A Global Pandemic

by Autumn White, Contributing Poet

Nowadays when we hear the word “pandemic” our minds think of a deadly body disease. 

Our minds don't think of the type that is silently staggering without decrease. 

The kind that strips over 1.2 million children from their homes and deprives them from life.

The pandemic that will never have a cure but with one call can save a life. 

The epidemic that raises an alarm but doesn’t sound a ring 

Since it is often done in secret until a person goes missing. 

A sickness that produces fear and abuse and many sorrows. 

Feeling worse than death itself — just bondage with never-ending tomorrows. 

If only we could dismantle the suffering imposed and find a remedy. 

Then there wouldn’t be so many lost memories. 

No more lost feelings, abandonment, and shame.

Where sex trafficking isn’t death’s understudy in pain.

A Closer Look at the History of the TVPA

By Meera Manoj, Contributing Writer

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which was enacted "to combat trafficking in persons” and protect undocumented immigrants who are victims of severe human trafficking and violence, has been amended and reauthorized many times since it was first passed in 2000. Here is a rundown of how the act has grown and expanded since its inception. 

2000

The TVPA was first enacted by the 106th U.S. Congress on October 28, 2000, as “an act to combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes.” It established a framework for what are known as the 3 P’s: protection, prosecution and prevention.

To protect victims of human trafficking, the act made foreign victims eligible for federally funded health benefits regardless of immigration status and created immigration protections for foreign national victims via the T visa (victims of trafficking) and the U visa (crime victims who have suffered substantial abuse while in the U.S. and are willing to help law enforcement with investigation and prosecution). 

To prosecute human traffickers more effectively, the act added new criminal provisions that prohibited and criminalized forced labor, trafficking, slavery and involuntary servitude and strengthened the maximum penalties for existing trafficking crimes.

To prevent future trafficking crimes, the act:

• Provided establishment of international initiatives to improve economic opportunities for potential trafficking victims

• Created the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) to publish an annual report describing the efforts of countries to combat human trafficking

• Required the establishment of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (PITF) to measure and evaluate the 3 P’s progress in the U.S. and other countries

2003

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 was passed on December 19, 2003. It defined trafficking as a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) predicate, allowed victims to file lawsuits against their traffickers in federal district courts, established a senior policy operating group to enhance policies about international trafficking and the implementation of the TVPA (22 U.S.C § 7103), and mandated an annual report from the attorney general to Congress regarding governmental efforts to implement the TVPA.

2005

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 was passed on January 10, 2006. It provided extraterritorial jurisdiction over trafficking offenses committed overseas by federal government employees; established a grant program for states, Indigenous tribes, local governments and nongovernmental organizations to increase assistance for trafficking victims; directed the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and implement benefits and services for juvenile victims; and expanded the reporting requirements of the TVPRA 2003.

2008

The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 was passed on December 23, 2008, as “an act to enhance measures to combat trafficking in persons.” It created and expanded the definition of trafficking crimes, increased or created penalties for trafficking crimes, required the government to provide information about workers’ rights to work and education-based visas applicants, expanded available protections of the T visa and required all unaccompanied alien children to be screened as potential victims of human trafficking.

2013

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2013 was passed on February 28, 2013. It focused on the elimination of human trafficking from the supply chain of goods, strengthened and amended previous laws to include more crimes or to extend the statute of limitations for certain crimes and increased requirements for the attorney general’s human trafficking report.

2015

The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 was passed on May 29, 2015, as “an act to provide justice for the victims of trafficking.” The act clarified and amended definitions of sex trafficking, including broadening it to include child pornography production (18 U.S.C. § 2423(f)) and facilitating prosecution of customers of sex trafficking victims (18 U.S.C. § 1591 and 18 U.S.C. § 1594). It also required the attorney general to create and maintain a national strategy to combat human trafficking.

2017

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017 is the most recent reauthorization of the TVPA. It was passed on January 9, 2019, as “an act to amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to modify the criteria for determining whether countries are meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, and for other purposes.”

If you’d like to learn more about state-specific laws regarding human trafficking, more information can be found on our Resources page. Every month we add more information, so if you don’t see your state there yet, check back next month to see if it’s been added. 

