Lucas County lacks services for human trafficking victims

Human Trafficking in Lucas County 1

Running Head: HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN LUCAS COUNTY

Human Trafficking in Lucas County

Kirsten Fogle, Gina Vidal, Christy Wood, Pam Kummerer, MSW Students

SOCW 6130 / Mylo Jennings

April 24, 2009

Problem/Opportunity


There is a lack of services for minors involved in human trafficking in Lucas County,

Ohio. Human trafficking is the sexual exploitation of men, women, or children through the use

of coercion, force, deception, power, or manipulation. Although minors are sometimes

kidnapped and forced into the workforce of prostitution, often the youths are runaways who are

manipulated and lured into the lifestyle.

The problem facing youth at risk or victims of human trafficking is that there are only

two agencies currently in Lucas County that offer services to assist them. This is definitely a

problem considering that the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

has identified Toledo as a major recruitment site. The two agencies are Wake Up Youth and

Second Chance. The Wake Up Youth program assists in prevention, awareness, support, and

education for girls who are abandoned or runaways. Their services are limited to females ages

8-21. Second Chance offers the same services as Wake Up Youth, however also works with

rehabilitation and advocacy with legal issues. There is no age or gender requirement for Second

Chance.

Community Description

Lucas County is located in the Northwest locality of Ohio with a population of 455,054,

in a square mileage of 340.4, as reported by the Ohio Department of Development in the year

2000. Minors at risk for human trafficking can be seen throughout Lucas County.


The following map illustrates the lack of services for minors involved in human

trafficking in Lucas County. Also presented on the map are the two government agencies that

have jurisdiction over the target population.

Ohio Department of Development


The map below shows how Toledo Ohio, located in the Northeast portion of Lucas

County, is a central hub for major interstates. The turnpike and other major interstates run

through Toledo, therefore making it a transient city which enables the human trafficking of

minors.



The following map illustrates areas in Lucas County that are stricken with poverty.

Research indicated that minors residing in impoverished communities are more susceptible to the

coercion of traffickers.


Persons Affected

Affected How Intensity

Children; Victims at risk; increase in drug use, lower self esteem, poor education, High
ages 10-17 relationships, death, rape, abuse, defective sense of belonging, trust
issues, poor health.

Perpetrators Negative influence, illegal profits, self gratification, increase sense of High
power and control, material items, perceived status.

Police Positive/negative influences, possible perpetrators, placement decision, High
increase arrests, increase crime and drug activity, treatment of victims

Children Placement decisions, safety of minors, increases of cases, costs and foster High
Services homes
Prevalence


The issue of minors involved in human trafficking is a national and local issue.

According to Ernie Allen, Executive Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children, data shows 100,000 to 293,000 children have become sexual commodities. Nationally,

450,000 children run away from home each year. One out of three teens on the street will be

lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home (US Department of Justice [USDOJ]

Website).

Because of the nature of the crime, incidence and prevalence is difficult to track. The

following national statistics regarding the number of youths at risk for being victims of human

trafficking are according to the report, “Human Trafficking Statistics” from the Polaris Project.

• 244,000 – Number of American children and youth estimated to be at risk of child
sexual exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitation, in 2000.
o Source: Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of
Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001. Study funded by the USDOJ.
• 38,600 – Estimated number of an approximate 1.6 million runaway/thrownaway {sic}
youth at risk of sexual endangerment or exploitation in 1999.
o Source: U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, Runaway/Thrownaway {sic} Children: National Estimates and
Characteristics. NISMART Series: 2002.
• 12-14 – Average age of entry into prostitution
o Source: Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of
Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001.

The writers of this paper attempted to locate statistical information regarding minors at

risk or victims of sexual exploitation from local, state, and national resources in order to show

the need for more services. Unfortunately, due to the hidden nature of the crimes being

committed against these minors, accurate numbers, according to Dr. Celia Williamson, an

advocate for victims of sexual exploitation, are hard to find, if not impossible. Dr. Williamson


stated during an interview on February 6, 2009 “you will never find those numbers, and if you

do, they won’t be ‘real’ numbers, only guess-timations”. She also noted that Toledo ranks 4th in

the nation in investigation and recruitment of sexual trafficking of minors. In addition, the article

“Human Trafficking in Ohio” stated that a federal investigator “dubbed” Toledo as the “number

one” teen prostitute recruiting site in the United States (Wilson & Dalton, 2007).

During a phone interview with Mike Brennan, an employee of the Lucas County Juvenile

Justice Center (LCJJC), these writers attempted to obtain numbers for 2008 regarding juveniles

arrested for solicitation in Lucas County. Mr. Brennan explained that due to the justice system

and law enforcement’s attempts to increase the safety and decrease the risk of treating victims of

sexual exploitation, the numbers would be low. He stated that most often victims of sexual

exploitation are usually not arrested under the crime of prostitution, but under another crime such

as disorderly conduct, loitering, drunkenness, etc. The reported number of juveniles arrested for

solicitation in 2008 was only three. Mr. Brennan explained that if law enforcement suspected the

juvenile was a victim of sexual exploitation, often they would be picked up under another crime

and then referred to Lucas County Children Services (LCCS). He said if the parents or

guardians of the minors who were referred to LCCS were not suspected of participation in the

youth’s behaviors, then they were returned home, leaving them vulnerable to return to the

lifestyle. In this brief but informative interview he inadvertently admitted to a hidden crime that

is so big that it is quickly reaching the surface.

