The nonprofit organization: For the Sake of One (FSO) and several other groups are focused upon the issue of child sex trafficking in the United States.
An estimated 300,000 American children are lured in the sex trafficking trade each year. Their average age being 13 years old, with a life expectancy of only 7 more years.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act recognizes sex traffickers use psychological and well as physical coercion and bondage. It defines coercion to include: threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform a sex act would result in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; or the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.
There are a multitude of ways traffickers lure children away, but once they have them, these victims often go through a process of seasoning which includes:
•Beating/Slapping/Whipping - With hands, fists, and kicking, as well as with objects such as bats, tools, chains, belts, hangers, canes, and cords
•Burning - Of personal items and items of meaning to foster hopelessness and demoralization or directly burning children using cigarette/cigar butts
•Sexual assault - Rape or gang rape
•Confinement - Using torture practices such as confinement to lock women and girls in closets, trunks of cars, or rooms for indeterminate amounts of time.
•Other torture techniques - Such as deprivation of food or water or various forms of bondage such as chaining individuals to items or tying them up.
•Emotional abuse - Direct verbal insults, name-calling, threats, mind control, brainwashing, cognitive re-programming
•Re-naming - Offering "nicknames" both for endearment and to erase former identity
•Creating dependencies - By instructing how to walk, how to talk, what to wear, when to eat, when to sleep, and where to sleep.
•Removal from familiarity and support structures - By transporting the victims to a new location or even underground where they knows no one/
Victims of sex trafficking are submitted to numerous health risks. Physical risks include drug and alcohol addiction; physical injuries (broken bones, concussions, burns, vaginal/anal tearing); traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting in memory loss, dizziness, headaches, numbness; sexually transmitted diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis, UTIs, pubic lice); sterility, miscarriages, menstrual problems; other diseases (e.g., TB, hepatitis, malaria, pneumonia); and forced or coerced abortions. These victims are typically "used" or sold 5 to 30 times per day.
Psychological impairments include mind/body separation/disassociated ego states, shame, grief, fear, distrust, hatred of men, self-hatred, suicide, and suicidal thoughts. Victims are at risk for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - acute anxiety, depression, insomnia, physical hyper-alertness, self-loathing that is long-lasting and resistant to change (complex-Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Victims of sex trafficking may also suffer from traumatic bonding - a form of coercive manipulation in which the sex trafficker infuses in the victim fear as well as gratitude for actually being allowed to live.
Victims of sex trafficking are forced into prostitution and pornography and are usually involved in the most exploited forms of commercial sex operations. Sex trafficking operations can be found in highly-visible venues such as street prostitution, as well as more underground systems such as closed brothels that operate out of residential homes. Sex trafficking also takes place in a variety of public and private locations such as massage parlors, spas, strip clubs and other fronts for prostitution.
FSO's foundational belief is a single life transformed is worth whatever the price. Numbers are numbing and statistics are demoralizing. Without a name or face these children become too easy to ignore, but if we break the numbers down to represent our ability to transform one life then we truly make a lasting difference.
FSO believes all children are a gift from God and each has been created with a unique purpose. With love and service, we know these children can succeed and lead productive lives. Sex trafficking is a global concern and we applaud the organizations who's focus is to aid all children. Although we are painfully aware of the global problem, there is also a substantial and immediate need in America for services and supportive housing. By no means do we seek to diminish the need for a global response; however, our primary focus is the child victim found within the boarders of the United States.
FSO reaches out to girls and boys ages 11-17 who have been victims of domestic sex trafficking to ignite, confidence, courage and inner strength within them as we provide the love, protection and guidance these children so desperately need and deserve in order to heal from the injustice and unspeakable abuse they have endured.
PROBLEM
At the beginning of 2012 - less than 100 beds were dedicated to child victims of sex trafficking in the United States. Each bed currently has a waiting list, and there are yet no homes dedicated to helping boys recover.
Due to the lack of safe houses, these children often go into juvenile detention centers where the belief is again reinforced the children themselves are somehow responsible for their situation. With such limited comprehensive services available for sex trafficking victims most of these children have no where to go and consequently are released often to return to the very hands of their traffickers.
SOLUTION
For the Sake of One's primary purpose is the establishment of Isaiah's House - child sex trafficking safe homes located in the United States. A place of healing where children who have been victimized can receive the love and specialized services they desperately need and deserve.
Isaiah's House will be open to all children, both girls and boys, ages 11 to 17. Isaiah's House is a long term care facility, not a shelter. Each child will be provided love, medical services, extensive counseling, schooling and life skills to prepare their paths for a much brighter tomorrow.
Counseling
At Isaiah's House all share the common tragedy of sex trafficking and in an atmosphere of healing, each child will be provided one on one and group therapy by loving and licensed child counselors.
Education
Most child victims of sex trafficking will need much help to complete their education. Isaiah's house will have an on-site school with dedicated teachers using individually tailored study plans. We believe each child must have both goals and abilities when they leave Isaish's House. Be it college or life skills - our goal is to provide the skill sets required for these children to become self sufficient.
Mentoring
Upon arrival most victims of child sex trafficking will trust no one but themselves. Our mentoring program will rebuild trust and self esteem while cultivating new social skills within healthy love-based relationships.
We Need Your Support
We do not take any government funding and we do not charge for any of our programs. The cost to provide these services is great; however, the value of one transformed life is priceless. Please consider sowing financial seeds into these children's lives.
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