Online Safety - Keeping Theft and Fraud of Your Identity at Bay

As 2009 races to a close, two terms have become permanent residents within the online safety and security lexicon, "identity theft" and "identity fraud."  The reality is both have existed long before the internet came into being and today as in the past like water, criminals always follow the path of least resistance in achieving their unsavory goal - a continuous stream of ill gotten gain.

To ignore our ability to take some basic steps which will serve to put boulders in the stream of criminal activity, targeted at the unsuspecting, for the purpose of building a wall of resistance and thus impeding the methodical flow of the criminal engagement is a recipe for continuous clean-up.

It is my opinion we all have a shared responsibility to protect our "crown jewels" which may include personal identifying data as well as our fiscal data.  And it truly matters not whether we are engaged face-to-face, via the ancient form of communication "snail-mail" or online - in each instance we are sharing information and with the act of sharing we are entrusting our information to another.  Our governments have enacted laws, rules and regulations to protect you, your privacy and your data in the world of personal identifying data (PII), credit card data (PCI) and health data (HIPAA).   That's all for the good, but you can help yourself.  I offer up a few easy to implement "basic first steps" which may assist you in protecting you and your family and put some real resistance to the flow of criminal activity within the aforementioned path.

So what can you do?

In the physical world:

    - Mail - receive your mail via a locked mailbox or PO Box; send your mail via the post office (not an unlocked mailbox) - every month I read of an arrest where an individual or individuals are caught emptying mailboxes in the wee-hours of the morning and during subsequent inspection of their possessions law enforcement find personal mail from literally hundreds of individuals, to include checks, account data and correspondence - all useful bits and pieces in the criminal world of identity theft and identity fraud.
    - Document disposal - shred your paper; invest $75-$200 in a small cross-cut shredder.    Run through the shredder any documents which contain your name; account numbers, etc.  Include requests for subscriptions, new credit cards solicitation, memberships, etc.  Why cross-cut?  It makes it harder to piece together the shred.  What if you can't afford a shredder - contact your State Attorney General's office - in Washington State where I reside, the Attorney General's office hosts "shred days" where constituents can bring their paper to be destroyed - perhaps your Attorney General does likewise.  If not, suggest they do so.  Why give free unencumbered access to your documents when you toss them - in our house we compost the shredded papers with the horse manure (the worms and garden love it).
   -  Sharing your personal identifying data in hard copy - there are times when you may wish to share your personal identifying data to allow a merchant or governmental entity to identify you as you.  If you use the mail or courier to transmit this data I recommend the use of "registered mail" within the US Postal Service and "signed" delivery when private services such as Fedex or UPS are used.  In both instances you can confirm delivery of your sensitive personal information.  It is always good to know when important data is lost, when it is lost, it allows you to take appropriate action.

In the online world:  Guide your family's process on electronic sharing of data.

   - Children - For a child, I recommend parents drive home the point re sharing information (any family information) online requires Mom or Dad to be present and supervising.  When the "pop-up" appears which contains an enticement and requires provision of data, your excited child can, in a matter of seconds, expose and push your family's personal data out the door
   - Online Data Input - Data input online, I strongly recommend never enter your data into a website which doesn't envelope the transaction into a HTTPS (S=secure) environment.  Know how you arrived at the website.
   - Online Gaming - Online gaming is mainstream, some require peer-to-peer (P2P) software to be downloaded and implemented.  Review the settings to make sure in your pursuit of entertainment you haven't inadvertently opened up your computer's drive and made accessible all the contents of your hard drive.
   - E-Mail and Banks -  understanding common practices is a quick route to understanding email phish and scams - your bank will not (let me repeat that, will not) request you to send to them any data via email. Nor will your bank ask you to "click" on a link contained in an email to provide them such data.  The fact that banks send "confirming" email to you for various transactions such as password changes, etc., does require that you clearly understand when your bank or merchant will communicate with you.  For example - I was informed by one bank which hosts a credit card which I have that hard-copy statements were going to be discontinued and all future statements would be available via their website online - I will receive an email advising a statement is available (glad I've online access and I am waiting to see just how much data is contained in that advisory email, but I am not expecting a link to click to review my account).
    - Credit Reports - review these regularly.  They are available to you free on an annual basis, and as Washington's Attorney General Rob McKenna noted, "There’s only one government-authorized Web site where consumers can get their free annual credit report, and it’s not the one with the catchy jingles in television ads."
    - Digital Data -  How many times do we need to read of a laptop or smartphone which was sold, recycled or trashed which contained PII or PCI data?  As I recommended shredding your personal paper prior to disposal, I advocate the same for your electronic media.  Reformat or degauss your electronic media prior to recycling or discarding.   Remember, if your data isn't available it can't be used to perpetrate a crime against you or your family. 

These are a few, easily applied practices which I and my family use to protect ourselves from ID theft and fraud, I know they will help you protect yours.

Thank you for your time.

All the best,
Christopher

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Links:

Attorney General of Washington Shred Days: Shredathon Events.
US Department of Health and Human Services:  HIPAA Privacy
Payment Card Industry (PCI):  PCI Security Standards Council
WA AG McKenna's admonishment re:  Consumers Could Be Deceived by Free Credit Report Offers
To obtain your free credit report:  Free Credit Report but be safe and follow the advice of Free Credit Report dot com: "Please be aware of how you arrived at this site.  To ensure you are visiting the legitimate site, type https://www.annualcreditreport.com directly into the address bar on your browser."

Online Safety: Reputation and Personal Brand (A review of the book - Google Bomb)

We all have a reputation.  When you were young, you may have been known as the "ultra-smart" student or the one who wore "keds"  or perhaps the "bratty one" or the "swimmer" - all labels.  And as we matured the labels and nicknames associated with us adjusted.  When we entered the working world we all were rated and graded on our clothes, performances, and achievements.  Perhaps those judging were our customers, clients or supervisors and throughout the engagement our personal and professional reputations were formed and perhaps you had your professional dossier in hard copy and you also had the "hall file" or personal reputation. Today, the reputation is dynamic and while the hall file certainly remains, each of us as individuals has what is affectionately known as our personal brand. 