In another attempt to obtain local statistics of minors involved in human trafficking, Dr.

Williamson was interviewed. Dr. Williamson stated that currently the FBI is working with 38

minors in Lucas County. In a study done by Dr. Williamson called “Child Sex Trafficking in

Lucas County” (n.d.), she states that “Of the 14 (girls) interviewed by this researcher thus far,


each report knowing between 5 and 10 additional girls involved, some of which have and have

not been involved in the juvenile justice system” (pg. 2). This information is astonishing and

implies that there are between 70-140 additional girls involved in sex trafficking who have not

been reported. In addition, Wilson and Dalton (2007), who performed a study of human

trafficking in Toledo Ohio, stated “Although there are few identified cases relative to other

crimes, most respondents believe that the problem is significantly larger than they know of: some

suggested that there are as many as 3 to10 trafficking victims of this type for every one

identified” (p. xiv). The depth of this problem is deeper than anyone could begin to imagine

assuming these statements are true.

Victim Demographics

The following demographics of minors involved in human trafficking were provided by

Dr. Williamson, in a meeting on February 27, 2009. These numbers relate to those who were

involved in prostitution in Lucas County, while under the age of 18, who are now adults. These

numbers reflect the demographics of 177 minors out of 1036 respondents (roughly 17%).

• 107 Black – 60.4%
• 59 White – 33%
• 7 Hispanic- 4%
• 4 Other – 2%
• Most common age of entrance is 15-16 years old
• 44% had less than high school diploma or GED
• 25% had high school diploma or GED
• 2% had vocational training
• 24% had some college
• 5% had a college degree
• 61.6% want long term counseling/treatment
• 38.4% see little hope for the future


• 58.2% were sexually abused as a child
• 64% use a condom during sex now
• 30% report ever having a pimp
• 70% report not ever having a pimp
• 34.5% had been arrested for prostitution, loitering, or solicitation; 46.3% had never
been arrested for those things
• 54% needed help with alcohol/drug abuse – 43.5% received help – 22% said treatment
was effective
• 46.9% wanted mental health treatment – 39% received it – 23.2% said treatment was
effective
• 50% needed medical treatment – 44% received it – 22% said it was effective
• 48% needed recovery services from rape/sexual assault – 42% received it – 22.6%
said it was effective
• 19% wanted help to leave prostitution – 7% received it – 6.7% said it was effective
• 31.1% wanted counseling – 25% received it – 17% said it was effective
• 23.7% wanted to find and stay in a support group – 15.8% received it – 12.4% said it
was effective (Benjamin, B., et. al., 2007).

The victims of human sex trafficking are primarily female who are targeted at a young

age. Since girls between the ages of 10-17 are developing their secondary sexual characteristics,

they become physically appealing to perpetrators. They are becoming women physically and

they are at a fresh age of development. Cognitively, girls at this age think they are not

understood which may contribute to them participating in risky behaviors. These risky behaviors

could lead to running away from home, and the lure of prostitution may become appealing.

Perpetrators use the weak aspects of girls’ development at these ages to trap them into the world

of human trafficking. Emotionally, girls at these ages are willing to sacrifice their own wishes

for what others want. Also, as girls are transitioning into adulthood, issues that were unresolved

in their earlier development begin to come to the surface. Many girls who are victims of human

trafficking have been victims at home, witnessing substance abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,


family dysfunction, abandonment, and they may lack positive adult role models. These girls are

at risk of being sexually exploited because they have needs that may not have been met

throughout their development, and perpetrators are willing to meet these needs on some level

(Ziner, 2004).

After interviewing fourteen girls involved in commercialized sex activity, Dr. Williamson

(n.d.) found that eleven out of the fourteen girls admitted to a history of abuse in their home.

Victims identified family issues such as; sexual, physical, and mental abuse in the home;

instability and neglect; substance abuse; mental illness; poverty; and the promotion of

prostitution from family members. Neglect was found to be the most prevalent form of abuse

(Williamson, n.d.; Williamson & Prior, 2008; Wilson & Dalton, 2007).

The girls who reported neglect or abuse at home often became runaways. Young people

that runaway often feel trapped in their own home life, whether it stems from a life of abuse by

parents or legal guardians, too much responsibility at such a young age, or neglect from parents.

