Newswise — The Center for Combating Human Trafficking (CCHT) at Wichita State University is partnering with several faith congregations, businesses and nonprofit organizations to host a rally demanding justice for human trafficking victims believed to be receiving unfair and harsh legal punishment.
The Cross Country Advocate for Justice and Freedom Rally is planned for 4 p.m. Friday, March 18, at the Sedgwick County Courthouse plaza. Wichita’s rally is in conjunction with 15 similar ones being held around the country.
The goal is to draw attention to the cases of two young ladies, Kristen and LaTesha, who as minors were sexually exploited and are now subject to adult penalties as a result of activities that stemmed from their trafficking victimization.
Kristen is being held in Sedgwick County Jail, and LaTesha is being held in Michigan.
With more than 20 years serving in the anti-trafficking movement, CCHT Director Dr. Karen Countryman-Roswurm says that the intention of laws such as the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, and the Kansas anti-trafficking legislation (Senate Substitute for House Bill No. 2034) is to protect and serve young girls like Kristen and LaTesha, not prosecute them.
“Rather than facing jail time, Kristen and LaTesha should be offered intentional, survivor-centered services to address the trauma they endured,” says Countryman-Roswurm, also an assistant professor in WSU’s School of Social Work. “Over the last two decades we have achieved an improved level of awareness regarding human trafficking. We have seen a shift in language, and we have written legislation. Now we must struggle to achieve a heightened level of awareness.”
Kristen’s victimization was first shared with the public in March 2011, when she was only 13. This encouraged an increase in human trafficking awareness, the development of social media interest groups and the raising of commodities. But specialized trauma-informed and survivor-centered responses were underutilized.
Most subjugated to human trafficking, Countryman-Roswurm says, have suffered years of physical, mental and emotional abuse. In many cases, they have been coerced into committing crimes just to survive.
“The community as a whole must speak up, step forward and provide better,” says Countryman-Roswurm. “We must all consider how we might give of our time, talent and treasure to not just give a hand-out — meeting only a short-term technical need — but rather a hand-up — assisting in addressing the more adaptive challenges that kept them subjected to sexual exploitation. We need to consider the need for long-term housing, committed transformational relationships that last a life-time, paid internships and career practicum opportunities, and college scholarships.”
Countryman-Roswurm says she is grateful for the district attorney, chief of police and other multidisciplinary partners who are striving toward an improved response for those abused and exploited. But more can be done.
“We hope that by standing together for Kristen and LaTesha, we further the paradigm shift that we began influencing back in 1998,” Countryman-Roswurm says. “We have a great community that has worked very hard on this issue for decades. Now our community must understand what a trafficking victim truly looks like and what really occurs when someone is exploited in this manner. Our current anti-trafficking response is often ineffective and harms those who are vulnerable — people of color, people without familial support, those with limited financial resources and those with fewer educational opportunities. We must share and respect each other’s expertise, collaborate with those who have the tools to implement survivor-centered practices, and develop our current anti-trafficking legislation to include safe harbor.”
Along with several faith congregations and private businesses, co-hosts and sponsors for the Wichita rally include NAACP, Veronica’s Voice, Othayonih Research, Hope Ranch for Women, Sunflower Community Action, Millers Inc., Peace and Social Justice Center, Soroptimist International of Wichita, Kansas Inc., Urban League of Kansas, Stop Trafficking Project, KC Street Hope, The Burning Image LLC, and Community Operations Recovery Empowerment Inc. (CORE).
Contact: Karen Countryman-Roswurm, CCHT director, 316-978-7013 or [email protected].
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