A Reflection on the Empower Conference 2021

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Currently, 49 out of the 50 US States fully criminalize commercial sex buying and selling, meaning that both the prostituted individuals and the person buying, if caught, would face charges. 

There is one point that we agree on with the full decriminalization legislation, and that is that we believe the person who is selling sex (that we at MAP would refer to as a prostituted individual) should NOT be criminalized.

For those in favor of full decriminalization, they would also add to it that they do not believe the person purchasing sex should be criminalized either.  That both selling and buying sex should be legal. 

If you missed the conference, we highly recommend that you register to receive the link to watch the sessions! CLICK HERE 

So, why did we choose to focus on this for our conference this year? 

It began in Washtenaw County, on the East side of Michigan.  The current prosecutor, Eli Savit, issued a policy that stated he would not prosecute consensual commercial sex.  This view is highly problematic because sex buyers will not be held accountable for the harm they inflict.

Eli’s policy began an outcry from the anti-human trafficking community, from our communities to #stopsavit.  Many advocates and organizations joined alongside survivors as they met with Eli to help him understand how his policy will negatively affect addressing trafficking in his county. They urged him, to listen to the voices of the people who were exploited under the guise of “prostitution or consensual commercial sex.”, and to help him understand that his policy will increase the demand for commercial sex and therefore, increase exploitation.  There are not enough willing women and men to fill the demand, so it must be filled somehow.  And the how is trafficking. 

Please join us at equalitymodelmichigan.com to stay informed and updated about ways you can get involved in Michigan.

And so, we were left with the question, “How can we help?” 

If you have followed with us for any length of time hopefully you know that the main focus of MAP is EDUCATION.  So, we set out to do just that.  Educate.  Enter the Empower Conference 2021 with a focus on the Equality Model.  We set out to help educate the public on the harms inflicted by sex buyers, the various legislative models, what is being done/has been done in other states, what survivors are saying about it all, what is being done in Michigan in response to human trafficking, and lastly, what we can all do together about it. 

The lineup of speakers was STACKED.  And we don’t say that to toot our own horn…these men and women are EXPERTS, we are deeply grateful to them for saying yes to this conference.  Six of them are Survivor Leaders and have lived experience of being in the commercial sex trade and two of them are Attorneys who are leading the way in Equality Model legislation.  We could have easily listened to them talk all day.  They informed us with facts, deep conviction, and passion.   

Melanie Thompson kicked the conference off by giving an explanation of the legislative frameworks within the sex industry: full criminalization, partial decriminalization or the Equality Model, legalization, and full decriminalization.  Another part of her presentation that impacted many who attended was her piece on the importance of language and terminology when we refer to “sex work.”  She was incredible and explained the legislative jargon in ways the general public could understand. 

Session Two involved a deeper look at the legislative actions that have happened or are in process in different states.  We heard from Nate Walsh a Human Trafficking Attorney in Maine who has helped lead the Equality Model bill that is set to be voted on soon, Yasmin Vafa also an Attorney and works with Rights4Girls in Washington D.C and has been very involved in legislation there, Brittany Pearson a Survivor Leader and Human Trafficking consultant who has been involved in the recent vetoed vote to decriminalize sex buying in Louisiana and Melanie Thompson moderated the conversation as well as gave her thoughts as someone involved with legislation for the Equality Model in New York.  At the end of their time, they gave advice to us Michiganders on what we can be doing, how we can be learning and educating, petitioning our local governments, and also helping support these other states in the work they are doing. 

Session Three hit to the heart of why we put this conference on, Survivor’s Voices. One of the biggest problems with the Full Decriminalization of prostitution is that the voices of those who have been exploited and abused by the sex trade are further silenced. We heard from Survivor Leaders Bekah Charleston, Cristian Eduardo, Alice Jay, and Alisa Bernard.  One of the questions posed was “What does choice look like in sex work?” This being one of the main positions held by the Full Decrim side, that sex workers have a choice in who they sell to, and what they do with their bodies.  Alisa responded, “We call it a ‘trick’ for a reason.” And Cristian laughed and very clearly stated, “It is a joke…the reality is there isn’t a choice.” We, and others who attended, wished we could have had more time to hear their impassioned call to recognize the reality of fully decriminalizing the sex trade.  Bekah Charleston had a unique perspective as she was involved in a place where commercial sex was legal, Nevada.  She gave insight into what it actually is like to experience legal prostitution. 