Runaways leave their homes out of the stress or frustration of dealing with life at home, but find

themselves unprepared for the stress of living out of the home. They leave without planning how

to eat or where to sleep, which contributes to their state of vulnerability along with the other

emotional baggage they carry. Runaways are apt to be more vulnerable and easily coerced into

the sexual trade labor. Recruiters play on runaways’ vulnerabilities to offer a means of survival

only to trick them into a lifestyle of slavery by sex for gain for the players.

Description of Perpetrators

There are several levels or types of perpetrators involved in human trafficking. The

“recruiter” is the person who gets the victim involved in human trafficking. The “pimp” is the

person who controls the victim and profits from their exploitation. The “john” or customer is the


person who pays for the services of the victim. It is important to note, that literature suggests

that although some girls are abducted into the sex industry, a majority of girls are manipulated,

and lured into the lifestyle.

The Recruiter

The recruiter can be the pimp himself, or can be any number of other people. Victims

reported having been recruited by boyfriend/husband, a friend of the pimp, one of the pimp’s

“bottom bitches”, as well as a parent or family member (Wilson & Dalton, 2007).

The Pimp

According to Williamson and Cluse-Tolar (2002), pimps are skilled at assessing a girl’s

needs and vulnerabilities, and use them to exploit and control her. They are able to do this

because pimps often pose a “certain amount of charisma and smooth-talking, persuasive

conversation toward women” (p. 1074).

According to the US Department of Justice (Kyckelhahn, Beck, & Cohen, 2009),

approximately 77% of all alleged sex trafficking suspects are male. Nearly two-thirds of the

suspects were under age 35, while half of the child trafficking suspects were age 18 to 24. The

majority of the alleged sex trafficking suspects were Hispanic (40.4%) or Black (40.4%). Whites

made up approximately 11% of the suspects, while Asians made up only 6% of the suspects.

US Department of Justice 2007-2008 Statistics
Suspect Characteristics All Sex All Sex Child Sex Child Sex
Trafficking Trafficking Trafficking Trafficking
Suspects Suspect Suspects Suspects
Number Percent Number Percent
Gender
Male 91 77.1% 50 86.2%
Female 27 22.9% 8 13.8%
Race/Hispanic Origin
White 13 11.4% 9 15.8%
Black 46 40.4% 30 52.6%
Hispanic 46 40.4% 18 31.6%
Asian 7 6.1% 0 0.0
Other 2 1.8% 0 0.0
Age
17 or younger 5 4.9% 5 11.4%
18 – 24 39 37.9% 24 54.5%
25 – 34 26 25.2% 6 13.6%
35 or older 33 32.0% 9 20.5%


The Johns

The men who purchase sex from sexually exploited girls come from all walks of life,

nationalities, and races. According to Wilson and Dalton (2007), the age range of johns has been

reported to be as young as 15 to as old as 90. Reports indicate that a significant number of johns

(70-90%) are married men. There is a wide range of occupations among the johns, from blue-

collar workers such as fast food employees, truck drivers, and warehouse workers, to white

collar workers such as businessmen, doctors, lawyers, and politicians. In addition, military

personnel have been identified as frequent customers. Victims have identified police and

undercover officers requesting sex in exchange for dropping charges. In the Northern Midwest,

law enforcement reports that the johns are mostly white males age 30-50.

Women as perpetrators

Women are not only the victims of sex trafficking, but can also be exploiters. According

to the US Department of State (2008), women are frequently offenders in the sex trafficking

industry. They can be recruiters, serve as pimps or madams, and “are also reportedly found

among the wealthier ‘clients’ of the commercial sex trade” (p. 11). Women often become

traffickers or recruiters through a combination of physical and psychological pressure from the

pimp, as well as incentives of added freedom and financial incentives. According to the US

Department of Justice, more than a fifth (22.9%) of sex trafficking suspects were female.

Attitudes Toward Human Trafficking and Victims

Minors who are victimized by sex traffickers are often viewed by society as criminals,

instead of victims of sexual exploitation. There are members in society who feel that prostitutes

deserve the violence acted upon them, because they are doing something that does not fit their

presumptive moral judgments. Williamson and Folaron (2001) state, “…societal attitudes


concerning prostitutes continue to be that they are unrapeable {sic}, do not suffer physical attack,

deserve the violence inflicted upon them, or no harm is done when prostitutes are hurt or killed”

(pg. 464). Prostitutes are hidden from view and forced underground because prostitution is

viewed by many as a deviant activity that is illegal and morally wrong.

According to Dr. Williamson, founder of Second Chance, a program which survives

primarily on community donations, without a belief in the need for services, community

members are hesitant to donate. She explained that until recently, when they started focusing on

children, people didn’t jump to donate because of the stigmatization attached to prostitution. Dr.

Williamson stated “no one cares about prostitutes, but they do care about children”. After

focusing on children as victims, Second Chance started receiving more money for services.

However, the consequence of minors who are victims of sexual exploitation is that they become

prostitutes as adults. Whether it is by choice or not, commercialized sex workers need services

without judgment.

