Showing posts with label human trafficking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label human trafficking. Show all posts

Community Action Meeting to Address Sex Trafficking on Aurora Ave in Seattle

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Guest speaker Audrey Badeke of REST
Join Rotary of the NW for a Community Action Meeting tackling sex trafficking on Aurora — let's find solutions together.

Thursday, January 18, 2024
12255 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA
5:00pm - 7:30pm

Register here

Join us for a critical in-person event featuring guest speakers where we will learn about action steps the community and local businesses can take to address the issue of sex trafficking on Aurora Ave N in Seattle. 

This meeting will be held at the 125th Street Grill, 12255 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA, 98133.

We invite community members, activists, and organizations to brainstorm effective strategies to combat this serious problem. Together, we can make a difference and create a safer environment for everyone. 

Featured speaker is Audrey Baedke, co-founder of REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade).

Here is an opportunity to be part of the solution!

Agenda and Program

Networking, 5 - 5:30 pm; Dinner, 5:30 - 6 pm; Program and Guest Speakers, 6 pm - 7 pm; Q&A and Call to Action, 7 pm - 7:30 pm.

Admission includes dinner, $30. Donations to REST to support trafficking survivors are encouraged. RSVP is required

Your reservation includes dinner. If you do not want to purchase dinner on Eventbrite, you can RSVP to kphmediallc@gmail.com and admission is free.

Audrey Baedke is a co-founder at REST and oversees all of REST’s programs. She earned her bachelor's degree in Multicultural Studies and has worked with individuals in the sex trade for 17 years.


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ELEVATE, an online event to benefit survivors of sex trafficking or those at risk of being trafficked

Tuesday, November 17, 2020


Join Justice and Soul’s virtual YouTube event on Friday, November 20th to expand their program teaching cosmetology to survivors

It’s a long way from King County to Cambodia. But for the people behind the Seattle-based Justice and Soul Foundation, it’s a trip worth making regularly to ensure the social enterprise they started in Phnom Penh in 2014 continues to give new hope to individuals who previously had little.

The Foundation’s Kate Korpi Academy (teaching facility) and Salon there trains and employs survivors of sex trafficking, as well as vulnerable youth. Profits from the Western-style salon provide academy scholarships for new students, who learn cosmetology, business management, team building and independent living skills.

But as Matthew Fairfax, Justice and Soul co-founder and President/CEO of Shoreline’s James Alan Salon and Spa points out, sex trafficking and exploitation “isn’t just there, the problem is right here in our backyard.” 
That's why the foundation is gearing up to expand the training model and open a Salon and Academy in the Seattle area to help local survivors become self-sufficient and financially independent through a vocation in cosmetology.

Justice and Soul was a week away from hosting their largest fundraiser of the year, Fashion SOULstice, a hair and fashion show, when events were shut down due to Covid. They are ready to try something different and are bringing to life ELEVATE. This name was chosen because the work that they do restores hope, builds self-esteem and gives their students the power to lift themselves up.

ELEVATE is a virtual event that will take place on YouTube on Friday, November 20th at 7pm (PT). 

Viewers will get transported to Cambodia where they will have a tour of the Salon and Academy, meet some of the students, hear their stories as well as hear from some other special guests such as Jane Wurwand, co-founder and chief visionary of Dermalogica and The International Dermal Institute post-graduate training centers. 

Jane Wurwand is a recognized entrepreneur and small business supporter whose advocacy for women’s economic empowerment has earned her a platform at The United Nations, The White House, and around the globe.

ELEVATE is an hour-long program that will be informative, educational and also entertaining – with some highlight clips from past events and doorprizes. 

ELEVATE also includes an online silent auction that will run from 9am Monday, November 16 to 4pm Sunday, November 22nd.

Register for ELEVATE through their website: www.justiceandsoul.org. Once registered, stay tuned for more communication from Justice and Soul. (they will text out the link to watch ELEVATE)

You can find more information on Foundation activities and programs at justiceandsoul.org.org or by emailing sarah@justiceandsoul.org. You can also follow the Foundation on Facebook and Instagram



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Proceeds from new novel will aid Shoreline non-profit supporting anti-trafficking

Saturday, November 7, 2020


Shoreline business owner Matthew Fairfax
and author Gabrielle Yetter in Cambodia
British author Gabrielle Yetter releases her new novel, Whisper of the Lotus, to support Justice and Soul, an anti-trafficking organization based in Shoreline, WA. 

