10 Quotes + 3 Signs of Hope about Sex Trafficking

by Karen Van Fossan, Communications Director

Sex traffickers in North Dakota have been ahead of us for years. Advocacy organizations like PCAND have had our hands full working to promote healthy families and prevent the hardships, like child abuse and neglect, which we already understand. The recent increase in sex trafficking in our state – following the oil boom but not restricted to it – has taken us by storm. That’s why the recent Human Trafficking Summit in Bismarck was, simply put, such a big deal.

Like others from founding organizations of the FUSE coalition, I worked the registration table and got to meet many of the 200 attendees first hand – survivors, advocates, law enforcement, service providers, faith leaders, educators, and more, from across North Dakota and adjoining tribal nations. I was also encouraged to see many state legislators, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, U.S. Attorney Tim Purdon, and staffers from U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s office.

At the Summit, the idea was to pool our knowledge and also learn from those in other parts of the country who’ve been at this work a while. Here are 10 quotes, in the order I heard them, that continue to speak to me:

1. “The same individuals who are being trafficked in the west [of North Dakota] are being trafficked in the east. They’re on a circuit.”

– Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Fargo

2. “In our agency, we have seen two to three women who have been trafficked from other countries. They fear deportation.”

– Darianne Johnson, executive director of the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center, Dickinson

3. “These guys [traffickers] are experts. These guys are as smart at their jobs as we are, except they don’t have rules to follow.”

– Rob Fontenot, special agent with the ND Bureau of Criminal Investigation

4. “To pimps, girls are a commodity. They trade them frequently.”

– Rob Fontenot

5. “We know that traffickers will hang out near homeless shelters for youth, looking for victims.”

– Mark Heinert, LSW, Homeless Programs Manager for Youthworks

6. “These are absolutely intelligent businessmen who are in the business of trafficking.”

– Windie Lazenko, member of the National Survivor Network, founder and executive director of 4her North Dakota

7. “A lot of men who purchased sex in the Bakken for the first time who never thought they would – they did so because they were traumatized themselves.”

– Windie Lazenko

8. “‘Prostitute’ is a word you want to remove from your vocabulary. At Breaking Free, we believe prostitution is sexual violence. The same tactics of power and control are used.”

– Joy Friedman, survivor of sex trafficking, Breaking Free Women’s Program Liaison to the St. Paul Police/Vice Unit and FBI

9. “If you ask a victim of sex trafficking about her pimp, she’ll say she doesn’t have one. To her, he’s her boo – her boyfriend. As a pimp, his job is to become whatever it is that’s missing in your life.”

– Joy Friedman

10. “Of the sex trafficking survivors at Breaking Free, 75% were physically abused as children; 75-85% were victims of child sexual abuse, incest, or rape.”

– Joy Friedman

While these quotes are not generally uplifting, I reflect on the Summit with a sense of hope – for three reasons:

1. Crimes like sex trafficking happen when we don’t have the infrastructure, the systems, to prevent them. When we come together as a diverse coalition, we build that infrastructure. As Steve Wilborn, member of the Uniform Law Commission, insisted, “The work that FUSE has done is the most important thing to get good legislation passed in North Dakota.”

2. We can only address problems like sex trafficking when we understand them. Thanks to the Summit, 200+ movers and shakers in North Dakota now have a deeper understanding.

3. Sex trafficking, I am learning, is not so different from other forms of abuse that we do know how to address. We are not so far behind.

Meanwhile, I am saddened to know of the untold children, women, and men who are victims of sex trafficking in North Dakota, as well as the untold adults who capitalize on and create this victimization.

But we are catching up.

~*~

If you think you, or someone you know, might be caught in trafficking of any kind, call 1-888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to BeFree (233733):

Karen Van Fossan, Communications Director for PCAND, directs our faith-based initiatives while completing her M.Div. through United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.

Building Babies' Brains

by Mylinda Ogundipe, Community Development Manager

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.”

This quote from the poet Kahlil Gibran – shared by Dr. Sean Brotherson at the Building Babies’ Brains Summit in October – really stood out for me. It was such a moving analogy because it shows that parents have the potential to ensure that their children achieve much more than they did; and in fact, every generation can ensure this for their children.

