Arizona needs to be #23…

Clear Channel and NHTRC: For. The. WIN.
This is important, so listen up. And, go see this billboard at 7th St and Lincoln Dr in downtown Phoenix!

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline provides help for victims, takes tips about possible HT situations, and provides information. Call 1-888-3737-888 or send a text message to "BeFree" (233733). note: since it is a digital billboard, the image appears to "fuzzy" when you photograph it.

 You remember how I mentioned the NHTRC hotline before? No? Well, I did. There was even a link. Pay better attention next time! Here is what it is all about.

Polaris Project set up the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) to help victims and provide information for the community. It is a non-profit, non-governmental organization working exclusively on the issue of human trafficking. Polaris Project is not a government entity, law enforcement or an immigration authority (it says so right on their website).

This number is helps exactly no one if they don't know about it, right? Well, this is why this is such great news. Arizona has not had it posted very often or for very long. There have been a few (non profit) organizations who have managed to get enough money together to post it on a large static billboard near the freeway for a short period of time. Which is AWESOME.

On Monday, January 13 (2 days after Human Trafficking Awareness Day) Clear Channel Outdoor Branch Manager for Arizona, Diave Veres, announced the donation of space on all 50 of their digital billboards in Arizona to display the NHTRC Hotline. They will rotate about 15 at a time throughout Arizona until February 2015! Which is HUGE. EXCITING. SUPER-FANTASTIC-WONDERFUL!

Cindy McCain spoke at the press conference announcing Clear Channel Outdoor's donation of billboard space to display the NHTRC Hotline.

Bradley Myles, Executive Director and CEO of Polaris Project came from Washington D.C. to speak at the press conference. 

 Isn't this so exciting?!!

At the podium is Beth Jacobs, survivor of sex trafficking and founder of Willow Way in Tucson. Diane Veres, in the teal jacket and black skirt in the background, is the Clear Channel Outdoor Branch Manager for Arizona. 

Media representatives from Univision, Fox 10, and channels 3 and 5 attended. Other attendees of note include Councilmember Jim Waring (District 2), Representative Doug Coleman (District 16), Brittaney Vanderhoof from Polaris Project, Marc Tetzlaff- Victim Witness Coordinator of ICE and Katie Resendiz and her staff from TRUST AZ.

So, this is totally awesome for the next year. Then what? Well- twenty-two states have passed a law that requires specified establishments throughout the state to post the Hotline. Texas was the first to do so (more info here).

It is time for Arizona to be number 23.

A Week in the Life...

I wear many hats; blue, red, green, yellow, purple, brown… those "blank" spaces- they aren't really empty- as in "free time". I just don't have colors for my "do homework" hat or "make breakfast" & "make dinner" hats, or my "talk-about-how-their-day went-with my-children" hat… they get done without appointments.

Okay- so, this was an exciting week. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, with January 11 being Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Friday, January 10 (not shown in pic above), was my first day as an intern. Mostly, the day was spent getting ready for the week ahead. TRUST has pamphlets and "white papers" and informational materials from various organizations as well as some created in-house for distribution. I organized materials for use at upcoming events; studied current research on demand reduction and legislation; and got debriefed on where I needed to be and when in the following week (pictured above).

My "purple hat" is TRUST work. As you can see, I wore my purple hat frequently that week. The events and meetings I attended included the Clear Channel Press Conference (look for that in the next blog update- so exciting!), Governor Brewer's State of the State address (okay, I didn't attend, but I streamed it online), Child Sexual Abuse Prevention meeting at Phoenix Children's Hospital, a presentation from Attorneys successfully prosecuting Backpage, and the Valley Interfaith Project (VIP) Conference (re: sex trafficking) on Thursday and Saturday. And, I worked at the TRUST office on Friday.

My day in the office on Friday included the following: wrote two executive summaries about events from the week, gathered information and data regarding National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) Hotline use in Arizona in preparation for a more thorough report, went down to the Mayor's office to deliver some educational materials re: domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST), read research (done through ASU STIR) on demand reduction, and did some follow-up work from the conference I attended. There were a few other things, but this gives a good overview.

TRUST

I am an intern at TRUST: Training & Resources United to Stop Trafficking. After reading my previous post, you know this is a really great place for me to be. 