Antecedent Conditions

Identification of the Problem

Dr. Celia Williamson is identified in this paper as the leading researcher and advocate for

victims of sexual exploitation in Lucas County. She is continually conducting extensive

research, engaging in activities to educate the community, working on increasing the safety of

those at risk of sexual exploitation, and improving the quality of life for those still in the sexual

labor force. Dr. Williamson spent 500 hours interviewing victims and survivors in Lucas County

and utilized the data to create Second Chance in 1993. Second Chance is an organization that

serves women and children victims and survivors of sexual exploitation in Lucas County. Dr.


Williamson has also engaged in nation, state and local level efforts to stop commercial sexual

exploitation.

The issue of minors involved in human trafficking in Lucas County was recognized as a

major issue after a federal investigation in 2005-2006, which led to the arrest of several Toledo

pimps involved in a national sex trafficking ring. This was spread throughout many newspapers

across the country. After the discovery of this sex trafficking ring, the FBI named Toledo as a

major recruitment area for minors to be trafficked as prostitutes.

In 2006, Dr. Williamson organized the “Prostitution Roundtable”. “The purpose of this

roundtable was to educate the community about prostitution and sex trafficking and to develop

community responses to assist women and girls involved in the sex trade” (Second Chance

Website). Monthly meetings are held where social service providers, criminal justice and law

enforcement personnel, health care professionals, church members, survivors, and concerned

citizens come together to discuss issues related to human trafficking.

The issue of human trafficking in Lucas County became even more publicized after

ABC’s Primetime aired a television special called “Teen Trafficking in Toledo” on July 15,

2008. Toledo was the main focus because it is a prime prostitution spot and lies in the middle of

a prostitution ring. The emphasis on the show was the story of two teenage cousins who were

trafficked to truck stops. Commentaries included interviews with the Toledo Chief of Police, Dr.

Celia Williamson, victims of trafficking and their families, and the FBI. According to the show,

one of the main reasons Toledo is rampant with prostitution is because the turnpike runs through

it and it geographically lies between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Chicago, Illinois. This makes

Toledo a prime spot for trafficking girls.


Contributing/Casual Factors

Factors that contribute to the lack of resources in Lucas County for minors involved in

human trafficking are:

• There is a lack of acknowledgement of the problem of human trafficking in Lucas
County by the formal organizations.
oBetween January 2003 and July of 2007, Wilson and Dalton (2007) were only able
to identify 10 concrete human trafficking cases in Toledo, Ohio.
oIn 2008 there were only 3 minors arrested for soliciting (Brennan, personal
communication).
oWilson and Dalton (2007) found “law enforcement dealt with one prostitute at a
time rather than investigating the overall prostitution ring” (p 34).
• Formal organizations are not taking responsibility for addressing the problem.
oWilson, Walsh, and Kleuber (2007) found 70% of the local law enforcement
agencies reported they believed human trafficking is a problem that should be
addressed by Federal law enforcement.
oWilson and Dalton (2007) found “the child welfare system is unlikely to open a case
and is quick to close a case, often with evidence of prostitution by juveniles or their
parents” (p. 48).
• There is a lack of collaboration among the formal organizations
oWilson and Dalton (2007) found Toledo respondents reported a lack of
collaboration between the justice system and the child welfare system, which hinders
investigation and prosecution of cases.
oIn 4 of 5 cases in Ohio, the service provider acknowledged knowing whom to
contact regarding their victim of trafficking, but did not because of possible negative
consequences for the victim.
oThere is a need for greater awareness in human trafficking among doctors, nurses,
hospital personal, teachers, other school personal, and caseworkers to increase the
identification of victims of human trafficking.
oClawson, Dutch and Cummings (2006) found “44 percent of line officers indicated
that they were not at all confident or only minimally confident in their ability to
make referrals” (36).
oVictims of human trafficking have complex issues which require a collaborative
approach to address, severe trauma, medical needs, legal issues, safety concerns and
financial issues (Polaris Project).
• There is a lack of collaboration from the FBI


oWilson and Dalton (2007) found “Federal authorities want access to the victims,
facilities, and information, but they provide little feedback to local practitioners” (p.
36).
oClawson, Dutch and Cummings (2006) found that of the law enforcement surveyed,
90% reported they did not know the role of the Federal agents during a human
trafficking investigation.
• Employees of formal organizations are not well trained in identifying victims of human
trafficking.
oWilson and Dalton (2007) found only one case in Toledo, Ohio where the minor had
been identified by law enforcement as a victim of human trafficking.
oWilson, Walsh, and Kleuber (2007) found that of the law enforcement agencies
surveyed; only 8% reported receiving training in human trafficking.
oBales and Lize (2005) found that in 11 of the 12 cases reviewed, victims of human
trafficking had contact will law enforcement authorities, but these authorities did not
identify them as victims of human trafficking, and therefore did not take action to
bring them to safety.
• Victims of human trafficking are not being treated as victims.
oVictims of human trafficking are often charged with loitering, disorderly conduct,
being a runaway, or probation violation (Wilson & Dalton 2007) (Brennon
interview).
o“…societal attitudes concerning prostitutes continue to be that they are unrapeable
{sic}, do not suffer physical attack, deserve the violence inflicted upon them, or no
harm is done when prostitutes are hurt or killed” (Williamson & Folaron, 2001, pg.
464).
oWilson and Dalton (2007) found that “the policy of the local police (Toledo Police
Department) on runaways is to wait for them to run back, even when there are
obvious signs of possible foul play” (p 37).
 There are only 2 full-time detectives in the Toledo Police Department to
investigate about 2,200 runaway cases annually.
• Closing of Connecting Point
oConnecting Point served adolescents in the Toledo area. This agency has closed and
their services are no longer available for adolescents. Lack of services for this
population increases their vulnerability to becoming victims of human trafficking.