Proceeds for the sales of the first 57 days of Gabrielle Yetter’s book will be donated to Justice and Soul Foundation

The Foundation’s academy and salon in Cambodia trains and employs survivors of the sex trafficking trade, as well as vulnerable youth. 

Profits from the Western-style salon provide academy scholarships for new students, who learn cosmetology, business management, team building, and independent living skills. 

Author Gabrielle Yetter met Matthew Fairfax while living in Cambodia and watched him co-create the Justice and Soul Foundation. (See previous article)

But as Matthew Fairfax, President/CEO of Shoreline’s James Alan Salon and Spa points out, sex trafficking and exploitation “isn’t just there, the problem is right here in Washington state.” 


Inspired by her experiences while living in Cambodia, the book is about Charlotte Fontaine, a young woman who travels to Phnom Penh to visit her best friend and meets a mysterious elderly man on the flight. 

When she arrives, she discovers a land of golden temples, orange-clad monks, and kind-hearted people, then realises many things are not what they seem— including her own family relationships that bubble to the surface through a series of revelations. It is being released on November 9, Cambodian Independence Day.

“I wanted to share some of the exotic charm of the country in my book,” Gabrielle said. “After experiencing what it felt like to live there, it quickly became my soul home and I wanted to take readers into my Cambodia. 
"I have included a number of fascinating real-life characters— some of whom are named, such as SomOn, our tuk-tuk driver, who became a friend, and I’ve woven actual-life situations into the story.
“Throughout the book, Charlotte is on a quest that takes her through dusty back alleys and shimmering pagodas where she meets people who provide insights into her own strengths and imperfections: a sleazy café owner, a compassionate Buddhist monk, an elderly Cambodian who survived the Khmer Rouge, and a woman who reminds her of her mother. And all of them play a role in teaching her different things about herself.”

Whisper of the Lotus is a multi-layered story full of memorable characters and the sights and senses of a magical country. It is a story about friendship and family, love and identity, a tale about no matter how far you travel, the path will always lead you back to yourself. 

It has been described as having “the feel of a good Armistead Maupin novel mixed with the spiritual overtones of Dan Millman's Way of the Peaceful Warrior,” and one reviewer wrote, “Yetter's story is mystery, romance, and thriller all in one, and the tendrils of an unexpected encounter weave through them all”.

Whisper of the Lotus was long listed in the 2019 London TLC (The Literary Consultancy) Pen Factor writing competition.

A former journalist, Gabrielle wrote The Definitive Guide to Moving to Southeast Asia: Cambodia and The Sweet Tastes of Cambodia (a book about traditional Cambodian desserts and provincial travel) and was a regular contributor to Khmer440, Latitudes, AsiaLife and Expat Advisory. She also wrote two children's books, Ogden The Fish Who Couldn’t Swim Straight and Martha the Blue Sheep, which were illustrated by Cambodian artists.

In 2012, Gabrielle and Skip co-wrote Just Go! Leave the Treadmill for a World of Adventure based on their experiences of moving across the world.

Whisper of the Lotus is available for purchase as a paperback or ebook on Amazon. She can be reached through her website at gabrielleyetter.com 

Gabrielle Yetter's contact email address is gabirich2003@yahoo.com



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1000 people run in World Concern's 5k to help protect children from trafficking

Thursday, May 16, 2019

1000 people had a beautiful day for a run

Photos by Wayne Pridemore

On Saturday morning, May 11, 2019, World Concern's 11th annual S.O.S. (Seek Out and Stop trafficking) 5k attracted over a thousand runners to the Crista campus.

Kristin Spencer and Jody Okamura display the event t-shirt given to run participants.

Crista is the parent organization for World Concern, a worldwide charity, headquartered in Shoreline on Fremont in the Hillwood neighborhood.

Sarah Taylor of FM 105.3 Spirit radio and Mimi Jung of King TV announced the event.