I am interning with TRUST. Learn more about their work and partners at their website.

TRUST works to unite and coordinate the anti-trafficking efforts of all stakeholders in the movement. They have partners from all aspects of combatting and ameliorating the effects of trafficking; law enforcement, victim care, community awareness and outreach, youth services, attorneys and Homeland Security to name a few. Like this:

TRUST organizes training for specific sectors- like law enforcement or the airline industry- so personnel are better equipped to recognize trafficking and know how to help victims. They compile a calendar of all anti-trafficking events organized by the various organizations and distribute it for a wider audience. TRUST works to improve community awareness; they have a great booklet to help talk to children and teens about trafficking. TRUST works to improve legislation for protection of trafficked persons and prosecution of traffickers (pimps) and buyers (johns). If it has to do with forwarding the anti-trafficking movement, TRUST is involved. I really encourage you to go to their website and look around.

This internship is a great opportunity for me because I can be involved with and learn about so many aspects of the anti-trafficking movement. As a public policy/ public leadership major, I am particularly interested in public awareness programs and campaigns and affecting legislation.

As the public comes to recognize that this horrifying crime is happening in their own community (yes, yours, too), legislation addressing trafficking issues will become salient. Things that are a priority to people in the community become the issues law makers address; legislators respond to their constituency- other wise, they get ousted in the next election! This is an issue that we need everyone on board; email, call and write your legislators- state and national. It is my involvement- your involvement and concern- that will affect legislation that can address demand and treat sex trafficked victims as victims- not criminals.

Okay, so what are some concrete things I will be doing, you ask? Well, I will be gathering and preparing data and information; attending DOJ TRUST council meetings, coordinating and preparing for events, prepare presentations and reports. I am also tasked with developing 2 web-ready trainings during my internship- so, be on the look out for that (towards the end of the semester)!

Next up, you'll be getting specifics- "day in the life" or "week in the life" kind of thing. Hang on; here we gooooo!

Good Morning! And in case I don't see ya- Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Good Night.

I am Mamie Coffey. I am in my 20th year of marriage to this guy:

Geoff and Mamie Coffey
January 1, 2014

I have two daughters. Usually, they get along like this:

Sisterly Love

But, sometimes it is more like this:

Sibling Rivalry

I am a returning student from being a stay-at-home mother for 16 years. My first semester back to school was Fall 2013. This semester, Spring 2014, I will apply to the Accelerated MPA program at ASU Downtown.

Several years ago, a couple of books I read with my book club impacted me like very little else has.

Half The Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

&

SHANTARAM, by Gregory David Roberts

 As I researched and read more on the topic of modern-slavery, exploitation, rape as a weapon of war in many conflict countries and violence against women, I learned how prevalent these forms of exploitation and other types of human trafficking are worldwide. It is rampant in developing nations; these places are homes to the most vulnerable populations on the globe. But, it doesn't stop there; it is a problem everywhere. I know what you are thinking; "Except America. We abolished slavery in the 1800s." Well, yes. Slavery was abolished in the 1800s. In fact, slavery is illegal in all countries on earth. Yet, slavery exists in every single country on this planet. 

I came to the conclusion that I could not know about the vile exploitation of others in this way and not do something to help. I felt compelled to return to school to get a degree that I can use to help advocate for victims of modern-day slavery. After much consideration, I decided the best direction for me was to work at the "macro" level- working to change public awareness, public policy and legislation. This lead me to the School of Public Affairs- Public Service and Public Policy.

This semester, I am very grateful to have an internship working with a coordinating and collaborative anti-trafficking non-profit organization. TRUST AZ- Training and Resources United to Stop Trafficking has the mission to unify and coordinate efforts among all stakeholders in the anti-trafficking movement. Among TRUST's partners are law enforcement, research (STIR here at ASU), other non-profit organizations, government, victim care and service providers and interfaith organizations. The goal is to reduce overlap and make efforts and resources go as far as possible to further the anti-trafficking movement.

My 3 goals for my internship this semester are:

1) Expand my knowledge and understanding of the various aspects of the anti-trafficking movement.

2) To make meaningful contributions to raise awareness of this issue.

3) To expand my network in the anti-trafficking community so that I will be positioned to make the most impact once I have finished my studies.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, so I will have lots to share with you over the next couple of weeks!