In 2013 Klein Frank Foundation presented the Summit 2 End It in Denver, Colorado. The event was recorded, and the entire Summit can be experienced here. In 2013, there was no Colorado State Council coordinating policy and setting standards for education and victim support, limited public police funding, and no curriculum in schools. Only a small groups of private citizens were raising awareness, funding law enforcement, and trying to solve this problem. Look how far we have come.

Welcome and Our Mission

Education, Prevention and Empowerment

In Colorado there is no curriculum in schools to make children aware of trafficking and to help them from staying out of danger. This discussion will focus on what options are available to schools, PTAs, youth groups, and faith based organizations to increase safety and awareness for Colorado kids. This segment will also identify resources for educators to identify potential students at risk and where to go for help.

Dr. Larry Feldman, Vice Chair School Board. Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Miami-Dade was very pro-active in getting programs in place to responsibly educate kids, parents, and teachers on the issues. http://studentservices.dadeschools.net/HTAC/index.asp

Rachel Durchslag, Executive Director of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation. http://caase.org/meet-the-staff Ms. Durchslag has developed many training programs, including a vital program to empower boys about healthy relationships. http://caase.org/prevention

Amy Collins, Prevention Education Coordinator, Sexual Assault Resource Center SARC) in Portland, Oregon. SARC offers full-time Education Coordinator who is committed to providing a comprehensive sexual assault prevention curriculum within the middle and high schools, alternative schools, youth groups and activity centers. http://www.sarcoregon.org.

Brad Riley, I-Empathize, Boulder, Colorado. http://iempathize.org/empower empower-teens/ I-Empathize offers empowerment training in Colorado high schools and universities.

Pamela M. Anderson, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, ETR Associates (Education, Training & Research), Ms. Anderson has completed a study concerning the normalization of pimp behavior in teen relationships

National & Global Responses & Structures that Work

What ideas can Colorado learn from international organizations and the US Government?

Linda K Dixon, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Defense’s Combating Trafficking in Persons (CTIP). Ms. Dixon has testified on a number of occasions before congressional committees about DoD’s CTIP program. Ms. Dixon is developing training modules that are based on realistic, military-related TIP scenarios. She is working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics to implement a Strategic Plan for monitoring and enforcing contractor compliance with TIP laws and regulations. She is working to include TIP in DoD post conflict, humanitarian aid and Peacekeeping and Stability Operations. Ms. Dixon’s last duty assignment within the military was with the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General (IG) as a Senior Program Analyst within the Inspections and Evaluations Directorate. During her tenure as an IG, Ms. Dixon assisted DoD with initiatives to combat trafficking in persons. She led an IG team on a worldwide evaluation of the DoD efforts to combat trafficking in persons. http://ctip.defense.gov/

Rene Wright, International Justice Mission (fmr) will discuss building partnerships, getting traction, and creating international legal systems where the rule of law is established through transformation. Ms. Wright has worked as a consultant with Klein Frank, P.C. and was instrumental in founding the IJM center in Nairobi, Kenya and assisted with the first successful police corruption case in Kenya. IJM is the largest international anti-slavery organization in the world. Joseph’s story is Rene’s work.

Law, Legislation, and the Justice System

There is a widespread belief that there are no anti-human trafficking laws in Colorado or that the laws are ineffective.  What are the facts?

Colorado has only had one successful prosecution for human trafficking under specific trafficking law, but the number of Grand Jury indictments are increasing. Denver eliminated their diversion programs, and the Johns School no longer exists. Many prosecutors do not emphasize these crimes, and cases are dismissed or not prosecuted due to issues with victims. Colorado has enacted HT laws, including law to generate revenue from John arrests However, barriers exist: lack of funding for police, lack of use of the fining structure at the county level, and lack of funding for a $30,000 fiscal note to implement the state fund for police and rescue operations.

This segment will address the background of law and what is needed to successfully deal with this crime in the justice system.

Michael Holtby, LCSW, BCD. Mr. Holtby was the therapist who treated the men who participated in John School diversion programs. He has conducted a study to determine common characteristics and traits of Johns and how to reduce demand by addressing the issues rather than engaging in blanket demonization. Participants will be surprised to learn about the issues that lead men to buy sex and what can be done to reduce demand.

Justin Fitzsimmons, Senior Attorney with NDAA’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse in Alexandria, Virginia. Mr. Fitzsimmons organizes three national conferences a year about online crimes against children: Unsafe Havens I, Unsafe Havens II and Safety Net. Unsafe Havens I is an intermediate course designed to facilitate prosecutors understanding of complex issues in cases of technology facilitated crimes against children and is offered in locations across the country. Unsafe Havens II, an advanced trial advocacy course, takes place at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. Safety Net trains multidisciplinary teams who investigate online crimes against children. Additionally, Mr. Fitzsimmons also provides training at other events pertaining to online crimes against children as well as other sexual and physical abuse crimes against children.

Senator Brandon Shaffer, President of the Colorado Senate. President Shaffer will provide a complete summary of the legislation in Colorado. He will also discuss the difficulty of legislation against internet sales based upon Congressional grants of immunity to Internet Service Providers.

Janet Drake, Assistant Attorney General, Colorado. Ms. Drake is the lead prosecutor on all HT cases in Colorado. She will discuss the issues with the current law, what prosecutors need, why cases are dismissed, and constitutional and evidentiary issues involved in the prosecution of HT cases. She will address the issue of whether it is more productive to charge and prosecute human trafficking under classic crimes such as battery, kidnapping, sexual assault or organized crime.