How to Respond to Victim Blaming

By Chitara Ellis, Contributing Writer/Editor

Why didn’t she fight back?

Why didn’t you take it like a man?

Why didn’t you leave?

Unfortunately, survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault and abuse are often met with these questions. Victim blaming is defined by Harvard Law School as “the attitude which suggests that the victim rather than the perpetrator bears responsibility for the assault.” This attitude makes the healing process for survivors more difficult and promotes fear in victims who suffer in secret and want to speak out. The normalization of victim blaming can seep into our justice system and prevent attackers from receiving their due punishment. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network says that less than 1% of sexual assault perpetrators go to prison or jail and 3 out of 4 attacks are never reported to the police. 

We need to challenge the myths surrounding sexual violence to build a safer and more just society. Georgetown Law has a comprehensive list of common myths regarding sexual violence. They can all be summarized around three themes: consent, the victim’s initial response and the identity of the perpetrator.

Myth: Consent can be complicated. 

The network explains that consent is all about verbal communication. Physiological responses are involuntary, so they’re not signs of consent. Consent is always a clear yes or no. Saying yes for one moment does not mean yes for everything. An underaged person or someone who is under the influence is automatically incapable of consent.

Myth: A victim’s initial response to being attacked can vindicate the attacker.

A victim may go into shock or feel trapped while being attacked and freeze in response—mentally and emotionally disassociating from the attack as a means of survival. This behavior is mistaken as “going along with it.” The brain’s decision to freeze is why victims do not scream for help and cannot remember details of the attack. Freezing is not a sign of consent; it’s a common and natural response to trauma. This article from The Washington Post by Dr. James W. Hopper explains this phenomenon in more scientific terms. 

Myth: Attackers are strong male strangers who prey on weak, attractive women.

Sexual violence is about exerting power over another; it has nothing to do with gender or attraction. Most victims of sexual violence know their attackers—it can be a spouse, an ex, a childhood friend or a coworker. Georgetown Law states over half of reported attacks involve underaged victims. Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can be attacked.

We can help stop the normalization of victim blaming by responding to it with facts and empathy for victims. Remember: Over half of reported attacks involve underaged victims and only 3 out of 4 attacks are reported. This means there are far more underaged victims out there, and they need our voice to defend them. To support children aged 8–18, consider signing up to give a monthly donation of $1.00 (yes, one single dollar per month) and help us reach our goal of recruiting 1 million supporters to raise awareness and funds for rehabilitation centers serving children rescued from sex trafficking in all 50 states. Learn more here.

Even at the Super Bowl

BY KAREN ABBRUSCATO

I live fairly close to the Levi Stadium where the Super Bowl 50 was held last month.  There were so many festivities and hype building up to the big game; Super Bowl City was erected, banners were flying and there was jubilation in the air.  I was attending a Super Bowl party when the Blue Angels flew over the house; and a couple minutes later, they were broadcasted flying over the Levi Stadium.  That’s how intimate the game was for us - it was almost as good as being in the stadium.  All in all, it was a very exciting time for the San Francisco Bay Area, and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Some people were not so happy to be a part of it.  Unfortunately, wherever there is a convention of masses there is sex trafficking.  An article in the San Jose Mercury News reported 42 suspected victims:  

“The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said its three-week crackdown on human-trafficking centered around the game -- and a contentiously debated uptick in prostitution activity -- netted the identification of 42 suspected victims. The undercover operation, which focused on local online escort ads, also resulted in the arrests or citations of 30 Johns, and 14 arrests or citations for alleged prostitution-related offenses, including the arrest of a 20-year-old Sacramento woman suspected of pimping a 17-year-old girl.”

I have come to accept that sex trafficking is taking place in my neighborhood, as difficult as it is to comprehend.  I just can’t accept why it is happening here, or anywhere for that matter. Greed, corruption and ego are the characteristics that come to mind with respect to both the Pimps and the Johns.  Prayers are needed for these people to find redemption in their lives.  They live with Satan guiding their ways and the only way to stop them is to lock them up in jail or have them find the road to redemption through Jesus Christ.  