Held in Bismarck, the Summit began with Dr. Joan Connell presenting a 3-minute video called Brain Hero, which explained how both positive and adverse experiences have long term effects on a child’s brain.

Dr. Andy Garner, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, followed this video with a nuts and bolts view of the Adverse Childhood Experiences study and its implications for early brain development. Dr. Garner continually stressed the benefits of programs like home visiting as well as developmental screening. As the manager of the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) grant funded program, I was especially pleased to hear him tout the importance of social-emotional developmental screening, as the goal of ECCS is to improve and enhance the early childhood screening system for children aged birth to three.

Many interesting ideas came up as part of the discussion portion of the Summit; these ideas included:

• Reduce the stigma of parenting classes and home visitation services.
• Use interns, students, nurses, etc., to do screening in waiting rooms.
• Deliver services at times when parents are available.

It was encouraging to see so many people, from different parts of the same country, all working to help children and their families. The Building Babies’ Brains Summit was very informational as well as motivational.  

Mylinda Ogundipe, Community Development Manager, coordinates the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grant. 

The Building Babies Brains Summit took place on October 17, 2014, and was co-hosted by Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota and the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

No Such Thing as a Teenage Prostitute: My Response to a Devils Lake High School Assembly

by Karen Van Fossan, Communications Director

I’ve got something in my craw about a recent school assembly at Devils Lake High School. But before I get to that, I want to do two things: express my appreciation for the challenge of teaching teens and bring you up to date on the DLHS media sensation.

 

First, as the foster mom to a wonderful young woman who entered my life when she was 15, I understand the difficulties of fashion, consumer pressures, body image, and self-respect. I have no doubt that the adults at Devils Lake High School take their teaching responsibility seriously.

My kid and me (proud foster mom)

Second, news sources around the country have reported that the administration at Devils Lake High School have instituted a new dress code. Here are a few things going around the media:

1. The dress code in question applies to girls and not boys.

2. It forbids the wearing of tight jeans, leggings, and yoga pants.

3. It is based on concern about the ability of boys to concentrate in school.

4. It was inaugurated with a special assembly for girls, in which they were shown a clip from Pretty Woman, a movie about a prostitute who, among other things, changes the way she dresses and then receives respect.

A quick search will take you to numerous objections to the dress code for all kinds of (often clever) reasons. Blogger kttbirdd, for instance, wonders when the boys’ football team will be written up for running around in tight pants on the field.

Firebirds Football (from kttbirdd's blog)

Representatives of Devils Lake High School object to the media blitz about their recent assembly. According to the Devils Lake Journal and the high school’s website:

1. The dress code was not changed, only presented as a reminder to female students.

2. It states, “Yoga pants, leggings, and/or tights must be appropriately covered by other clothing.”

3. It does not specifically restrict the wardrobe of girls, as opposed to boys.

4. It was re-affirmed with a special assembly for girls, in which they were shown a clip from Pretty Woman, a movie about a prostitute who, among other things, changes the way she dresses and then receives respect.

As you can see, there are many points on which DLHS representatives and national media disagree. You probably also noticed, though, that the school did show a clip from Pretty Woman in its assembly for girls, encouraging girls not to dress – well, the way the star had dressed – like a prostitute.

Probably, this was a simple oversight. School representatives probably hoped the girls would not know the movie’s plotline. But they did. And I do. And I'm still trying to raise a foster daughter myself –

Which is why I want to talk about this thing called prostitution.

It’s a very tricky thing to suggest to young women that they resemble prostitutes. In my worldview, there’s no such thing as a teenage prostitute. Here’s how my logic goes:

Teenagers are minors. Minors, as a category, are more vulnerable than adults. Due to this vulnerability, minors are more susceptible to abuse. Minors, when paid for sex, are being abused. Thus, these minors are not prostitutes; they are victims of sex trafficking.

What would it mean to dress like a victim of sex trafficking? It would mean dressing like a person who doesn’t get to be in charge of her or his own body, let alone wardrobe.

I have no doubt school representatives would like to protect young women – and also young men – from such a reality. In that case, I encourage all adults (myself included) to listen, first, to girls – and also boys – about the realities of their lives.

Chances are, high school students in Devils Lake have a lot to say about what goes into choosing a pair of pants.

Karen Van Fossan, Communications Director for PCAND, directs our faith-based initiatives, while completing her M.Div. through United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. 

