Silence Is Complicity: Human Sex Trafficking In Delaware and How I-95, Craigslist, Backpage & Kik Make It Thrive

Human Sex Trafficking

Human Sex Trafficking.  It is real.  It is happening now.  And it is in Delaware.  It could be in your neighborhood.  It could be a student in a school.  In some circumstances, it could be your own child.

There are few things more gut-wrenching than a child being sold into slavery to perform sex acts.  Even more horrifying is that it is happening now, in real-time, in our state.  How does this happen?  It happens in various ways, but the truest injustice is how Delaware laws are not strong enough to prevent it.  The victims of these crimes, often American children, are treated like social pariahs.

IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE

But it does.  Every single day.  To date, since legislation specifically dealing with Human Trafficking passed in the Delaware General Assembly, there has been one prosecution in Delaware.  One.  In Maryland, there have been over 140 in the last year alone.  Does that mean it doesn’t happen here?  Far from it.  It means our law enforcement, attorneys, legislators, and state government do not have the knowledge and training to truly tackle the issue.  There are many reasons why they don’t, but the simple fact exists that there are human beings sold into sex slavery within our state right now.  It is our moral responsibility as a state to make sure this never happens again.

The top of Delaware is in the middle of what is known as the I-95 corridor.  Delaware is actually the perfect spot for pimps to take advantage of The First State with these crimes.  It is not a coincidence that Delaware has over 90 massage parlors that are suspected of human trafficking.

ZOE MINISTRIES

Yolanda Schlabach, from Greenwood, DE, has made it her mission to end human sex trafficking in Delaware.  She founded Zoe Ministries of Delaware, a non-profit whose number one priority is to bring awareness to the horrible crimes happening in our own state.  To date, she has met with over 8,500 Delawareans to bring attention to the issue.  Schlabach has traveled up and down the state, with no agenda but to help the victims and bring attention to an issue far too many of us don’t even know is happening.  She has met with resistance at all levels because it is a very uncomfortable topic and people don’t want to believe it could happen here.  If it is a documented fact that this is happening, in the 49 other states of this country, what makes Delaware think it is immune to these crimes?  If anything, we are more prone to it because of our lax laws in regards to Human Sex Trafficking.  In a News Journal article published March 24th, Schlabach said the following:

“If it is happening in all of our surrounding states, and it is happening in all 49 states, just because Delaware does not have statistics does not mean it isn’t happening,” Schlabach said. “It simply means we don’t have statistics because we don’t know how to identify it, how to prosecute it (and) we don’t know how to investigate it as a state.”

DEALING WITH THE DELAWARE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Schlabach approached the Markell administration about this issue and met with stiff resistance.  After years of advocating for these modern-day sex slaves, newly elected Governor John Carney proclaimed January, 2017 as Human Sex Trafficking Month in Delaware.  In response, House Concurrent Resolution #3, sponsored by State Rep. Paul Baumbach and State Senators Margaret Rose-Henry and Gerald Hocker, also recognized the Governor’s action.  But is that enough?  Not even close.

This is not the first legislation to address Human Sex Trafficking in Delaware.  In 2014, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 197.  Two-thirds of the Delaware Senate signed on as co-sponsors and almost 40% of the House.  This legislation, meant to strengthen Delaware state code and give stiffer penalties to those who traffic human beings whether in sex acts or forced labor, also gives the state to right to seize property owned by the sex trafficker who is found guilty of violating the law.  It also created a Human Traffic Coordinating Council.  The original intent and the implementation have been two very different things.  Today, not even three years later, the council is down to three members.  The state police are not one of those members.  This is who was supposed to be on it:

Obviously, we have a huge problem in Delaware.  The law also was meant to guarantee training for law enforcement, something which has not happened with fidelity.  Many blame this on funding, but if the state were to take advantage of property seizure, where the pimps can make up to a million a year from their victims, perhaps our current $385 million dollar budget deficit wouldn’t be as large as it is.

YOUNG LIVES, INSANE PROFIT

Last August, Schlabach was one of the guest speakers at TedX Wilmington where she gave a controversial speech called “Sex Trafficking In The U.S.: Young Lives, Insane Profit”.  As you watch the below video, note how certain pictures were NOT included in the final cut of the video.  The first picture in this article was shown in the presentation.  But it didn’t make the cut in the video.  Why?  Is it too horrible for people to see what is happening in their very own communities?

BACKPAGE, RUBMAPS, CRAIGSLIST & KIK

While Schlabach discussed how this happens in Delaware, I did some digging of my own based on her talk.  She mentioned a website called Backpage.com which solicits prostitution via massage parlors and hotel rooms.  She also talked about Rubmaps.com which is a review site which, according to her talk, clearly shows these are not health-based businesses.  But we can’t forget Craigslist and an app called Kik.  All of these help to perpetuate the disgusting and appalling continuation of child sex acts.  Many prostitute ads appear on Craigslist and Backpage and potential johns are asked to either reply to the ad, call a phone number, email them, or contact them via Kik.