Cause/Effect Relationship
• Literature suggests that victims of human trafficking are more often lured or recruited
into trafficking than abducted (Wilson & Dalton 2007).
• In Toledo, it is suggested that minors involved is human trafficking are often runaways
or are on the street because of family problems and substance abuse.


oIn Toledo, most runaways are not investigated; instead the police wait for them to
return.
• Victims usually come from vulnerable populations, runaways, at-risk youth, and the
poor.
oPimps target these populations because they are often the easiest to recruit and
control (Polaris Project).
oPimps are skilled in manipulation of minors.
oPimps are skilled at maintaining control through deception and violence.
oSome victims of human trafficking are involved in intimate relationships with their
pimp. “A pimp befriends a homeless girl, spends lavish sums of money on her, and
pays attention to her…the pimp convinces her to have sex for money” (Wilson &
Dalton, 2007, p. 18).
o“Runaways without adequate food, clothing, shelter, or other basic needs are
particularly vulnerable to pimp influence” (Williamson & Cluse-Tolar, 2002, pg.
1076).

Attempts to Address the Problem

There have been several efforts In Lucas County to increase the community’s awareness

of minors as victims of human trafficking. Wilson and Dalton (2007) prepared the report

“Human Trafficking in Ohio” in an attempt to increase the level of awareness and “provide

policymakers and practitioners with information to help improve their efforts to protect and

provide services to victims and to bring perpetrators to justice” (p. iii). They also reported that

Toledo’s criminal justice system has since begun to promote awareness, identification, and

investigation of human trafficking cases. A recent change in collaboration among federal, state,

and local law enforcement assist with Lucas County’s effort to promote this awareness.

Dr. Williamson has a team of 7-8 people that work at Second Chance who work

diligently on issues regarding policy and legislature for the purpose of increasing the safety of

those involved with sexual exploitation and raising awareness in the community. Dr. Williamson


is responsible for multiple publications that focus on issues regarding victims and survivors of

human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

In Wilson and Dalton’s (2007) report, respondents had reported that law enforcement

personnel are becoming more sensitive to the victims of human trafficking. It was reported that

the victims are still arrested, but they are treated more as victims than offenders. Mr. Brennan

noted that most often victims of sexual exploitation are usually not arrested under the crime of

prostitution but under another crime such as disorderly conduct, loitering, drunkenness, etc. He

also explained that if law enforcement suspected the juvenile was a victim of sexual exploitation,

often they would be picked up under another crime and then referred to LCCS who would then

be referred to either Second Chance or Wake up Youth. If in fact law enforcement officials and

the justice system are acknowledging these youths as victims, then why is the crime not being

reported more? Why are they referred to another source as if swept aside only to be left to return

to their oppressors? In addition, how is arresting the victim, despite what the charges may be,

and labeling them as a criminal, being more sensitive and treating the youths more as victims

than offenders?

In 2006, a Federal task force was established in Toledo to better address the issue of

human trafficking. The task force includes dedicated personnel from the Toledo Police

Department, other local police departments, the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI.

There is also a U.S. Attorney’s Office liaison assigned to the task force. The task force is

federally funded and is intended to provide support for personnel, overtime, equipment, and

computer forensic support (Wilson & Dalton 2007). Again, law enforcement personnel reported

that “Federal authorities want access to the victims, facilities, and information, but they provide

little feedback to local practitioners” (p. 36).


Barriers to Change

Problem Statement Barriers to Problem Resolution Statement

There is a lack of -Toledo serves as a transient point to other The number of social
services for minors states. (Wilson & Dalton, 2007) services available to
involved in human minors involved in human
-Community’s lack of awareness
trafficking in Lucas trafficking will increase.
-Community’s lack of education
County, Ohio
-Lack of connection between formal units
-Stigmatization of the target population

Target Population

The researchers of this study believe that minors who have been victimized and forced

into prostitution view prostitution in a negative way and want a different way of life. This belief

is supported by actual interviews conducted by Celia Williamson with minors who have been

victimized in Lucas County in the report Child Sex Trafficking in Lucas County. Her findings

suggest that

Girls involved in the study displayed conventional values that rejected prostitution as a

way of life or a moral way of making money. A majority of the girls dreamed of healthy

families, close relationships, homes, and education or GED, an occupation, and having a

loving intimate relationship that may lead to marriage and children (n.d., pg. 11).