World Concern works to prevent the trafficking, exploitation, and abuse of children in southeast Asia by operating a hotline for reporting suspected cases of child endangerment, educating children and parents about the dangers of trafficking, and equipping them with job skills to earn income safely.

Associates Cheryl Hoilick and Ashley Holte at the FM 105.3 Spirit Radio booth

“World Concern’s work with children is driven by the fact that the most vulnerable in our world need our protection, particularly our children,” Nick Archer, Vice President of World Concern said.

“Millions of children remain vulnerable to trafficking due to circumstances beyond their, or even their families, control.”

There was time for a selfie with Spiderman

The annual 5k S.O.S. run helps to support this project financially. The 1000 people who registered for the run, jog, and walk event this year raised $180,000!

Run and fun in the sun
All for a very good cause

"It was a really great event this year. The weather was perfect, people were really engaged and excited to make a difference, and much good was done in the world on Saturday!"


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World Concern fights child trafficking with annual S.O.S. 5k in Shoreline

Tuesday, May 7, 2019


World Concern’s 11th annual S.O.S. (Seek Out and Stop trafficking) 5k, 19303 Fremont Ave N Shoreline 98133, Saturday, May 11, 9am expects 1000 runners


Extreme poverty leaves many children in Southeast Asia alone and defenseless, making them primary targets for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

In Nepal, a family’s oldest daughter was lured with false promises of a well-paying job in India. Sadly, she has likely been sold into the sex industry. And now their younger daughters are in danger from the same trafficker.

World Concern works to prevent the trafficking, exploitation, and abuse of children by operating a hotline for reporting suspected cases of child endangerment, educating children and parents about the dangers of trafficking, and equipping them with job skills to earn income safely.

On Saturday, May 11, more than 1,000 people will run in World Concern’s annual S.O.S. 5k to Seek Out and Stop trafficking and raise awareness and funds to fight child trafficking.

“World Concern’s work with children is driven by the fact that the most vulnerable in our world need our protection, particularly our children,” Nick Archer, Vice President of World Concern said. 
“Millions of children remain vulnerable to trafficking due to circumstances beyond their, or even their families, control.”

The public is invited to join World Concern’s S.O.S 5k on May 11 to help put an end to this horrific crime against the world’s most vulnerable children.

For more information or to register, visit the S.O.S. 5k website



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A thousand people on the streets Saturday for the S.O.S. 5k

Saturday, May 12, 2018

2015 5k run/walk

World Concern Fights Child Trafficking with annual S.O.S. 5K Saturday morning in Hillwood neighborhood by CRISTA. 

World Concern’s 10th annual S.O.S. (Seek Out and Stop trafficking) 5K will hits the streets of Shoreline Saturday, May 12, 2018, starting at 9am from the CRISTA campus at 19303 Fremont Ave N Shoreline 98133

Extreme poverty leaves many children in Southeast Asia alone and vulnerable, making them primary targets for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

On a recent trip to Bangladesh, World Concern staff met a mother named Shajada who was devastated by her 5-year-old son’s disappearance. “I'm afraid he was taken and sold,” she said through tears. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon in countries where World Concern is working to protect children.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world. World Concern works to prevent the trafficking, exploitation, and abuse of children by operating a hotline for reporting suspected cases of child endangerment, educating children and parents about the dangers of trafficking, and equipping them with job skills to earn income safely.

On Saturday, May 12, more than 1,000 people are expected to run in World Concern’s annual 5k S.O.S. (Seek Out and Stop trafficking) to raise awareness and funds to fight child trafficking.

“Our goal is for each child to have a bright future,” says Selina Prem Kumar, Sri Lanka country director for World Concern. “They are the only hope for the future.”


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Backpage shutdown closes avenue used to support human trafficking

Saturday, April 7, 2018

Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Metropolitan King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles said Friday’s action by the federal government to block the classified advertising website Backpage.com is a positive step toward shutting down a site that has grown rich through sexual exploitation of adults and children.

“This has been a battle that has stretched over two decades,” said Kohl-Welles. “From Olympia to King County, I have worked in collaboration with government agencies and human service organizations to help end this heinous practice that has shattered lives.”

The federal government has alleged that Backpage.com has been a site that has been used by human traffickers to sell adults and children into prostitution. Backpage’s offices have been raided and their website is in the process of being shut down.