So imagine - you wake up one day and find that your good name is under siege, that your reputation is being sullied and that your personal brand is being systematically destroyed.  None of us would want to experience this, but many have and many are.  One such story is articulated in the book, "Google Bomb: The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet" by Sue Scheff.  I commend the book to your attention as it tells a valuable story and contributes to the body of knowledge re internet safety for every individual.   When you finish, you'll find that minding the state of your online reputation isn't narcissistic, it's table-stakes.
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My review:
 

·        Who should purchase Google Bomb? 

Every person with a name and reputation which they wish to protect should purchase this book. You don’t have to be a technological titan to understand the examples provided.  The take-away knowledge provides you a fighting chance to protect, and when necessary, reclaim your reputation.  My adage re family online safety is: “Invest in your family’s online safety, commensurate with the value of your family.”  This book’s modest price is asymmetrical to the increased value you’ll experience in your reputation safety quotient. 

·        Why you should purchase Google Bomb

Google Bomb is road-map clear, no missed exits, nor wrong turns, no questionable advice. It is an arrow in your quiver, so that you may defend yourself and/or prepare yourself should you have the unfortunate experience of receiving the vile ill-will of another via the social media environment in which we collectively exist – you do have a fighting chance. 

·        How Google Bomb touched me

Only infrequently does a book cause a reader to experience a personal visceral reaction; for me, it’s happened only once before. Google Bomb, the telling of Sue Scheff’s personal story in the recovery of her good name and reputation, is such a book, it moved me, and it will move you.  Allow me to explain.

Those who know me well will have immediate understanding why a book which charts the Herculean efforts required to reclaim your good name, reputation and professional stature following the actions of a few to destroy, such resonated with me.  You see, once you’ve traversed that road of false accusations, you never wish to replicate the journey again, and you’d wish it upon no one.

When it’s happening it’s surreal and unbelievable. Once the realization you aren’t dreaming hits home, you are either overwhelmed and capitulate, in effect self-declared road-kill or you take inventory of all your resources and deduce your good name and honorable reputation are the only remnants of your life worth protecting.  You then take these remnants and use them to form the foundation of your reclamation efforts.  Even if your first steps may feel a bit like Don Quixote tilting at windmills, persevere, what journey ever started off with every experience preordained? 

I appreciated the description of the pivotal moment when Sue described the last straw, the straw which caused her to stand up and say, “Enough already.” I had complete visualization of her reaction when the miscreants who had been attacking her persona and her company, began attacking her children.  I had no doubt her “mother bear” instinct to fight and protect her offspring was fully awake and it was game-on! 

Unfortunately, bad things do happen to good people. You strive, perhaps seemingly altruistically to bring goodness to this world and awaken one day to find yourself surrounded by vile and unconscionable accusations. Your mindset describes the event as “stupefying,” you are now seemingly being punished for your good works.  Google Bomb describes such an experience, Sue’s experience. 

·        What to do and how to do it

John Dozier’s insightful discussion of events, throughout the book, is clear and concise – the reader can easily understand the, “why” behind each of  Sue’s actions.  I found myself rereading and noting the legal and technical strategy employed as Sue’s reputation was reclaimed.  I was nodding my head with great satisfaction as those wishing ill will upon Sue and her family were identified, held accountable and brought before the courts where they were ultimately held responsible and duly punished.

·        Applicability for businesses and intellectual property

John’s extrapolation of his methodologies to the realm of a small, medium, or large company’s reputation and intellectual property protection is spot-on.  My own book “Secrets Stolen, Fortunes Lost” was stolen within 60 days of publication from my publisher, and then shared via peer-to-peer networks (see my article Secrets Stolen, No Just the Intellectual Property which describes the experience). Plainly spoken, if you have intellectual property, “Have a strategy!” to protect it. 

 

·        Reputation Defense

Highlighting the good works of Michael Fertik’s Reputation Defender, was personally appreciated, as it reoriented my compass with respect to his firm – I’ll be re-engaging the company to learn more about their capabilities.  My first encounter with Reputation Defender can only be described as “going sideways” and I have no doubt it was an anomalous event – I look forward to learning more from Michael or his staff, as Sue’s experiences described in Google Bomb, clearly show them to be effective.

·        Google Bomb’s call to action

I agree with and wish to associate myself with the call-to-action contained in the book.  We are all responsible for keeping our shared online community safe. When self-policing and self-control fail, then we do require meaningful laws availed to law enforcement and prosecutors.  Laws having backbone and are easily understood and are flexible enough to anticipate evolution of technology are required.  In essence our current situation is analogous to having a population center of millions without a “time-out” corner. 

In my opinion, we need alignment of state and federal statutes which will hold accountable those engaging in cyber stalking, invasion of our privacy, personal impersonation and character defamation.  In the United States, well meaning legislators are acting individually and from the optic of their constituent states – we need federal action.   Furthermore, restraining orders need to have appropriate meat attached to their bones, with a need to integrate 21^st century technologies – in the physical world 100 feet is measurable, in the virtual world, geographic borders are obscured – lets bring technological audit trails, access controlled environments and filtering into play.

It is no small task to fill the international voids which provide haven for both domestic and international criminal or malevolent individuals to operate with impunity, but instead of describing the difficulty, let’s get started.  I’m all in!  If we don’t all step up and contribute, then Sue’s story will be the first of many more to come. 

·        My personal thank you

In closing, I’d like Sue to know I’ve great personal empathy for the angst which she and her family experienced and I commend her for her display of personal courage and fortitude, from her decision to stand up and not take it any more, all the way through the sharing of her story so that others may learn from her experiences.  For John, your work speaks for itself, nicely done sir.

Thank you Sue also for your good works both individually and through your Parents Universal Resource Experts (Pure); it is clear you are one of the good people, and many families no doubt are grateful beyond their ability to articulate for the assistance you provided.  Thank you John for your clear explanations of the legal strategy and steps one can take to protect oneself, you’ve empowered many.

Thank you for your time.

All the best,

Christopher 

(PS:  I paid for this book - a version of this review is posted on Amazon and my website) 

Links: 

To purchase the book:  "Google Bomb: The Untold Story of the $11.3M Verdict That Changed the Way We Use the Internet"

To connect with the authors on Twitter: Sue Scheff and John Dozier

To connect with Reputation Defender on Twitter:  RepDef

Rememberence: One Who Made a Difference

At this time of the year, we often reflect on what transpired during the previous 12 months. For me, it was truly coming to grips with mortality. My parents had passed in 1993 (within seven months of one and other) and though it was a tough period, it wasn't nearly as tough as this year, 2009, when my eldest sibling Roger passed in March. His passing had a profound effect on me.

