Return to flip book view
WE CANPREVENT CHILDTRAFFICKINGBrought to you by www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org Mensajería
MISSION & VISIONPrevent Child Trafficking Nevada is an an IRS designated 501(c)(3)non-profit organization #99-2742267 that is dedicated toempowering our community to prevent the trafficking of childrenwhile creating a prevention model that can be replicated incommunities everywhere.“Being rescued from trafficking is good, but preventing it in the first place is better.” --a child trafficking survivorWe Can Prevent Child TraffickingCopyright © 2024 Prevent Child Trafficking VegasAll rights reserved.For customized copies of this booklet for your community,contact us at info@preventchildtraffickingnevada.orgwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.orgThis booklet was created by Rhonda Sciortino, co-founder of Prevent Child Trafficking Nevada.Rhonda is a successful survivor of child abuse andfoster care. She has been a national child advocatesince 1989, and has dedicated her life to the fightagainst the worst form of child abuse, the sale ofchildren. Rhonda has authored 15 books, created theFind Your Purpose curriculum, is the founder ofSuccessful Survivors Foundation, and serves as thenational champion for the Love Is Action CommunityInitiative. Rhonda can be reached atrhonda@rhonda.org or 949.689.5611.Rhonda Sciortino, co-founder Prevent Child Trafficking Nevada
WHY THISWHY NOWWe must protectour children from predatorsFor every child rescued from trafficking,10 more are lured in. The good news isthat child trafficking is preventable.Las Vegas is an international destinationfor this dark industry. It’s a place whereyoung people are brought to bepurchased over and over every day. Buttogether, we can change that. By empowering young people to protectthemselves from predators, andeducating adults to know what to lookfor and the one safe and responsibleaction to take, we can create aprevention model that can be replicatedin communities throughout the US.www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.orgWHY VEGAS
WHAT IS CHILDTRAFFICKING Child trafficking is sexual abuse of a child for theentertainment and profit of others. It is the worst formof child abuse. The legal term is Commercial Sexual Exploitation ofChildren (CSEC), and it refers to a range of crimes andactivities involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of achild for the financial benefit of any person or inexchange for anything of value, such as food, shelteror clothing. It can include the creation of pornography,livestream transmission of sexual activity, and anyother sexual abuse of a child for profit.There is no such thing as a “child prostitute.” A childcannot legally consent to sex with an adult. www . pre v ent c hil d tra f fic k ing n eva d a.o r g
CHILD TRAFFICKINGIS BRUTALChildren who are trafficked are subject to severephysical abuse by their traffickers and by the peoplewho purchase them for sex. In addition to painful infections and sexually transmitteddiseases, these children can be victims of drugging,broken bones, broken teeth, blindness, serious braininjuries and more. The average life expectancy of a child who is traffickedis estimated at 7 years. IT’S A DEATH SENTENCE."When a pimp says he's going to torture you, whatI've seen is girls in dog cages, girls beingwaterboarded, stripped down naked and put inthe rain and cold outside and having to standthere all night, and if you move, you'll get beaten.I've seen girls get hit by cars and stunned withstun guns … I've seen girls burned andstrangled … If you want to use the restroom, youhave to ask. If you want to eat, you ask, and if youdon't get permission, you just don't do it. It's morethan physical domination. It's emotional andmental, and that's the domination that tends tolinger.” (survivor Jessica Midkiff)Citation: Dr. M. Alexis Kennedy Research & Social Issues Lab of UNLVhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20008066.2024.2404307www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
WHY MEN BUY SEXWITH CHILDREN If you think aboutyour favorite donutlong enough,eventually you’ll findyourself eating yourfavorite donut. “It starts with porn. For some,average porn soon loses its appeal,and these consumers turn to harderor more unusual porn. For some, thismeans children. As with anything, ifthey think about their fantasiesenough, some of these men willeventually act on their desires.” Dr. Annalisa Enrile USC School of Social Work“The greatest fear of those whobuy children for sex is being seenand exposed for who they are andwhat they do. When we all stayvigilant, know what to watch for,and understand how to respond,the threat of being exposedbecomes a powerful deterrent.”FBI Agentwww . pr e ven tch ild t ra f fi c kin gne v ad a .o r g
THEY ARE OURCHILDRENCRAIG CHRISTIANSEN, RETIREDJUVENILE JUSTICE OFFICER“The problem of commercial sexualexploitation of children is real. I’vespent 30+ years working withsurvivors of trafficking here in LasVegas. I’m involved with PreventChild Trafficking Nevada because it’sa PREVENTION effort to hopefullycurtail the number of innocent kidsfrom entering a very dark life. Forevery child rescued, ten more arelured in by traffickers.”It’s a myth that child traffickingonly happens in other countries.It is happening in communitiesthroughout the US. Some children and teens arebrought to Las Vegas from othercountries, others are broughtfrom every state in the US. Andbased on the findings of UNLV’sResearch and Social Issues Lab,many of the young people soldhere are from here. IF A CHILD GOES MISSING,CALL 9-1-1, THEN CALLYOUR LOCAL FBI FIELDOFFICE. THEN CONTACTTHE NATIONAL CENTERFOR MISSING ANDEXPLOITED CHILDREN(NCMEC) AT 1-800-THE-LOST.www.p r e v entch i l d traff i c k ingne v a d a.org
WHO’S VULNERABLE?Every child is at risk from predators,but those whose basic needs aren'tmet are especially vulnerable.The most common way young peopleare lured into trafficking is bysomeone who pretends to care. Theseseemingly ordinary individuals showerthem with compliments and gifts,gradually gaining trust. Then, theyisolate kids from their friends andfamily to take control.Kids from loving families can still fallprey to predators who pose as peerson social media, gaming, andmessaging platforms. Traffickersoften exploit their dreams of modelingor acting, luring them with promises offame and fortune.While rare, traffickingcan also start withabductions, so let'sstay aware andprotect our kidsHeybeautifulI have apresentfor youwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