Kohl-Welles has helped lead the effort to reduce human trafficking in Washington state, which is a hotspot for labor trafficking due, in part, to its many ports and its diverse business landscape.

In 2002, Washington was the first state to establish a Task Force Against the Trafficking of Persons and in 2003 adopted legislation sponsored by Rep. Velma Veloria to criminalize human trafficking. In 2015, the task force has been renewed and expanded. Kohl-Welles also sponsored two pieces of legislation that focused on exploitation sites such as Backpage.com:

  • SB 6251 created a new crime, making it illegal to knowingly publish an escort ad online or in print that involves a minor— the first law specifically directed at Backpage. Backpage sued and a federal judge ruled it violated the 1996 federal communications decency act. Last year, the Washington state Supreme Court ruled in favor of plaintiffs’ right to sue Backpage.
  • SB 5488 imposes a $5,000 fine on top of existing penalties for using online ads to facilitate the commercial sexual abuse of a minor.
  • Senate Joint Memorial (SJM) 8003 requests that Congress amend the federal Communication Decency Act enacted in 1996 in order to reflect changes in the scope and role of the internet, and the publisher-like role of companies, such as backpage.com, which facilitate child sex trafficking by allowing their online platforms to run adult escort services ads without age verification of those depicted in the ads.

King County has been a leader in the effort to end human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in King County work closely with the Washington Anti-Trafficking Network (WARN), a coalition of non-governmental organizations that provides direct services to survivors of human trafficking in Washington state, assisting them on their path to restoration and recovery.

Councilmember Kohl-Welles represents the 4th District on the Council Council which is Seattle west of I-5 from Shoreline to Madison Street. She was formerly a member of the state legislature from Seattle.



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FBI Operation Cross-Country recovers five Washington children from sexual exploitation

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

This past week, three Child Exploitation Task Forces (CETFs) in Washington State, along with other local partners, recovered five juveniles and contacted 67 adults being exploited through prostitution. Some of the adults had been forced into prostitution as juveniles. The local operations were part of Operation Cross Country X (OCC10).

In Washington State, the CETFs arrested 14 subjects suspected of commercially exploiting children and/or adults, and related crimes.

Interviews with subjects and adults engaged in prostitution provided significant leads toward identifying other juveniles that are being exploited through prostitution. The CETFs recovered drugs and several vehicles during the operations.

Operations took place October 13-15, 2016. Operations occurred in Airway Heights, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Lakewood, Pasco, Spokane, Tukwila, and throughout King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties.

Victims and the pimps travel throughout eastern and western Washington to work and do not necessarily reside in the area where they were located this week.

The multi-agency CETFs, working with additional partnering agencies, made contact with young women involved in prostitution through the use of undercover agents and detectives and by canvassing areas where street prostitution is known to occur.

All the victims were offered referrals to and information on a variety of services within the community, such as job training, housing, counseling, and medical and education assistance. Immediate medical and safety needs were addressed.

This is the 10th iteration of the FBI-led initiative that took place across the United States and, for the first time, also took place in several countries around the world. Law enforcement partners from Cambodia, Canada, the Philippines, and Thailand held operations in their respective countries.

The annual OCC operation is one element of an ongoing strategy to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). CETFs in Washington conduct investigations and operations throughout the state, year-round. A challenging element of this criminal activity, though, is that pimps and their victims often travel throughout the nation to engage in prostitution and do not necessarily reside in the area where they are located by authorities. By focusing efforts nation-wide during a specified period of time, the FBI and its partners are able to cast a broad net for a better opportunity to identify, locate, and recover victims before they are moved to another area. Additionally, gathering intelligence from nearly simultaneous operations helps CETFs further understand this crime.

The FBI Seattle Division works with law enforcement partners on three dedicated Child CETFs
in Washington State, based in Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma.

The North-Central Sound CETF is a partnership between the FBI, the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Mt. Vernon, Port of Seattle, SeaTac, Seattle, and Tukwila police departments.