Many throughout this world we share encountered my brother, and those who did observed how he lived our parents admonishment - get out there and make a difference.

I'd like to share with you today, a few thoughts about my brother, from the eulogy which I gave at the reception, following my brother's ashes being laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery on March 23, 2009.
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Good morning.

Our parents always said, if you’ve nothing positive to add, shut up and sit down. Let it be noted, I’m standing.

Today we honor my eldest brother, Roger, and celebrate his life and legacy. And yes I know we do look very much alike – my mother called us twins separated by 14 years.

I’d like to share with you some of my recollections and memories of the years I shared with my brother, and perhaps some of my memories which are really stories seen through my parents eyes. And I claim ownership of these memories, even if they may be adjusted due to faulty memories – as those of you who know me well, I’ve never let the facts stand in the way of a good story.

So in no particular order, here I go, and yes it may take a bit, I’ve 67 years to cover here:

• Mom always told me that John, David, Claire and I  all had it easy ‘cause Roger paid our dues up front by being the first son’ – be it when he and Mom lived in a walk-up flat with only a hot-plate to cook on in Holyoke, MA during World War II when our Dad was serving in the Army Air Corps. or
• When he joined Mom in coaching John and David’s little league baseball team in Detroit, MI. in the late 40's or
  
• When he took Mom to the hospital for the deliveries (births) of Claire and I in the 50's. 
  

He often shouldered and more importantly accepted added responsibilities. Roger was often credited with teaching mom how to parent and discipline us – we were told by Mom,“You didn’t get it half as bad as Roger!” I for one wasn’t eager to receive the half of Mom’s discipline that Roger took on my behalf, the half I received was sufficient.

While Dad’s love of music literally poured through Roger’s very being, I can recall with clear recollection Dad waxing poetic about Roger’s Dixieland or jazz successes. Duke Ziebert’s (Washington DC) sits in my memory for some reason and I think it was when Roger put down his trombone for the xylophone and surprised my parents who were dining at the restaurant when he appeared as the evening’s entertainer.  Dad and Roger also shared Daffodil cross-pollination techniques, who would have known?  But Dad’s pride did not stop there. Dad, I recall, noted how Roger had not only seen some momentous times in our country’s history, he was an active participant.  What do I mean? 

• In my parents home – always in a prominent spot, hung one of my father’s favorite photos of a young Roger, circa 13/14 years of age, with President Truman. Perhaps this was Dad’s way of saying the buck-stopped with Roger too?  or 
• Dad’s enormous pride in Roger’s service to others – it wasn’t about Roger, it was always about how he can help, be it the nation or family or friends. 

Of course I have my own memories, which help explain what I mean.

• For example, when I made my first airplane ride in the early 1960’s as a 7-year old and Roger volunteered to sit with me, John and David sat together and Claire sat with Mom and Dad. It was only yesterday I realized I was the next cutest thing to a puppy and he was using me as flight-attendant bait.  or 
• When he would baby-sit me and I would fall asleep to the trombone serenade – which might explain these hearing aids I have.  or 
• When Roger drove Hubert Humphrey’s car throughout the 1968 election campaign – perhaps Roger knows more on why Humphrey lost that one.  or 
• When he taught me to read! That man knew his phonics.  or
• When he taught me at age 19 to drive – he admonished, "Brake as if you grandmother is in the backseat and if she flies so do you."  (Those who knew Grandma Suzie know where Mom learned her discipline techniques and what "flying" means.)  or 
• When he gave me my very first job, he was a manager for US Maintenance in Washington DC and I earned $1.25/hour cleaning floors in DC office buildings on summer vacation (I was in the money, by golly).  or
• Perhaps when he slept through a coup d’état which occurred in Ankara, Turkey in the early 1960’s – only later did we learn that he had already been in the thick of it. He had been out with his friends and was stopped on the way home – he was driving Dad’s van, also known as a "dolmus" (minibus) - the Turkish military personnel who stopped him were part of the group leading the military coup, and Roger sat under the barrel of one of their tanks, and was only released and escorted home shortly before dawn. He came home, crawled into bed and shortly after, the Turkish Air Force began “bombing and strafing runs” on the Turkish Presidential Palace a few miles away, flying by our apartment (at balcony level) and literally blowing our windows in (doors too) – following the first explosion, Mom and Dad herded us into the inner hallway, ripped the mattresses from the beds to bury us within so we wouldn’t be injured.  But they couldn’t wake up Roger – he snooze through the whole affair.  or 
• As an airman in the US Air Force, and taking advantage of impromptu dinners/visit with Dad who was also in Danang, Vietnam.  Dad was serving as advisor to the Mayor of Danang for the Agency for International Development and Roger was flying Air Force missions. Fortunately, he did not show up the night Dad’s house’s guest room was destroyed by Viet-Cong mortar fire which fell short of the intended target (the Mayor next door).  or
• Visiting us in Bangkok, Thailand on his R and R, much to the disbelief of his colleagues he truly was visiting his Mom.  or 
• When he was posted to Vientiane, Laos, and led the US negotiations with the Pathet Lao in Vientiane which culminated in the successful safe evacuation of the entire US Embassy, to include Joanne and a baby Roger.  or 
• Accepting the daunting task – “Go open the US Liaison Office in Beijing.” He was the GSO – Government Services Officer - responsible for all logistics associated with the US mission. He stepped up and was part of history. During this time we saw the arrival of Susan and Mat – and lest I forget the family experiencing the “big” earthquake in Beijing from the 12th floor apartment. Now that redefines rock and roll.   or
• As the Administrative Officer at the Consulate General in Leningrad, Russia (now St.Petersburg). he kept the consulate open and supplied during the height of the cold war – not an easy feat in any locale, least of all the former Soviet Union. And if you don’t think he left a mark? I followed Roger into Leningrad, arriving six months after he left the Consulate General. I was warmly greeted by both his US and Russian friends, colleagues and others whose path had crossed with Roger’s or had been influenced by him. One individual in particular was a young jazz musician and his wife – David Goloschekin and Elvira Trafova - whom wished to be my best friend, simply based on the fact I was Roger’s sibling. Word of warning! Never follow Roger in a posting – he’s the nice one and you aren’t. And the disappointment of David and Elvira when they discovered that not only was I not just like Roger, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket if you helped carry it. They just couldn’t understand how Roger, who was literally a virtuoso with the trombone, could have a sibling so inept in the music field – but that was me. Like I said, don’t follow him, it is impossible.   or
• His willingness to help his littlest brother (me at 12 yoa) deliver the Washington Post (all 1,200 Sunday copies to the residents of the high rise) in the wee hours of Sunday morning, after having been up all night working as the Manager in a DC nightclub himself.  or
• When in recent years my wife Kathy and I would buzz into WDC area and we’d call him up on short notice. He would gather the available members of his clan, and find time to visit, even if it meant, we were destined to deal with “Donald” (Sutherland) moments, in stereo. 

