The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Understanding and

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Understanding and Responding to Victims Audrey Morrissey Associate Director A Program of Justice Resource Institute

“Teen Prostitute” vs. “Commercially Sexually Exploited Child”

What is CSEC? The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is: • A form of child sexual abuse • Includes remuneration in the form of something of value to that child (money, goods, services) • Preys on a child’s vulnerabilities CSEC is NOT: • Delinquency • “Promiscuity” • “Girls Gone Wild”

CSEC Includes… • • • Street prostitution Pornography Stripping Erotic/nude massage Escort services Phone sex lines • • • Private parties Gang-based prostitution Survival Trafficking Interfamilial pimping Internet-based exploitation

Media Images of Human Trafficking

The Reality: Maria On our community On victims’ mind, body and soul

The Reality: Mickey On our community On victims’ mind, body and soul

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking TVPA Definition The Trafficking Victims Prevention Act (TVPA) passed in 2000 is federal law that laid the ground work for combating CSEC. The federal definition of “severe forms of sex trafficking” for minors (under age 18) includes: • Any commercial sex act • Regardless of whether or not coercion is involved The federal PROTECT Act (2003), the MA Human Trafficking State Law (2012) and the federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (2015) followed.

MLMC Stats: FY 2016 Of the 156 youth served by MLMC in 2016 • The average of first exploitation was 14 years old • 59% were under 14 years of age or younger at the point of first exploitation • 77% of youth were child welfare system involved • Of the youth who were exploited- 24% had gang ties

MLMC Youth Served 2016 Breakdown of Youth Served by Ethnicity/Race Latina 35% African American 21 % White 30% Asian 3% Mixed Race 11%

Routes of Domestic Sex Traffic in U. S. Source: GEMS

Profile of a Buyer USA DATA • 15% of American Men over 18 have purchased sex (~15 million) • 1% of American men over 18 purchased in the last year (~1 million) • 60 -80% of illegal commercial sex transactions are brokered online (Urban Institute, 2014) BOSTON DATA: • Average number of unique sex buyer contacts per ad posted in Boston is 33 (Oct-Feb) (Demand Abolition, 2015) • 21 is the average of first time buying sex (Boston Buyers Study 2011) • 43% were with friends when they bought (Boston Buyers Study 2011)

Why?

THE DEMAND: Presence of Adult Sex Industry “Without equivocation…the presence of pre-existing adult prostitution markets contributes measurably to the creation of secondary sexual markets in which children are sexually exploited. [W]e find no support for the legalization of prostitution in the U. S. , especially given the relationship that we can confirm to exist between adult and juvenile sexual exploitation. ” The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Estes & Weiner (2001).

THE DEMAND: Sexualization of young girls

THE DEMAND: The pervasive violent nature of porn 1950 1970 1995 2015

THE DEMAND: Dehumanization of prostituted women “I picked prostitutes as my victims because I hate most prostitutes and I did not want to pay them for sex. I also picked prostitutes as victims because they were easy to pick up, without being noticed. I knew they would not be reported missing right away, and might never be reported missing. I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught. ” Gary Ridgway (The ‘Green River Killer’) in a statement to the Court in which he pled guilty to murdering 48 women and girls, 2003. Source: GEMS

THE DEMAND: Dehumanization of CSEC victims Of Gary Ridgway’s 48 admitted victims, 27 of those victims were between the ages of 15 -18 years old. The Green River Killer was therefore one of the largest child serial killers in the U. S. ever, and the largest known killer of CSEC victims, yet the fact that many of his victims were children/youth is never mentioned because they were viewed as “prostitutes. ” Source: GEMS “In King County, Washington, sometime between July 8, 1982 through July 15, 1982, with premeditated intent to cause her death, I strangled Wendy Lee Coffield to death. I picked her up, planning to kill her. After killing her, I placed her body in the Green River. ” Wendy Coffield 16 yrs old

THE DEMAND: Protecting Reputations: Attorneys act to conceal names in Zumba sex case Kennebunk ME 2012 Attorneys for more than 100 alleged “Johns” of a prostitution ring in a small town in Maine want the names of their clients not to be released to the public because releasing them could destroy reputations. “I’m told that there are police officers, fireman, accountants, TV personalities and lawyers. It runs the gamut of Americana, I guess. ” -Daniel Lilley, Defense Attorney in the Zumba case

Who is at risk?

