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AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR, UH, COFFEE AND CONVERSATION COMMON GROUNDS.
I, I, UH, USED TO HOST ONE OF THESE TYPE OF EVENTS AT MINUTE MA PARK WHEN I WAS WITH THE ASTROS FOUNDATION, AND JUST BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER ON SPECIFIC SUBJECTS THAT REALLY IMPACT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING UP EARLY.
I, MOST IMPORTANTLY, STARBUCKS OVER THERE, THERE'S GOT YOUR COFFEE AND PASTRIES, GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY, UH, PLEASED TO HAVE THEM HERE TODAY.
WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE SIGN UP, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA LET PEOPLE, FOLKS TRICKLE IN AS THE, UH, RAIN, LIKE I SAID, HAS MAYBE IMPACTED THEIR ARRIVAL.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON IS, HAS BECOME ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST HUMAN TRAFFICKING HUBS BECAUSE OF ITS INTERNATIONAL PORTS, MAJOR HIGHWAYS, BOOMING ECONOMY AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT HAVE ALLOWED TRAFFICKERS TO BE HIDDEN LIKE A, A HIDDEN CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE AND, UH, OPERATING IN PLAIN SIGHT OFTEN.
BUT, UH, CERTAINLY I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS TACKLING THAT IN A BIG WAY, WORKING COLLECTIVELY ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY.
UM, THE, UH, I NUMBERS, I FOUND, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE MASSAGE PARLOR ILLICIT, YOU KNOW, MARKET, IT'S A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, WHICH A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IS A LOT OF MONEY.
THAT'S, AND THAT'S PROBABLY, WELL, YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY NOT AS TRACKABLE AS WE CAN IMAGINE.
BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST GONNA HAVE A CASUAL CONVERSATION THIS MORNING WITH SOME WHO, SOME THAT I THINK ARE REALLY THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
BUT, UM, BEFORE WE GO INTO CONVERSATION, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR MAYOR, MAYOR WHITMEYER, TO COME UP AND JUST SAY HELLO.
SINCE YOU GOT UP EARLY, WHAT, YOU'RE PROBABLY UP EARLY EVERY DAY THOUGH, SO THANK YOU.
I'LL BE REALLY SHORT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT CERTAINLY IN MY ADMINISTRATION WORKING WITH COUNCIL, WE HAVE ZERO, ZERO TOLERANCE FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
THANK YOU TO THE, ALL THE, UH, STAKEHOLDERS.
AND, UM, I'M JUST ASKING ALL HOUSTONIANS TO JOIN IN THIS COMBINED EFFORT.
AND, UH, LET ME JUST ASSURE WHEN WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO, TO NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE, BUT RECOGNIZE THE, UH, THE CHALLENGE AND THE DANGERS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
IT'S ACROSS OUR CITY, MEN AND WOMEN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND CERTAINLY YOUR SUPPORT AND SUPPORT OF EVERYBODY ON THE STAGE HERE AS WELL, FOR THE WORK THAT THAT YOU DO.
UM, I WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, BUT MOST OF, MOST OF OUR PANELISTS YOU MIGHT KNOW JUST BY SIGHT, CHIEF DIAZ, OUR, OUR, UH, HPD CHIEF.
HAPPY TO HAVE HIM HERE TO, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE MAYOR BROUGHT HIM ON BOARD, ALL I NEEDED TO HEAR WAS HE WAS A FORMER TEXAS RANGER AND BEING A TEXAN, I SAID, I'M SURE HE'S, HE'S THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
UM, JACQUELINE A LUDO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU RECENTLY, NO TRAFFICKING ZONE.
YOU'LL GET TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT THAT JACQUELINE DOES, BUT WHAT A, WHAT A POWERHOUSE AND AN ASSET FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR NATION.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, LISA.
ANOTHER, ANOTHER INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL, UM, LISA'S WITH THE LANDING CEO OF THE LANDING.
AGAIN, YOU, YOU'RE, YOUR EXPERTISE AND WORK IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, AREA IS JUST, UM, UNPRECEDENTED.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.
WE MET A FEW YEARS BACK WITH THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER, YOU, YOU WILL.
AND WHAT A, AGAIN, IT'S A SHAME THAT THERE'S SUCH A NEED, BUT THANK GOD THAT, THAT THERE'S A COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND THAT WE, THAT, THAT OUR COUNTY AND AND CITY HAVE, HAVE YOU HERE.
UH, BOB WILL, BOB WILLIAMS. BOB IS, UH, FROM OUTTA TOWN.
YOU'RE OUTTA TOWN OR JUST IN TEXAS.
AND BOB IS CEO OF RANCH HANDS RESCUE AND BOB'S HOUSE OF HOPE.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT OUR HARRIS COUNTY THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CHIEF JOHN NANNY WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
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APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF CRAZY.
I, I GUESS, IS I, I'VE DONE A, A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EFFORTS AND AWARENESS EDUCATION, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT AWARENESS, EDUCATION EQUALS PREVENTION.
BUT SORT OF DIVING OFF INTO THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIDE AND THE INTERSECTION OF A, A LOT OF THIS IS EVIDENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND IT KIND OF A LOT IN INTERSECTION.
IT, IT'S VERY CLEAR ONCE YOU START DOWN THE PATH OF ANY ONE OF THOSE TOPICS.
UM, SO IT, BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON, UH, CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
UM, AND I'LL JUST START OFF WITH CASUAL CONVERSATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING IS HAPPENING IN PLAIN SIGHT.
WHY ARE SO MANY CASES STILL MISSED BY SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND COMMUNITIES? CARRIE, YOU WANNA TAKE THAT? THAT'S A BIG ONE.
YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS.
UM, I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY STILL HASN'T ACCEPTED ACKNOWLEDGED THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM.
SO I THINK THAT PARENTS NEED TO TALK TO CHILDREN TO KEEP THEM SAFE, AND THEY NEED TO BE AWARE.
WE ARE USED TO THINKING IF WE SEND OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE GONNA BE SAFE, RIGHT? THAT THE OTHER ADULTS IN THE ROOM ARE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THEM.
BUT YOU NEED TO LEARN TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT SIGNS OF CHILD ABUSE, BUT IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE COMING HOME WITH AN UNACCEPTABLE GIFTS, GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE BEING GROOMED.
IF YOUR CHILDREN, UM, YOUR CHILD IS SECRETIVE ON THE PHONE, THAT MIGHT BE A SIGN.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR INTO THE SIGNS, BUT MY PERSONAL THEORY ON WHY WE'RE STILL MISSING THE SIGNS IS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE DENIAL AND WE'RE NOT EDUCATING OURSELVES.
WE'RE NOT EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
IF I CAN JUST ADD TO THAT, UM, CARRIE, I, I THINK TOO, LIKE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING AND YOUTH, A LOT OF TIMES THE KIDS DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING TRAFFICKED, RIGHT? THE GROOMING IS SO SUBTLE THAT THEY DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT'S A BOYFRIEND, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT OTHER, IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER, SOMEBODY THAT'S REALLY CLOSE TO THEM, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE, THE WORDS OR THE, THE UNDERSTANDING TO EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S TRAFFICKING.
I'D LIKE TO JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BOYS AND, UH, WE NEVER WANNA TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM GIRLS AND WOMEN, BUT IF YOU EVER LISTEN TO TIM TEBOW OR SOME OF THE OTHER EXPERTS, IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU REMEMBER IN THE NARRATIVE TO ALWAYS ADD BOYS OR SEX TRAFFICK TOO, WITH GIRLS, IT'S BOYS AND GIRLS.
AND SO, UM, TO YOUR POINT, A LOT OF THESE KIDS DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRAFFICKED.
AND WE KNOW THAT BOYS MAKE UP A SOLID 40% OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. THE DATA'S CLEAR.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE BY WORD FOR IT.
YOU'RE GONNA RESEARCH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ACT, PAT AND OTHERS, EVERY REPORT SAYS IT'S SO UNDER REPORTED THAT IT COULD BE AN EXCESS OF 50%.
THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT BOYS DON'T COME FORWARD IS BECAUSE OF FEAR.
THEY'RE GONNA BE CALLED GAY, WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS.
BUT NUMBER THREE IS NOBODY EVER ASKED ME.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO ADD BOYS TO THE NARRATIVE.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE WORKING WITH SEX TRAFFICKING TEAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE HAD THE DALLAS SEX TRAFFICKING TEAM IN LAST WEEK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE BROUGHT UP, 'CAUSE WE GOT OUR BEST INTEL FROM THE BOYS, RIGHT? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN TRAFFICKED? WHERE HAD HAPPENED? SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND WE FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF THESE KIDS THAT ARE BEING ARRESTED FOR DRUGS HAVE BEEN TRAFFICKED.
SO NOW WE'VE GOTTA WORK WITH THE DRUG TRAFFICK TRAFFICKING TEAMS, RIGHT? SO THAT THEY CAN ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, RIGHT? AND BOYS JUST NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NARRATIVE.
THAT I WAS GONNA GET TO THAT PIECE, BUT YOU GOT AHEAD OF ME, SO YOU'RE IN GOOD, YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE THERE.