Out of the 11 girls interviewed, “a majority (91%) experienced child abuse in their home” (pg.

3). Neglect was one of the major types of abuse many of them identified, and they describe their

neglect and abuse in several ways. In Dr. Williamson’s study, a 16 year old states, “My step dad

used to beat us a lot. He used to beat my mom too” (pg. 4), and a 17 year old states “Mom knew


about the sexual abuse, but didn’t want to say anything because she wanted to keep her

husband”, and another minor of undocumented age states

We were starving…we had no money, no lights, no gas. One box heater for the whole

family. He didn’t want to waste drug money on Christmas presents or birthday presents.

He took our toys away when I was 8. He sold them and bought drugs. I started

prostituting at age 11 (pg. 4).

Abuse and neglect seem to be a common theme among these young girls and it appears to be a

pattern in their lives. Dr Williamson states that

In addition to the popular belief that childhood sexual abuse may be a precursor to

prostitution and trafficking, neglect was found to be most prevalent among this

population. Of those that reported experiencing child abuse, most reported neglect,

followed by physical abuse and sexual abuse (pg. 5).

Dr. Williamson described how the children viewed neglect by noting,

Neglect involved children living in homes where they believed they lacked enough food

for themselves and their siblings, not enough essential clothing or “ragged” clothing, and

with gas and lights turned off at some times during the year. Prostitution was reported to

fulfill their needs and engage someone who could provide for their basic needs and/or be

engaged in prostitution activities to be able to care for their needs themselves (pg. 5).

The girls knew that they could acquire things by having sex and in their worlds, material things

were extremely important. As well, some girls got hooked on drugs very early on in their

adolescence, many times to numb their feelings. This only worsened their victimization. Two

girls comment,


I was 13 when I started prostituting through my Uncle first-basically I had sex to get

crack- Then through another guy, then by myself. I would do it for a place to stay, food,

a ride…He bought me clothes, shoes, socks, make-up, and hygiene stuff. He said I was

his girl. The first night I went out there and worked I had to turn my money over to a girl

(pg. 8).

Another theme prevalent in this population is that many of them have been raped.

Over half of girls involved in prostitution reported being raped by someone outside of

their family. Almost 30% of girls reported being raped by someone in their family.

Fourteen percent of girls reported being raped by someone both in and outside of their

family (pg. 9).

As well, “Sixty-four percent of the girls interviewed reported having one or both parents

addicted to drugs or alcohol” (pg. 10). Many of the girls’ lives were disrupted by experiences

with their parents addicted to drugs. “Parental substance abuse served to disrupt the lives of

girls and caused significant and chronic stress and left many to try and care for their siblings”

(pg. 10). The stress of taking care of their families while the family is experienced distress is

very traumatic for a young girl.

Dr. Williamson also noted in the article, “Child Sex Trafficking in Lucas County”, some

of the reasons that girls reported running away from home, thus putting them at risk for

traffickers to seek out and recruit. The reasons were:

• Being stressed out due to family dysfunctions
• Having too many responsibilities for the care of the family and younger siblings
• Experiencing repeated abuse and/or neglect (pg. 10)

While on the run, they experience inner turmoil and wish to be back home under optimal

circumstances. They believe that systems that provide additional stressors add to their stress,


while providing minimal relief. When they get overwhelmed, they run again and give up Dr.

Williamson noted, “Coming from a family where stressors are ever present and runaway

behavior exists, girls are at high risk of being trafficked and in entering the network of characters

involved in trafficking rings” (pg. 11).

The majority of victims who have been exploited suffer low self esteem and feelings of

worthlessness. They identify these in the following statements.

It’s like every time you do it, it eats a part of you away, and it’s just like its unexplainable

how it makes you feel. You’re worthless; you’re not any good anymore. You’re

damaged goods. Like me, I never think that a man would want to touch me or actually

love me…I feel like shit and that I can’t never do anything right. And it tears me up, like

to want to go out and make money so bad. I can’t get no job. I’ve tried everywhere. I

mean nobody will hire me. So still to this day I think about it. Like I have to make some

money some kind of way…Customers love me…and it makes me feel so good, but then

it made me feel bad when I would go to sleep… (pg. 11).

Dr. Williamson states that of the girls, “Most report depression, vigilance, and symptoms of Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder” (pg. 11).