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Trauma survivor gives back by working with sexual trafficking survivors in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Back in Shoreline, Amber poses in front of the
James Alan Salon where she works
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

By Gabrielle Yetter

When Amber LeMaster was hired as a stylist by Shoreline’s James Alan Salon and Spa in 2011, she felt there was something bigger in store for her.

Less than three years later, she was on a flight to Cambodia where she spent six weeks volunteering with survivors of abuse at the Kate Korpi Salon and Training Academy in Phnom Penh.

Amber with Matthew Fairfax at the
Kate Korpi Salon in Phnom Penh

The Cambodian salon is the brainchild of Matthew Fairfax, owner of James Alan, who created the Justice and Soul Foundation that provides training, expertise, and restoration to young women and men rescued from sex trafficking and abusive situations. It opened in 2014 and Amber was one of the first educators to volunteer her services.

“When I started work at James Alan, Justice and Soul was just getting started and I knew instantly that this was my calling,” said Amber. “I’d always known I wanted to do some sort of community service around humanism so this was perfect.”

In preparation, Amber created a GoFundMe campaign to raise the capital for her journey and was given vacation time and funds from her colleagues who absorbed her clientele for the time she was away.

“It also really itched my travel bug,” she said. “It’s very rare that your boss lets you go traveling for six weeks and it provided me with an opportunity I’d never otherwise have had. I didn’t really know what to expect but I knew I was in for an awesome experience.”

Amber at the Kate Korpi Salon in Cambodia

Amber’s role at the salon consisted of training young Cambodians in hair design as well as working as a stylist doing cuts and color for the salon’s clientele.

“I met the students when I came straight from the airport with Matthew,” she said. “When I walked in, the energy was upbeat and bright and I saw four smiling faces come at me from all sides of the salon. They were so warm and inviting and curious and I was so excited so we all jumped around a little and had fun together.

“As a survivor of trauma myself, I believe there is a link between humanism and teaching and that education is one of the ways you can be restored and come through it all. I celebrated my 29th birthday in Cambodia, participated in a spiritual ceremony at the Phnom Penh riverside where nobody spoke English, received a blessing from monks in Siem Reap and watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat. Wherever I went, I felt safe and everything was easier than I’d expected.

Thank you notes from the students are on display in the
James Alan Salon and Spa in Shoreline

“Getting to know the students was so humbling and enriching. They became like family and it's awesome to know I contributed to giving these survivors a new path. Phnom Penh became like a second home to me and I made friends I will have for life. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and I can’t wait to go back.”


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1600 Runners/Walkers will help stop human trafficking at 8th annual "Free Them 5k" May 7

Friday, April 8, 2016

1600 runners and walkers will participate
in the Free Them 5k on the streets of Shoreline

On Saturday, May 7, 2016, more than 1,600 people in our community will take a stand and help stop global human trafficking. Local people will have a global impact, doing their part to stop human trafficking and protect the most vulnerable.

The World Concern Free Them 5k, now in its 8th year, has raised more than half a million dollars in its history and ensured the protection of tens of thousands of vulnerable children and women living in the world’s poorest places.

Walkers / runners will start at 19303 Fremont Ave N, Shoreline 98133 on Saturday, May 7 at 9am.


Participants also increase awareness about human trafficking by running or walking a 5k route through Shoreline, starting at World Concern’s headquarters on the CRISTA Ministries campus.

Every year runners, walkers, families and friends join together to make a real impact — helping end a horrific crime that enslaves more than 35 million people around the world. Children, women, and men are often lured with promises of jobs or opportunities, only to be trapped into forced labor, prostitution, or modern-day slavery.

Donations to the Free Them 5k go toward educating the poorest and most vulnerable people, and increasing families’ opportunities to thrive. Join us!



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Forum on Human Trafficking at Ronald UMC

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Ronald United Methodist Church, 17839 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, will host the Faith Action Network Forum, Human Trafficking and Free Trade Agreements, Monday, September 28, 6:30-8:30pm.

Presenters include Velma Veloria, of FAN, and Gillian Locascio, of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition.

The public is invited to attend.



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5th Annual World Concern “Free Them” 5k/10k Helps Protect Women / Children from Trafficking

Saturday, April 13, 2013



Human trafficking is estimated to be the third largest criminal activity in the world, and more than 80% of trafficking victims are women and young girls. World Concern works to protect those vulnerable to modern-day slavery, sexual exploitation, and abuse in some of the poorest places in Southeast Asia and around the world.