UM, HOW DOES HOMELESSNESS, THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND FAMILY INSTABILITY INCREASE? UM, THE VULNERABILITY TO TRAFFICKING? I, I THINK IT PLAYS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ROLES IN THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT, IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER, RIGHT? THE HOMELESSNESS, UH, GETTING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID, A LOT OF IT IS ALSO THAT ONCE THE CHILD IS IN THAT SPACE WHERE THEY'RE BEING SEX TRAFFICKED, THEY'RE EMBARRASSED TO COMMUNICATE, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION IN THE HOME ANYMORE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
KIDS ARE WALKING INSIDE THEIR HOMES, THEY'RE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE PARENTS AT ALL.
THEY'RE ON A CELL PHONE OR THEY'RE ON A TABLET, AND NO ONE'S ACTUALLY HAVING ANY REAL FACE TIME WITH THEIR KIDS.
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SO THE CHILD IS BEING, GROOMS A GOOD WORD, BY SOMEONE ELSE, INDEPENDENT OF YOUR, UH, LOVE AND CARE INSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD.'CAUSE THEY GET 'EM ON THAT, THE, THE GIFTS, THE PATH OF THE DRUGS AND THE DRUGS AND LEADS TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY REALIZE ABOUT OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, IS THAT THERE IS A GIANT NUMBER OF FOSTER KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO, THAT NEVER HAD ANYWHERE TO GO TO BEGIN WITH.
SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO PLACE THEM.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T CALL ANYONE FOR THEM OTHER THAN MAYBE THREE OR FOUR FOSTER FAMILIES THAT THEY'VE BOUNCED AROUND AND THEY'RE ALREADY TIMED OUTTA THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
SO WE SEE THEM ON THE STREET EVERY DAY.
AND THAT LEAD, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VULNERABLE BECAUSE THEY NEED SHELTER, THEY NEED NOURISHMENT, THEY NEED, UH, SOME SORT OF CARE.
THEY NEED, UH, LOVE IN THEIR FAMILY, SOMEONE TO CARE FOR THEM.
AND OFTENTIMES A VERY UGLY MEAN PERSON IS PROVIDING THAT CARE FOR THEM.
AND IT'S JUST, UH, IT IS TRAGIC THAT THAT PERSON IS FILLING A VOID OF NECESSITY OF LOVE IN A YOUNG PERSON'S LIFE.
AND THEY JUST, THEY USE THEM UNTIL THEY, THEY USE THEM AND ABUSE 'EM, AND THEY SPIT 'EM OUT TILL THERE'S NO VALUE IN THEM ANYMORE.
AND THEN THEY'RE OUT ON THE STREET.
SO IT, IT ACTUALLY ALL, IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.
WELL BEFORE YOU, JACQUELINE, BEFORE YOU GO, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, I'M, I'M GLAD TO, I HATE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS A LOT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I TYPICALLY WILL START WITH, HAVE YOU EVER ASKED A FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD WHAT THEY WANNA BE WHEN THEY GROW UP AND THEY SAY HOMELESS? YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS, OR YOU LOOK AT ANY AGE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE A A FAIR AMOUNT OF CRITICISM AROUND HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE CITY DOING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS? WHAT AREN'T THEY DOING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS? AND, AND REALLY IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX THAN PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREET, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY WANNA BE.
SO IF ANYBODY EVER TELLS YOU THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS, THAT'S WHERE THEY WANNA BE.
'CAUSE I I'LL SET 'EM STRAIGHT ON THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A, THAT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FOSTER CHILDREN AND YEAH.
UM, SO THE DATA AND THE FACTS ARE ALSO THERE.
OVER 60% OF DOMESTIC, MINOR SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS COME FROM THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
AND THAT IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE REASONS WHY ARE, AND I'LL GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES.
WHEN COVID HAPPENED, EVEN ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUSES, YOUR KIDS IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM THAT WERE GOING TO COLLEGE, WHEN THE CAMPUSES CLOSED DOWN, THEY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY OR A FAMILY TO RETURN HOME TO, SO THEY COULDN'T GET FOOD FROM THE CAFETERIA.
SO THEY WERE BEING TRAFFICKED, EITHER SURVIVAL TRAFFICKING OR TRAFFICKING THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY COULD EAT WHILE THEY WERE BEING EXPLOITED AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS, 55% OF SURVIVORS IN TEXAS SAY THAT THEY WERE CONNECTED TO THEIR SCHOOLS FROM TRAFFICKING, WHETHER IT WAS, UM, A ANOTHER PEER ON CAMPUS, UH, A SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LISA BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
KIDS DON'T IDENTIFY AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. BUT THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT YOU NEED SCHOOLS IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TO ALSO IDENTIFY WITH THE CRIME AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T IDENTIFY THE CRIME AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY COMBAT IT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DID HB 3 50 53 AND 3 5 54, TO MAKE NO TRAFFICKING FOSTER ZONES IN, IN COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
AND ACTUALLY, MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS THE SENATOR WHO CARRIED IT AND FOUGHT FOR THAT, WAS TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
BECAUSE CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, A LOT OF TIMES, TRAFFICKERS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING THEM CONSISTENT ATTENTION.
AND SO THEY EQUATE THAT TO LOVE.
AND, AND, AND THAT REALLY, THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM MANY TIMES MIMICS HUMAN TRAFFICKING BY MOVING AROUND.
SO THESE ARE CULTURAL ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN INSTITUTIONS THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING FROM HAPPENING WITHIN THEM.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? YEAH.
UM, I, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT AND MAKES ME PROUD ABOUT BEING A HOUSTONIAN IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID REALLY WELL AS A CITY, AS A COUNTY, IS THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE TO CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING.
AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE KIDS THAT ARE BEING TRAFFICKED ARE 16, 17, RIGHT? ABOUT TO TURN 18 YEARS OLD.
AND WE SAW THAT WHEN WE WERE SETTING UP THE RESPONSE AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO TREAT KIDS, UM, THAT WERE AGING OUT OF AGING, OUT OF CARE, AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
AND SO THE RESPONSE THAT WAS DEVELOPED IS FOR KIDS UP TO THE AGE OF 24.
SO WHEN THEY'RE 18, THEY DON'T LOSE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES, THEY DON'T LOSE ACCESS TO THEIR ADVOCATES AND THE COUNSELORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE WORKING WITH THEM.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM INTO YOUNG ADULTHOOD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE LANDING IS THAT THERE IS NO AGE, RIGHT? WE, WE SERVE YOUTH AND THEN WE SERVE ADULTS AS WELL.
SO IF YOU GET TO 24, YOU GO INTO
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OUR ADULT PROGRAM.ALSO, I, I THINK THAT WHAT JACQUELINE SAID, BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD, UH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, YOU THINK OF LIKE, LIKE THE SAME VERNACULAR AS DRUG TRAFFICKING.
A BUNCH OF, UH, KILOS OF COCAINE OR SOMETHING SHOVED UNDER A BOAT.
AND THERE COULD BE SOME KIDS OR PEOPLE IN THAT SITUATION AS WELL, BUT IT'S A LOT MORE TECHNOLOGICAL THAN THAT.
THEY'RE COMING INTO YOUR HOMES NOWADAYS.
I MEAN, THE MOST SAFEST PLACE THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE AT OR YOUR CHILD'S AT SITTING IN THEIR, IN, IN THEIR ROOM OR ON THEIR SOFA WATCHING TV WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES TODAY, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE ATTACKING 'EM.
AND THAT'S WHY THE INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN SUCH A BIG DEAL AND DOING THE, THE, THE CHAT, THE CHAT, UH, OPERATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEM WHILE THEY'RE IN THEIR SAFE ZONE IN THEIR HOUSE.
BUT, UM, AS JACQUELINE SAID, IT, IT'S HARD.
PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A, A DIFFERENT VIEW OF WHAT, OF WHAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING REALLY IS.
THEY DON'T REALLY REALIZE HOW SUBTLE IT CAN BE.
AND THE PREDATORS KNOW HOW TO USE THAT, THAT SUBTLENESS TO ACTUALLY GROOM THE, THE VICTIMS AS, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S A GOOD LEAD INTO THE NEXT QUESTION.
AND I THINK YOU CAN TAKE THIS ONE.
SOCIAL MEDIA, GAMING APPS AND ENCRYPTED MESSAGES, MESSAGING ARE NOW PRIMARY GROOMING TOOLS.
ARE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, UM, ARE THEY DOING ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY AND PRE PREVENT THIS TYPE OF TRANSACTION? I DON'T THINK THEY ARE YET.
I THINK, I THINK NOW THAT IT'S COMING TO LIGHT, I THINK, UH, SOCIETY AND, AND FOLKS LIKE US ARE ACTUALLY DEMANDING THAT KIND OF OVERSIGHT.
AND SO YOU SEE SOME OF THE LARGER TECHNO TECHNOLOGY GROUPS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY RECOGNIZING IT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE ON THE MAIN PLATFORMS, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT KIND OF SNEAK IN AND THAT THESE KIDS FIND OUT ABOUT BEFORE THEY BECOME MAINSTREAM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF, THAT'S A LOT OF THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER THEY'RE TAKING.
AND IT'S SO, IT'S SO SERIOUS OF, IT'S A CRISIS, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ON THESE APPS, AND THESE APPS ARE REALLY SOPHISTICATED.
SO IF YOU HAVE A SMALL CHILD, TEENAGE CHILD AT HOME, PLEASE GET INTO THEIR PHONES BECAUSE THE, THE CALCULATOR APPLICATION ON YOUR CELL PHONES IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO HIDE THINGS.