When the minors were asked what the court can do to help, many responses were

collected and these are their ideas and inputs to help in planning for the solution to the problem

of lack of services that are available to them. They consist of the following suggestions:

• We need someone to talk to, to turn to, someone we can trust. Not nobody’s who’s
gonna snake us and turn their back and look down on us or judge us for what we’ve
been through. We need support and people that care.
• Have meetings and get to true feelings
• Get me involved in a program
• Focus on positive things with me instead of negative


• Have a drug/alcohol program
• Offer restitution or whatever- something to do, something to earn
• Program should be about prostitution, pregnancy, and foster care
• Build self esteem
• Be strict, keep kids active in positive ways, and show ways to have fun and get money-
earn way to Cedar Point etc.
• Telling kids not to do it is least effective and just putting them in jail
• Get girls who already in it to think about if they want their daughter out there
• If you want to get them out tell them to tell someone- a teacher, counselor, family
member, adult, police and they will take care of it. Call for help and say “he won’t let
me leave” and police will be there
• Don’t keep girls locked up. Keep them in school
• Reach them at 10
• What keeps girls in it? – money, pimp, look happy wearing great clothes
• Talk to them about pregnancy, about my experience, about tricking is not cool, before
everything becomes a habit (pg. 12).

Domain

There are two primary domains in Lucas County that have jurisdiction over minors who

are arrested for crimes. The first domain is the Lucas County Juvenile Justice Center (LCJJC),

which has jurisdiction over all of the municipalities within Lucas County (Personal

communication, LCJJC, April 10, 2009). The second domain is Lucas County Children

Services, which has a responsibility to all minors in Lucas County.

In an attempt to resolve the problem of minors involved in human trafficking, it would be

best for one to work with the Lucas County Coalition on Human Trafficking. The Lucas County

Coalition consists of members from the FBI, Lucas County Sheriff’s Department, Second

Chance, Wake Up Youth, Lucas County Children’s Services, Lucas County Juvenile Justice

Center, and The University of Toledo. Their goals include: 1.) To increase number of victims of


trafficking who are identified; 2.) To assist identified victims to leave the circumstances of their

exploitation; 3.) To establish protocol and enhance communication between the systems for the

benefit of trafficking victims; 4.) To educate young people, their parents, and the public about

child trafficking (L. Fedina, personal communication, April, 11, 2009).

Decision Makers

The following agencies have been identified as primary decision makers in regards to

their roles and responsibility to victims of human trafficking:

• FBI and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
o Have identified Toledo (a major target area for Lucas County) as a major
recruitment area for the commercial sexual exploitation of children by traffickers
(Williamson & Prior, 2008, p. 3).
o Participate in the Toledo task force for human trafficking established in 2006
o The FBI are willing to accept information regarding sexual exploitation of
victims, however they are not willing to share information they have about the
problem to others.
• Juvenile Court and Social Systems
o Lack the ability to provide relief for victims of sex trafficking and only add to the
stress of their existing stressful lives.
o Additional stressors caused by these institutions sometimes result in the girls
being overwhelmed to the point of giving up and running away again.
o Have the ability to serve as a voice for victims in regards to services and safety.
• Law Enforcement
o “Various divisions of vice, organized crime, crimes against persons, child
exploitation, and detective bureaus were most frequently listed as the units
responsible for addressing human-trafficking issues” (Wilson, Walsh, & Kleuber,
2006, p. 30).
o Debrief prostitutes, especially juvenile prostitutes, for connections to human
trafficking (p.32).
o Studies show that local police are first to encounter victims and perpetrators
therefore giving them a hand in how victims get treated and receive treatment
necessary for rehabilitation. (p. 30)


o Hold the ability to direct and or refer suspected victims of sex trafficking minors
to social services or offer a supportive communication that should not treat
victims as offenders
o Have the ability to not arrest them-but rather rescue them from a current situation
and not punish them
o They also have the ability to serve as a voice for victims

• Service providers
o As reported by Wilson and Dalton (2007), service providers are increasingly
encountering victims of human trafficking firsthand without law enforcement
referral, participation or role in case. Such as the case below.
 “One victim was identified by a service provider when she developed a
sexually transmitted disease, was hospitalized, and then transferred to a
drug rehabilitation center, where she told authorities about her
experiences” (p. 31).
o Hold a responsibility to address and provide support and intervention to youth
victims
o In Lucas County there are only two agencies which provide services to victims of
sexual exploitation, in which neither provide safe housing for victims seeking
shelter.
• Children Services
o If parents are presently assessable and available to the child and are not suspected
as those involved in the child’s solicitation then they typically drop the case.
o Do little to act as able to identify or assist youth victims (Wilson & Dalton, 2007).
o For this reason effectively inhibit the identification and provision of services that
these juveniles need and undermine efforts to obtain information about the other
offenders (and potentially other victims) involved in the trafficking process

Support for needed services for minors of sexual exploitation is shown through the efforts

of all of the above. A task force and a coalition that includes many members of the decision

makers are hard at work to address the problem that has become evident in Lucas County.

Power/Authority/Influence


The purpose of this assessment is to identify the need for services for minors who are

victims of human trafficking, specifically sexual exploitation. The main issue for lack of services

is insufficient funding for services needed. The issue of insufficient funds could be supported by

law enforcement’s responsibility to report numbers as they come in.

