Local Leaders to Convene on Child Sex Slavery

Summit to expose findings on prevalence of local children sold for sex – and call for action.

Photo courtesy: children.foreignpolicyblogs

(VANCOUVER, Wash.) - On Tuesday, March 3, leaders from the Greater Portland Metro and Southwest Washington area will convene in Portland for a leadership summit on child sex trafficking co-hosted by Shared Hope International and the Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force.

This invitation-only event comes just days after police and the FBI rescued over 45 child victims and arrested over 50 pimps in the FBI’s nationwide Operation Cross Country initiative.

In the Portland metro area, law enforcement partners rescued seven underage girls, and arrested six adult pimps, three “johns” and other adult associates.

Shared Hope International Founder and President Linda Smith comments, “We applaud the FBI and local law enforcement for their aggressive actions towards the rescue of child sex trafficking victims and their action to bring the perpetrators to justice – both the pimps and the customers.

While we celebrate the rescue of these children, we know from our research that tens of thousands more are still out there, enslaved today. This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Shared Hope International’s research has identifies demand as the driving force behind the recruitment, rape, and sale of children in America. The research also finds that a man buying a child for sex is rarely arrested. In fact, there has never been a conviction of a customer for buying sex with a minor during the nine years since the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).

Shared Hope International is calling on leaders to not only encourage the arrest, but to demand the men be prosecuted for buying sex with a child.

“The purpose of this summit is to galvanize leaders to immediate action,” Smith explained.

The Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force, together with Shared Hope International will provide information collected during field research, interviews with child survivors and front line workers on the exploitation of American children through commercial sex. The summit will also provide first responder training materials for the leaders of the Greater Portland Metro and Southwest Washington area to help them establish successful policy and response.

LEADERS CONFIRMED TO ATTEND INCLUDE:

Dan Saltzman – City of Portland Commissioner
Marc Boldt – Clark County Commissioner
Linda Smith – Congresswoman (1994-1999), Founder and President of Shared Hope International
Caroline Holmes – Victim Specialist, FBI, Portland Division
Karin Immergut – United States Attorney, District of Oregon
Kemp Strickland – Assistant United States Attorney, Violent Crimes Unit
Doug Justus – Portland Vice Sergeant
Diane McKeel – Multnomah County Commissioner
Garry Lucas – Clark County Sheriff
Mike Evans – Chief Criminal Deputy, Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Patrick Kennedy – Major Crimes Division Sex/Kidnapping Offender Unit, Vancouver Police Department
James McDaniel – Chief of Police, Battle Ground Police Department
Keith Bickford – Oregon Human Trafficking Task Force
Patrick Kennedy – Major Crimes Division Sex/Kidnapping Offender Unit, Vancouver Police Department
Michael Jones – Victim Specialist, FBI, Portland Division/Bend
Christine Herrman – Executive Director, Attorney General's Sexual Assault Task Force
Steve Duvall – Lieutenant, Oregon State Police, Major Crimes Section
Samantha Vardaman – Senior Director of Programs, Shared Hope International
Melissa Snow – Director of Programs, Shared Hope International (National research findings to be released in April)

“Child Sex Slavery in our Community,” a Greater Portland Metro and Southwest Washington Leadership Summit on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, takes place Tuesday, March 3, 2009 between 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. (Closed session)

It takes place at the Sheraton Hotel, 8235 NE Airport Way, in Portland, OR 97220

To learn more, visit: sharedhope.org