Outcome of May 31st Pieper Lewis Hearing – Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery

Outcome of May 31st Pieper Lewis Hearing

Please tap the following link for a May 31st Des Moines Register article: “Pieper Lewis Gets 20-Year Sentence, But Then is Placed on Probation Again.” written by Philip Jones who has been covering the case since the June 1st, 2020 arrest of trafficking victim, Pieper Lewis. The NAHT joined Shared Hope International in the following media release titled, “Protecting not Punishing Sex Trafficking Survivors” which gives our position on justice for victims of human trafficking.

Teenage Girls Reporting Sexual Abuse or Sex Trafficking Shouldn't Have to Fear Being Prosecuted

Adolescent girls face a rising rate of sexual violence and sex trafficking, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there is also a parallel crisis that's not spelled out: Many of the young survivors are punished as if they were criminals.

This is known as the “abuse-to-prison pipeline.” Girls who are sexually abused and sex trafficked are often pushed into the legal system and charged with offenses that can trigger a cascade of consequences:  a criminal record that can haunt a person for years; confinement in facilities that are unsafe; and long-term sentences that can keep them imprisoned for decades, even for life. For girls of color, the risk of entering the criminal justice system is far higher than for white girls.

Examples of the pipeline are all too common. It happens when girls escape a violent home, but then are charged as runaways. It happens when girls report sexual abuse to police but are charged with false reporting. It happens when girls fight back against traffickers and adult rapists in self-defense and then are charged with serious offenses. And it happens when children who are sex-trafficked are arrested on suspicion of prostitution or charged as traffickers themselves.

The abuse-to-prison pipeline disproportionately affects girls of color, who are subject to gender and racial bias. But in virtually all cases, police, prosecutors and judges fail or refuse to consider — and prohibit juries from considering — the full context of abuse and exploitation behind girls' actions. And sometimes, in a perverse form of paternalism, authorities lock survivors up, citing a dearth of safe alternatives — as if detention is safe for young people who have endured sexual trauma.

To continue reading this article go to this link: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-03-03/abuse-to-prison-pipeline-girls-of-color-sexual-abuse-false-reporting-prosecution

140 Rotarians and their guests paid $20 each to attend a fundraising program focused on ending human trafficking across greater Des Moines. Each of the clubs matched the funds raised at the Rotary-sponsored event, which added up to $45,000 raised.  All net proceeds will be donated to local nonprofits fighting human trafficking.

Presented by the Greater Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club Committee, the event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines on May 2nd. Participants learned from some of Iowa's local heroes fighting this important issue. Their excellent panel of speakers included:

• Heather Brown – Human Trafficking Survivor
• Matthew Stephenson – Director/Learning & Development of Caseys
• John Jarvey – Retired U.S. Chief Federal Court Judge, Southern District of Iowa
• Charlotte Kovacs – Victim Witness Specialist, Program Supervisor, U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Iowa

Iowa Rotary District 6000 is made up of 67 local clubs. Twenty of these clubs have formed a Prevent Trafficking Action Team. Each Rotary Club has committed to launching a prevention/education program in their local community. The Des Moines Rotary Multi-Club's May 2nd event is their major local educational program. The Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking is collaborating with the Rotary Action Team and providing educational materials.

Ashton Kutcher Speaks in the EU About Child Safety

Last month, Iowa native and Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher delivered a keynote speech in Brussels to discuss recently proposed EU legislation aimed at preventing child sexual abuse and trafficking. If you missed it live, you can watch the recording at this link: Ashton Kutcher Speaks in the EU About Child Safety

SAVE Girls Federal Act Introduced to Give $50M More to Fight Trafficking

Recently, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), of Brookhaven, joined Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce bipartisan legislation to provide more resources to fight human trafficking.

The Stopping the Abuse, Victimization and Exploitation of Girls Act (SAVE Girls) would authorize an additional $50 million in funding for a grant program to prevent the trafficking of young women and girls, including — but not limited to — vulnerable children who have been smuggled across U.S. borders.

“Sadly, cartels and coyotes have turned human trafficking into a multi-billion-dollar industry, and we know it is mainly women and girls who are paying the price,” Hyde-Smith said. “The SAVE Girls Act would help ensure there are more resources available to combat this humanitarian crisis and provide support to surviving victims.”

“Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal industries, and more than 90 percent of female trafficking victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation,” said Blackburn.  “We cannot continue to allow criminal cartels to flourish while they rape, trade, and exploit women and girls.”

The SAVE Girls Act would:

• Permit the Attorney General and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Secretary of State, to award grants to states, localities, and nongovernment organizations committed to preventing and stopping the smuggling and trafficking of young women and girls.
• Specify the primary focus of this grant program is to prevent the smuggling of young women and girls across the border, as well as to prevent survivors from becoming or remaining victims of trafficking.
• Provide additional resources to combat the humanitarian crisis plaguing girls across the United States without disrupting the statutory structure of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Online Resources for Parents of School-Age Children

Here are some resources for parents and families to use to start to have conversations with children of all ages about social media usage and safety while navigating this ever-growing tech-filled world. These resources are provided by Kim Smith, NAHT Board member and Shared Hope International Ambassador for Iowa. Kim provides students with self-protection training in schools all across Iowa. Her contact information is listed at the end of the article. Here is a link to Kim's recommended resources for parents: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jihk_TB-CNB_USfD1TegqOa4dinwn96_/view?usp=sharing

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