You see, Roger willingly shouldered so many of responsibilities and supported so many of us in our successes – it was never about him – it was always about you. Mom was right, Roger leads the way, and he has once again.
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Thank you for your time.
All the best,
Christopher

Hunger: We Took a Bite Out of Hunger

Thank you!

Good Morning,

The virtual canned food drive hosted by Libby’s finished today and I wanted you to know what our modest collective efforts and your donations helped achieve:

A.      Our matching donors grew from Libby’s match of $1 and was coupled with two additional matches within Feeding America's network during the course of the campaign so each dollar collected became $4 to Feeding America or 28 Meals vice 7.

B.      Many respondents to my initial email, Twitter-tweet, Facebook comment, Linked-in status or this blog started their own Virtual Canned Food Drive or donated directly to Feeding America via Libby’s.

C.      Others gave of their time at their local food banks – individually, with their church, or Scout troops.

D.      Others donated food directly to their local food banks.

E.       Within our campaign, the combined donations amounted to $2131 – just $369 short of our goal of $2500, and twice Libby’s recommended campaign target – though when you include the individual efforts of all, we far exceeded our goal.

F.       With matching funds, Feeding America was provided sufficient funds to put approximately 60,000 meals on the tables of those who require the assistance of America’s food banks.

I thank you for your kindness and generosity in helping address Hunger in America and I thank Libby's for their initiative in teaming with Feeding America and creating their "Get Back to The Table" campaign.

Thank you for your time.

All the very best,

Christopher Burgess

Links:

Libby’s Virtual Canned Food Drive:  http://help.feedingamerica.org/goto/BurgessCT

Thanksgiving:  Give Thanks, Take Action:  http://www.veritate-et-virtute.com/2009/11/thanksgiving-give-thanks-take-action.html

Hunger:  Thankful for so Much; Worried for so Many:  http://www.veritate-et-virtute.com/2009/11/hunger-thankful-for-so-much-worried-for.html

Hunger:  Take a Bite Out of Hunger - http://www.veritate-et-virtute.com/2009/11/hunger-take-bite-out-of-hunger-in.html

Hunger:  How is This Possible in Today’s World?:  http://www.veritate-et-virtute.com/2009/11/hunger-how-is-this-possible-in-todays.html

Human Trafficking: Children and Texas (Sex Trafficking)

In a previous blog, "Human Trafficking: Children as a Commodity", I initiated the sharing of my thoughts on the trafficking of children in the United States, providing some of the findings from the Shared Hope International's May 2009 national report, "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - America's prostituted children."  In the piece I noted how "The skeptic says, "This can not be."  The hopeful says, "There aren't many."  And the activist says, "Where are they and how can I make a difference."

Since posting the blog, I've received many comments, some which thanked me for shining the light on the topic and others which noted just how uncomfortable they were with the my presenting the topic. Contemporaneously the CNN piece by Elliott C. McLaughlin, "Child traffickers target runaways, 'throwaways'," captured the attention of many and served to further highlight the good works of the Polaris Project organization both in the United States, as well as internationally.  And in reading the CNN piece, I found resonance with the quote from the Polaris Project's Executive Director, Mark Logan, "The onus is on society and government to stop the trafficking of American children."

Today I take the discussion from the national generalities to specifics, and opted to start with Texas; touching upon the cities of San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth.  Why Texas?  According to the Polaris Project, "38% of all calls to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline were from Texas in 2008; the U.S. Department of Justice identified the I-10 corridor as one of the main human trafficking routes in the U.S. and 25% of all certified foreign human trafficking victims have been from Texas."  I add, Texas and Texans understand the nuances of human trafficking and how a coalition of public and private collaboration must address the issue at all levels; national, state, county and city. In October 2008, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) issued a comprehensive report, "The Texas Response to Human Trafficking" (256 page pdf).  Within the report, and to their credit, the commission concisely defines human trafficking: 

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. It is the illegal trade in human beings through abduction, the use or threat of force, deception, fraud, or sale for the purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Every year, children, teenagers, as well as men and women from all over the world are transported within or across borders and forced to work in prostitution, the sex entertainment industry, domestic servitude, sweatshops, restaurant work, migrant agricultural work, and many other industries. Human trafficking is a multinational organized criminal industry that generates billions of dollars a year.

Traffickers often prey on impoverished individuals who may be unemployed or underemployed and lack access to social safety nets. Trafficking victims are frequently deceived through false promises of economic opportunities that await them in countries that are more affluent. Upon arrival in the new location, trafficked victims suffer unspeakable hardships and human rights abuses including physical imprisonment. Traffickers often resort to less obvious methods that are more insidious, such as debt bondage; isolating victims from the public and family members; isolating victims from their ethnic and religious communities; confiscation of passports, visas and/or identification documents; the use or threat of violence toward victims’ families and/or the victims; threat of imprisonment or deportation for immigration violations if they contact authorities; and control of the victims’ money.

In a separate report from the Texas Attorney General's office, also titled, "The Texas Response to Human Trafficking" (93 page pdf) issued in parallel to the HHSC report, contains highlights and conclusions worthy of approbation:  

• Finding 1: Young human trafficking victims find themselves involved in the legal system without someone to represent their best interests.
• Finding 2: Pursuing earned but unpaid wages for human trafficking victims is rare or non-existent.
• Finding 3: Human trafficking victims are not specifically listed in Chapter 56 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
• Finding 4: Human trafficking victims do not have a dedicated pseudonym form that provides additional protection by ensuring their names are not disclosed in public files or records.
• Finding 5: Funding for victim services is a major concern.
  