PROTECTING OURCHILDRENTo best protect children, we have to first understandthe most common issues that put children at risk aswell as the most common factors that equip children toprotect themselves from traffickers. www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
WHAT’S THEANSWER?The most effective forms ofprevention of violence againstchildren are:Healthy Relationships:Promoting strong socialconnections to preventtrafficking, substance abuse,and suicide.Education: Empowering youth to protectthemselves from sexualexploitation.Public Awareness: Driving change throughcommunity-wide prevention,media outreach, andawareness initiatives.CITATIONSCDC.GOV http://bit.ly/3NXxoFWDr. Sandra Morgan Global Centerfor Women and Justicehttps://bit.ly/3AvwJIY RESEARCH GATEhttps://bit.ly/4htGyrzCDC.GOV https://bit.ly/4fdSk7Qwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
INITIATIVE #1Young people who are homeless and alone are themost vulnerable to traffickers. The first initiative of PCTV is a shame-free shoppingexperience where each young person is warmlygreeted by a vetted, trauma-informed trainedvolunteer, is given the agency to shop for new fashion-current clothes that are appropriate for job interviews,school and work. And importantly, they receive an anti-trafficking safety kit to empower them to protectthemselves and others against predators.our solution solution Vegas CaresBoutiqueThis initiative reaps multiplereturns on investment bygiving homeless youth:Healthy connection1.Necessary new clothes2.Empowerment againstpredators through anti-trafficking safety kit3.Hope4.“The #1 strategy for preventingchild trafficking is having atleast one healthy relationship.”Sandra Morgan, Ph.D., RNwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
INITIATIVE #2Educating everyone onproven ways to preventchild trafficking throughemployee trainings,community workshops,videos, online promotion,billboards and printmaterials engageseveryone in protecting ourchildren from predators.our solution solution This initiative reaps multiplereturns on investment by:Equipping families toprotect their children1.Giving a sense of powerand purpose2.Deterring buyers andtraffickers because theyknow people arewatching3.Inspiring hope for what’spossible4.CommunityEducation“Education is the keythat unlocksempowerment andfosters communication,providing our childrenwith the protection andopportunities theyneed to thrive.”Rhonda Sciortino, co-founder Prevent ChildTrafficking Vegaswww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
INITIATIVE #3A peer-to-peer model where qualifying high school seniorsand college students are trained to serve as mentors hasbeen known to help reduce incidences of bullying,substance use, depression and suicidal ideation. Webelieve that this model can help prevent trafficking as well. our solution solution Youth Empowerment &Engagement Through Anti-Trafficking Education This initiative reaps multiplereturns on investment by:Equipping children toprotect themselves1.Providing the foundationfor healthy relationships2.Giving at-risk youthqualified peer mentors3.Instilling a sense ofpower and purpose4.Inspiring hope5.“I didn’t know this was evena thing. Now that I know,there’s no way I’ll fall for it!” 5th grade studentwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.orgImplementing age-appropriate anti-trafficking education for 5th - 12th gradestudents will help them protect themselvesby learning how to create and nurturehealthy relationships and avoid toxic ones.
INITIATIVE #4our solution solution Nevada Fights BackThis initiative delivers exceptionalreturns that drive lasting success.1. Improves communication2. Prevents duplication of efforts3. Establishes a membership-based oversight organization4. Develops an accreditationprocess for accountability andprofessionalism5. Raises national funding forprograms6. Implements the NV CSECCoalition Prevention Program7. Creates a replicable preventionmodel for other communitiesNevada Fights Back is acollaborative initiative that unitesvetted, legitimate frontlineorganizations to combat childtrafficking through enhancedcommunication, streamlinedefforts, and a sustainable,accredited service model. “After 30 years ofworking with childtrafficking survivors in LasVegas, I have seen manyheartfelt efforts to restorevictims. It is inspiring tosee a prevention effortthat uses research on riskfactors to empower youngpeople to protectthemselves. This proactiveapproach gives me hopethat we can prevent thisbrutal crime againstchildren before it begins.” M. ALEXIS KENNEDY,Ph.D., JDwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
LEARN THE 4 MOSTCOMMON SIGNS AND 1SAFE ACTION TO TAKEwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
TEACH KIDS THE 5MOST COMMON TRICKSOF TRAFFICKERSwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
MYTH BUSTERSwww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
WE CAN’T DO THISWITHOUT YOUBring us to your workplace,house of worship, or groupfor a training. Share our quick psa’s Give this booklet tosomeoneOrder a supply to give awayShare with othersPrinting anti-trafficking kits,buying new clothes for kidswho are homeless and livingin poverty, and getting theword out is costly. We need the help of ourcommunity to do what weknow will help to prevent thesale of our children.Donate to invest in theprotection of childrenPlease donate on our website atwww.preventchildtrafficking.vegaswww.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org
NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT WILL YOU DO?www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.orgAdd the phone and text hotlinenumbers as a contact in your phoneLearn the 4 signs and 1 actionTeach the 5 common tricks oftraffickers to kidsDonate to help empower childrenShare this bookletVolunteer in youth serving programs“Child Traffickingis preventable.”Mike Pompeo Secretary of State 2018 Trafficking inPersons ReportShare our youtube videosYour ideas???Start a program in your community
WHO CAN PREVENTCHILD TRAFFICKING?IF YOU SUSPECT TRAFFICKING, contactthe National Human Trafficking Hotlineat 1-888-373-7888(text: 233733) or online atwww.humantraffickinghotline.org. Ifdanger seems imminent, call 9-1-1.www.preventchildtraffickingnevada.org Contact us