Session Four was led by Michigan’s very own Alice Jay!  We were so honored to have her share about the work she is doing with Neighborhood Legal Services to help women and girls exit the sex trade.  They work with the 36th District Court in Wayne County, along with many other support services, to help survivors heal and set them up for future success.  We were encouraged by how she ended, telling us in an empowered voice “Recovery DOES happen, it IS possible!”  We love you Alice and are so encouraged by the work you are doing. We hope we will see more of this across the state! 

We ended the conference with a Call to Action…how can we take what we learned and do something about it? For those of you who attended, we hope this was educational and helpful in your own journeys to understanding the complexities of the sex trade and how legislation plays into it.  We want to continue to encourage you to listen to the voices of survivors.  To learn about all of the legislative frameworks and think critically about how this impacts our most vulnerable fellow humans.   

We welcome the continued conversation!  Spread the news and dialogue.  If legalizing sex work legislation is not in your state or county yet, it will be.  Become an informed citizen, stand as an ally to Survivors, and join with all of us to DO something about it!

Take action by viewing our google drive and utilizing some of the resources. Write to your legislators, to the prosecutors in your county, and help them understand why The Equality Model, or partial decriminalization, is so important. Share on social media and help inform those in your sphere of influence. Invite others to register for the conference so they can view the sessions. (click here!)

MAP Joins Vista Maria Family!

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Enabling further education, engagement and eradication of human trafficking in Michigan and beyond

Since 1883 Vista Maria has evolved to serve a variety of needs for vulnerable youth. Vista Maria’s expertise has been in the area of innovative treatment and services for adolescent survivors and they have been an influential advocate for survivor-focused legislation. Our partnership will strengthen our collective ability to raise awareness, improve training, and broaden our advocacy within the anti-trafficking movement.

The journey began because of the trust and respect that was built over our multi-year relationship. Through this trust and respect for the work each was doing, we realized that our missions complement one another. We decided that together we would be stronger, more effective, and able to build our capacity.

Due to the recent Eugene Miller Fellowship sponsored by the McGregor fund, Angela Aufdemberge, Vista Maria’s CEO, was able to research best practice training and advocacy nationally and globally. Our new partnership will allow us to deliver greater social impact. MAP’s mission to prevent and end trafficking directly impacts Vista Maria’s mission to keep youth safe, to make them strong, and to finds new ways to bring wholeness and possibility to those who need it most.

By combining two of Michigan’s leading human trafficking programs, Vista Maria and the Michigan Abolitionist Project are better positioned to improve awareness, advocacy, and services to combat human trafficking. MAP’s mission is the same, our brand will remain, and our programs, staff, and volunteers will continue to move forward supported by Vista Maria’s board, leadership and infrastructure. We expect to enhance and expand MAP’s high-impact services to train and educate more professionals as well as advocate for heroic survivors across our state.

We are grateful for the support of our partners and donors who make this progress possible!

Review a  FAQ Page for more information or contact us directly at info@map-mi.org

Read: Press Release March 24, 2021

There is Nothing Harmless About Sex Buying

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Reprinting and sharing this article that ran in the Detroit News on March 12, 2021

Opinion: There is nothing harmless about sex buying  (link)

*By Chrissy Hemphill

Recently, Washtenaw County prosecuting attorney Eli Savit announced he would introduce a policy ending the prosecution of sex buyers. This plan and the ideology it represents not only ignores the very people he took an oath to protect, it demonstrates his failure to understand how the sex trade operates.

To some, sex buying might seem like a harmless business transaction. Just a regular guy blowing off steam by paying someone for sex. But spend a day in the shoes of those being bought, tackling the trauma and physical and psychological harm that not one but myriad “regular guys” impart. They have endured years of sexual violence, harassment, brutalities and dehumanization at the hands of these men. Once you hear their stories, we are pretty certain you will conclude there is nothing harmless about sex buying.