Medicine and the Human Trafficking Victim Ending Human Trafficking in Colorado

All health care providers are mandatory reporters for suspected human trafficking victims under Colorado law, but in Colorado there has been no systemized training or support for physicians to identify the population and the reporting requirements.

Dr. Chaffee and Dr. Crane have successfully implemented protocols and will explain what they have done in their states.

Tonya Chaffee, MD, MPH Associate Clinical Professor, University of California San Francisco, Dept. of Pediatrics Director Teen and Young Adult HealthCenter and Medical Director CASARC San Francisco General Hospital http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2012/09/19/exploited-boys-in-sf-disappear-from-view/

Patricia A. Crane, PhD, MSN, RN, WHNP-BC, DF-IAFN, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch Galvesto http://son.utmb.edu/faculty/crane.asp \

Population Identification Issues and Language and Police Operations

This is the most sought after information for the Summit.

Participants will learn the ways that victims of human trafficking are identified – from behaviors to the ways that pimps brand their “property.” Participants will learn how to identify a victim of HT and exactly what to do if they identify a victim. We will also discuss the fact that Colorado had a state wide hotline (in addition to the National hotline organized by Polaris) but the funding for the Colorado hotline was lost.

The Summit will look for ways for Colorado to develop a long term strategy to connect the victims to help. We have a bare bones police operation in Colorado that is funded by a Department Of Justice grant and a donation from the Wyss foundation. That money runs out one year from now.

The Klein Frank Foundation is raising money for police operation grants, but Colorado needs a real long term solution.

Amber McDonald, LSW. Ms. McDonald is the top forensic interviewer and Program Director of Blue Sky Bridge, a child and family advocacy center in Boulder. Blue Sky Bridge’s mission is to make the community safer for all children and families through intervention, education and advocacy.

Ann Darr, FBI Victim Specialist. Ms. Darr will present the “boots on the ground” point of view of rescuing victims of HT from the streets of Colorado.

Becky Owens Bullard, Project Coordinator | Special Programs Unit. Ms. Bullard was the national trainer for Polaris and she worked with the national hotline. Ending Human Trafficking in Colorado She knows from reviewing thousands of calls what to look for and what to do. She has ideas on a successful hotline systems – what works; what fails.

Sgt. Dan Steele, Supervisor of Innocence Lost Task Force. Sgt. Steele knows the numbers, the stories, and will explain the needs of the Task Force to provide continued success.

Chris Baughman, Las Vegas Anti-Human Trafficking Units. Officer Baughman will discuss the assets and the team that works on anti-human trafficking in Las Vegas.

Closing the Summit, Idumea – an original film and arrangment.

What is the purpose of my life…what have I been put here to do? What is the meaning to this everyday struggle I’m constantly going through. The hurt and the pain, this unjust game. Played and humiliated, put to shame. I walk down the street and feel as if everyone knows, what I’m out here for, what he says goes. Just trying to survive, make it through another night, struggling to fight to stay alive, hoping and praying God makes it alright. Please Lord take me off these streets, heal me tonight, give me something to eat. Starving with a hunger that can’t be filled, with the materialistic dreams he feeds with such skill. So many emotions, so many Trojans, what is the reason that I’ve been chosen? I feel of no worth, like the stomped on dirt; Everyday men ripping off my skirt; taking advantage because they paid first. On to the next on, as if it was no thing. Lost my innocence to something disgusting; Nothing gained; Everything lost, my heart locked up after that line was crossed. Shattered and broken, I almost hope in seeing that day when the heavens will open. Shedding the light to a whole new life. I’m ready to do right, and fight the good fight. On to the road of redemption, my turn to pay it forward with no hesitation. I’ll always stay strong, for I’ve realized there’s truly a reason its taken so long. Every trial and tribulation was set on my path, to strengthen my faith and escape God’s wrath. To build my endurance, give me the courage to persevere, re-open my heart, and escape my fear. To become wise yet humble, to get back up when I stumble. I do have a purpose, I’ve been given a power, to make a difference, as I finally open up, and bloom like a flower. I am worth much more than the stomped on dirt, no more men ripping off my skirt. I’ve got a future of accomplishment and success, in everything I do…I’m going to be the BEST!

Broken Bridges

“At some point in my life, each and everyone of you tried to help me do right and re-direct my life. But all I did was deny, causing you all to cry. My decisions were major, come to realize the effects much later. Worrysum hearts were left in the dark, burning and breaking my bridges apart. Day by day, slowly losing hope, dimming my light and shortening my rope. Til I finally reached its end and there was nothing left to do but mend. So I’m taking that step, not only to change, and though it may seem strange, let me explain. I’ve learned the truth and been expressed the good news, that I have a man whose love for me is true. He sits on a throne and with a soft gentle tone, he whispered in my ear, the words I so desperatly needed to hear, to open my eyes and truly re-direct my life, to brighten my light so I can ignite. I’m ready to use my full potential and take advantage of this reviving renewal. This spiritual reawakening, that’s handing me so much for the taking. Comfort by his staff and rod, leading me to a deeper walk with God. He’s helped me escape my fear, with the knowing his presence is always near. No more worries, no more concerns, I’ve sacrificed my dreams for something much greater to earn. I’m sure you may not understand, for I have surrendered my future into the palm of my saviors right hand, in knowing my will shall cause me only to fail, therefore living his word theres no chance to fail. So I thank you all for never losing faith in me, and never giving up, nor forsaken me.