The views she presents here do not necessarily reflect the views of either entity.

A Few Things I Learned at the Spirit Lake Children’s Service Symposium

By Allison Carlson, Special Projects Coordinator

The two day symposium started out with a powerful drum group performance by Rhythm Riders/Darrell Three Irons with presentation of the flags. It was a spiritual experience for me and showed how much pride the people of Spirit Lake have for their nation’s colors and the flag of the United States. 

Then the U.S. Marshal’s Office presented a coloring book they composed with Cankdeska Cikana Community College. The title of the coloring book is “Star Woman Marshal and the Law,” and it will be distributed throughout the different programs at Spirit Lake.

The symposium included a presentation to the community of the results of third party assessments completed on a variety of tribal programs serving children. The symposium concluded with 25 or more groups coming together and making a commitment to be a part of making Spirit Lake a better place for children. The group consists of federal, state, and nonprofit agencies.

During the symposium, Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs, of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, shared with us the meaning behind each of the polls for a tipi and how it is assembled. I never knew what the true meaning behind the tipi was until then. There are a couple of things that stand out for me about her teaching – that the door always faces to the east and the first three polls to be put up are stars that you pray to. She taught me that everything traditionally Native American has a meaning behind it, so now when I see someone presenting or doing something for their tribe I’m going to wonder what the meaning behind it is. 

Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs

I would like to end with a quote that Ethleen Iron Cloud-Two Dogs sighted from another conference she was at in the early 1990s:

“The Psychologist, Dr. John Briere, remarked that, if child abuse and neglect were to disappear today, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual would shrink to the size of a pamphlet in two generations, and the prisons would empty.”

Allison Carlson is Special Projects Coordinator for Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota and is currently coordinating an Early Childhood Summit with Dr. Andrew Garner of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Spirit Lake Children's Services Symposium took place in late September and was sponsored by Spirit Lake Tribe and Cankdeska Cikana Community College, with co-sponsorship from PCAND and the North Dakota Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visitation Project.

Family Violence, Family Faith: On the Adrian Peterson/Ray Rice/Mark Fuller Stories

by Karen Van Fossan, PCAND Communications Director (and Seminarian)

“My dad is so stupid.” As I prepared my first big sermon, my dad joked that I would give it such a title: “My Dad is So Stupid.” A retired minister himself, he’s about as proud of my calling as my mom is, which means he’s awfully proud.

Today, I don’t recall where the joke came from. It’s on my mind, though, because he made it again last weekend, when family came to visit. Throughout the weekend, we touched on plenty of tough topics – having a family-size argument about how to interpret the parable of the generous land-owner, for one.

We also quibbled about the Adrian Peterson story. My step-mom spoke about children, how they look up to NFL players as role models and heroes. For the sake of these children, she said, the NFL is correct to suspend players for suspected family violence.

My brother may have allowed the point in relation to Ray Rice, who was memorialized on video punching his future wife. But, characteristically fair-minded, my brother insisted on Adrian Peterson’s right to due process – “in the court of law and the court of public opinion” were his words.

Dad, a former football jock, pointed a finger at football culture itself. “The culture is so violent,” he told us, “I don’t know why you’d expect anything else.”

I confess to know little about the world of football, but I do believe in the influence of culture. This influence is just what primary prevention – and Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota – is all about: creating the systems and mores that ultimately make family violence obsolete.

Still mulling my family’s ideas, this week I read that Mark Fuller, U.S. District Court Judge in Alabama, has been accused of beating his wife; thus, a number of state lawmakers are calling for his dismissal from the bench. My step-mother’s point and my brother’s point still hold. But what about my dad’s point? What about the culture of the criminal justice system?

Is there any culture within the broader culture of the U.S. that is free from family violence?

I say, yes. But not enough.

To create such positive cultures, we need to talk, quibble amongst ourselves, bring the secret of family violence to the family table, cafeteria table, board table, state capitol, and bench. As a society, that’s what we’re doing. In the face of these tragedies, where healing has yet to come, that’s what gives me hope.

In this parable we’re yet writing, that’s what feeds my faith.

Karen Van Fossan, Communications Director for PCAND, manages our faith-based initiatives and is in her final year at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She can be reached directly at karenvanfossan @ gmail.com.