The 5th Annual “Free Them” 5k/10k to help stop human trafficking will take place in Shoreline, on Saturday, May 11, 2013. The event helps raise awareness and funds for World Concern’s anti trafficking programs.

Last year’s event drew nearly 2,000 participants to World Concern’s headquarters, the 55-acre CRISTA Ministries campus in Shoreline. The event also raised $142,000 to help protect women and innocent children from becoming victims—children like Tong:

When we met 12-year-old Tong, she had not been to school for two years and was working on her parents’ rice farm in rural Laos, near the Thai border. Her family of 9 is often hungry. Tong was considering going to Thailand to find work. 
“I heard from friends that it is easy to earn income (in Thailand). I would like to try. Even just a little pay for any work, I will accept,” she said eagerly. 
Thankfully, Tong was offered job skills training through World Concern in her village. She learned to sew, and is now able to earn enough income selling traditional Lao skirts to help support her family. And, since she’ll no longer have to work in the rice fields, she can go back to school.

World Concern helps protect children like Tong with trafficking awareness programs, job skills training, and education. Parents and families are given opportunities to earn income, so their children are not at risk of being “sold” in order for younger siblings to survive. Long-term solutions like this help protect entire communities.

“Free Them” 5k/10k participants can raise funds to help this important cause, and many are enthusiastically sharing their fundraising pages through social media. Kirkland resident Mark LeMaster has already raised $4,536 from friends, family members, and coworkers.

“It was a great experience last year,” said LeMaster, who signed up just a week before the 2012 race after hearing about it on the radio. “I thought, I’m in for next year.” LeMaster has shared his fundraising page with anyone he can think of, and has been surprised at people’s willingness to get involved and donate. On his page he explains his reason for doing this, “(World Concern) is awesome and helps protect people from human trafficking, sexual exploitation (often young girls), and sexual slavery. These people are trafficked through threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power … They are trapped. This charity helps free them.”

Anyone interested in participating in the “Free Them” 5k/10k can register online

World Concern is a Christian global relief and development organization. With our supporters, our faith compels us to extend life-saving help and opportunity to people facing the most profound human challenges of extreme poverty. At World Concern, the solutions we offer, the work we do, creates lasting, sustainable change. Lasting change that provides lasting hope. Our areas of expertise include disaster response, clean water, education, food security, child protection, microfinance and health. World Concern is a member of the CRISTA family of ministries, which serve people around the world in the areas of education, global relief and development, youth camps, senior care and media.

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"Free Them" 5k Run/Walk to help stop human trafficking - May 11

Friday, February 15, 2013


Runners get ready at the 2012 Free Them event
Photo courtesy World Concern

The 5th annual "Free Them" 5k Fun Run/Walk to fight human trafficking returns on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at 9:30am, at the Shoreline headquarters of humanitarian relief organization World Concern, 19303 Fremont Ave N, Shoreline 98133. map 

Last year's event drew nearly 2,000 participants and raised $143,000 to protect women and children from trafficking.


The event is a fun, tangible way to take a stand against one of the most horrific crimes of our generation. The "Free Them" 5k raises awareness and funds for World Concern's anti-trafficking programs, which help protect the poor and vulnerable, providing opportunities for education and to earn income safely.

Start Fundraising: As part of this event, you can create a personal fundraising page and raise money for the cause.


See the webpage for registration and information, or email World Concern.


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Program and Dinner to benefit The Bridge Program for sexually exploited minors

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sunday, Oct 21, 5pm, Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church, 8109 224th St SW, Edmonds 98026, 425-778-0373


Advocates for Women of Edmonds UU Church will hold a dinner to benefit The Bridge Program, Washington’s residential treatment program for sexually exploited minors. 

Approximately 500 minors per year are trafficked on an Everett-to-Tacoma circuit. The Bridge provides comprehensive help for up to 20 trafficking victims (14–17 years old) in a safe, welcoming six-bed facility. 

Leslie Briner of The Bridge Program/YouthCare will speak on this alarming crime against children. 