Kik Messenger is predominantly a cell-phone app.  It is based out of Canada which makes it favorable to pimps because it is very difficult to get records, even with a subpoena, since they are not based out of the USA.  As well, many children and teenagers use Kik.  Pimps main goals with online websites and apps are not just to sell their victims to johns, but also to lure new victims into their web as well.  Vaulty, Snapchat, Burn Note, Line., Omegle, Tinder, Blendr., Yik Yak, and Ask.fm.  Parents of minors should be very aware of what apps are on their child’s cellphone and take appropriate action.

In a hand-out given to participants in one of Schlabach’s presentations, KiK messenger is specifically mentioned as having the following attributes:

Kids are using Reddit and other forums to place classified ads for sex by giving out their KiK usernames.  KiK does not offer any parental controls and there is no way of authenticating users, this making it easy for sexual predators to use the app to interact with minors.

Pimps love to recruit new victims.  Sex trafficked prostitutes are not always from other countries.  In fact, statistics show most are American and many are children under the age of 18.  Most are female, but males are also trafficked by pimps.  They are not always from broken homes either.  It could be any child who is susceptible to a situation where they are easily coerced.  Roughly 60% of these victims are in the foster care system.  Many are runaways.  They are the broken children of our society, those shunned by the adults who should care for them the most.

*The above pictures from Craigslist and Backpage were from TODAY, in the past half hour.  I edited out not-safe-for-work words and phone numbers provided in the ads.

WHY DON’T THESE VICTIMS RUN AWAY FROM THEIR PIMPS?

They are slaves, in every sense of the word.  Forced to perform sex acts to more than willing johns.  They have to meet quotas they must give to their pimps.  They are beaten if they disobey.  They are branded with tattoos so their pimps can find them.  According to Schlabach, other pimps will turn the victims back over to the original pimp if they see the victim has a particular brand on them.  To their pimps, they are property.  They threaten to harm or kill the victim’s families.  They blackmail them into prostitution by stating they will show videos of them having sex to their families.  In essence, they are broken down so horribly and violently, they are numb.  Many victims of sex trafficking are forced to take drugs like heroin.  They are shuffled around towns and cities and never stay in one place for too long.

The pimps aren’t the pimps you see in the movies and on tv.  The stereotype of the pimp is not the same as the reality.  Pimps can be anyone.  There are pimps who sell their own children into sex acts.  Fathers, mothers, grandparents.  It could be a co-worker, or a neighbor, or just a normal person you see walking down the street.  In Maryland, a charter school teacher was prosecuted for trafficking one of his students.  But there are three things they do: Coerce, control and force.

The victims of Human Sex Trafficking suffer from trauma most people cannot relate to.  They are physically, mentally, and sexually abused, for years on end.  As the first picture in this article shows, the average life expectancy is seven years for many of these victims.  These ARE the MOST vulnerable people in this country.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Anything.

  • Call Zoe Ministries and ask how you can help.
  • Attend the quarterly meetings of the Human Traffic Coordinating Council.
  • If you see something suspicious, contact the State Police, Local Police (if applicable), and the federal Human Trafficking Resource Center at (888) 373-7888.  I would call all three, as Schlabach suggests.
  • Spread the word.
  • Share this article with as many people as you can.
  • Share the TedX talk.
  • Contact your legislators and demand they act.  There are five different drafts of legislation dealing with Human Sex Trafficking waiting for sponsors in Legislative Hall.
  • If you are an educator, talk to your administrator about having Yolanda Schlabach come into your school to talk about this issue.  Red Clay, in conjunction with the Beau Biden Foundation and the News Journal, had a whole conference on child abuse today at Cab Calloway and Schlabach gave a two hour presentation on it so it can be done.
  • You can even flag ads on Craigslist if you feel there are minors in those ads.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Anyone reading this blog over the past three years knows this is predominantly an education blog.  But it is called Exceptional Delaware.  I believe ALL the children of Delaware are exceptional, whether they are in school or not.  I have always fought for the most vulnerable of children in our schools.  This issue is just one more on my list of things I want to see eradicated from Delaware.  I have no doubt there are kids in our schools who are sexually and physically abused daily.  I also believe there could be victims of sex trafficking in our classrooms.  This is a damn serious issue that needs to be put into the spotlight immediately, more than ever before.  It isn’t enough that our legislators and 8,500 Delawareans know about it.  We should ALL know about it.  This is OUR state.  These are OUR children.  I will be writing much more about Human Sex Trafficking.  I feel it is my moral obligation to do so.  I am just sorry I wasn’t so aware of it until recently.  This is our mission as human beings: when we see a wrong we should do everything in our power to not only address it, but attempt to get rid of it.  Only through speaking out can we bring awareness.  I haven’t even fully dove into this subject and I have no doubt I will quickly find out much more about this topic which I will share with all of you.  It is ugly, but it is real.