SO THEY'LL PUNCH IN FIVE PLUS FIVE WILL GIVE 'EM ACCESS TO ANOTHER APP THAT THEY'RE HIDING FROM YOUR PARENTS.
AND THAT'S REAL BECAUSE JOHN, JOHN MADE A GOOD POINT THAT THIS IS VERY, VERY SERIOUS.
AND BY THE TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT CATCHES ON, YOUR CHILD'S ALREADY SENT AN INAPPROPRIATE PICTURE OF THEIR PRIVATE PARTS AND MAYBE GETTING SOLICITED, MAYBE GETTING EXTORTED.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY SERIOUS IN THE HOMES.
AND IT TAKES, AND THERE'S APPLICATIONS THAT YOU CAN PAY A COUPLE BUCKS A MONTH TO MONITOR YOUR CHILD'S ACCESS.
AND IF YOU, EVERYBODY LOVES THEIR KIDS AND, AND SPEND THE $5, MAYBE DON'T GET THE NETFLIX PRESCRIPTION OR SOMETHING ELSE, SPEND IT TO SAVE YOUR CHILD FROM SOMETHING THAT THEY'LL GET INTO THAT THEY'LL BE TOO EMBARRASSED TO COME BACK AND TELL YOU, HEY MOM, HEY DAD, I SENT THESE PICTURES AND I'VE BEEN PAYING, UH, DON'T FIND OUT ON YOUR CREDIT CARD STATEMENT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS LATER THAT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER IS, IS PAYING AN EXHORTER MONIES BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE INTERACTING WITH ANOTHER 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN IN FACT THEY MAY BE ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE OCEAN IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN'T ACCESS THEM.
AND WE AS POLICE AGENCIES, I DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED PEOPLE WORK IN ICAC, RIGHT? I'M TELLING, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT SOFT ON THE TRUTH.
WE SPEND EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE CAN, BUT IT'S A RESOURCE DRIVEN PROFESSION.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS ON TOP OF IT BECAUSE WE GET TIPS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
EIGHT, NINE, 10,000, 15,000 TIPS.
HOW DO 25 PEOPLE LOOK AT 'EM, RIGHT? THE NUMBERS AREN'T THERE AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, AND IT'S CONSTANT FOR US.
SO WE HAVE TO TRIAGE, GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FOCUS ON AND GET SOMETHING CHARGEABLE, AND THEN WE ACT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ACTIONABLE FOR US BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING ALL, ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND I THINK I TOLD THE COUNCILWOMAN EARLIER THAT A LOT OF IT IS OUR YOUNG BOYS, RIGHT? OUR YOUNG BOYS ARE, UH, IN THESE CELL PHONES, THEY'RE NOWADAYS EXPOSED TO PORNOGRAPHY AT 12, 13 YEARS OLD, HEAVY DUTY, HEAVY DUTY PORNOGRAPHY ON THEIR CELL PHONES.
AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR THE DAYS, UH, FORGIVE ME.
UH, I'M DATING MY, THE HUSTLER OR THE PENTHOUSE THAT'S GONE, RIGHT? SO THE EXPECTATION OF OF, OF ALL THAT IS A BIT DIFFERENT NOW.
NOW THESE YOUNG BOYS ARE IN A PROCESS WHERE THEY'RE GETTING SOME, THE,
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SOME PORN FROM OVERSEAS, AND THEN THAT'S THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY CARRY.IT'S POISONS THEIR BRAINS, RIGHT? IT, THAT'S THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY CARRY FROM, FROM THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE AS YOUNG MEN, AND I'M SPEAKING TO THE MEN, UH, FORWARD TO WHEN THEY DO GET THAT PARTNER, THE EXPECTATION ISN'T REALISTIC.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH, UH, ISSUE FOR US AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO DEAL WITH WHEN PARENTS AREN'T ENGAGED WITH THEIR KIDDOS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT THE, THE AVERAGE CHILD IN AMERICA THAT IS NOW WATCHING PORNOGRAPHY IS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND SEX EXTORTION IS OVER A 10000%.
AND THEN I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TWO 30 PROVISION, WHICH IS A FEDERAL BILL THAT IS TRYING TO HOLD BIG TECH ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I'M GONNA TIE THIS ALL IN AND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
SO WHEN CHILDREN ARE EIGHT YEARS OLD AND THEIR BRAINS ARE THEIR CHEMISTRY AND THEY'RE GROWING, UM, WHAT THEY'RE SEEING NOW IS LITTLE BOYS ARE LEARNING HOW TO TREAT LITTLE GIRLS AND LITTLE GIRLS ARE THINKING THAT STRANGULATION AND BEING BEATEN LIKE THAT, UM, IS THE NORM.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ALSO SEEING THE RISE ON CHILD ABUSE, ON CHILD ABUSE BECAUSE THEY'RE MIMICKING WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND PARENTS DON'T THINK IT WILL HAPPEN.
UM, LIKE YOU SAID ABOUT DATING, ABOUT PLAYBOY HUSTLER, WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN THESE DEVICES.
WE WOULDN'T GIVE THEM A KEY TO A CAR AT EIGHT OR 10 AND SAY, DRIVE IT.
AND BY THE WAY, WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING IT, BE RESPONSIBLE.
WE'RE GIVING THEM, UM, AN OBJECT THAT IS TRACKING THEM.
THE ALGORITHMS TRACK CHILDREN TO EXPOSE THEM.
AND BIG TECH IS VERY ACCOUNTABLE THERE.
THERE'S A FEDERAL LAW, IT'S CALLED A DECENCY ACT.
IT'S, IT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE TWO 30 PROVISION.
IT'S HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE NATION TO HOLD BIG, BIG TECH ACCOUNTABLE.
WE ALL KNOW ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, IF YOU SAY SOMETHING, YOU CAN BE FLAGGED.
BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, BIG TECH, BIG TECH ISN'T FLAGGING IT.
EACH KID GETS GOOGLE CHROMES AND SCHOOL GOOGLE'S NOW, RIGHT? IN AN EMAIL TO EACH KID.
WHEN, WHEN YOU ENTER THE AGE OF 13, YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO CONSULT WITH YOUR PARENTS.
WHY AT 13 YEARS OLD, UH, THIS ITSELF IS ALARMING BEHAVIORS.
AND SO WE NEED TO REALLY TALK ABOUT HOW HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS AN ISOLATED CRIME.
IT'S NOT A CRIME WHERE YOU ROB A BANK ONE WAY AND GO OUT THE OTHER WAY.
IT'S THE SEX EXTORTION, WHAT CHIEF TALKED ABOUT, WHERE IF I'M A BOY OR A GIRL AND I'M PLAYING A GAME AND I'M BEING BULLIED, OR IT'S JUST MY NORM TO SPEAK IN CHAT ROOMS AND I THINK I MEET ANOTHER KID MY AGE AND WE'RE FLIRTING, AND FLIRTING GOES TO THE NEXT STEP OF SENDING IMAGES.
'CAUSE THIS IS THE SOCIETY THAT WE'VE LEFT FOR OUR CHILDREN, HOW SEXTORTION HAPPENS AND BLACKMAIL HAPPENS, WHICH LEADS MORE INTO COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING.
AND IT'S AN EPIDEMIC THAT'S, THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS OUR NATION.
AND WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEMS AND CREATE LEGISLATION SO THAT WE CAN HOLD NOT JUST THE PREDATORS ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THE PLATFORMS THAT ARE ALLOWING FOR IT TO HAPPEN.
AND CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A 21 DID A VIDEO, UM, ABOUT SEXTORTION AND THEY ASKED ME WHEN THEY LAUNCHED IT, IF I SPEAK AT IT.
AND, UM, AND I WAS HONORED TO DO SO.
70% OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE TARGETED ARE BOYS.
AND SO IT'S ALL HORRIFIC, RIGHT? BUT THESE ARE KIDS THAT ARE KILLING THEMSELVES AND, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO TALK TO THEIR PARENTS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID.
ALRIGHT? SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL SAID IS JUST SO TRUE.
BUT I WANT TO ADD, AND I DON'T WANT TO KEEP ANYBODY UP AT NIGHT, BUT I WANT TO ADD THAT WHAT WE'RE STARTING NOW TO LOOK INTO WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE FBI, IS THIS INCREASED, UM, THING THAT'S HAPPENING WITH TORTURE, RIGHT? WE'RE SEEING THAT 33% OF THESE BOYS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT SPECIFICALLY TO BE HURT.
AND THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A SEXUAL COMPONENT THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PURCHASING THEM AT THE TIME FOR SEX.
THEY'RE PURCHASING 'EM AT THE TIME TO HURT THEM, TO BURN 'EM WITH CIGARETTES AND, BUT GLASS IN THEIR FEET, BREAK A BONE, WHATEVER THE CASE IS.
AND THE, UH, THE FBI, THE STUDIES THAT THEY'VE DONE MATCHES THAT DATA.
ALRIGHT? SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOT ONLY HOW DO YOU ELEVATE THE DISCUSSION WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THESE COMPLICATED ISSUES, BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, RIGHT, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, ON, IN THE, ON THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIDE, BUT HOW DO YOU ELEVATE THE ISSUE OF BOYS AND YOUNG MEN BEING SEX TRAFFICKED? AND NOW ON TOP OF THIS, YOU HAVE THE TORTURE PIECE AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT IN GIRLS.