There is power in numbers, and the writers suggest that rather than hiding the crime

under another to allow the “offense” to be shown for the purpose of showing proof of the

problem in numbers. Law enforcement claims to arrest victims under other crimes in order to

decrease the victim blaming game; however still arresting them under other crimes which

contain them for only short periods of time only allows them to be rereleased back into their

dangerous lifestyle. The numbers could provide needed proof in order for funds to be allocated

for services.

Available Social Services

Currently, there are two formal services in Lucas County that are assisting victims of

human trafficking. Wake Up Youth claims to be currently serving between 38-42 minors, while

Second Chance is serving 30-35 (Wake Up Youth and Second Chance, personal communication,

March 9, 2009).

Working Intervention Hypothesis

Research validates our position that implementing a safe house would be beneficial. Dr.

Williamson notes in the report Child Sex Trafficking in Lucas County, that it is difficult for

therapeutic interventions to compete with the underground network of a continued system of

support and players. She also stated,

To counter the system, our community must continue to offer case management and

support and offer safe and long term housing supported by qualified, educated, and


empathetic staff. Services in a safe house should include trauma treatment, medication

management, education and job training, among other interventions (n.d., p. 13).

If the following interventions are provided:
1. Safe House
2.Trauma treatment
3. Support, counseling, advocacy, and mentoring
4. Access to basic needs, social support, and formal services

Then we would expect the following results:
1. Victims to gain a true sense of security, love and validation
2. Victims would be empowered to take control of their own life
3. Victims would gain knowledge of healthy relationships
4. Victims would have increased hope for a successful and happy life
5. Victims would have continued access to basic needs, social support, and formal
services
6.Victims to be free from the dangers of sex trafficking lifestyle


References

Bales, K., & Lize, S., (2005). Trafficking in persons in the United States: A report to the
National Institute of Justice. Oxford, Miss.: Croft Institute for International Studies,
University of Mississippi, 2005. Retrieved February 5, 2009 from: http://www.ncjrs.gov/
pdffiles1/nij/grants/211980.pdf
Benjamin, B., Bryant, M. S., Cox, J. A., Dupuy, P., Lambert, E., Laux, J. M., Nathan, V. M.,
Ventura, L. A., Williamson, C., (2007). Female offenders in the criminal justice system
needs of and services for mother and their children. Toledo, Ohio: University of Toledo,
National Center for Parents.
Clawson, H. J., Dutch, N., and Cummings, M., (2006). Law enforcement response to human
trafficking and the implications for victims: Current practices and lessons learned.
Retrieved February 7, 2009 from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/216547.pdf

Kyckelhahn, T., Beck, J. B., Ph.D., Cohen, T.H., Ph.D., (2009). Characteristics of suspected
human trafficking incidents, 2007-08. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved from:http://
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/cshti08.pdf
Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Website, Guiding Principles for
Promising Female Programming: An Inventory of Best Practices. 1998. Available
online at www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/principles/ch1_4.html (accessed February 27,
2009).

Ohio Department of Development. (n.d.). Ohio County Profiles. Retrieved April
3, 2009, from http://www.ohiobiz.com/census/Lucas.pdf.


Polaris Project Website. Polaris Project; Combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Retrieved on February 4, 2009 from http://www.polarisproject.org/

Second Chance Website. (2007-2008). Second Chance. Retrieved February 5, 2009, from
http://secondchancetoledo.org/.

Strauss, E. (Executive Producer). (July 15, 2008). ABC Prime Time {Television Broadcast}.

Unknown author. (2009). More than 1,200 alleged incidents of human trafficking reported in the
U.S. Retrieved from: http//www.OJP.USDOJ.gov/bjs

U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. (n.d). Retrieved February
3, 2009, from www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/prostitution.html
US Department of State (2008) Trafficking in person report. Retrieved February 4, 2009 from
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2008/
Williamson, C. Ph.D., (n.d.). Child sex trafficking in Lucas County. Preliminary Findings from
interviews with victims. Retrieved February 6, 2009 from author.

Williamson, C., & Cluse-Tolar, T. (2002). Pimp-controlled prostitution: Still an integral part of
street life. Violence Against Women, 8(9), 1074-1092.

Williamson, C., & Folaron, G. (2001). Violence, risk, and survival strategies of street
prostitution. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 23(5), 463-475.
Williamson, C., & Prior, M., (2008) Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: A Network of
Underground Players of the Midwest.

Wilson, D. G., Walsh W. F., & Kleuber, S., (2006). Trafficking in human beings: Training and
services among US law enforcement agencies, Police Practice and Research, 7(2) pp.
149–160.
Wilson, J., & Dalton, E., (2007). Human trafficking in Ohio: Markets, responses, and
considerations. RAND Corporation. Retrieved on February 4th and 6th, 2009 from:
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG689/
Ziner, Susan, (2004). The Role of Cognitive Development in Pediatric Medical Decision-
Making. Global Virtue Ethics Review (January 2004): N/A.

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