While we’re saying our prayers for the evildoers, we need to say a prayer for the victims who have been abused and have lived the life of destruction: they’ve been told they’re worthless and that nobody cares. These youths need to be rescued, they need to hear that God made them and He doesn’t make mistakes. These victims need to be built up to believe in themselves and that is our job.  

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:40

Resolute to Reach Out

BY TISZANDRA SEARS 

Resolution: The action of solving a problem; a firm decision to do or not to do something.

As was mentioned in our New Years’ Newsletter – My favorite resolution is to not make a resolution! In the past, New Years has been a month to start something new, to change something in our life, to improve what we find is lacking and/or problematic. When we, within a month, are less than great at meeting our resolution; we cancel all hopes of accomplishing it and walk away. 

What if we did something different! What if we made a resolution to improve on something that we are already doing well? What if – we resolute to improve the situation of someone else’s life? To share what we already have, doing what we already do? 

What if we told you there is a way you can help just by re-routing your normal online shopping trip through our website?  

On One Bread Foundation’s home page we have a unique link to Amazon. Once you click the link to Amazon you can shop amazing deals from Phone Accessories, New Gadgets, E Readers, Baby Needs, Beauty Supplies, and much more. If your normal main resolution is to save money or change your spending habits, Amazon is a good starting point. So why would we route you to our page first? Why wouldn’t we just ask for a donation?

As part of the Amazon Affiliate program every time you click on the Amazon link located on our webpage and purchase something from Amazon, as you normally would – Amazon pays One Bread Foundation a commission. This commission goes 100% back to rehabilitating youth rescued from sex trafficking. 

With one click on our page you would be able to help a child trapped in the horror of sex slavery and trafficking to be rehabilitated back to living a life free and unbound. You would be able to give back to another while saving money, shopping on Amazon. It’s that simple.

So what is your resolution? Mine?! To give back as much as I can in the year to come! Whatever that looks like! 

Evil In All Ways

by Karen Abbruscato

At One Bread Foundation we strive to raise the awareness of the sex trafficking trade so we are not all turning a blind eye to the horrors of that industry.  Sex trafficking makes slaves out of victims, makes sinners out of the customers and feeds the sickness of greed in the owners.  It is evil in all ways.  

At One Bread Foundation, we want you to know that it is going on around us and that there are ways you can help stop it.  

We need to keep our eyes open and report what we see.   Was there a young teenage girl dressed inappropriately on the street corner, or loitering outside the convention center that could be reported and potentially saved?  Airports, convention centers, and motels are all potential places for us to open our eyes and see more than we want to. 

We need to be impartial when we see a woman or child on the street because we don’t know their story. Many of them are there involuntarily, or they’ve become controlled by an addiction and are there to feed it.  Some were brutally kidnapped, others were run-aways from a bad home situation. Whatever their story is, it needs to be told and we will only hear it once they’re rehabilitated.  

We need to be passionate about saving the victims once they’re rescued. They often don’t have much self worth because it has been stripped of them.  The healing process will be a long one, which requires them learning trust, self worth, and respect of themselves and others. 

Once they’re rescued, many don’t have a place to call home so we need to love them and provide them with education, housing, counseling and a renewed purpose in life.  We need you to help in this area, by supporting One Bread Foundation.  

One Bread Foundation’s first annual fashion show is November 21st at the Oak Park Christian Center in Pleasant Hill, CA.  We hope you will join us in this crucial fundraising event that is 100% in support of rehabilitating children rescued from sex trafficking.   The children, ages 10 – 18, are brought to a safe place where they learn to love themselves and acquire the life skills they need for the new chapter in their life.  

Please join us on Nov 21st; the fashion show will be a beautiful uplifting event where Fashions by Francesca’s will be modeled by our OBF volunteers.  Tea, sandwiches, dessert and coffee will be served to each attendee while entertained by Emcee, Faith Alpher of KKIQ Radio.  

Tickets are available online on our events page or by contacting Kelly Woo, One Bread Foundation, Inc.’s Event Coordinator for details:  kwoo@just-bread.org or (888) 252-5939 Ext. 702. If you’re not able to make it to the event I hope that you can purchase a seat as a donation.  