ALRIGHT? IT'S AT A VERY HIGH RATE WITH BOYS.
KERRY, I'M GONNA GIVE THIS ONE TO YOU,
UM, YOU KNOW, MANY VICTIMS ARE, ARE MANIPULATED RATHER THAN PHYSICALLY FORCED.
SO HOW DO TRAFFICKERS PSYCHOLOGICALLY CONTROL CHILDREN AND TEENS? LIKE WHAT,
[00:25:01]
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO IT GOES BACK TO THE GROOMING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.AND GR WHAT GROOMING REALLY MEANS IS GETTING THAT PERSON'S TRUST.
SO A TRAFFICKER WILL GAIN THAT CHILD'S TRUST BY FINDING SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH THEM.
UM, BACK TO THE ONLINE EXAMPLE, LIKE IN THE CHAT ROOM OR A VIDEO GAME, LIKE, MAN, MY MOM IS SO MEAN, SHE MAKES ME GO TO BED AT NINE.
YOU KNOW, THEY START BONDING, FINDING THINGS IN COMMON.
AND AGAIN, THEY THINK IT'S ANOTHER PEER LATER ON THEY FIND IT'S NOT.
UM, IT CAN LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, GROOMERS WILL ALSO GROOM THE ADULTS TOO.
LIKE THEY WILL PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT LETS, OH, I'LL GIVE YOUR CHILD A RIDE HOME TODAY.
SO IT, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THAT GAINING THE TRUST, FINDING SOMETHING IN COMMON, AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET TO A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO MANIPULATE THAT CHILD.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR OF MORE EXTREME EXAMPLES ONCE A CHILD IS VICTIMIZED, DON'T TELL.
SO MANY OF OUR OUTCRY ARE A YEAR LATER, MANY YEARS LATER, OR THEY DON'T TELL AT ALL BECAUSE THAT, THAT PERPETRATOR HAS THREATENED THEM.
IF YOU TELL, I'M GONNA KILL THE FAMILY DOG.
I'M GONNA KILL YOUR WHOLE FAMILY.
YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TELL EVERYBODY AT SCHOOL, I'M GONNA SEND THEM ALL THESE PICTURES AND EVERYBODY'S GONNA KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
SO THEY MANIPULATE, THEY'RE BULLIES, THEY'RE BULLIES, AND THEY MANIPULATE AND THEY, BUT THEY START BY GAINING THAT TRUST.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST ADD THIS POINT.
IT IT IS A VALIDATION COMPONENT.
SO WHEN THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THESE KIDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IF YOU'RE NOT TELLING YOUR KIDDO AT HOME THAT YOU LOVE THEM, 'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T HEAR THAT WORD IN THEIR LIVES ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
THEY'LL, IT'LL BE ONE PERSON WITH 25 CELL PHONES AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY POST, EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO, THEY LIKE IT, THEY LIKE IT.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S IN YOUR BRAIN.
WELL, THIS GUY, REALLY, ALL HIS FRIENDS LIKE ME, I DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS AT SCHOOL BECAUSE I'M KIND OF ODD.
I'M KIND OF AWKWARD, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BRACES, I WEAR GLASSES, MY HAIR'S CURLY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT THAT PERSON THAT'S MANIPULATING ON THE CELL PHONE ON THE OTHER END HAS GOT ALL THOSE CELL PHONES, THE BOT FARMS TELLING THAT KID, YOU'RE WONDERFUL, YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL.
AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING THAT AT HOME.
SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO FOCUS, ALWAYS LOOK INSIDE US FIRST TO FIX OURSELVES BEFORE WE TRY TO FIX EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WE JUST CAN'T LET THE KIDS, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE HAS GONE TO A RESTAURANT AND SEEING KIDS ON A TABLET AND NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR PARENTS.
IT, IT, IT'S A TOUGH DECISION, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT NOW BEFORE THE KIDS GET TO OUT THERE WHERE YOU'RE, BY THE TIME YOUR DAUGHTER OR SON'S, 15-YEAR-OLD, 15 YEARS OLD, YOU GOTTA PUT A MOUTHPIECE IN AND BOXING GLOVES 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA LISTEN BECAUSE THEY'RE SO MANIPULATED BY SOMEONE ELSE.
SO THAT'S, IT'S JUST A TOUGH, IT'S TOUGH ALL AROUND WITH ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF I CAN, I'M SORRY, ADD ONE LITTLE COMPONENT.
UM, WE HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF, OF HAVING ICAC HOUSED WITH US AT THE CHILDREN'S ASSESSMENT CENTER.
SO HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND, UM, THEY, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DO IS PRETEND THAT THEY'RE CHILDREN AND CHAT WITH PERPETRATORS ONLINE.
AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY TALK FOR MONTHS, THEY LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE AND THEY TALK FOR MONTHS BEFORE THAT BAD GUY WILL STEP UP AND BE COMFORTABLE.
I'M GONNA ADD TO, UM, I SPENT A LOT OF YEARS INTERVIEWING CHILDREN, UM, IN HARRIS COUNTY AND 50 SOMETHING PERCENT OF THEM.
NEVER TELL ABOUT THEIR ABUSE UNTIL THEY'RE ADULTS.
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE LEARNING THAT ALL OF THESE FOLKS.
AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH HOW WE TEACH AND HOW WE EDUCATE AND HOW WE TALK ABOUT ABUSE AND GIVING OUR KIDS PERMISSION TO TELL.
BECAUSE MOST OF THEM THAT DON'T TELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF A THREAT.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN BULLIED OR THEY HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED, BUT MOST OF THEM BLAME THEMSELVES AND THEY KEEP IT INSIDE.
RIGHT? AND SO WE'VE GOTTA GIVE OUR KIDS PERMISSION TO TALK TO US.
WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA TEACH THEM, WE'VE GOTTA EDUCATE THEM.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR ALL OF US.
THEY, I JUST WANT TO ADD TOO, IF I MAY, YOU KNOW, PREDATORS ARE PATIENT, ALL RIGHT? IN THE GROOMING PROCESS, THEY'RE VERY PATIENT AND PREDATORS WILL INFILTRATE ANYWHERE THERE'S CHILDREN.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALL MINDFUL OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU TURN THE NEWS ON TODAY AND THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER TEACHER, ANOTHER COACH, ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT DEALT WITH CHILDREN THAT'S BEEN ARRESTED.
AND SO, UM, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S TYPICALLY CP INVOLVED, RIGHT? SO, UM, WE'VE JUST GOT TO BE ABLE TO, AS YOU SAY, TALK TO OUR KIDS, ALL RIGHT? AND, AND HAVE THEM BE ABLE TO TALK TO US.
[00:30:01]
UM, BEFORE THE GROOMING PROCESS, UM, WHAT KIDS REALLY NEED TO LEARN IS BOUNDARIES.UH, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, LIKE MY MOM AND DAD NEVER SAID, THEY ALWAYS TOLD ME TO BE POLITE, BE POLITE, BE POLITE.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO HUG YOU, SIT ON THEIR LAP.
AND NOW WITH CELL PHONES AND EVERYTHING, BOUNDARIES ARE SO BLURRED, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS START EXTREMELY YOUNG AND LET CHILDREN KNOW ABOUT BOUNDARIES.
THAT WAY WHEN SOMEONE'S CROSSING THEM AND BLURRING THEM, THEY CAN IDENTIFY EVEN WHAT GROOMING LOOKS LIKE.
THEY CAN IDENTIFY WHAT SEXUAL ABUSE LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR BOUNDARIES AND THEY DON'T KNOW, AND THEY'RE NOT CONFIDENT TO SAY YES OR NO, THEN IT'S GONNA BE VERY EASY TO BE GROOMED.
BECAUSE THE WHOLE GROOMING PROCESS IS TO CHANGE YOUR COMPLETE IDENTITY AND MORPH IT INTO THE TRAFFICKERS AND THE PREDATOR SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE YOU WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO BE.
SO YOU NO LONGER RECOGNIZE YOURSELF AND CONNECT TO YOUR NETWORK OF PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU, LIKE YOUR FAMILY.
THAT'S WHY TRAUMA BONDING IS SO POWERFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, YOU BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
WHEN YOU IN A RESTAURANT AND YOU, YOU SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, A FAMILY OF FOUR AND ALL FOUR OF THEM ARE ON DIFFERENT DEVICES, I WANNA GET UP AND SAY, ARE Y'ALL TEXTING EACH OTHER? OR WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE PARENTS ARE SO ENTRENCHED IN THEIR PHONES AND THOSE CHILDREN ARE ON TABLETS AND PHONES AND SMALL CHILDREN.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I, I THINK IF, IF THERE'S ONE MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, YOUNG PARENTS ESPECIALLY NEED TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT'S IN THAT PHONE, IN THAT TABLET.
IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN, IN WAYS THAT I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
I MEAN, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CALCULATOR, I MEAN A CALCULATOR OF TWO PLUS TWO FOR ME, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT YOU KNOW, TO, TO THINK THAT THAT'S A KEY TO UNLOCK SOMETHING HIDDEN.
WHO THINKS OF THIS? YOU KNOW, IF THESE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS WOULD PUT THEIR BRAINS TO GOOD USE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I DON'T LIKE BEING SURVEILLED.
I DON'T, BUT IF YOU HAVE A CREDIT CARD, IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE BEING SURVEILLED.