Sex trafficking exists because there is a demand for commercial sex, Hemphill writes.

Here is the reality: Sex trafficking exists because there is a demand for commercial sex. If men weren’t buying sexual access to women, girls and trans women and trans youth, there would be no sex trafficking.

Savit wants you to believe that the only harm that happens in the sex trade is because of pimps and traffickers. But here’s the truth: Any sex trade survivor in Michigan or across the country can testify to the horrific harm sex buyers enjoyed inflicting when the door closed and money was exchanged. Sex buyers buy women like objects to fulfill their fantasies, not as human beings with dreams and a capacity for suffering.

The sex trade is predicated on inequality: racial, sex, gender and income. Overwhelmingly, people are first sold into the sex trade as a consequence of systemic vulnerabilities, including histories of childhood sexual abuse, foster care residencies, poverty, homelessness, drug addiction and mental health concerns.

Even in the rare occasion when no third-party profiteer — a pimp, an exploiting boyfriend or an escort service — is in the picture, women end up in the sex trade as a means of survival.

Survivors from Michigan to Maine to Missouri will tell you that the power imbalance between the buyer and the bought is devastating and destructive. Giving a free pass to sex buyers will only embolden rich and powerful men to purchase access to those with less power and privilege.

From a policy perspective, decriminalizing sex buying, which is de facto decriminalizing the sex trade, including brothel-owning, leads to an increase in the demand for prostitution. Nevada, the only U.S. state that allows legal brothels in a few rural counties, has the highest per capita rate of an illegal sex trade — 63% higher than the next highest state. In Amsterdam, a city where sex buying is legal, the city’s mayor seeks to relocate the red light district, stating the legal sex trade is fueling sex tourism and abuse.

Legalizing sex buyers has been tried and is a failed experiment. The harms of prostitution can never be regulated away by legalizing commercial sex establishments. People exploited in the sex trade face physical, emotional and sexual abuse from both third-party exploiters and the sex buyers who drive the market. We don’t need to try this in Michigan and help destroy the lives of vulnerable people with an absence of choices in their lives.

If Savit is serious about protecting our most marginalized, listen to survivors and support the equality model. The equality model decriminalizes and provides services to those sold, while holding accountable those who cause devastating harm — the pimps, brothel owners and yes, the sex buyers.

So before Ann Arbor becomes the next Amsterdam, we urge prosecuting attorney Savit to listen those who have survived the sex trade. Ann Arbor must not give its keys to pimps, brothel owners and sex buyers.

Visit www.stopsavit.com to learn more

Share this article on your social media    #stopsavit

*Chrissy Hemphill is a human trafficking specialist with Avalon Healing Center, formerly known as Wayne County SAFE.

Compassion to Action

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The Detroit Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA) gathered their Community Affairs Committee together to assemble 50 backpacks and 25 cosmetic bags as donations for street outreach efforts, and gifts for at-risk youth.

Programs like this and others, that prevent and address modern slavery and provide supplies and services to survivors, are critical to creating healthy, safe and resilient communities. MAP and our many partners are committed to strengthening our programs and services to address the many root causes of slavery and restore dignity to its victims and survivors.

MAP partnered with BOMA to distribute their backpacks and cosmetic bags across several of our partnering organizations in Michigan, including: Night Angels, Alternatives for Girls, and Beauty for Ashes.

Thank you, BOMA, for collaborating and resourcing our local anti-trafficking organizations!

Click Here for more information on how you can turn your Compassion to Action!

2020 Round Table Event

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On January 28, 2020 over 125 people, representing dozens of organizations and agencies, gathered for MAP’s annual Round Table event. This annual event is for experienced advocates and professionals who are active in addressing human trafficking in Michigan through prevention, education and/or the provision of services to survivors and at-risk populations. The objective of this forum is to increase collaboration and effectiveness of the anti-trafficking community by identifying barriers, building relationships, and strengthening partnerships.