Dinner (pasta for meat-eaters, vegetarians, and gluten-freers) will be served following the program (5–7 pm). Free-will donations for The Bridge gratefully accepted. Email for more information




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Speaker from youth program The Bridge at RBCC Wednesday

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Richmond Beach Congregational Church, UCC is sponsoring a series of discussions on three different social issues – homelessness, immigration, and trafficking.

Adult Faith Formation and Peace and Justice committees are working together to present these sessions. The public is welcome.

The series is on Wednesdays evenings from 7-8:30pm. The church address is 1512 NW 195th, Shoreline 98177.

On March 21 the speaker is Peter F. Qualliotine, the Commercial Sexual Exploitation training coordinator for YouthCare's Bridge program in Seattle.

The Bridge is the only program in the Pacific NW providing dedicated residential services (including emergency shelter and long term housing), intensive case management, counseling and specially tailored education to minors who have experienced sexual exploitation. 

The program was established through a historic partnership led by the City of Seattle and including municipal and county authorities, health professinals and other service providers, foundations and private donors.



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Human trafficking speaker at RBCC Wednesday

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Richmond Beach Congregational Church, UCC is sponsoring a series of discussions on three different social issues – homelessness, immigration, and trafficking.

Adult Faith Formation and Peace and Justice committees are working together to present these sessions. The public is welcome.

The series is on Wednesdays evenings from 7-8:30pm. The church address is 1512 NW 195th, Shoreline 98177.

On March 14, the speaker is Marie Hoffman from Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN). Marie will be talking about local issues around labor trafficking and the work that WARN is doing.



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Homelessness, human trafficking, undocumented workers on schedule for Lenten series at Richmond Beach Congregational Church

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Presentations on homelessness, human trafficking and the rights of undocumented workers are scheduled for a Lenten series Feb 29 through March 28, 2012 at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church.

The events are scheduled for 7 pm Wednesdays in the Lena Vories suite at the Church at the corner of Northwest Richmond Beach Road and 15th Avenue Northwest. Each presentation will last 60 to 90 minutes.

The first two events are titled “Homelessness 101,” with a presentation Feb. 29 from a representative of the Real Change organization and the March 7 presentation by representatives of Hopelink and Mary’s Place.

The next two events deal with human trafficking: A March 14 presentation on labor trafficking and a March 21 presentation on sex trafficking of local minor children.

The final event, March 28, is called “Human rights of undocumented workers.”

For more information, contact the church office at 206-542-7477.



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Slavery in Contemporary America speaker at RB Congregational Church, Wednesday, November 10

Sunday, November 7, 2010

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1000 runners take a stand against human trafficking

Saturday, May 1, 2010

By Derek Sciba | World Concern Marketing Manager

Women and children who are sold into slavery struggle to be noticed or heard. But about 1,000 Seattle runners listened on Saturday. They took a stand by participating in World Concern's "Free Them" 5k run and walk, held at the CRISTA campus in Shoreline.

The 5k run raised about $80,000 to protect children in high-risk situations. More than 1 million people are trafficked every year.

"People are trafficked at the intersection of poverty and greed," said World Concern donor relations director Jacinta Tegman. "The runners out here today are making a statement and they are making a difference."


Christian humanitarian organization World Concern works to protect vulnerable women and children from being trafficked in SE Asia. Its programs include safety training within villages, job development, and care for those who have been victimized.

Police officer Rickie Anders ran in the 5k and knows that prosecution for trafficking is rare, especially in the developing world.

"It's just a crime and people need to be talking about it," says Anders. "People have always put a price tag on other people, and it just has to stop."

Women and children who are trafficked are treated as property, sold for a price, and used as laborers or sex workers. Often the victims of trafficking are children who are seeking a better life in another country. Traffickers will promise women and children that good jobs await, but in the end, the victims find that the promises were all lies.

Every year, World Concern helps lift people out of poverty through activities including microfinance, agriculture, disaster response and small business development. World Concern works with the poor in 24 countries, with the goal of transforming the lives of those we touch, leading them on a path to self-sustainability.

Worldwide, World Concern offers life, opportunity and hope to more than six million people. World Concern is part of the CRISTA family of ministries.

Learn more at the website.
Photos by Derek Sciba

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