I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU GO, YOU TURN IT OFF, THEY CAN STILL FOLLOW YOU.
IT'S LISTENING TO YOU UNLESS YOU TURN IT OFF.
SO UNDERSTAND THAT AS SOON AS THESE SMARTPHONES GOT INTO OUR, INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, WE'RE BEING SURVEILLED.
IF YOU MAKE A PURCHASE AT, UH, JC PENNEY'S, THE COMPANY SELLS THAT INFORMATION.
AND THEN THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CELL PHONE NOW YOU CAN BE TALKING ABOUT A TOYOTA CAMRY WITH YOUR SPOUSE OR YOUR, OR YOUR SON.
THEN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MINUTES YOU GET PICTURES OF TOYOTA CAMRYS ON YOUR CELL PHONE, RIGHT.
THAT HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY HERE.
SO IT'S THE SAME THING FOR THE KIDS.
IF I MAKE A COMMENT AND, AND THE VIDEO THEY, WHEN YOU SAID EIGHT YEARS OLD, THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE THERE'S ROADBLOCKS, THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW MAYOR WHITMEYER WAS VERY SPECIFIC.
LEGISLATION, CONGRESSIONAL ACTION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AND IT HAS TO HURT 'EM IN THEIR POCKETBOOKS.
JUST CALLING THEM OUT AND THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING.
IF, IF IT IS A RESOURCE WHERE THE, THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE CREATING THESE APPLICATIONS ON THE PHONE, IT ACTUALLY HURTS THEM FINANCIALLY.
THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE APT TO HELP US IN THE, IN, IN THE FIGHT TO, TO, TO COMBAT IT.
BECAUSE I, I KNOW MOST OF THEM ARE TRILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES, BUT THEY TOO HAVE KIDS AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE ALL THEY WANT NOW IS TO MAKE, SEE HOW, HOW THEY, THEY TRACK HOW LONG YOUR KIDS ONLINE.
AND SOME KIDS ARE 15, 14 HOURS A DAY.
IT'S UNBELIEV ON, ON A WEEKEND.
IF, I MEAN, I I I'VE, I'VE, I'VE HAD THE, THE, THE PLEASURE OF HAVING AN 11 AND 10-YEAR-OLD AT HOME.
AND MY KIDS ARE THE WEIRDOS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE THEY'RE OUTSIDE MM-HMM
RIGHT? THEY'RE ON A BICYCLE, THEY'RE WALKING AROUND.
I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING THINGS OUTSIDE.
THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
THEY'RE NOT STUCK IN THE, IN, IN, ON, IN THE TV ROOM.
THEY DO GET SOME TV, SOME TABLET TIME, BUT IT'S MONITORED, IT'S TIMED.
THIS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.
THEY'RE GONNA BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS BECAUSE IT'S, IT, IT HAPPENS IN EVERY HOUSE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, UH, THE, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE TOUGH TO HAVE.
I MEAN IT'S, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE SEE AT ALL.
UH, WE SEE SOME VERY UGLY THINGS IN THIS BUSINESS, IN THE POLICE BUSINESS WITH RESPECT TO THE CHILDREN.
SOME, SOME OF THEM, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS NOW.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT'S, YOU'RE HAVING TO TRIAGE IT ONCE YOUR 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, HER, ALL HER PRIVATE PART PICTURES ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET.
HOW DOES SHE RECOVER FROM THAT? ARE YOUR PREPARED TO MOVE THEM FROM YOUR, THE JUNIOR HIGH? BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE JUNIOR HIGH, YOU KNOW, JUNIOR HIGH IS MEAN.
EVERYBODY KNOWS, OH, YOU KNOW, SUSIE OR BOBBY OR THEY, THEY HAVE THEIR STUFF ONLINE.
EVERYBODY IN THE SCHOOL KNOWS.
[00:35:01]
MAKE THE DECISION NOW ON THESE TABLETS.SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE GOTTA MOVE BECAUSE EVERY KID AT SEVENTH GRADE KNOWS MY DAUGHTER AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT ALL THESE PICTURES ARE ONLINE AND EVERYBODY HAS THEM.
IT'S HARD FOR THE KID TO RECOVER.
LEADS TO SUICIDES, LEADS TO LEADS TO DRUG ADDICTION, LEADS TO ALCOHOL ABUSE, ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND IT STARTS WITH THE PARENTS.
I TRULY BELIEVE THE PARENTS HAVE TO HELP US HELP THEM.
CHIEF, DO, DO YOU, UH, OR SHOULD BUYERS OF SEX INVOLVING MINORS FACE HARSHER, HARSHER PENALTIES, UM, COMPARABLE TO, I MEAN, COMPARABLE TO TRAFFICKERS THEMSELVES? YES.
I MEAN, IT HAS TO HAVE, THERE HAS TO BE A CONSEQUENCE EITHER WAY.
IF IF IF WE, IF WE, WE CAN'T CHOOSE EITHER ONE BECAUSE IT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THE OTHER SIDE.
IT HAS TO, THE CONSEQUENCE HAS TO BE REAL.
IT HAS TO BE, UH, SOMETHING TANGIBLE.
'CAUSE FOR US, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR VICE TALKING ABOUT YOU GETTING A LITTLE OFF TOPIC, BUT WE, WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE PIMPS AND THE JOHNS.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALMOST 35 YEARS.
20 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS AN UNDERCOVER, WE FOCUSED ON THE GIRLS, RIGHT.
TRYING TO, AND THE GIRLS, IT WAS JUST A ROTATION.
AND THEN IT NEVER FIXED ITSELF.
RIGHT? SO NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE GIRLS.
WE WATCH THE GIRLS AND WE FIGURE OUT WHO THE PIMPS ARE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ACTUALLY TAKING ACTION TO HELP THE GIRLS GET THE PIMPS OUT OF THE BUSINESS.
AND IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT JUST GIRLS, IT'S BOYS AS WELL.
SO FOR US AS AN OR AS AS, AS A PROFESSION, WE'VE HAD TO EVOLVE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME REALLY SMART PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO SEE THE DATA THE RIGHT WAY.
SO YOU GO TO DA'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW, WE MOVE, WE, WE DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE PUT UP GATES IN ONE PART OF TOWN TO STOP IT.
GUESS WHAT HAPPENS? MOVE AND MOVE.
IT GOES TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN.
UNLESS YOU FOCUS ON MAKING AN EFFORT, HOLISTICALLY AN ENTIRE PREVENTABLE PROCESS, THEN IT, IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR US TO, TO MANAGE IT.
WELL, AND YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT DISRUPTING AN A, A NETWORK, THERE ARE MANY PIECES TO, TO THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE VICTIMS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PIMPS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, UH, BIG TECH COMPANIES.
WE, I MEAN LIKE, THERE'S SO MANY PIECES TO REALLY TO, TO TACKLE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A BIG DEAL.
AND THE GIRLS, UH, THEY'RE VERY TRANSIENT.
RIGHT? SO THEY, THEY ACTUALLY TRAVEL, ACTUALLY TRAVEL FROM EVENT TO EVENT.
IF YOU HAVE A WORLD SERIES HERE, IT'S COMING HERE.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO VA IT, IT MOVES AROUND BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S, IT'S MONEY.
IT'S MONEY DRIVEN, ALWAYS MONEY, DRUGS, UH, ALL ALWAYS, THEY ALL KIND OF ALIGN TOGETHER.
I, SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER, I WON'T CALL YOU OUT, BUT THAT THIS MORNING THEY WERE REPORTING ON THE, THE NEWS THAT THE, UH, UH, THE WORLD CUP WON'T INCREASE HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I WAS LIKE, WHO, WHO TOLD YOU THAT? RIGHT? UM, YEAH.
'CAUSE UM, AS UH, DEMAND RISES, SUPPLY RISES.
SO THE SUPPLY ARE THE PEOPLE AND THE DEMAND ARE ALL THE PEOPLE COMING HERE.
AND THAT WILL BE NOT JUST FOR BUYING OF SEX, BUT THAT'LL BE FOR DRUGS TOO.
UM, AT ANY MAJOR EVENT, WHETHER IT'S, UM, A HUNTING CONFERENCE OR MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE GAME OVER INITIATIVE IN ENERGY PARK SINCE 2020.
SO OUR MODEL WAS THE FIRST TO TRACK ALL THE SEX ADS WITH SEX TOURISM.
AND YOU SEE DURING SPECIFIC PLAYOFF GAMES, NIGHT GAMES, BECAUSE LESS PEOPLE COME OUT AT NIGHT WITH THEIR, UM, CHILDREN, UH, SPECIFIC EVENTS.
NOW THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING DOESN'T HAPPEN 364 DAYS A YEAR BECAUSE IT DOES.
BUT AT MAJOR EVENTS, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN ONE AREA AND THEY WANNA HAVE FUN.
AND THERE IS A SPIKE BECAUSE THE DEMAND WILL RISE.
AND I WANNA JUST, UM, ADD ON TO WHAT THE CHIEF SAID.
SO, HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS A $526 BILLION BUSINESS.
IT BRINGS IN MORE THAN NIKE AND ALL THE NFL TEAMS COMBINED.
THE ISSUE WITH THE BUSINESS IS TRADITIONALLY IT HAS BEEN A LOW RISK, HIGH REWARD CRIME, WHICH MEANS THAT TRAFFICKERS WOULD GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST, BUT THEY COULD MAKE PER VICTIM 250 TO $500,000 A YEAR.