I look forward to seeing you there.  

Shop, Share, Support

by Tiszandra Sears

Are you tuning in for the first time? Have you had the chance to take a look at the previous blogs and posts from various team members of our One Bread Foundation team? 

Please allow me to catch you up to speed.

One Bread Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose goal is to aid in providing funds to help rehabilitate children saved out of sex trafficking. We are collaborating with New Day for Children to accomplish this mission. We are based in San Francisco Bay, California – and YES the problem that we are speaking of is right here in our back (and front!) yards. We have one very simple plan, to shop with you and raise money! Through the Amazon Affiliate program we are able to bring in a percentage of every order that is placed on Amazon when the shopper clicks on our unique link to Amazon right here on our website. It truly is that simple! All of the profits from this program are donated 100% back to rehabilitating these kids. 

We are just starting out. We are merely just babes in this organization. In such a short time we have already established multiple social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+), partnered with Macy’s for Shop for a Cause; and are currently planning our very first Annual Benefit Fashion Show with Francesca’s. We are branching out each day to be more and more effective, to bring our stories and our work to your inbox, your notification bar, your message screen – EVERYWHERE. Because children are depending on us. They are depending on all of us – to get the word out and to help them. To get them on their feet and off of the streets. 

It is estimated that 76% of sex transactions with young girls starts on the INTERNET. And if you have been on an advertising page on Facebook, you understand that it is starting to get even more blatant.  

“One study determined that minors who are trafficking victims are sold 10 to 15 times a day, six days a week. That means that each victim is "used" 9,360 to 14,040 times a year. Can you imagine the level of trauma that would produce in a child?” (http://www.endslaverytn.org)

We need you! We need our team members and our One Bread family to come behind us and “share” us on social media. To “like” us and “follow” us. We need coverage. If the above statistics, and the previous blogs below doesn’t explain it, maybe an introduction into my past will help.

My name is Tiszandra Sears. I was a victim of sexual molestation and rape from the age of 13 until 18. Multiple occasions I begged for relief and begged for it to stop. I acted out, sometimes inappropriately, waiting for someone to notice. I was threatened that if I said anything that my abuser would not be able to support my family. So, trying to be the hero and allow my siblings to have a good chance at success, I kept my mouth shut and silently begged for someone to notice. I was assaulted right under the nose of my closet family members. With every passing year I learned to hate myself and started to harm myself and contemplate suicide. A young lady that attended a nearby Bible College spoke to my heart one day and reminded me of the hope found in Christ, unknowing of my situation. 

Years continued, I drew closer to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I followed my friend to Bible College and started learning the Word. It was there that I was surrounded with loving support. When everything came out and my family cut all ties with me, I had the support of a hundred prayer warriors and a few close friends that helped financial when all I had was a bed set and some clothes to my name. Because of this support I went on to start a career, get married, start a life with my husband, move across the country of Canada, and start another career. I get to discuss one day having a family. I get to worship side by side with my husband on Sunday morning. I get to experience daily first world comforts including the two homes we currently own and our vehicles, our cats, internet, and the list goes on. 

And all of this, yes through our hard work it is paid for, but through the grace and support I received in my life I was able to get on my feet in order to work hard and grow beyond my past. When two of my dear younger family members came out with their own story of abuse I was able to be their rock and support. I was able to love them the way my past support loved me. They were not alone. I thank the Lord every day and all those that have had a part in my life, who believed in me, and looked past my rough edges. Those who saw more than a broken girl. I could have very well been a statistic, been on the streets, found solace in drugs and alcohol (after all, that is the path set out before me by many folks in my own family), but that is not my story.

And it shouldn’t have to be the story of many children out there. Let’s be that support for them! We may never know their names, but there is One who does. There is One who is able to comfort them. Together we can provide rehabilitation. We can provide stability with the resources available. We can provide public education. However, we cannot provide anything without you. Without someone to shop with us on Amazon, without someone to simply share a Facebook post. 

