trafficking. She was a trafficking victim for over 20 years, and it began during her childhood. Initially, she did not realize she was a survivor or how the trauma of human trafficking affected her until she started volunteering in the justice movement. She saw what it’s like for victims to experience post traumatic stress disorder from human trafficking.
Tech Talk. 2023. App Reviews from Bark. Breaking down the good, the bad and the potentially dangerous about your child’s favorite platforms. What’s Yik Yak? Is Twitter safe? BeReal? What about Yubo? Find out. Keep your kids safe. A Must-Read:Bark’s 2022 Annual Report!
Media Microscope. February 3. FOX.Human trafficking victim recounts horrors of life at the mercy of criminalsKarla Jacinto spent four years as a sex slave before escaping. When she was 12, a 22-year-old man lured Jacinto away from her dysfunctional family. Rosi Orozco, a formerMexican congresswomanand a leading voice in the fight against human trafficking, was one of the first people to help Jacinto after she escaped.
"To save one life is to save the world," Orozco said as she stood next to Jacinto during their trip to the border, praising her activism. "She helped so many."
Warrior Reality. February isTeen Dating Violence and Awareness Month.#TDVAM Dating violence is more common than you may think, especially among teens and young adults: 1 in 3 U.S. teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before they become adults. And nearly half (43%) of U.S. college women report experiencing violent or abusive dating behaviors.
Each February, young adults and their loved ones across the nation raise awareness about the issue of teen dating violence through this annual, month-long effort that focuses on advocacy and education to stop dating abuse before it starts. Learn more at Love Is Respect. 2023 is #BeAboutIt
Warrior Thanks. February 7. Safer Internet Day Around the Worldhas become a landmark event in the online safety calendar. Starting as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated in approximately 180 countries and territories worldwide. From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns.
Mark Your Calendar. February 27. TheWarriorsare proud to be a part ofNew Yorkers for the Equality Model.Join us for this upcoming discussion about an overview of prostitution legislation from around the world. It’s FREE. Learn more. Truths, facts about the sex trade and why theEquality Modelis much-needed to protect vulnerable people.
"The victims' ages in this operation were found to be between 13 and 52 years of age, with six of them being juveniles," Chief Michel Moore said at a news conference at the LAPD Elysian Park Academy.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT SEXTORTION IS? The practice of extorting money or sexual favors from someone by threatening to reveal evidence of their sexual activities.
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
FEBRUARY RECOMMENDED READING
An intimate, practical guide to helping adolescents avoid or escape abusive dating relationships, including steps toward recovery, healing, and forgiveness.
Childhood and adolescence are full of firsts:
First steps.
First day of kindergarten.
First recital or sporting event.
First date.
We cherish these milestones, but unexpected, subtle influences can throw life off course instead of allowing children to grow in healthy, fulfilling ways.
In It Doesn’t Start with a Punch, abuse survivor and thriver Dee Dee Said shows how easily adolescents can become involved in an abusive relationship. Offering readers an intimate lens into her first dating relationship, which soon became abusive, Dee Dee explores how abuse can start subtly and grow, imparting deep wounds with long-lasting effects.
The number of young kids who atemarijuana-laced candyrose sharply over five years, putting many in hospital, according to the latest study warning against America's experiment with legal pot.
Between 2017 and 2021, US poison control centers witnessed a 14-fold increase in calls about youngsters who got their hands on cannabis edibles, according to astudy in the journal Pediatrics.
Though many of the children experienced only minor symptoms, like excessive sleepiness, researchers say nearly a quarter ended up in hospital and warn about the emergence of a new household safety hazard.
JUST RELEASED.Eyes on the Future: Survivor-Partnered Research in the National Survivor StudyLearning from Survivors and With Survivors The study is the largest and most significant effort to date to learn directly from survivors of sex and labor trafficking about what they have experienced and what they need to heal. Survivors themselves designed and implemented the survey as full partners in the project. The result is anti-trafficking research that focuses on survivors’ futures as much as their past and reveals concrete pathways for action.
Federal Call to Action 2023 — Three Kids' Internet Safety Bills You Need to Know Watch and listen to advocate Jan Edwards, Paving the Way Foundation, and tech policy expert Rick Lane, IGGY Ventures, and Lynn Shaw discuss why we must all engage, educate and empower ourselves and our children about today’s dangerous digital landscape, enforce privacy settings and why we must urge Congress to pass these three bills immediately. The best solutions right now to #ProtectKidsOnline
Have You Seen These Children?
WE NEED YOUR HELP! 3 year-old Saylor Borbon Thompson was last seen on January 12, 2020 in Honolulu HI. Anyone having information is urged to the contact the Honolulu Police Department (HI) at 1-808-955-8300 or call 1-800-THE-LOST.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! 14 year-old April Simmons was last seen on January 29, 2023 in California MD. Anyone having information is urged to the contact the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office (NE) at 1-305-475-8008 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 Workshops emphasize that communication is key and supplies the tools and resources to accomplish this.Lynn’s Warriorseducates 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 Warriorsare essential, critical and now available to you and your community. Here we come, NY, CT, NJ and the entire United States! Stay tuned. Please learn more
Lynn’s Warriorsis 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 Warriorsutilizes 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:
Lynn’s Warriors on global TNT Radioairs live every Saturday at 2PM ET. Join our fast-moving analysis of breaking news, expert guests, resources and takeaways for you. #ProtectOurChildren
02-08-2023 welcomes Heidi Olson, RN, Founder & President ofParadigm Shiftteaches how to identify human trafficking victims in emergency rooms/healthcare facilities and how to treat. Don’t forget to listen to my in-depth02-01-2023discussion with Bill Donohue, President of theCatholic Leagueabout their newly released documentary,Walt’s Disenchanted Kingdom. Our culture is in crisis. Why is once family-friendly brand Disney part of this? Twomust-listens. Buckle up!Only onLynn’s Warriors WVOX Radio.Join us every Wednesday from 3-4PM ET1460AMNY WVOX App WVOX.com = Across the Universe!
SHOP THE WARRIORS: SUPPORT SURVIVORS
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Please review ourOfficial Lynn's Warriors merchandisesite with proceeds going to help human trafficking victims and survivors reclaim their lives through economic empowerment and support Lynn's Warriors through AmazonSmile. And don't forget to listen toLynn's Warriors on WVOXWednesdays at 3PM ET and always followLynn’s Warriorsfor current news and updates about our mission to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Please tune in to the Lynn's Warriors YouTube Channeland subscribe.
HELP FUND THE FIGHT AND KEEP THE SURVIVOR VOICE FRONT AND CENTER. Your Lynn’s Warriors donationsupports the mission of stopping human trafficking and promoting sexual exploitation education as well as helping survivors reclaim their lives through purpose and providing financial support.
Please share this newsletter with family and friends.
"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.”
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