AND SO MORE PEOPLE STARTED DOING IT MORE AND MORE BECAUSE IT WAS SO LUCRATIVE.
OUR GOAL WITH NO TRAFFICKING ZONE AND WITH ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE, IS TO MAKE IT A HIGH RISK, LOW REWARD CRIME.
'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA DETER THE BUSINESS.
AND THAT MEANS, UM, FIRST DEGREE FELONIES, 25 TO 99 YEARS.
[00:40:01]
JAIL FOR THAT LONG.UM, THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DISRUPTING AND DISMANTLING NETWORKS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO DO IT.
AND THE, THE FACT THAT THESE NETWORKS THERE IS DRUG TRAFFICKING AND THERE IS FINANCIAL CRIME BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE MAKING AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE DIRTY MONEY CLEAN.
AND SO ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THESE NETWORKS WORK, WHETHER IT'S A ONE OFF PIMP, A FEW PIMPS, UH, DOMESTIC GANG ARE CARTELS.
THAT'S REALLY HOW YOU CAN START DISRUPTING AND DISMANTLING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SO THE, UH, ASK YOU THIS, WHAT RESPONSIBLE DO, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO HOTELS, TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS, AND MAJOR EVENTS HAVE IN IDENTIFYING THIS ACTIVITY? SURE.
UM, WELL, I'D, I'D LIKE TO SAY HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB.
NRG BECAME THE FIRST SPORTS STADIUM AND NOW THE MODEL IS BEING REPLICATED.
AND SO THEY HAVE A HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESPONSE TEAM.
THEY HAVE, UH, SIGNAGE WRITTEN BY SURVIVORS.
ALL OF THOSE PLACES THAT THERE'S GONNA BE HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN AND AROUND THEM.
ALL OF THOSE PLACES SHOULD BE NO TRAFFICKING ZONES, WHERE THEY HAVE HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESPONSE TEAMS, THEY HAVE ADS BEING MONITORED AND THEN THEY, PART OF THAT RESPONSE TEAM IS THE CAC WITH THE FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, THE LANDING WITH THE CA ADVOCATES, AND THEN WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ASSESS THE CRIMES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THOSE PLACES.
ADVOCATES CAN HELP HEAL SURVIVORS.
BUT YOU DEFINITELY NEED, UM, REACTIVE AND PROACTIVE IN ALL OF THESE PLACES AND SIGNAGE AND AWARENESS TO GO WITH IT.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
CAN I ADD ONE THING TO THAT? COUNCILWOMAN? THE, THE, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID 'CAUSE YOU'RE A ROCKSTAR.
WE, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE BOYS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE SAID IF YOU HAD A WISHLIST, WHAT WOULD IT BE? AND I SAID, WE'VE GOT TO PUT STICKERS IN EVERY RESTROOM AND EVERY BUS STATION.
Q WITH QR CODES ON WHAT, HOW TO GET HELP AND ALL OF THE STADIUMS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE IN THE LADIES' ROOMS. RIGHT.
AND WE'VE GOTTA HAVE SIGNAGE THAT DEPICTS BOYS RIGHT NOW.
UH, CLEAR CHANNEL, UH, GOD BLESS 'EM, IS DOING A 80 CITY CAMPAIGN FOR US AROUND THE WORLD CUP WITH BILLBOARDS.
YOU KNOW, THE BOYS ARE SEX TRAFFICK TOO.
AND IT'S JUST CREATING THAT AWARENESS RIGHT.
AND BRINGING THAT STUFF TO LIGHT.
CARRIE, DID YOU WANNA ADD? YEAH, JUST QUICK.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST QUICKLY THOUGH, UM, TRAINING.
YOU ASKED HOW HOTELS AND SO FORTH CAN RESPOND.
I HAVE TO, UM, APPLAUD COMMISSIONER GARCIA BECAUSE HE HAD THE CAC COME AND TRAIN ALL OF HIS PARKS EMPLOYEES.
BAD GUY BRINGS A, A YOUNG PERSON TO A PARK TO OFFER THEM TO A BUYER.
THE GUY PICKING UP THE TRASH, THE GUY DOING THE LAWN.
IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, THEY CAN CALL THAT IN.
EVEN DELIVERY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS, GROCERY STORES, WHEREVER.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN, IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS, WHETHER IT'S THE AIRPORTS, WHETHER IT'S THE STADIUMS, THE CONVENTION CENTER, PLACES WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE GATHER.
UM, WE ARE, WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS ALL DAY, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALLOW FOR A FEW QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
I'M SURE THERE'S, IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU COULD ASK QUESTIONS ALL DAY.
WE'VE GOT SOME MICS COMING AROUND.
MY NAME IS MS. BLACKWELL AND I HAVE, UM, I HAVE A COMMENT TO SHARE.
SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION, BUT IT'S A COMMENT.
LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE I LIVE, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED, UH, FOUR YEARS AGO.
ONE OF 'EM WAS A WOMAN CAME IN, SOME TYPE OF, UH, SUBURBAN.
SHE DROVE UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND A AND A RESIDENT RECOGNIZED THIS WOMAN AND HE SCREAMED OUT TO EVERYBODY AND SAID, THIS WOMAN IS TRYING TO, UH, UH, PICK UP YOUR CHILDREN.
NOBODY DON'T KNOW WHO THIS WOMAN IS.
AND HE SCREAMED AND HE WAS TRYING TO SOUND THE ALARM TO WARN EVERYBODY.
THE, THE, THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T REALLY REACT, BUT THE WOMAN GOT SCARED AND SHE WAS BACKING UP TRYING TO LEAVE.
AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS ANYBODY GONNA REACT AND CALL THE POLICE.
ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT ALSO HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO.
A MAN CAME UP ON THE PROPERTY, I THINK UNDER THE PRETENSE OF MAKING A, A MUSIC VIDEO.
AND SOMEHOW ONLY THE CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, THAT'S ALL HE WAS WANTING IN THIS SO-CALLED VIDEO.
AND I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON.
SO WHEN YOU SAID THEY'RE FINDING SOMETHING IN COMMON.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FAME, WELL, NOT, THEY WEREN'T LOOKING FOR FAME, BUT TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WAS GONNA ATTRACT PEOPLE.
SO NOW I'M GONNA LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO.
Y'ALL SEE ME WITH MY GRAY HAIR.
[00:45:01]
MY TWENTIES.I WAS APPROACHED, UH, GOING TO WALMART.
I WAS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO RUN AN ERRAND.
AND A PERSON WHO, YOU KNOW, KNEW ME FOR SOME YEARS BACK APPROACHED ME AND SAID, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I WAS LIVING IN A LOW INCOME WHATEVER.
HE SAID THAT, I WANT YOU TO WRITE A SONG.
THEY SAID, THIS IS GONNA BE THE NEXT BIG THING THAT'S GONNA GO ON THIS, THIS, WHOEVER THIS, THIS ARTIST WAS, IT WAS GONNA REALLY GO BIG.
WE WANT YOU TO WRITE THIS SONG FOR THIS PERSON.
AND I THINK THEY WANTED ME TO COLLABORATE AND ENDED UP BEING IN A VIDEO WITH THIS PERSON.
I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S EXCITING.
WELL FOUND OUT A MONTH LATER, I SAW THIS PERSON IN THE NEWS.
SEE LIKE THE STUFF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS PERSON WAS IN THE NEWS AND IT'S LIKE, OH MY GOD, I WAS GONNA WRITE A SONG FOR THAT PERSON.
I WAS GONNA END UP IN A VIDEO WITH THAT PERSON.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN Y'ALL MENTIONED ABOUT THESE HUMAN, IT'S LIKE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE WHAT THE VIDEO ACTUALLY BEEN MADE OR WHAT? I END UP GOING MISSING TRAFFIC.
SO IT FEELS LIKE AWARENESS IS, AWARENESS IS KEY.
YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF, OF SITUATIONS AND THOSE AROUND YOU.
SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW THAT SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO, I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING IS I WAS GOING TO WALMART, I WAS LOOKING FOR FAME, BUT, BUT SOMEHOW THEY WERE LOOKING AT, OH, WRITE THIS SONG FOR THIS PERSON.
IT'S GONNA GO, IT'S GOING BIG.
SO THIS LIKE, SO WHAT Y'ALL ARE MENTIONING, IT'S NOT EVEN, IT'S NOT EVEN THE CHILDREN, THIS IS EVEN, IT'S EVERY MY AGE.
YOU'RE GETTING APPROACHED AND THEY'RE GRABBING, THEY'RE GRABBING.
SOMEBODY LIKE ME TRY TO ACCEPT ME IN.
AND THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU DON'T WANNA KEEP PEOPLE UP AT NIGHT AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
WE NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE UP AT NIGHT.
WE USE THE WORD SEX TRAFFICKING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
SEX TRAFFICKING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THEY PICK UP SOMEONE AND BRING 'EM TO A DIFFERENT STATE.
WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK WE NEED TO JUST STOP USING THESE POLITE WORDS AND ACTUALLY TELLING PEOPLE WHAT HAPPENS.
BECAUSE IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE.
AND WE CAN'T JUST PUT IT BEHIND A VEIL.
SO WHAT DO WE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO EDUCATE THE POPULATION? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I HAVE, I'M PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE, BUT BOY, THERE'S ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE BOYS.
AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE BETTER EFFORTS WITH THE MEDIA BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE WHO SAW THE NEWS THIS MORNING AND I WAS SO SHOCKED WHEN THEY SAID THAT THIS ISN'T AN ISSUE OF CHILD TRAFFICKING DURING THINGS LIKE THE WORLD CUPS.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THAT REGARD? SO WHERE YOU'LL, YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME, UH, SOME MORE AWARENESS COME TO LIGHT.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, BOB MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UH, CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATION AROUND THE STATE.
YOU'LL START TO SEE IN THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS MORE OF THAT WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE, UH, AIRPORT SYSTEM, UM, HOUSTON FIRST AND THE CITY'S ASSETS.
UM, JUST LIKE YOU, YOU, YOU SEE THE SIGNAGE IN IN, IN AT UM, NRGI, I WANNA GO BACK TO RELIANT.
SO RELIANT, YOU SEE THE SIGNAGE, LIKE SIGNAGE IS THE AWARENESS AND, AND ALSO TO THE, UH, COORDINATION OF EFFORTS TO, TO NOT ONLY FOR THE AWARENESS, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT.
AND IF I COULD ADD ONE THING TO WHAT YOU SAID.
UM, THE SIGNAGE AT RELIANT STADIUM WAS WRITTEN BY SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
WE HAVE A HUMAN TRAFFICKING ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND THE REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE WHEN WE WOULD GO TO PLACES, ONE OF THE SURVIVORS THAT WE ADVOCATED FOR, SHE WOULD WRITE NOTES.
AND I SAID, DO YOU SEE THE SIGN OVER THERE? AND SHE SAID, YEAH, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS.
SO AT A RELIANT STADIUM, IT'S WRITTEN BY OVER, UM, 10 SURVIVORS, BOYS AND GIRLS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAFFICKED ALL DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO THAT IF YOU'RE CAUGHT IN THE LIFE, THOSE SIGNS WILL HELP PULL YOU OUT OF THEM.
AND WE CAN TRACK HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GETTING HELP.
HELLO, MY NAME IS, UH, GISELLE DAWSON.
AND I HAVE BEEN HEARING, UM, SEVERAL OF THE ISSUES YOU GUYS HAVE BROUGHT UP AND I WANTED TO ADD SOME INPUT IN IT.
FIRST OF ALL, HOLDING HOSPITALITY RESPONSIBLE.
UM, AND WHY THERE'S MORE TRAFFICKING DURING EVENTS.
IT MIGHT JUST BE THAT THEY'RE USING THE COVER OF THE EVENTS AS A WAY TO BOOK HOTELS BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S A HUGE EVENT, WE EXPECT HOTELS TO BE BOOKED.
NOW, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, 'CAUSE I'VE KIND GO GONE UNDERGROUND, UM, THERE ARE GROUPS LIKE MUSICIANS, SPORTS TEAMS WHO BOOK HOTEL.
[00:50:01]
AND NOT EVERYBODY WHO'S IN THE ROOM IS LISTED.NOT EVERYONE'S IDS ARE CHECKED.
SO THAT'S AN EASY WAY TO BRING A GIRL OR A BOY INTO A ROOM AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEM TRAFFICKED.
UM, HAVE THEM USED AND EXPLOITED WITHOUT THEM EVEN WAY RECORDED THAT THEY CHECKED INTO THE ROOM.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I, I FOUND OUT FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, ANOTHER ONE, UM, LEADERSHIP, I WISH HE HADN'T LEFT YET, BUT MAYBE SOMEONE CAN UPDATE HIM.
THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY FOR LEADERSHIP TO HELP TRAFFICKING.
ONE IS AWARENESS AND PANELS LIKE THIS.
ANOTHER IS FOR THEM TO BE MORE DISCRIMINATING AS TO WHO THEY'RE TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS WITH.
BECAUSE SEVERAL TIMES VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING OR SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING, NO, NOT SORRY, VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING WILL NOT COME FORWARD BECAUSE THE TRAFFICKER WILL HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM WITH THE, WITH THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE, WITH THE MAYOR, WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND SAY, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GO? YOU CAN'T REPORT IT.
THIRD, OFTEN I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS SPEAK OF, UM, PARENTS, WE KEEP SAYING, YOU KNOW, PARENTS NEED TO BE PARENTS.
LET'S FACE THE FACT 50% OF DIVORCES HAPPENED.
THEY USED TO BE SAYING, WE ARE STICKING TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS.
I THINK NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO REALIZE WHY PARENTS USED TO STICK TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS.
BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE KIDS ARE HUGE.
YOU KNOW, THE MOM GOES OFF AND REMARRIES, DAD GOES OFF AND REMARRIES WHO'S TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS.
THOSE ARE THE VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND THEY NEED TO BE NOT JUST PARENTS, DO THIS.
'CAUSE WHAT PARENTS ARE SPEAKING ABOUT ALSO IN, I DON'T MEAN TO TAKE UP SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT, UM, BUT ALSO, UM, I HAD SPOKEN TO CPS LONG AGO AND THAT SAID, WE OPENED THE FILES BY THE MOM'S NAME AT LEAST IN FORT BEND.
AND I WOULD SAY, WHY DID YOU OPEN ALL THE FILES IN MOM'S NAME? SHE'S LIKE, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD DRUG ADDICTED MOMS, YOU KNOW, WOMEN WHO ARE DOING THE SEX TYPE.
THEY WILL CLEAN UP THE ACT TO GET THE CHILDREN BACK.
BUT NOW WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COURT SYSTEM, MOTHERS ARE LOSING THE CHILDREN TO THEIR SPOUSES.
NOT, NOT IN EVERY CASE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT THAT TAKES A LOT OF THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE CARE OF PROTECTION THAT THEY HAD.
SO THERE WERE JUST SO MUCH WAYS.
CAN I ADD A COMMENT? THANK, THANK YOU FOR SURE.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRAINING AND THAT SORT OF THING, THIS IS THE START COUNCILWOMAN OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE TO REALLY BRING EDUCATION AND AWARENESS TO IT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS CHECKING INTO A HOTEL, UM, AND THE GUY CAME OUT AND HE SAID, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE, BUT I WAS DOING MY HUMAN TRAFFICKING CERTIFICATION.
WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT BOYS, BOYS? NO, NOTHING.
SEE THE TRAINING'S ALL GENDER NEUTRAL.
SO WE EVEN WORKED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WENT IN AND THEY INVITED LAND AND OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING AND INTRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN TRAINING AND EVEN THE FIELD TRAINING.
AND WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
THIS IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN WITH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
WELL THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD START TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE A LITTLE BIT.
'CAUSE AS YOU CERTAINLY KNOW, THAT'S LACKING.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT A, A FEW PEOPLE IN, IN THE AUDIENCE HAD REALLY HADN'T GIVEN THAT.
ANY THOUGHT QUESTIONS OUT? ONE OVER HERE, FIRST OF ALL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
THIS IS SUCH A PIVOTAL PART IN, EVEN IF YOU TOUCH ONE PERSON AND MAKE AWARENESS TO ONE PERSON, IT CAN SPREAD.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS ACTUALLY PONDERING WAS HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC? I DON'T WATCH A TON OF THE NEWS.
BUT WHAT I WAS PONDERING IS I HAVE, UM, AN AIRPORT BADGE EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO RENEW THAT BADGE.
I AM REQUIRED TO WATCH A HUMAN TRAFFICKING EDUCATION VIDEO.
UM, IT'S THE SAME VIDEO, BUT IT'S SO IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE THAT THIS STICKS IN MY MIND EVERY SINGLE TIME I GO TO THE AIRPORT.
I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT AT SOME HOTELS.
UM, BUT ANY OF THESE PLACES THAT WERE ANNOUNCED, I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A LONG VIDEO.
BUT IF WE REQUIRE THE EMPLOYEES TO DO THIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO RENEW THEIR INSTRUCTION, IT HELPS AND THEN THEY BRING IT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS CONSIDERING ALSO IS CHURCHES AT CHURCH, WE DON'T WANNA BELIEVE THAT THESE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE WORLD.
WE GO TO CHURCH TO FIND PEACE AND TO HAVE THAT COMFORT.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY VALUABLE TO BE ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AND SHARE THIS KNOWLEDGE WITH PARENTS, UM, ON A REGULAR BASIS AT DIFFERENT CHURCHES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT I APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER FOR
[00:55:01]
DOING THIS.THIS HAS BEEN EYEOPENING AND I THOUGHT I KNEW A LOT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
HEAR ABOUT, CAN Y'ALL GET THE MIC? OH NO, GO AHEAD.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION THAT I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED.
IT'S, IT MAKES IT A FEDERAL FELONY TO DO ANY SORT OF EXTREME ABUSE TO AN ANIMAL, AND THAT WAS PASSED, WHY CAN'T WE PASS? AND WHAT ARE THE ROADBLOCKS THAT Y'ALL ARE RUNNING INTO AND PASSING MORE EXTREME LAWS LIKE YOU SPOKE TO? BECAUSE WE SIT HERE AND IT ALL MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
WHY IS THIS NOT BEING ENACTED? UM, SO NOW TEXAS DOES HAVE SOME STRICT, SO I I, THIS, I BELIEVE THIS GENTLEMAN SAID, WHAT ABOUT ADULTS? SO UNDER SB 12, 12, HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN GENERAL, IT COULD BE CONTINUOUS, IT COULD BE ONE TIME, IT COULD BE AN ADULT, IT COULD BE A CHILD, IT BE HUMAN TRAFFICKED, SOMEONE NOW IT'S A FIRST DEGREE FELONY, 25 TO 99 YEARS.
