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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 28, 2010)
Page 18 ‘riu Portiani* ODhseruer Northwest Voice For Christ Ministries "An Interdenominational Church" Modem Day Slavery not getting from their parents.” more humane form o f imprisonment, A pimp is a skilled psychological but according to Portland City Com “After a while, the experience o f manipulator, leading a girl to believe missioner Amanda Fritz. n o rm al c o n sen su al sex i s n ’t that he is her boyfriend. Soon, he “Once they get there they appre enough,” says Smith, who repre will start to drop hints that money is ciate the security,” she said. sented southwest Washington as a tight, and if they want to stay to Thanks to the efforts o f McKeel Republican congresswoman in the gether, they’ll have to do some and Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon has mid and late 1990s. thing. The pimp will then introduce been issued a half-million dollar fed “Some people really believe it’s a the girl to another man, a “friend” eral grant to build a shelter that prevalent problem here in Oregon who has promised to pay them a lot would house and rehabilitate do because we have a very liberal [state] o f money ifhe can sleep with her just mestic minor sex trafficking victims. constitution regarding freedom o f this once. One agency that has proposed a speech,” said Portland City Commis Unaware that this “friend” is ac shelter option is the Portland YWCA. sioner Dan Saltzman, citing the high tually a john, she will agree to have An effective shelter would not number o f strip clubs in the city. sex with him under the impression only function as a safe house, but Smith says that some o f those that it is a one-time thing. But this also offer drug therapy to overcome venues are harboring minors. one-time thing quickly turns into a addiction, education to work towards Though fewer minors are prosti regular thing, and before long, the a GED, and counseling to cope with tuting themselves on the streets pimp will introduce the girl to other post-traumatic stress disorder. than ever before, they are not disap girls who are doing the same thing The shelter would be at least be pearing altogether. They are now for him - but he’ll convince her that partially staffed by sex trafficking on Craigslist. she’s the only girl he really loves. survivors since girls are most likely “It’s just less visible to the pub Underprivileged girls are not the to recover with help from “someone lic,” says Dooley. sole victims o f domestic minor sex w ho’s actually been in their stilet Regardless o f how it’s happen trafficking. Pimps pander to run tos,” says Dooley. ing, the big problem is breaking the away girls from the suburbs who are “When you get the help that you spell pimps put on their victims. unhappy at hom e, buying cell need, you start to see that possibili “They’re not using alcohol and phones and jewelry and feigning ties are endless,” says Jeri Sundvall- drugs,” says Deputy Keith Bickford, deep affection for their prey. Williams, a local activist who once director o f the Oregon Human Traf While Dooley was 16 when she walked the streets, adding that most ficking Task Force. “They’re brain was first trafficked, she says nowa o f her survivor friends have gone washing these girls to believe they days the average age o f entry into onto careers in community organiz love this pimp. [The pimp] courts “the business” is 13 years old. ing or social work. them and gives them the things they’re In Portland, pimps sometimes In Portland, the anti-domestic poach girls at malls, and quickly put minor sex trafficking movement is them up for business at nearby ho gaining momentum, with govern 1 I ' tels. ■ .< * ment, non-profit organizations and Once a girl has fallen into prosti faith-based groups working in tan tution, it’s hard to get her out. dem to solve a problem plaguing “It takes a lot to deprogram a this city. victim, and you can’t do that when “The challenge is making sure they’re brainwashed to go back to it’s not like herding cats, because their pimp,” says Michelle Bart, co- there are so many organizations that chair o f the Northwest Coalition w ant to do so m e th in g ,” says LANE FAMILY REUNION PORTLAND, OREOON Against Trafficking. Saltzman. Meanwhile, even if they were “It’s not okay for anybody to clean prior to entering the business, turn their backs on children who are sex trafficking victims often will of being sold on the streets,” says ten turn to drugs in an attempt to Fritz, whose zeal is partly due to the numb their pain and disgust. Many “daily issues o f gender bias” that were also molested as children. she says she confronts as only the Trafficked girls are often picked sev en th w om an to serv e on up on drug or shoplifting charges, Portland’s City Council in 150 years. making it hard to identify them as Saltzman, too, has a personal victims, according to Andrew Olsen, connection to this issue. Glancing policy analyst for Multnomah County at one o f many pictures ofhis daugh 503-762-6042 Commissioner Diane McKeel. ter throughout his office, he imag Advocates say a shelter is es ines the terror he might feel if she sential to addressing the problem. were trafficked. Brainwashed victims can be viewed Then the usually soft-spoken as mentally ill persons who pose a commissioner raises his voice. danger to themselves, so they can “It’s something that we have to P e n in s u l a R e a l t y be locked up after being put through face up to,” he says. “There’s too a civil commitment process. This many young girls whose futures are Peter C larke arrangement would essentially be a being sacrificed by our ignorance.” continued h e V o I c P o a k s Scuto* t£ Stiafiof) 3 t. £ . <£ £a>t£ean St Stodge Saxton, f SeacAev ¡Sieuiiudiat W orsh ip Service»: Sundays: C hurch School— 9:00 A.M . M orning W orship— 10:00 A.M . Sem inars: Bible Them es— W ednesdays— 7:00 P.M. “ G od T he F ather” ; “ G od The Son” ; and “ G od T he H oly S p irit’ Bishop Hodge and Congregation invite you to join us at our appointment with Jesus We R each , Teach, &. P reach in J e su s ’ nam e!!! Location: To Be A nnounced M ailing address: P. O. 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