Let's Join Together in the Fight!
In Orange County, the OC Human Trafficking Task Force is employing undercover officers to aggressively prosecute offenders. They also have an outstanding campaign to reduce demand. Vanguard Univeristy is working with The Protect Program to bring Human Trafficking awareness into schools. Dignity Health is one example of instituting a program to train health professionals how to recognize victims and how to talk to them. While these efforts are outstanding, unless we as the faith community get "up the river" to prevent human trafficking, it will never end.
So how do we get "up the river?" We come together as a coalition and empower our men to be leaders in raising awareness regarding the destructive nature of porn and how it creates demand for sex trafficking victims. We invite a representative from a local foster care organization to come speak at our services to recruit good foster parents, given that over 70% of victims are from the foster care system. We can work with the city to close down the illegal massage parlors. We can host a fair trade table at our church and school fairs to educate people that over 2/3 of all human trafficking in the world is labor trafficking and by being responsible for purchasing imported products that state "fair trade," we reduce demand. We can do a fundraiser for a local non-profit. These are just five examples of how we can prevent human trafficking. The book "How You Can Fight Human Trafficking, Over 100 Ways to Make a Difference" offers many more actions.
How We End It
Social scientists tell us that once we reach a critical mass of awareness and people taking action, the social issue will be resolved. Until that critical mass of 10% is reached, it is like rolling a rock uphill and there isn't enough traction so groups often fall apart. Once critical mass is reached, there is velocity. If it took 10 years to reach 10%, it only takes 2 to 3 years to reach 20%. In Orange County, about 2% of faith communities are taking action in the fight against human trafficking. There is another 7% to 8% who are thinking of doing something, so they meet and think about it and it takes time. When they can come to a meeting to find out how to act and only have to simply duplicate what others are doing they quickly move into action. At these coalition meetings, faith communities inspire and encourage each other and report on what they are doing. Then during the second half of the meeting people meet with those groups they are interested in collaborating with. This model will have us quickly reach the 10%.
Orange County Faith Coaltion Meetings
So Cal Faith Coalitions Against Human Trafficking
Faith Leaders in Orange County are inviting churches, synagogues, temples etc. to come together to share resources and educate each other on how to take action in the fight against human trafficking as a faith community. This is not a public event. This is a networking event for the purpose of empowering people who are pastors or ministry/ committee leaders, staff members, youth pastors, bible study teachers, etc. who feel called to take a leadership role in the fight against human trafficking. Whether you are already taking action or want to take action in the fight against Human Trafficking, this meeting is for you. Please RSVP to ucanfightht@outlook.com for meeting locations.
Orange County Faith Coalition Meeting
Saturday, April 6th, 2019 from 9 to 11:30 A.M. in Irvine, Ca. This coalition includes all the cities in Orange County.
Task Forces and Meetings by Other OC Groups
San Clemente Abolutionists
San Clemente has their own city coalition made up of faith communities and non-profits. This coalition birthed the I-5 Freedom Network that passed a resolution with the city of San Clemente to create community awareness with great success. This model can be duplicated by any city. For more information you can email them info@ I5FreedomNetwork.org or go to their website: I5FreedomNetwork.org
The LightHouse- Orangewood Foundation
The Lighthouse is a program for survivors of sex trafficking in Orange County. This residential program helps them return to a healthy and productive life. The Lighthouse offers a public seminar every second Monday of every month (beginning again in September) from 6:30 until 8 P.M. on sex trafficking in Orange County and Orangewood’s residential program. https://orangewoodfoundation.org/what-we-do/trafficking/
Men Standing Against Trafficking (MSAT)
This group is hosted by Saddleback church. Please email LocalHumanTrafficking@Saddleback.com for meeting dates and location.
Orange County Catholic Human Trafficking Task Force
Next Meeting TBD - 7 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. This coalition is for the Catholic community to collaborate on events at their churches. Projects include raising awareness regarding Fair Trade and recruiting foster parents since foster children are the most likely victim. The deacons have taken on reducing demand by raising awareness regarding the destructive nature of porn. Please email Cenia Martinez for more information cmartinez@rcbo.org
Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force
4th Wednesday of the month - 10:30 - 11:30 A.M. Please go the link at the end of this section to confirm that the task force is meeting that month. The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) General Meeting is held at Wayfinders (formerly CSP Community Service Programs) every 4th Wednesday of the month. This meeting is for all task force collaborative partners and community members. It is also open to the public. This meeting provides updates by law enforcement and speakers from non-profits. The Wayfinders Corporate Office is located at 1221 East Dyer Road Suite 120, Santa Ana. For more information please contact Linh Tran at ltran@waymakersoc.org or 714-765-7938. OCHTTF Volunteer Training/Meetings will be every 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6:00 - 8:00 PM at Wayfinders. You need to email Lynh Tran to get a parking pass for all meetings so your car won't be towed. For more information please go to https://www.egovlink.com/ochumantraffickin
Events
January 2019 Events
January 19th - 1 to 5 P.M. "Freedom has a Name." This Human Trafficking Awareness Event will feature live artists, performers, dancers, and singers at the beautiful Meng Concert Hall at California State University Fullerton. You need to purchase tickets for this event and you can do that here. https://freedomhasaname.com/tickets/
January 24th- 9:30 to 10:30. A.M. Pray for Freedom. 10:30 to 11:30 A.M. Briefing on human trafficking in Orange County with Faith Leaders. Newport Mesa Church. 55 Fair Dr. Costa Mesa.JOIN ABOLITIONISTS AROUND THE GLOBE AS WE CHALLENGE SLAVERY THROUGH PRAYER.