Girls Who… Have not reached 18 years of age Own or have access to a cell phone, IPod or laptop Want more independence Have ability to be in community without adult supervision Feel judged and feel like others don’t “get them” Want to fit in Want to be “in love” Are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain friendships and/or romantic relationships If this is the case, who is at risk from recruitment by a pimp? • •

Barbra On our community On victims’ mind, body and soul

Laura

Hidden in Plain Sight… 20% of youth in a Canadian study were living at home at the time when they were first exploited. (Saewyc et al. , 2008) “I was home for dinner at 5: 00. ” Nicole, 14, MLMC Leadership Corps member

CSEC & the Child Welfare system 68% of children reported missing to NCMEC (NCMEC, 2014) 60% of children found in a national FBI raid ( NPR, 2013) 80% of youth referred to MLMC in 2015 (MLMC, 2015) “Foster care was training ground for being trafficked. She understood that she was attached to a check. And what she points out is that at least the pimp told her he loved her, and she never heard that in any of her foster care placements. ” (NPR, 2013)

Other Risk Factors • • Domestic Violence Addiction Loss of Parent Mental Health Concerns Learning Disabilities/Cognitive Limitations Racism Sexism Classism

How do pimps recruit girls and “turn them out? ”

ASK: “When young people are on the run, they often have to do a lot of things to survive. What did you have to do to survive? ” “Have you ever exchanged sex for money, food, shelter, or drugs? ”

Red Flags • Has a history of being missing from care/“running away” (including being out of state). • Has visible signs of abuse (i. e. cigarette burns, marks on body but not face, etc. ). • Behaviors are consistent with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (i. e. hypervigilance, fear, etc. ). • Attire/dress is not appropriate for the season/situation.

Red Flags • Clothing/jewelry/phone has upgraded over time in a way that can’t be accounted for by a family financial situation or job. • Has a tattoo which the youth is reluctant to explain. • Found in an area known for prostitution (a physical area or website). • Uses language from the Life. • Frequently truant from school.

Red Flags • Is involved with a male who is significantly older than her and/or gang involved. • Has a history of multiple Sexually Transmitted Infections and/or pregnancies. • Has access to hormone injections –outside the supervision of a medical provider. • Has new “friends”—older teens or adults. • Is disconnected from her family or other caregivers.

CSEC & Filing a 51 A: Key Points • CSEC is a form of child abuse. • You must file regardless of caretaker status. • 51 As filed due to concerns of CSEC will be screened as “Human Trafficking – Sexually Exploited Child” • DCF will screen and determine whether to initiate an investigative response. • Report will be sent to the DA’s office. • Multidisciplinary response should result.

How do you respond to victims of exploitation?

Responding to victims üWelcome üThe environment? üEnsuring safety üDocumentation üNext steps

The Process… From Victim… On our community To Survivor… On victims’ mind, body and soul To Leader…

Comprehensive Service Provision PREVENTION 10 -week girls' groups VULNERABLE ADOLESCENTS IDENTIFICATION training to help service providers identify victims INTERVENTION survivor mentoring AWARENESS & ADVOCACY transforming understanding MLMC RESTORES THE POWER TO CHOOSE

Survivor Mentor Referrals For Girls: Tina Valila, LCSW Intake Coordinator 617. 659. 4062 tjolley@jri. org For Boys and Transgender Youth: Beth Niernberg, LMHC Clinical Director 617. 821. 3991 bniernberg@jri. org www. fightingexploitation. org www. facebook. com/mylifemychoice

Questions/Training Inquiries “My Life My Choice is the gold standard in prevention and mentoring programs for commercially sexually exploited and trafficked girls. ” RACHEL LLOYD PRESIDENT Girls Educational and Mentoring Services Nikki Valila Director of Training 617. 483. 0568 nvalila@jri. org Audrey Morrissey Associate Director 617. 512. 0191 amorrissey@jri. org www. fightingexploitation. org www. facebook. com/mylifemychoice