Within the conclusion portion of the Texas AG's report, the authors drew from a passage within the National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse March 2008 report "Identifying the Victims of Human Trafficking" which characterizes the investigative and prosecutorial challenges applicable in Texas (and elsewhere):

"For prosecutors and investigators, human trafficking cases can pose daunting challenges. Failure to recognize trafficking victims, inadequate resources to adequately investigate or prosecute, victims who are unwilling or too frightened to cooperate, insufficient statutory frameworks, complex jurisdictional analysis and lack of training are potential pitfalls for law enforcement professionals trying to respond to the incidence of trafficking within their communities. Despite these challenges, the existence of human trafficking in our communities demands an appropriate institutional response."

The Texas AG notes Texas must, enhance state-level prosecutions. The Texas legislators and AG must plus up tools available to address the criminal enterprises engaged in human trafficking, while also increasing victim identification and rescue (while also encouraging prosecutions).  In addition increased training within both government and non-governmental organizations (NGO) and first responders is also needed.  And the AG closes with the need to continue to augment existing legal tools to further improve Texas' ability to fight human trafficking.

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A masters in criminal justice prepares people for making a difference in the fight against human trafficking and other heinous crimes.
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San Antonio: 
(Shared Hope International - San Antonio Report) [160 pages, pdf]
A coalition exists to address sex trafficking - San Antonio/Bexar County Task Force on Human Trafficking (led by Bexar County Sheriff's Office and Catholic Charities).  In early November 2009, Delaine Mathieu reporting for San Antonio media outlet WOAI Channel 4 provided data points specific to San Antonio in her piece "Sex Trafficking in San Antonio."  A poignant quote from the article: "The detectives we spoke to say parents have to talk to their kids about the dangers of the streets. Because while runaways are easy prey for predators, if there is an opportunity, any child will do. "It happens at the mall, it happens at the arcade, it happens at the movies, it happens at parties, it happens at get-togethers, it happens at the park... anywhere kids congregate.  There's going to be a shark waiting to pick up your kid," he says.  "And it can happen.""   Video "San Antonio Children Bought and Sold for Sex"

Dallas:
(Shared Hope International - Dallas Report) (149 pages, pdf)
The investment in addressing sex trafficking in the Dallas metro area is evidence by both the Child Exploitation, High Risk Victims and Trafficking (CE/HRVT) Unit of the Dallas Police
Department and the North Texas Anti-Trafficking Task Force which together work to address both the victims, the criminals and the demand side of the equation.  In addition, the Shared Hope International Report identifies "The Letot Center is a promising practice in the Dallas area and the only identified model in the ten U.S. locations assessed by Shared Hope International that offers victims a diversion to a non-punitive placement. The Center’s short-term treatment of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking victims has allowed for a child charged with prostitution or a related crime to bypass the juvenile detention facility and instead transition directly to the Center." 


Portions of Playground (Sundial Pictures), hard-hitting documentary from filmmaker Libby Spears and Producers George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Steven Soderbergh, which provides an astonishing picture of the United States' most alarming and insidious secret -- the child sex trafficking in America were filmed in the Dallas metro area.

Fort Worth:
(Shared Hope International - Fort Worth Report) (157 pages, pdf) 
The City of Fort Worth also falls within the foot print of the North Texas Anti-Trafficking Task Force.  Interestingly, all victims identified within Fort Worth and Tarrant County were from Texas, the average age of entry into prostitution was 14.2 and average rescue is 15.3 years of age. Of those arrested for prostitution, and charged with "prostitution of self", all were controlled by a "pimp."  The report noted, those arrested and recognized as a victim of Domestic Sex Trafficking, are treated as victims vice criminals.  I found two data points especially chilling:

• It is often the case that one gang is in charge of recruiting girls from malls, schools, parties, and through acquaintances and another gang is then tasked with putting the girls through a two-week “boot camp” training process in which they are taught how to perform sex acts and are effectively brainwashed and taught what to say to law enforcement if they are apprehended.

• Homeless youth are extremely vulnerable to recruitment by traffickers/pimps because these exploiters will often target this population. In the United States 70% of youth on the street are victims of commercial sexual exploitation. The large population of runaway and at-risk youth may be vulnerable to Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the Fort Worth/Tarrant County area. In 2005 the Homeless Youth Task Force issued a report on homeless youth in Arlington indicating that there may be up to 2,000 homeless children in any given year.
  

I would be remiss if I failed to call out the stellar work taking place at the University of Texas - Austin Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.  In their October 2009 report, "Understanding Human Trafficking: Development of Typologies of Traffickers" (32 pages pdf) they identify the four primary typologies of child trafficking as:

• Mom and Pop – Domestic Servitude - "Mom and Pop traffickers primarily engage the labor of a single, foreign-born victim for the purposes of housecleaning and childcare. Mom and Pop cases are generally operated by one or two traffickers, often a married couple from the same country of origin as their victim. The duration of servitude can be lengthy, up to 19 years."

• Shattering the American Dream – Forced Labor - "The forced labor scenario typical of Shattering the American Dream is most similar to the slavery model we are most familiar with in earlier American history. This type commonly involves crews of migrant workers and other U.S.-born and foreign-born victims, whose vulnerabilities are exploited in the search for cheap labor."

• The Minor Pimp – Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - "The Minor Pimp scenario describes child commercial sexual exploitation, or domestic minor sex trafficking. In general, it involves small pimp-run operations who exploit chronic runaway minors in the sex trade."  Let there be no doubt, pimps are sex-traffickers.

• Johns’ Demand – International Sex Trafficking - "International sex trafficking cases, or the Johns’ Demand typology, represent a broad array of sex-related work operated out of old-fashioned brothels, massage parlors, spas, karaoke bars, and cantinas."

So what is Texas doing?  In June 2009, the Texas legislature passed HB 4009 and HB 533 and both were signed into law by Governor Perry.  The Polaris Project describes the legislation comprehensively in their Action Center piece, "Texas Human Trafficking Legislation Signed into Law."

