The skanner., October 10, 2012, Page 3, Image 3

Local News
Healing
Celebrating the Vote
“criminal justice system, domestic violence,
community violence, education, immigra-
tion policy, mental health and wellness, reli-
gious and spiritual practices, poverty, and
youth empowerment.
“Portland is known as a pretty liberal
place, but how does that play out in reality,
when it comes to supporting issues of equi-
“What we are trying to
do is move beyond
the lip service of
Liberalism
ty?” Brown says.
“What does that mean for a mother or
father trying to advocate for their child in
the education system? How much support
do we really give to lesbian and gay youth?
“What we are trying to do is move beyond
the lip service of Liberalism and empower
our communities to move forward in creat-
ing social justice.”
Everyone is welcome to attend. The first
day will feature therapists, teachers, and
community activists from across North
America who will describe programs creat-
ed in their communities that promote equity
and access for all. Sessions will focus on
colonization and its legacy; representations
of marginalized groups; Roosevelt High
School’s anti-bullying work; therapy, heal-
ing and social change; and how to create
social justice in health, education and spiri-
tual practice.
Presenters include: Nocona Pewewardy,
Michelle Maher, Allegra Richardson War-
ren, Michael Yellowbird, Judy Lewis and
Cornel Pewewardy.
Day two will be focused on the Portland
community and will include sessions on
youth empowerment, sex trafficking, com-
munity activism for the 21st Century, and
how to dismantle white supremacy in immi-
gration, the justice system, policing, health
care and human rights.
Presenters and panelists include Gabby
Santos, Se-ah-dom Edmo, Rev. Cliff Chap-
pell, Multnomah Youth Commissioners and
Angela Nusom. Sunshine Dixon will stage
her original play, “Hand of Time.”
This year is the second time Portland has
hosted the conference. And from now on, it
will come to Portland every second year.
PHOTO BY BOBBIE FOSTER
continued from page 1
Former Vermont Gov. Madeleine Kunin, sashed at center right, traveled to
Oregon last weekend to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s
right to vote in the state. She spoke on her book, “The New Feminist
Agenda: Defining the Next Revolution for Women, Work, and Family,” at the
Oregon Historical Society. Kunin was joined by, from left, former Secretary
of State and former Historical Society CEO Norma Paulus; former Oregon
Gov. Barbara Roberts, and former U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Furse.
Minors
continued from page 1
mercial sex industry, you’re automatically a
victim….Because they are children we
know that they are not psychologically
developed enough to make an adult consen-
sual decision, understanding the full conse-
quences for their life, when they are
involved in the commercial sex industry.”
In 2005-6 Shared Hope worked with 10
sex trafficking task forces across the United
States, to investigate the commercial sexual
exploitation of children – most of them
girls.
They sent undercover buyers into the
trade to learn more about the men who buy
sex from minors, the people who transport
girls or facilitate child prostitution, and the
traffickers – or pimps – who profit from the
trade. Smith said she found girls just like
her granddaughters being bought and sold.
“The harder thing as we got out there and
I started getting information back was that
the buyer was not a tourist from another
country. He was an ordinary guy in Ameri-
ca. So, ordinary guys are driving demand
for somebody else’s daughter in their own
communities.”
The National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children has estimated that at
least 100,000 minors are victimized every
year in America’s commercial sex industry,
researcher with the Crimes Against Chil-
dren Research Center, and an acknowledged
expert, says the 100,000 figure is simply “a
guesstimate.”
Asked if the evidence supports the idea
The figures cited by anti-trafficking activists
would be shocking, if they were accurate
Scaife said. Girls rescued from traffickers
report being compelled to service 5-10
clients a day.
“That’s a million men a day purchasing a
sex act with a child in this nation,” she said.
“That’s shocking.”
The figures cited by anti-trafficking
activists would be shocking, if they were
accurate. They’re not. David Finkelhor, a
that a million men a day seek sex from juve-
niles, Finkelhor said,
“Whoa! This is speculation upon specula-
tion.”
After his work was used inaccurately in a
much-cited but flawed study, Finkelhor cre-
ated a fact sheet on juveniles trafficked into
prostitution.
“Unfortunately, there are no credible or
that way and they also give discounts based
on that.
“The person online is not invested in you.
All they’re doing is giving you a rate.
The industry has undergone a number of
changes beyond just technology, according
to McCreary.
One of those changes is how a customer is
supported estimates of the problem,” the
fact
sheet
notes.
Finkelhor notes that nationwide, the number
of girls involved in sex trafficking who
were taken into custody by law enforcement
in 2006 was 1,400.
“No-one believes this estimate fully char-
acterizes the problem,” the fact sheet says,
yet “this is among the most recent and
clearly defined of the estimates and coun-
ters the assumption that all the estimates are
large.”
Finkelhor also says it is false that the
average age of entry into the commercial
sex trade is 13. That number was based on
interviews with children rescued from traf-
ficking, who all are minors to start with. No
study has determined the average of entry
into prostitution.
Read the rest of this story online at
www.theskanner.com
McCreary
continued from page 1
business off the ground.
“I opened my door at the end of August
and most of the people are finding me again
that I used to insure a long time ago,” says
McCreary. “Starting a business in this econ-
omy has always been a challenge. But it’s
been a fun challenge.”
He says he’s gotten much of his business
from friends, family and fellow church
members passing along the word.
He has also utilized social media.
McCreary is catching up with the new wave
of technology and his daughter Alanna is
helping move that process along; McCreary
says he let her play around with the
agency’s Facebook page one night and the
amount of “likes” tripled by the next day.
Although he embraces technology
advances, McCreary believes some busi-
ness is best handled the old fashioned way.
“Nowadays you can buy a policy without
even having to step foot in an office,” he
says. “Companies want to do business in
‘Don’t look at the minimum coverage as a way
of buying insurance” says McCreary. “When
you’re buying your first car, a lot of people just
put the state minimums on it. State minimums
are usually higher than the next step up’
Whereas, when you go in to see someone,
you get that person’s personality. You get to
actually experience them. When a time of
crisis comes you want to talk to someone
personal to hear your side of the story.
“I love GEICO and all of them. They’ve
got great commercials but in a time of need
you need to actually talk to someone.”
rated.
McCreary suggests that young people
shopping the insurance market have good
credit scores because that is one of the new
things companies are looking for. In terms
of car insurance, he also notes that compa-
nies look for clean driving records, college
degrees and whether a person has taken Dri-
ver’s Ed or a defensive driving course.
Companies reduce rates for grade point
average, usually 3.0 and above, in some
cases as well.
He encourages insurance shoppers to be
thoughtful because at the end of the day, it’s
about the money.
“Don’t look at the minimum coverage as
a way of buying insurance” says McCreary.
“When you’re buying your first car, a lot of
people just put the state minimums on it.
State minimums are usually higher than the
next step up.”
“Take the time to check out rates. It takes
about 15-20 minutes to get an actual quote
from someone. You never know when
you’re paying too much. In this day and
age, saving every bit of money is good.”
Find out more about the company at
www.mccrearyins.com.
October 10, 2012
The Portland Skanner Page 3