This year our co-sponsor and Key Note presenter was The Joseph Project.  Jennifer Grieco (immediate past President of the State Bar of Michigan) and Nate Knapper (Founder and CEO, The Joseph Project) provided a great overview of this new organization and their services. Trafficking survivors often face legal obstacles that arise from the circumstances of their exploitation.  Yet, they often do not have the knowledge or the financial means to secure skilled legal representation.  Known as the “justice gap,” this inability to secure legal assistance often impedes survivors from moving toward a brighter future.   The Joseph Project provides survivors of trafficking access to a group of legal “first responders” who offer legal assistance and a commitment to service survivors’ legal needs on a pro bono basis.

The Joseph Project is a 501c3 recognized Non Profit organization. LEARN MORE…

Angela Aufdemberge (President and CEO of Vista Maria) presented a summary of her 2019 Eugene Miller Fellowship project in which she interviewed experts and stakeholders in our state and around the country.  Some of her suggestions for Michigan’s way forward are:

  • Create new awareness and prevention campaigns in Michigan
  • Establish demand reduction strategy
  • Expand the definition of those protected by safe harbor and ensure state funded treatment is available
  • Meet with survivors, advocates, and leaders from Michigan’s AG, DHHS and legislature

Angela emphasized the need for us to continue to expand our training, moving beyond human trafficking 101 and specifically addressing parents and teens on the dangers within social media/Apps, of online pornography, of the subtle acts of traffickers, and the need to change the mindset of sexual exploitation. She also explained the harms of legalization and the need for statewide demand reduction efforts. She encouraged stakeholders to establish a legislative framework that provides safe harbor for former or current survivors of sex trafficking (creating alternatives to incarceration), establish state contracted funding for specialized services, treatments and skills training for survivors, and the need for service provider standards and credentialing.

Vista Maria is excited to break ground this spring on a new human trafficking stabilization center to improve and expand services for young female victims. READ MORE…

Kelly Carter (Assistant Attorney General) closed the evening out with a very information update on the the latest news from our state government and an overview of the newest legislation package that the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission is working to move forward. READ A SUMMARY.  Kelly answered some questions from the audience and the event ended with time to network and meet personally with our speakers.

Participants Feedback…

A survey collected from participants indicated  that most all attendees were very satisfied with the event and indicated they grew professionally, exchanged ideas with others, and increased their networks. Most all attendees indicated they learned more than they expected and overwhelmingly would recommend the Round Table event to other advocates to attend in the future.

The top suggestions received were to provide more time, and perhaps structure, for networking. Suggestions such as assigned seating and time for individual introductions also indicate a desire to improve opportunities to meet others and network more effectively.

The main take-aways for those who responded were the opportunity to connect with others, the printed resources list that was provided, and the informative content that our speakers provided during their presentations.

MAP staff and our co-sponsors review feedback in order to improve our efforts to provide collaboration and networking opportunities that help stakeholders and advocates in our state to grow the anti-human trafficking movement in Michigan. Thank you to all sponsors, speakers, and attendees that join us in this important work!

Empower 2019 – Improving our Collective Response

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Empower 2019! Another great conference thanks to all the amazing advocates, agencies and organizations that participated and special thanks to our esteemed presenters Andy Soper and Kris McNeil from Measurable Change, Luke Hassevoort LMSW, Housing Manager from Ruth Ellis Center and Nate Knapper, Special Agent – Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Here’s a snapshoot of some of the feedback we received:

Some of the comments we received from participants about the event….

We look forward to planning more educational and training events in 2020.  Watch our newsletter and check our calendar for conferences or events near you!

 

 

2019 Round Table Event in Troy

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On January 29, 2019 over 130 people, representing dozens of organizations, gathered together for MAPs annual 2019 Round Table event held at the Troy Community Center. The Round Table, which was co-sponsored by the Salvation Army, is for experienced advocates, professionals, and service providers who are active in addressing human trafficking in Michigan. The objective of this forum is to increase collaboration and effectiveness in SE Michigan by identifying barriers, building relationships, and strengthening partnerships.