Red Clay Lays Down The Opt-Out Rules For Teachers!!! The Propoganda Continues Without Board Approval!!!

Parental Opt-Out of Standardized Testing

No sooner do I write an article about sources and information I receive, when I get this bomb the Red Clay Consolidated School District is sending to principals to then sending to teachers.  Can we all see this district policy Merv?  Was this policy approved by the Red Clay Board?  Below is what was sent, and the red parts are my responses…

“Principals,

Please share with staff as we have had questions from teachers.

Like “Why am I telling students they will get a zero on the assessment and the district is telling us that but they aren’t putting it in writing?”

Update on Smarter Parent Refusals (“Opt Outs”)

The district’s position on refusals (“opt outs”) has been, and continues to be, respectful of both federal and state law, as well as parent decision. 

Your board passed a resolution supporting it but you continue to try to talk parents out of it and have teachers give false information to students.  I don’t see a whole lot of “respect” there.

The district would like to thank teachers for directing parent concerns relating to state testing to the school principal. Having principals as the primary contact for refusals (“opt out”) was set in place in December and explained to administrators and test coordinators.

I’m glad you have a policy for this.  Not that it’s been followed, but good to get out there.  Was this conveyed to parents to let them know this policy? No.  Can’t have parents even thinking this is an option, can we?

March’s district eNews also explained this was district protocol, as it was intuitive for parents to address concerns with the principal. This is important so each parent’s concern can be addressed with the individual student in mind. For example, some concerns can be addressed by requesting a medical exemption, by putting certain accommodations or supports in place, or by strategizing other solutions.

Yes, get the parents in with the principal who can attempt to coerce the parent into rescinding their opt out request.  Nothing like adding pressure to a parent!  Red Clay is walking a very fine line here…

Principals are also sharing DDOE’s document Requirements to Test Students on Statewide Assessments and a district letter. If, after the discussion with principals, parents still do not want their students to test, we are honoring their requests.

You should be honoring their requests the second you receive a letter and call it a day right then and there.  This coercion tactic is not only immoral and unethical, but gives the impression you know what is best for a child more than their own parent.

Additionally, principals have been provided information to help address common misconceptions. Many people in our community are not aware that the test items were written by educators, not a testing company.

Really? Please name these educators.  Since the schools and the state pay for the test, were these educators paid for their work by UCLA or the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, and will they be given credit on the assessment?

Many people are not aware Common Core State Standards were developed at the request of the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), not federal DOE.  

We all know this, but they were not written by educators.  The educators in the initial phases of this dropped out of the design of the standards.  But the Federal DOE certainly intruded into local control numerous times with the Race To The Top and their current enforcement of their regulations and codes and their ESEA waivers.

Others were not aware of the data privacy in place.

Yeah, it’s so private teachers can’t even see the questions ahead of time or the results.  Just a number or score.  That will help the students…NOT!  And FERPA guidelines in terms of corporations receiving this data are nothing short of a joke!

Many are not aware that students will receive subtest scores, and scaled scores to measure growth over time.

Growth over time for the next grade, or for the next round of say, 3rd graders with the same teacher?  It makes absolutely no sense.  And I can’t wait to see all these scores that will measure “growth”.  It’s going to be a blogger bonanza on that day!

Others were not aware that the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is managed by UCLA, not a testing corporation. 

Yeah, cause the Federal grant money ended and they had to do that starting January 1st of this year, but the consortium has been around for about five years and those testing corporations, like American Institutes for Research, call the shots on the test.  I’ve seen many contracts and I beg to differ.

Many are not aware that Smarter assessments were piloted and field tested for two years.

And based on those results, Mark Murphy said 70% of Delaware students won’t make proficiency.  Echoed by former Director of Assessment Brian Touchette that this will go on for “a few years”.

If you have unanswered questions about the test please refer to the FAQ posted on the district DeSSA Intranet page, or speak with your principal.

Or read Exceptional Delaware or the other Delaware blogs or the many national ones like Diane Ravitch and Deutsch29 where you will get a more realistic perspective about what this test really is.

Currently under 2% of our students eligible for testing have had parents request that their students not test.

And what is the coercion percentage?  How many parents were talked out of opting their child out?

The district will notify DOE at the end of the window which of its non-participants were due to parent refusals.

But you will announce the percentages to Newsworks without hesitation to make the movement seem small.  Let’s see if you are so willing to release those numbers a year from now, after parents see the atrocious scores their children received on this year’s test!

As a reminder, teachers are to direct all parents with questions on state testing to the school principal.”

Because we know better than teachers and the Delaware DOE told us to do it like that!