I share the above to set the stage and to amplify the positive contribution being made by many within Texas (and elsewhere), and to accentuate the need for additional investment of both time, deed and funds to address human/sex trafficking.  Organizations which could use your assistance are (if you have an organization please identify them to me and others in the 'Comments'):

• Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) - I found a useful brochure for both English and Spanish speakers from TAASA, "Human Trafficking" (English and Spanish).
• Children at Risk - A Houston based child advocacy program which is a "well-known leader in understanding the health, safety and economic indicators impacting children, and educating public policy makers in their importance of improving the lives of children."
• Polaris Project - A national organization which both hosts the National Hotline for Human Trafficking as well as comprehensive nationwide data presented in an easy to understand, and use format.

Thank you for your time.
All the best,
Christopher

National Human Trafficking Resource Center HOT LINE: 1-888-3737-888
The national toll-free hot-line is available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. 


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Links referenced in this blog:

Shared Hope International

Polaris Project 

Stop Child Trafficking Now 

Texas Association Against Sexual Assault 
Playground Project 
Children at Risk
University of Texas - Austin - Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Shared Hope International report "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - America's prostituted children"

CNN:  Expert: Child traffickers target runaways, 'throwaways

WOAI Channel 4 San Antonio - Sex Trafficking in San Antonio

US Public Law: H.R. 7311:William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Re-authorization Act of 2008 (Summary)

Online Safety: Bringing us Back to the Basics of Online Safety and Security

Today I share with you a piece I wrote in the beginning of November as a guest blog for Cammie Moises and her MomsMaterial blog.  The content I believe is apropos for your families and friends who may be online.  (You may  use/share any of the online safety tips in your own material - please attribute appropriately.)

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How was your October?  For me, October was a spectacular month of change.  In the Pacific Northwest where my wife and I reside, we witness the arrival of autumn and the usual adjustments to our life – temperatures slide down the Fahrenheit scale; rain arrives and rivers swell (some flood); and leaves begin their magnificent colorful transformation, literally right before our eyes, and then adorn our forest floors (or our yard).  These changes require us to make minor adjustments to our daily routines in order to maintain a modicum of safety, health and comfort, i.e. our tanks and tee’s are replaced by sweaters; slickers and umbrellas adorned the hooks by the door, drains and gutters are cleared to more readily accept the rain and the areas of highest risk are protected with stacked sandbags; and, of course, the camera comes out to memorialize the leaves as they move through the spectrum of color and the rake comes out of the shed our lawns remain healthy.   October also reminded us that we must continually update and change the way we remain healthy and safe online.

It is fitting, therefore, each October the President of the United States declares October National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NSCAM).  Here’s President Obama’s video “Protecting Yourself Online.”   

In his video the President touched on a number of key points:

• Know with whom you are engaged online (the true identity with whom you are exchanging data)
• Never give out personal or financial data without knowing with whom you are providing the information (the true identity)
• Keep your security software updated
• Be alert to Phishing email (suspicious email)

All excellent points, all amongst the most important to consider.  I thank the President for his taking the time to address online safety and security.

So, how did you observe the NSCAM?  Attend a seminar?  Chat with friends or family about online safety concerns?  Keep your software and configuration tuned?  All of the above?  None of the above?  For my part, each day I tweeted a daily tip via my Twitter account @BurgessCT.  I was especially heartened to see these repeated and was truly surprised to learn that upward of six million sets of eyes potentially read each of my 140 character “Daily Tips.”  Each contained advice, guidance or simply food for thought on how you may keep you and your family safe online.  None were highly technical, some addressed behavior and all were and are easy to implement.  And yes, sometimes one or more of these tips crafted to ensure your family’s online safety and security may be construed as “inconvenient,” which from my optic is minor compared to the value I place on our family’s well being.   So here they are (and yes I expanded each ever so slightly):

National Cyber Security Awareness Month Tips 1-31:

1. Passwords:  Practice good cyber-hygiene – Passwords are like toothbrushes – you should not share them with others and you should change them often (every 90-120 days or when they are exposed).
2. Passwords: Like chewing bubble gum you don’t mix brands or flavors - passwords should follow the same philosophy and be used for one site only. To create a strong password use symbols, numbers and letters – never a word from a dictionary (of any language).
3. WI-FI: Home or Business wireless networks (WI-FI) – Enable WPA2 encryption with strong passwords. If your router does not support WPA2 encryption, time to upgrade that router to new technology.
4. WI-FI: Configure your router to suppress the broadcast of your Service Set Identifier (SSID) – why broadcast to the neighborhood your router’s ID?
5. Guidance & Direction: Guide your young. The internet is to receive information only and not to be used to share information. Only Mom & Dad share information over the internet.
6. Browser Settings: Web-based email (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, etc.) configure your browser log-in to HTTPS (S=secure) and avoid having your password sniffed and grabbed when connecting via an open (not secure) network connection.  Think of the wireless connection at your local shopping center or coffee shop.
7. Software Settings: Does your family use Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing? Know your settings.  A great technology, appropriately configured, use these thoughts from the Federal Trade Commission to assist you (Tips from the FTC’s OnGuard OnLine)
8. Computer Settings: Disable Auto-Run – just like putting your safety-belt on when you take your seat in the car, take a primary safety step and anti-virus scan all media being introduced to your PC, even if you received it from a trusted source, their USB/CD/DVD may be ill and contain malware/crimeware and why allow it to infect yours? 
9. Software Settings: Software vendors offer you the option to accept auto updates – DO IT.  While it may be construed as inconvenient, realize these updates from the creator are their means by which they close previously unknown vulnerabilities in their products.
10. Email: Phishing Scams – Guide your family to not reply or click on links within emails asking for personal or financial information.
11. Computer Settings: Administrator control? Who has control of your computer? Take control, set a unique password so that the computer settings can only be changed by the administrator, you?
12. Anti-Virus Software: Have it and use it! Auto update both the engine and the data. Don’t ignore warnings. Train your family to call out and alert you when a warning presents itself – don’t ignore these warnings.
13. Anti-Spyware Software: Have it and use it! As with Anti-Virus don’t ignore the warnings – Spyware is designed to capture your data at the point of entry or harvest your data from your hard drive – why allow it?
14. Data Backup: Regular data backup(s) should be a part of your security regime. I define data as photos, videos, music, documents, etc.  Why?  If your device (laptop, pda, etc.) goes down, your data is safe.
15. Malware/Crimeware: Be wary of ‘scareware’ pop-ups which announce your computer’s compromise and offering you their “free” software to remove – a tried and true technique to have you install malware. (NB: FTC v. Innovative Marketing, Inc., et al – an excellent read of the FTC's Complaint as they took action to protect you, the consumer, and took down a major purveyor of "scareware")
16. E-mail: If a retailer or vendor asks you to “email your credit or debit card data” – Say “Absolutely Not” and don’t do it. 
17. Browser Settings: Do enable the “Pop-up Blocker” and “Redirect Disable” settings on your browser - this puts you in control of your internet experience.
18. Firewall: Have it and use it! Think of the firewall as your computer’s guard force – blocking external attempts to communicate with your computer which you haven’t authorized.
19. System Scans: Security checks for your computer – a list of free scan software from reputable vendors, courtesy of http://www.staysafeonline.org/ 
20. Public Computers: Use an internet connection at the library, airport, etc? Clear the browser’s history and cache’s when you are finished to remove “easy” accessibility to the websites you visited (and your personal data).
21. Electronic Media: Recycling or discarding media? Reformat or degauss your electronic media prior to recycle or discard. This will prevent inadvertent sharing of your personal or business data.
22. Computer Settings: Do visitors use your computer? Create a guest account with separate log-in for your guests so they have their own environment on the computer w/o access to your personal data or browser history or cookies.
23. Computer Location: For families, PC’s to be used in a central place – not behind closed doors. All can keep an eye on activities.
24. Online Friends: Talk to your children about the need to talk to Mom or Dad prior to meeting ANY online friends face-to-face.
25. Parents Online: Go where your children go online. Browser history will guide you; if history doesn’t exist or has been selectively deleted – time for you to pay attention.  (SMS and browser logs on smart phones should also be reviewed periodically)
26. Chat rooms: Chat rooms are great for learning and sharing, children should obtain Mom or Dad permission prior to joining; Mom & Dad take the time to review and observe the chat room prior to green-lighting the activity.
27. Data Security: Consider encryption, with a robustly strong key phrase, for your important data (i.e., medical, personal, financial and private). Extend this protection to your data backups.
28. Chat rooms: Select user-ids which are age and gender neutral, as harvesting userid’s is a first step used by online predators in identifying their victims.  “Pineneedle” not “Seattle1084”
29. Laptop Security: Do you travel with your laptop? Protect it!  It is the gateway to your online presence, accounts and hosts your data.  See the FTC's Onguard Online which has some great laptop tips.
30. Internet Connectivity: Know how your children are getting online – home, school, mobile phone, friends, library, etc.  Craft appropriate rules and boundaries for each environment. 
31. Reporting: If you believe you have passed your personal identifying information (PII) to a criminal do file a complaint with the FTC (http://www.ftc.gov) .

Bonus 1: Think of online safety  and security practices as a basic extension of your family security plan – no less important than smoke detectors, alarm systems, and how you and your children interact w/strangers.

Bonus 2: Do your children wear their Name, Address and Age on the back of their jacket when playing in the neighborhood? Then why post it on a website’s profile.

Bonus 3:  Do you know where your data is stored? Knowing allows protecting. It is important to clear your temporary files and caches, regularly.
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Online safety is important to me, please make it both important and a priority for you and your family.  Going forward, I will craft additional pieces to assist you in keeping your family and loved ones safe and secure online.

I welcome your feedback, and as always thank you for your time.

All the best,
Christopher 

(As noted, the above was originally written by me as a "guest blog" for Cammie Moise and posted on her "Moms Material" website on 19 November - I've made some minor adjustments in the above.) 

Human Trafficking: Children as a Commodity?

Human Trafficking.

The term conjures up a number of different images.  Perhaps for those unfamiliar with the term, it may bring to mind a crowded urban sidewalk at quitting time, while those with a familiarity may create the visualization of an individual being bought and sold as a commodity.  For most, it takes their mind and soul to a sympathetic place on behalf of those poor unfortunates in a far away land.

The year is 2009 and trafficking of our fellow humans is at its greatest level in the history of mankind.  And within this staggering ignoble statistic lays the painful realization that so many of these "fellow humans" are children. We don't have to point to country X or country Y, we do, however have to raise our head and take an honest look around. Last time I looked, slavery had been abolished in the United States with the 13th Amendment, yet I look up from my desk today and see it still exists. Within our society we continue to allow to exist those who enslave, who treat our youth as a mere commodity, and who force our children into prostitution, forced labor or other slave-like situations.

This is, but an initial piece to educate myself and you as to the situation and get our collective mind's juices flowing so as to address the need to bring those who enslave to justice.

The skeptic says, "This can not be."  The hopeful says, "There aren't many."  And the activist says, "Where are they and how can I make a difference."  I want to spark the activist in all of us, educate the skeptic in each of us and engage with you the shared hope that if we each take one demonstrable action we can take one of these individuals who are exploiting our youth off the street and make a difference to many children - today and tomorrow.

According to Stop Child Trafficking Now, the average predator enslaving a young girl and prostituting her services will average over $200,000 per year in income.  The organization goes on to articulate that each year over 300,000 children are at risk of being exploited within the commercial sex trade.   While Shared Hope International, in their Department of Justice funded national study published in May 2009 on "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - America's prostituted children" showed a similarly tragic set of statistics, putting the number at 100,000.  I found enlightening the key findings of this report:

1. Misidentification - Shared Hope International found misidentification of the victims to be the primary barrier to the rescue and response to domestic minor sex trafficking victims. This misidentification occurs at all levels of first responses from law enforcement arrest on the streets to homeless and runaway youth shelters’ intake process, to court adjudication of the victim as a delinquent for habitual runaway or drug possession, or other offense occurring as a result of the prostitution of the child. Misidentification causes a chain reaction of negative outcomes.  It is responsible for the failure to deliver the necessary services to interrupt and treat the trauma they have endured. It is often the cause of their adjudication as delinquents or criminalization as adult offenders of prostitution, leading to detention and/or a criminal record with resulting lack of access to victim of crime funds. Misidentification can be remedied only through awareness and education of first responders and the community at large to properly identify the indicators of domestic minor sex trafficking and to respond with the appropriate treatment and approach developed by experts in the specific trauma caused by trafficking.