The event included a delicious buffet dinner followed by presentations from:

  • Andy Soper of Measurable Change , Measurable Change is working with state & local partners to combat Human Trafficking by developing a Baseline & Readiness Roadmap. Through this comprehensive assessment, they plan to provide Michigan with a framework for interdisciplinary cooperation & data collection, victim service provision and context-specific education.
  • Michael Glennon Supervisor of Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes Task Force (SEMTEC) gave update on the progress of the task force which consists of members from the FBI, Michigan State Police, Washtenaw County Sheriff, Detroit Police, Dearborn Police, Highland Park Police, Southfield Police, Livonia Police, Roseville Police, Huron Twp. Police, Canton Police and Romulus Police Department. The SEMTEC is a top performing Task Force in the country.
  • Kelly Carter Assistant Attorney General and Michigan Human Trafficking Commission Chair provided updates on Michigan legislation and commission.
  • Elizabeth Moon Carter from the Salvation Army shared about the collaborative grant and the Salvation Army human trafficking initiative.

The event provided time for networking, sharing of resources, and providing feedback useful for planning future events.

 

Empower 2018 – Finding Hope Through Trauma-Informed Care

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Providing the best care to adult and children survivors of human trafficking

On May 31, 2018, more than 140 service providers, law enforcement officials, church groups, health care providers, volunteers and lay-persons gathered together at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills for a six-hour training discussing the importance of trauma-informed care practices when working with survivors of human trafficking.

Attendees heard from experts in the field, including Dr. Michelle Munro-Kramer from the University of Michigan’s School of Nursing; Maggie Dunn, founder of the House of Providence in Detroit and licensed therapist; Alice Johnson, author, consultant, survivor, and found of Sister Survivors; and Edee Franklin, founder of Sanctum House. Attendees also had the privilege to hear from a brave young man who told his story of being labor trafficked since the age of 7 years old.

Here are some highlights from each speaker!

Trauma-Informed Care by Dr. Michelle Munro-Kramer

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) defines Trauma as “a result from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.”

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Complex Trauma is defined as “typically involving exposure to sequential or simultaneous occurrences of maltreatment (including psychological maltreatment, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and domestic violence). Exposure to these initial traumatic experiences – and the resulting emotional dysregulation and the loss of safety, direction, and the ability to detect or respond to danger cues – often sets off a change of events leading to subsequent or repeated trauma exposure in adolescence and adulthood.”

Michelle’s presentation discussed the importance and need for trauma-informed care practices when providing care to survivors of trauma. Below are some highlights from her talk:

Based on SAMHSA’s definition, traumatic exposures involve the 3 E’s:

  • Events -> Events and circumstances cause trauma
  • Experience of the Event(s) -> An individual’s experience of the event determines whether it is traumatic.

Affected by HOW, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW OFTEN

  • Effects -> Effects of trauma include adverse physical, social, emotional, or spiritual consequences.

*Trauma can affect people of every race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender, psychosocial background and geographic region. Trauma often affects an individual’s resources to cope, and often ignite the “fight, flight, or freeze” reaction at the time of the event(s).

Based on SAMHSA’s definition, a trauma-informed approach includes the 4 R’s:

Trauma-informed practices consider the adverse affects that trauma can have on an individual’s physical and mental health and well-being. In order for events, organizations, and individuals to incorporate trauma-informed practices into their work, they must follow the 4 R’s.

  1. Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand the potential paths for recovery.
  2. Recognize signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system.
  3. Respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices.
  4. Seek to actively Resist Re-traumatization.

*It’s important to recognize that re-traumatization is a risk whenever individuals who have experienced trauma are exposed to their trauma histories without sufficient tools, support, and safety to manage emotional behavioral and physical reactions.

SAMHSA’s Six Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Approach:

We encourage you to take a trauma-informed approach in the work you do.

  1. Safety – Providers must be responsive and adapt the environment to establish and maintain physical and emotional safety.
  2. Trustworthiness and Transparency – Operations and decisions related to the client will be conducted with transparency with the goal of establishing and maintaining trust.
  3. Peer Support – Survivors of trauma will be encouraged to practice mutual self-help in order to build a setting of trust and collaboration.
  4. Collaboration and Mutuality – Ensure the provider-client relationship is collaborative and then build beyond this relationship.
  5. Power, Voice and Choice – The importance of resilience and the power of individuals’ strengths and experiences will be affirmed and promoted. Likewise, organizations need to reinforce the importance of staff autonomy, choice, and sense of control.
  6. Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues – To understand how trauma affects an individual, you must first understand the identities of the individual including racial, ethnic, and sexual identity; the cultural needs of individual; as well as the intersectionality of identities, and historical trauma.

