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CWA of Texas Launches Campaign to Stop Sex Trafficking 9/24/2008 Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Texas has launched a statewide project to end the demand for commercial sex in their state. The Texas Sex Trafficking Obliteration Project (T-STOP) works in connection with Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition to educate key target groups who can play an integral part in reducing the demand for sex trafficking and eliminating it entirely.
The project includes educational resources, distributing literature throughout key areas of the community, and a blog to connect with other citizen activists who want to protect victims of sex trafficking.
After learning that Houston is recognized as a main hub for traffickers, with the interstate freeway I-10 Corridor identified as a primary trafficking route, CWA of Texas knew something had to be done to stop this heinous crime.
Ann Hettinger, State Director for CWA of Texas, says, "Texas has been the second most popular destination for sex trafficking for too long. We are determined to protect our children from this despicable trade, and we have designed measures to combat it on many fronts."
Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, CWA's internationally-known expert on sex trafficking, says, "Nothing in CWA's history has so captured the hearts of CWA leaders around the country like mobilizing across the nation to combat modern-day slavery. CWA is known across the anti-trafficking movement for our work against this abuse of women and children, and Texas has taken the lead. We are so pleased to see the commitment and dedication of CWA of Texas; these leaders have determined that this won't happen in their backyard!"
With an estimated 27 million slaves in our world today, this campaign is of the utmost importance. Researchers have approximated that the average entry age into prostitution is 12-14. Many of these children are raped countless times each night, beaten, held against their will, and abused for the pleasure and financial gain others.
Darrell MacLearn, Texas Anti-Trafficking Project Manager for CWA of Texas, states, "I have a 10-year-old and a 16-year-old daughter. In light of the reality of the sex trafficking industry, I am struck with the fact that these children are somebody's little boys and girls. With that reality I could not sit back and do nothing."
"When I was given the opportunity to get involved in this project with Concerned Women for America and Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition it was a no brainer, God had opened a door for me to make a difference in this area."
T-STOP addresses the issue of sex trafficking through a multi-pronged approach which includes raising awareness and reaching out to the community. CWA of Texas has developed a brochure to distribute to churches, college campuses, and men's organizations. They are asking citizens to write letters to hotel chains to urge them to adhere to the ECPAT Code of Conduct, which fights sex trafficking and prostitution through the tourism industry.
T-STOP is also developing a campaign to distribute literature to regional truck stops. Truck stops are a notorious hot bed for prostitution and sex trafficking, and the trucks provide a means to transport the victims of this heinous crime across the country.
To reach out for community participation, T-STOP has set up a blog where concerned citizens can share ideas and discuss solutions that can bring this dehumanizing issue to an end.
Dr. Crouse said, "We have to personalize this inhumane crime so that more people see it in distinctly personal terms. For too long, our criminal justice system viewed prostitutes as the problem. Now the focus has shifted so that people understand that the victims are somebody's daughter or sister and that the criminal is the pimp who enslaves and the john who purchases sexual services - both of these criminals are exploiting a woman or girl as a commercial commodity. Rescuing the victim is only the beginning of a long process of healing and restoration. Fortunately, God can transform the vilest of situations and make even the most damaged person completely whole."
To visit the T-STOP website, please visit tstop.cwfa.org. There you can view the brochures that CWA of Texas has developed and read articles that explain ways to combat sex trafficking in your community. You can also access the T-STOP blog and many other great links. To learn more about the campaign, or to volunteer your time to help with the distribution project, please contact T-STOP at tstop@cwfa.org.
To get involved in CWA of Texas, go to ctx.cwfa.org or e-mail director@texas.cwfa.org. If you would like to get involved with one of our other fine state organizations, please visit the CWA in the States site.
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Concerned Women for America 1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 488-7000 Fax: (202) 488-0806 |
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