1. How were you first introduced to child sex trafficking?
In 1994-95 I accompanied my husband on a Fulbright Fellowship to Nepal. There is an enormous trafficking system of Nepali females into India for prostitution. I noticed articles in the newspaper which didn’t make sense to me about girls be taken over the border into Nepal. Later we foster cared an abandoned child from a village. On the way up to get her, our driver said she came from one of the “worst girl trafficking districts in Nepal.” I asked him what girl trafficking meant and he told me. Then the earlier newspaper articles made sense to me.
2. What and how was the non profit organization, ʻCaptive Daughtersʼ, started?
In 1994-95 I accompanied my husband on a Fulbright Fellowship to Nepal. There is an enormous trafficking system of Nepali females into India for prostitution. I noticed articles in the newspaper which didn’t make sense to me about girls be taken over the border into Nepal. Later we foster cared an abandoned child from a village. On the way up to get her, our driver said she came from one of the “worst girl trafficking districts in Nepal.” I asked him what girl trafficking meant and he told me. Then the earlier newspaper articles made sense to me.
2. What and how was the non profit organization, ʻCaptive Daughtersʼ, started?
Upon returning to the U.S. I began researching sex trafficking. At that time Human Rights Watch came out with a book, Rape for Profit which detailed the Nepali to Indian sex trafficking. I called the author up and asked what I could do. She said if you do nothing more than public education, that’s enough. As I had a background in non-profits, I decided to found a non-profit devoted to public education on sex trafficking. I named it Captive Daughters.
3. What is ʻCaptive Daughterʼs mission?
We’ve had many variations of our mission statement.
Our current one is Mobilizing the public will to end the sex trafficking of women and children through public education and creative media.
4. How would you explain child sexual trade in America, compared to other Countries?
It’s the same, pimps/traffickers luring, kidnapping or duping children and women into sexual servitude.
(a) Would you say America is the worst country in the world for this crime, or
another?
another?
No. Law enforcement and country attention might be better or worse in some places or traffickers might be less or more in some places, but it all averages out to a thriving global industry utilizing women and children as sex slaves.
(b) How is the crime different in America than in other parts of the world?
(b) How is the crime different in America than in other parts of the world?
It’s Not.
(c) Is the defense of sex trafficking in America the strongest in the world, and if
not, where is the strongest?
Like everyone, law enforcement, countries, states are struggling to combat trafficking, success varies and with successes, traffickers are able to change their methods faster than law enforcement can deal with them.
5. How might the American defense system strengthen their resistance against child sex trafficking?
(c) Is the defense of sex trafficking in America the strongest in the world, and if
not, where is the strongest?
Like everyone, law enforcement, countries, states are struggling to combat trafficking, success varies and with successes, traffickers are able to change their methods faster than law enforcement can deal with them.
5. How might the American defense system strengthen their resistance against child sex trafficking?
Increase overall public education, beginning in the 7th grade.
(a) What is the largest thing holding back the end to these illegal acts of selling children?
(a) What is the largest thing holding back the end to these illegal acts of selling children?
A unified global approach by law enforcement and judicial systems while ending state corruption that encourages it. Also educating girls so they have more value in their homes/countries which reduces parental interest in selling them to traffickers. Girls education is very powerful in the long run.
6. How big of a role is new technology playing in the exploitation of child?
A big role. Traffickers are able to move large bodies of people throughout the world through the global transportation system. Cells phones allow them to maintain strict surveillance of their operations and of course the internet is essential to their work.
7. Do you suppose that an average American is fully aware about the gravity of this
problem?
6. How big of a role is new technology playing in the exploitation of child?
A big role. Traffickers are able to move large bodies of people throughout the world through the global transportation system. Cells phones allow them to maintain strict surveillance of their operations and of course the internet is essential to their work.
7. Do you suppose that an average American is fully aware about the gravity of this
problem?
Not at all. We’ve been at this for 13 years and its unbelievable how many people write and say they had no idea. Captive Daughters is not alone, other ngos say the same thing.
8. What would you suggest people do to help end child sex trafficking?
Well first I would ask you to stop limiting yourself to child sex trafficking. These children have a birthday and turn 18 and then society dismisses them as non-children. They are considered grown ups then, although they are victims who may never recover. In limiting your scope to this problem you are not giving the public the full magnitude of the problem.
9. What resources would you suggest I look into for further research on this topic?
Dr. Katherine Farr’s book on the Global Sex Trade is excellent.
10. Anything else you would like me to know?
8. What would you suggest people do to help end child sex trafficking?
Well first I would ask you to stop limiting yourself to child sex trafficking. These children have a birthday and turn 18 and then society dismisses them as non-children. They are considered grown ups then, although they are victims who may never recover. In limiting your scope to this problem you are not giving the public the full magnitude of the problem.
9. What resources would you suggest I look into for further research on this topic?
Dr. Katherine Farr’s book on the Global Sex Trade is excellent.
10. Anything else you would like me to know?
Include those over 18 in your thinking.