*Text from this portion was provided in a handout that Dr. Munro-Kramer provided, which was put together by the CASCAID collaborative – a group from the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) by Maggie Dunn

Maggie Dunn, founder of House of Providence in Detroit, is a licensed therapist with a passion for empowering and caring for the orphaned child. Together with her husband Jason, they operate House of Providence – a residential facility that provides a therapeutic and familial environment for minors who are languishing without the prospect of a permanent family of their own.

HOP also provides vital intervention and support services that afford vulnerable foster youth in the State of Michigan with safety emotionally, mentally and physically. Because of the direct care and individual attention given, program residents eventually stabilize and are then able to receive trauma focused therapy where they process their difficult journey and begin to heal.

One evidenced-based practice that HOP employs in their continuum of care is Trust-Based Relational Intervention. During the Empower 2018 Event, Maggie presented on the tenets of how she employs TBRI:

Trust-Based Relational Intervention is:

  • Earning trust
  • Empowering the survivor
    • When you don’t have options, you make bad choices. The HOP team walks through the healing process with each resident, providing hope
  • Connecting with the survivor
What is trauma?
  • An injury to either psyche, body, or relationship.
  • Wounds – makes you more sensitive, and informs all responses to external stimuli
  • Neuromuscle memory – brain sensitivity
  • Acute versus prolonged – limbic system
Aging out of foster care is the number one precursor for victims of human trafficking. The correlation between foster care and human trafficking is large, and it’s due to no one looking for the youth in foster care.
Restoring resiliency
Neuroplasticity

Trauma cuts the youths chronological age in half, and they operate with a trauma brain. They’re prone to type 2 diabetes, with vitamin deficiency. The youth also come to us in an educational, medical, dental, and mental health crisis. They’re also in a relational crisis as they are alone on the planet. They’re come to us angry, mistrusting, no clothing, and with lice and bedbugs.

When there is a lack of options- poor decisions are made. We operate with a Trust-Based Intervention:

  • Empowering by meeting physical and immediate needs.
  • Connecting by meeting attachment needs
  • Correcting principles, by disarming fear based behaviors.
  • Felt safety – the child determines this
  • Calming limbic system
  • Meet needs and offer external regulation
Our program: How do we do this, practically?
  • Red level: stabilization (bonding with staff, assessment period, coping skill identification, full observation, etc.)
  • Yellow: trauma processing/deinstitutionalization, mentor matching, learning their value, a timeline of life, etc.
  • Green: community reintegration, RAD training, integration into a family, always pushing toward caregivers.
It only takes one adult to change the trajectory of an entire life!

For more information about the House of Providence visit http://thehofp.org. For information on foster care in Michigan and the state of the orphaned child, click HERE. And for more information on Trust-Based Relational Intervention and how to best employ these practices, click HERE.

5 Things Survivors Wish Service Providers Knew about their Trauma by Alice Johnson

 

Providing Survivor Care by Edee Franklin

Edee Franklin, the founder of Sanctum House, earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Wayne State University and was a special education teacher for several years.

At the Empower 2018 event, Edee spoke about her passion for empowering survivors of human trafficking, which ultimately fueled her dream of opening Santum House.

Sanctum House is a 2-year residential safe home for trafficked survivors. The program focuses on physical, psychological, emotional, education, and spiritual healing for adult women survivors. Staff at Sanctum House pride themselves on providing holistic services, anchored in trauma-informed care best practices. The program provides the life skills needed for program residents to achieve success and independent living.

For more information on Sanctum House, visit https://www.sanctumhouse.org.

About MAP’s Annual Empower Event:

The Empower conference is an annual MAP event that addresses high-level challenges and opportunities pertaining to human trafficking in Michigan. Empower is designed to equip experts and experienced community advocates who are working towards collaborative solutions.

To get involved with MAP and/or the Empower event, email info@map-mi.org.