2. Criminalization of the Victim through Misidentification -Victims of domestic minor sex trafficking are frequently processed as juvenile delinquents or adult prostitutes. Prostituted juveniles are trained by their trafficker/pimp to lie to authorities and are provided with excellent fraudulent identifi cation resulting in their registration in the arrest records as an adult— an identification that follows them through their years as a minor unless and until it is corrected by the insight of a law enforcement officer who recognizes the victim is a minor and pursues a correct identification. Law enforcement cited this problem as a barrier to identifying a child sex trafficking victim. Those victims who are identified as minors are frequently charged with a delinquent act either for prostitution-related activities or for a related offense, such as drug possession or habitual runaway. These children are found in detention facilities across the country, as well as in juvenile justice rehabilitative programs. Due to the unique trauma bonding that occurs between a victim and her trafficker, these children often run from juvenile facilities right back to the person that exploited them.

3. Criminalization as a Response to No Options for Placement -Law enforcement officers report they are often compelled to charge a victim of domestic minor sex trafficking with a delinquency offense in order to detain her in a secured facility to keep her safe from the trafficker/pimp and the trauma-driven response of flight. The frustration of first responders with this maneuver was widely expressed; however, in the absence of better options, this stop-gap measure continues. The results are detrimental for the victim who rarely receives any services in detention, much less services specific to the trauma endured through sex trafficking. Also, the entry of the juvenile into the delinquency system can disqualify her from accessing victim of crime funds for services in some states.

4. Inappropriate or Inaccessible Services for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Trauma - Experts speak of the trauma suffered by child sex trafficking victims as more severe than most sexually based trauma given the chronic nature coupled with the reinforced victimization from the community at large of buyers. Therefore, the services required for a child sex trafficking victim are unique and rarely available. Many victims cannot access the services due to their detention and resulting label of juvenile delinquent. In some cases, the victim’s access to services can be contingent on cooperation with law enforcement in an investigation into the trafficking crime. Sex trafficking is the only sex crime in which the victim is threatened with incarceration or denial of services to elicit facts about the crime.

5. Burden on the Victim to Build the Case Against the Trafficker/Pimp - Arrest and prosecution of the traffickers is too frequently based solely on the victim’s cooperation and testimony. This approach places the burden on the victim rather than on the investigators — a burden that is most often too heavy for these traumatized children who typically require a lengthy amount of time before they will disclose the facts of their victimization and only if approached with advanced interview techniques to help them with this disclosure. For these reasons, it is critical in cases of domestic minor sex trafficking that law enforcement pursue innovative or alternative investigation to corroborate the victim’s allegations. Currently, law enforcement agencies typically are not trained in alternative investigative approaches and/or are not provided with adequate resources to develop and initiate these alternative techniques.

6. Lack of Protective, Therapeutic Shelters for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Victims - Only five residential facilities specific to this population exist across the country. These include the Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) Transition to Independent Living (TIL) in New York City, Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE) Safe House in San Francisco, Children of the Night in Los Angeles, Angela’s House in Atlanta, and the Letot Center in Dallas. There are initiative groups striving to establish these unique shelters for the population of domestic minor sex trafficking victims in their areas, but the need outpaces the development. The New York State Safe Harbor for Exploited Children Act passed in 2008 calls for the establishment of such shelters, as will future safe harbor legislation in states already considering it — establishing these protective shelters is critical for an effective strategy to combat domestic minor sex trafficking.

7. Insufficient Priority on Combating Demand - Buyers are not being recognized as a critical component in the sex trafficking of children, yet demand is the primary driver of the commercial sex industry within which children are being exploited for commercial sex activities and performance. Buyers of sex with children can be preferential (pedophiles), opportunistic (thrill-seekers), or situational (do not care how old the person being prostituted is) — they are all committing a crime. Frequently, arrests of buyers are pursued in the traditional investigative technique of decoys which is limited to targeting “johns” in general and cannot specifi cally target a buyer of child sex given the decoy’s age. Innovative investigative techniques that shift the burden of making the case against a perpetrator away from the juvenile victim and focus instead on arresting all parties to the crime of the sexual exploitation of a child are required.

I applaud Shared Hope International for their study and their findings.  I read the entire national report and the ten urban reports (which I will address in future pieces) and encourage you to do the same (see below for the link).

Want to learn more?   Want to do more? 

United States:

• National Human Trafficking Resource Center - The Polaris Project (nhtrc.polarisproject.org)- founded in December 2007, a non-profit, non-governmental organization working to combat human trafficking and modern-day slavery.  The NHTRC operates a national toll-free hot-line, available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. HOT LINE: 1-888-3737-888
• Stop Child Trafficking Now (www.sctnow.org) the organization focuses it attention on the organizations and individuals engaged in the heinous crime of trafficking children.  They fund action, action focused on bringing to justice those who prey on our children.
• US Department of Justice - Child Exploitation and Obscenity  (US DOJ CEOS) This unit was founded in 1987 to protect the welfare of America's children, is part of the Criminal Division and works with the 93 US Attorney Offices throughout the country.  They investigate and prosecute violations of federal law related to producing, distributing, receiving, or possessing child pornography, transporting women or children interstate for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity, traveling interstate or internationally to sexually abuse children and international parental kidnapping.

Global:

• The Swiss foundation of Terre des hommes (www.tdh.ch) was founded in 1960. Over the ensuing 40 years, the organization specialized in three areas: Health, Social Care and the Rights of the Child.  In 1999, they focused their attention on the trafficking of children (www.childtrafficking.org) and in 2001 they launched the global campaign Stop Child Trafficking, which together with local partners in 33 countries addresses the situation in six regions of the world:  Europe, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Southern Africa, South America and Western Africa.
• The US foundation of Shared Hope International (www.sharedhope.org) was founded in 1998 and focuses on the victims of human trafficking and slavery.  The organization's mission statement notes they "work diligently across the world, partnering with local groups to help women and children enslaved in the sex trade by providing them with shelter, healthcare, education and vocational training opportunities. Our three-pronged strategy—prevent, rescue and restore—is producing hope." Shared Hope International's report, "Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking - America's prostituted children"  (pdf - 83 pages).

If you are staggered by the above, you are not alone, and if I have been successful, I've energized the activist in each of you. I'll do my part and speak from the heart on this and similar topics..

Thank you for your time.
All the best,
Christopher