Federal Bill Introduced To Cut Federal Control Over Local Education, Write Your Congress Reps in DC NOW!!!!

Federal Intrusion in Public Education

On December 2nd, Senator David Vitter, a Republican from Louisiana introduced a bill which would eliminate Federal control over local education.  As the bill states:

To prohibit the Federal Government from mandating, incentivizing, or
coercing States to adopt the Common Core State Standards or any other
    specific academic standards, instructional content, curricula,
                assessments, or programs of instruction.

To prohibit the Federal Government from mandating, incentivizing, or
coercing States to adopt the Common Core State Standards or any other
    specific academic standards, instructional content, curricula,
                assessments, or programs of instruction.

“(h) Prohibition on Requiring Certain Standards for Waivers.–
            “(1) In general.–The Secretary shall not require that a
        State, local educational agency, Indian tribe, or school adopt,
        as a prerequisite or condition for any waiver under this
        section, any specific instructional content, academic standard,
        assessment, curriculum, or program of instruction, including–
                    “(A) the Common Core State Standards developed
                under the Common Core State Standards Initiative, any
                other academic standards common to a number of States,
                or any specific statewide or nationally recognized
                content standards; or
                    “(B) any assessment, instructional content, or
                curriculum aligned to, or based on, any specific
                academic standards, including any of the standards
                described in subparagraph (A).
            “(2) Effect on previously issued waivers.–
                    “(A) In general.–Any requirement described in
                paragraph (1) that was required for a waiver provided
                to a State, local educational agency, Indian tribe, or
                school under this section before the date of enactment
                of the Local Control of Education Act shall be void and
                have no force of law.
                    “(B) Prohibited actions.–The Secretary shall
                not–
                            “(i) enforce any requirement that is void
                        pursuant to subparagraph (A); and
                            “(ii) require the State, local educational
                        agency, Indian tribe, or school to reapply for
                        a waiver, or to agree to any other conditions
                        to replace any requirements that is void
                        pursuant to subparagraph (A), until the end of
                        the period of time specified under the waiver.
                    “(C) No effect on other provisions.–Any other
                provisions or requirements of a waiver provided under
                this section before the date of enactment of the Local
                Control of Education Act that are not affected by
                subparagraph (A) shall remain in effect for the period
                of time specified under the waiver.”.

According to the Daily Signal, Vitter is quoted as saying “I’ve fought tooth and nail for local control of education and against the enormous growth of federal power under President Obama. That includes prohibiting the federal government from mandating, coercing or bribing states to adopt Common Core or its equivalent.”

Legislation Lets States Cut Ties Between Common Core and Federal Grants

The proposed legislation was read twice the very same day and immediately passed to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.  Vitter wants to add it to the spending bill being looked at by Congress.  This spending bill is something that needs to be passed immediately, so having this in the bill could be an incentive towards abolishing parts of the current education reform agenda.

I urge all of you who support this bill to contact your congress representatives in DC to support this amendment to the spending bill.

http://www.house.gov/contact/

http://www.senate.gov/reference/common/faq/How_to_contact_senators.htm

To read the full bill, please go to:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/2967/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22S.2967%22%5D%7D

DOE & Arne Duncan Accused of Breaking The Law With IDEA & Special Education by GOP Senate

US DOE

In a letter addressed to United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, GOP Senators from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Lamar Alexander, Mike Enzi, Richard Burr, Johnny Isakson, Orrin Hatch, Pat Roberts, Lisa Murkowski and Mark Kirk have accused the US DOE of breaking the law when it comes to special education determinations being based on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) testing and making changes to IDEA without legislative approval.  The letter was dated August 4th, 2014.

“The changes spelled out in your “Results-Driven Accountability” framework clearly amount to Federal influence on the standards and assessments states and school districts use to direct the educational program of students with disabilities and would give the Federal Government authority to use student proficiency as measured by the NAEP to evaluate and either reward or sanction school districts.  This is clear influence and coercion, if not direct control.  It is troubling that the Department made unilateral changes to the IDEA compliance framework without seeking legislative approval, disregarded Congressional intent, and appears to have violated the clear letter of the law.”

The Senators also said the authorizing statute for NAEP states “Any assessment authorized under this section shall not be used by an agent or agents of the Federal Government to establish, require or influence the standards, assessments, curriculum, including lesson plans, textbooks, or classroom materials, or instructional practices of States or local education agencies.”

Does this invalidate OSEP’s ruling against Delaware, Texas, California and Washington D.C.?  Special Education has now become a Federal intrusion into public school districts.  I hope this issue becomes much bigger, and can also be used as another reason why standardized testing and common core just don’t work for students with special needs.  Someone needs to hold Arne Duncan and his wild bunch over at the US DOE accountable.

Thanks to Education Week for supplying the link to the letter: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/Secretary%20Duncan%20Letter%208.4.14.pdf