January 25th - 6 to 9 P.M., Awaken Ministry, in collaboration with Refuge for Women SoCal, Presents "Movie Night!" at Refuge Calvary Chapel Huntington Beach. 7800 Edinger Avenue. Screening of the movie “8 Days” (a harrowing story of a teenage girl from who was a victim of human trafficking- based on real events) Tickets: $15/pp (suggested donation) -Early Bird Tickets - $10 available for sale until Monday the 21st!
February 2019 Events
February 8th - 7 P.M. Solidarity Walk to honor victims of human trafficking at St. Iranaeus, 5201 Evergreen Ave. Cypress. This is a prayer vigil where participants walk and pray.
February 11th -"Be A Big Cheese ", The I-5 Freedom Network is having their annual update and vision for the future fundraiser. 5 to 8 P.M. at The Cellar, 156 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente. For more information, please go to their website at I5FreedomNetwork.org
March 2019 Events
March 1st and-2nd Ensure Justice Conference at Vanguard University, Costa Mesa.
The Theme of the conference is "When Home Isn't Safe." Our goal is to bring together experts on the subject matter, foster learning, and provoke conversations that grow collaborative efforts. Ensure Justice is a two-day conference focused on equipping teachers, law enforcement, students, and community members to protect and intervene for women and children at high-risk of exploitation and violence. Understanding the contributing factors of human trafficking that run deep will inform innovative strategies for future prevention. Please go to their site to register : https://www.vanguard.edu/research/gcwj/events/ensure-justice
March 29th - Can you See Me?! Gripping Presentation by Rhondo Sciortino who shares about her life of abuse and abandonment until one person changed the trajectory of her life. 6 P.M. Dinner. 6:30 Presentation at Richfield Community Church 5320 Richfield Rd. Yorba Linda.
March 29-30. 2019 See It - End It! Human Trafficking Film and Arts Festival at the Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W 6th St. and at the Grand Annex at 434 W 6th in San Pedro. On Friday, the festival will be open from 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. and on Saturday the festival will be open form 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. The Art Festival will showcase film and the arts in raising awareness of human trafficking both domestic and international, and provide connection to organizations and agencies working combat this growing criminal activity.
Through diverse genre and art forms, the See It - End It Festival will demonstrate that there is a place for everyone to use their talents, businesses, networks and passion to assist in the fight against human exploitation. We encourage greater use of the arts in achieving domestic and global awareness and to provide strategies to end human trafficking.
We are calling on virgin and veteran filmmakers and artists to employ their craft in exposing modern day slavery, painting it into a corner, dancing around it till it's dizzy and then shutting the curtain on its discordant presence in our world.
Contact us for information about submitting your artwork and films to the See it End it Human Trafficking Film Festival. Join us in making this the greatest event to end human trafficking of its kind! https://www.seeitendit.com/
Second Quarter 2019 Events
April 12th at Midnight. KKLA radio show on what the faith community can do to fight human trafficking with guest Susan Patterson. This show will also be on iTunes under “Apologetics.com Radio show."
April 15th - 19th - The book "How You Can Fight Human Trafficking, Over 100 Ways to Make a Difference" is free as a kindle book at Amazon. Just select "buy now" and the amount will come up as zero (0). Amazon Kindle can be downloaded to almost any device.
Third Quarter 2019 Events
September 14th - Saddleback Symposium on Human Trafficking. Half day morning conference. Please check back for details.
October 19th - A21 Campaign Walk for Freedom. Please check back as we get closer to the date for walk locations.
Fourth Quarter 2019 Events
Trainings
CSEC 102: Skills for Working with Commercially Sexually Exploited Children & Transitional Age Youth
Nola Brantley Speaks offers a 2-day Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) 102 engagement skills training. If you are working directly with youth, it will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to better engage youth at-risk of becoming involved in CSEC, and help you learn strategies for helping CSEC survivors see themselves as more than a survivor. If you are not working directly with youth, this training will help you identify the qualities to look for in agencies as you make referrals for youth. The 2-day training is presented by survivors of commercial sexual exploitation who are national experts on the topic. You will hear real life examples of challenges and triumphs in working with the CSEC population. CSEC 101 is recommended If you have not taken CSEC 101 you can go online to the CalSWEC website to take this training online at https://calswechosting.s3.amazonaws.com/CSEC/csec_delv/csec.html CSEC 102 covers how to better engage commercially sexually exploited youth in an inspiring 2day training. Questions? nikkiklasey@gmail.com
March 13-14. 9 to 4 Seneca Center, 233 S Quitana Dr. Anaheim. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/orange-county-2-day-csec-102-tickets-54903990313
There are many more trainings in Los Angeles that you are welcome to attend. Please select the Los Angeles tabs to find them.