If I knew, as a 15 year old, that one share on Facebook would bring rescue and rehabilitation from the nightmare I was in, I would have begged you on my knees. There is someone who is begging us, and we do have the resources. Will you help us? 

Shop. Share. Support. It is that easy!

“Freedom for all starts with helping one.”

by Karen Abbruscato, Board PResident

Do you wonder why all of a sudden we are hearing about human trafficking?  Three 

years ago, at a Women of Faith conference, I listened to Christine Caine (The A21 

Campaign) speak about human trafficking and what a big problem it is.  I thought to 

myself what a horrible problem it is but I’m glad it’s not happening here in the USA.   

Next I heard about it at the Santa Clara YWCA fundraiser and started seeing 

billboards around California’s Silicon Valley area.  

Unfortunately, it’s happening right here in the USA, in California, in the San 

Francisco bay area.  Sex trafficking victims are subjected in homes, airports, hotel 

rooms and some massage parlors. Labor trafficking happens in restaurants, nail 

salons, child-care facilities, and in the construction industry.

Many victims of the sex trafficking are teens who don’t have a place to call home.  

They’re part of an unstable child welfare system, they may have come from an 

abusive home, or they aged out of getting support when they turned 18.  When 

they’re on the streets the ‘johns’ find and befriend them.  They are often times 

introduced to addictive drugs, which keeps the kids lured to do whatever it takes to 

get the next fix.  

So what can we do about this horrible problem?  We can be aware and supportive of 

the organizations that help these people.  Reducing the number of vulnerable 

victims would start with a look into the child welfare system and how it could be 

more accommodating for all the children who end up in this system.  We can 

provide more research to train first responders, police and attorneys to identify 

victims so they can be rescued from their dire situations.  We can also take care of 

the victims once they’re rescued so they’re not exploited again.  That’s where One 

Bread Foundation, Inc. comes in to action.  We raise funds for the rehabilitation of 

children rescued from sex trafficking in the bay area.  The victims are in need of 

medical and psychological attention as well as housing and education.  When you 

support One Bread Foundation, Inc. by shopping through our link to Amazon, you 

help a child rediscover their childhood.  

The problem is overwhelming if you think of the 5000 people, in the San Francisco 

bay area alone, who are victims.  But taking it one person at a time we can achieve 

success.  As the A21 organization so aptly states it, “Freedom for all starts with 

helping one.”  Please visit www.one-bread.com and click on the Amazon link 

whenever you shop Amazon. A portion of your purchase will be donated to help one 

child.

Our Focus Is Ending Human Trafficking

BY TISZANDRA SEARS, NEWSLETTER EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

“Of the detected victims in 2011, 53% were involved in sexual exploitation and 40% in forced labour... Other forms of exploitation have been found such as forced marriage, organ removal, illegal adoption … and child soldiers.” – United Nations Information Service.

Men, women, and children are sold into a market for sex and labor averaging $150 billion annually. This takes place on a global and domestic scale; in urban and suburban areas; reaching into hotels, restaurants, and on street corners. Slavery is wrapped up in almost every industry’s supply chain. It is tainting the food we eat, the clothes we buy, and the electronics we love. Trafficking of humans is tied with arms dealing as the second-largest criminal industry in the world following the international drug trade.  

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, and deception. Also may include the abuse of power, position of vulnerability, or of the giving / receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of one person having control over another, for the purpose of exploitation. 

As it has been said “No country is immune, and millions of lives are at stake.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Our focus at One Bread Foundation, Inc. (OBF) is simple – to raise and provide funds for children rescued from sex trafficking in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.  These funds are utilized specifically for rehabilitation purposes including medical attention, psychological needs, education and housing. 100% of the funds raised through supporters like yourself, shopping through our link to Amazon, goes directly back to this focus and cause. We are using these funds to rehabilitate children who have been rescued from this past of sex-trafficking right here in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. 

Let’s together become more aware of these children’s needs; let’s strive to come together and seek a way to reach out beyond ourselves. Our link is only a small step but an effective one. 

Please bookmark our site – and shop with us the next time you shop online.  

“I have the courage to fail; yet the determination to succeed.” - Tony Kirwan