UM, THE, THE ISSUE SOMETIMES THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, IS THAT THERE ARE, UM, CERTAIN COUNTIES OR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS THAT DON'T ENFORCE THE LAW.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WHEN THESE LAWS PASS INTO LEGISLATION TO PROTECT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, WE NEED OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO LET WHEN, WHEN OFFICERS CALL TO GET CONVICTIONS, TO GET CHARGES TO DO THEM, AND THEN ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE THE, THE CRIMINAL BE PENALIZED.
YOU COULD HAVE AS MANY GREAT LAWS ON THE BOOKS, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT ENFORCED, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
SO NOW WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE NEXT PHASE OF, WE HAVE SOME REALLY HARSH PENALTIES.
TEXAS HAS SOME OF THE HARSHEST, BUT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THEM ENFORCED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SB 1212 WAS JUST PASSED IN 25.
YOU'RE THE ONES THAT CAN GET ON THE CELL PHONE AND CALL THE DA'S OFFICE IN WHATEVER COMMUNITY THAT YOU LIVE IN TO MAKE THOSE, MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS AWARE THAT YOU'RE AWARE BECAUSE YOU VOTE THEM IN THE OFFICE.
SPECIFICALLY, WHAT HAPPENS TO BOYS? I SAY
WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT SAYS, OKAY, I'VE BEEN TRAFFICKED.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? WELL, WELL, THERE'S ALREADY AN EXISTING PROCESS.
IF SOMEONE WERE TO COME OUT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE AND THEY QUALIFY FOR A U VISA, RIGHT? AND A AND A T VISA.
SO, UH, THERE'S ALREADY A PROCESS IN PLACE FOR THEM TO MAKE THOSE.
AND THROUGH OUR VICTIM SERVICES, ADVOCACIES WITHIN OUR POLICE, OUR, OUR RESPECTFUL AGENCIES, THEY'RE AFFORDED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
ONCE THEY COME OUT, THEY MAKE THE OUTCRY, THEY'RE AFFORDED THAT, AND SOMEONE VISITS WITH THEM RIGHT AWAY.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE FEAR OF DOING, UH, IN FACT, THEY KNOW IT ALREADY.
'CAUSE WE, UH, GET A LOT OF APPLICATIONS FOR U VISAS, ANDT VISAS, UH, FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN THIS CASE.
YEAH, I WANNA JUST SAY THE MEN AND WOMEN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE IN CREDIBLE WITH THIS STUFF.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL PROTECTED UNDER THE FEDERAL SEX TRAFFICKING ACT, AND THEY WORK WITH THEM AND THEY GET 'EM TO SAFETY AND TO, UM, HOUSING.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
COULD YOU STAND UP PLEASE? JUST IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION REMAINING, JUST STAND UP.
SO YOU'VE GOT A MIC OVER HERE.
UH, I'M EILEEN DAWN HOPE PICKS GLOBAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I'M ALSO WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON FAST INITIATIVE, THE FINANCING AGAINST SLAVERY AND TRAFFICKING.
UH, I WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THE THINGS I LOVE, UH, WHAT CHIEF YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, ICAC AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIME.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION ABOUT THE CRIMINALITY, FORCED CRIMINALITY ABOUT THROUGH THE INTERNET, HOW PEOPLE WERE FORCED INTO, UM, THE CRIME CENTERS OVERSEAS, POSSIBLY THROUGH, UH, RECRUITMENT AND GROOMING ONLINE.
SECONDLY, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT THE TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME.
AGAIN, THE FINANCING PART THAT SOME OF THE TRAFFICKERS ARE NOW USING.
AGAIN, IT'S A MONEY GAME USING THAT AGAINST THE TERRORISM.
SO THAT'S NOT ONLY A SAFETY PROBLEM, IT'S ALSO A SECURITY PROBLEM.
I HEARD ONE OF THE, UH, THE AUDIENCE HERE MENTION ABOUT CHURCHES AMONG THE ALLIANCE TO AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, SURVIVOR ADVISORY BOARD.
SO IT IS, UM, FORMED BY THE US CATHOLIC SISTERS, AND IT IS, UM, CHURCH AND THE FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATION.
AND LASTLY, BUT NOT LEAST, WITH THE UN THERE'S THE AI GOVERNANCE THROUGH THE DIGITAL COMPACT.
[01:00:01]
WORKING ON SOME OF THE GOVERNANCE ON HOW IMPORTANT THE AI GOVERNANCE IS ON THE POLICIES AND EVERYTHING.AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT.
WE'VE GOT QUESTIONS OVER HERE, RIGHT? HI, MY NAME'S JENNIFER MARTIN.
I'M A SENIOR AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, AND LAST YEAR WE STARTED AN ANTI-TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS, AND WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST NONPROFIT DAY, THE LANDING WAS THERE.
AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING A TWO DAY CONFERENCE THAT WILL BE ABOUT TEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE TRAFFICKING WITHIN THEIR OWN DEGREES.
SO OUR FIRST DAY WILL BE ABOUT AWARENESS, AND OUR SECOND DAY WILL BE ABOUT HOW THEY CAN JOIN THIS FIGHT IN, WITHIN THEIR DEGREES WITH WORKSHOPS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT COLLEGES ARE NOT BEING UTILIZED.
AND SO HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY IS TRYING TO STEP FORWARD IN THAT.
AND SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE, UH, ANY RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN THIS FIGHT BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY GONNA GO IN THEIR DEGREES, WHEN YOU GET INTO A DEGREE, YOU'RE SO FOCUSED ON SETTING YOURSELF IN YOUR CAREER, WHICH YOU SHOULD BE.
BUT IF WE TRY AND TEACH THEM AFTER, AND NOT BEFORE, IT DOESN'T SIT, IF WE TEACH THEM WHILE THEY'RE IN COLLEGE, HOW TO RECOGNIZE EVERYTHING, THEY CAN TAKE IT AND BUILD IT IN THEIR CAREER, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE FUTURE PARENTS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT NEED TO KNOW THIS.
AND SO HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE PUT INTO OUR COLLEGES? I MEAN, IN HOUSTON, I, I WOULD LOVE TO GET WITH YOU AFTERWARDS.
SO WE HAVE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES THE UNMUTED PODCAST.
IT'S STUDENT LED AND STUDENT DRIVEN.
UM, WHEN HB 3 50 54 PASSED TO MAKE ALL COLLEGE CAMPUSES NO TRAFFICKING ZONES, A PART OF THAT WAS STUDENT AWARENESS AND INITIATIVES.
AND I, I BELIEVE IT'S UST AND TSU, THEY HAVE THEIR UN OWN UNMUTED, UH, PODCAST.
SO I CAN GET WITH YOU AFTER THIS.
I'M STAN LANSKY WITH ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.
I'VE NOTICED THAT WE'VE GONE IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE GONE TO TRAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE'VE GONE INTO THE HOSPITALS TO TRAIN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.
I HEARD US TALK ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE HOTELS AND MEMBERS AND, UH, PROFESSIONALS IN THE HOTEL AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, AWARE.
BUT I'M WANTING TO KNOW, ARE WE AT A POINT WHERE IT'S TIME TO TRAIN THE PROFESSIONALS AND OUR CORPORATIONS? WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME TRAINING OUR EXECUTIVES ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT AS BIG A PROBLEM AS THIS WHEN IT LOOKS AT THE AMOUNT OF OCCURRENCES IN THE VICTIMS THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING MANDATORY TRAINING IN OUR CORPORATIONS TO ALL THESE BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL AND MAYBE END UP BEING THE PERSON SUPPLYING THE PROBLEM.
THAT IF YOU'RE CAUGHT OR IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY IN YOUR COMPANY DOING SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, YOU REPORT THEM.
AND THE PENALTY SHOULD BE AS BAD OR WORSE THAN SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE.
I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND IT'S AN INTERESTING, UM, WHAT I HAVE FOUND FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD IS, UM, THESE ARE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS THAT THEY JUST DON'T WANNA HAVE.
RIGHT? IF YOU START TALKING, I MEAN, AGAIN, I, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS A SIDE NOTE, WHICH IS A BIG NOTE.
IT'S LIKE YOU, IT TAKES THE AIR OUT OF THE ROOM, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF, IF WE HAVE A, IF IF I'M SITTING HERE AND HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT BREAST CANCER OR PROSTATE CANCER, WE CAN ALL TALK ABOUT THAT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, LET'S TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND THE, THE ROOM GOES, RIGHT.
AND, AND YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
BUT THE AWARENESS AND THE ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT IT, LIKE WE'RE, I DON'T KNOW HOW UNCOMFORTABLE SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE BEEN TODAY AT DIFFERENT POINTS TO HEAR SOME OF THIS AND TO, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE YEARS AGO, AND I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT YEARS AGO, YOU WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT TALKING ABOUT BREAST CANCER, RIGHT? IT IT WAS AWKWARD.
NOW WE'RE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
HI, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DOING THIS.
UM, I'M CRYSTAL CASEY WITH UNICORN.
I ALSO WORK WITH ELIJAH RISING.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT BOUNDARIES.
SOMEBODY, WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS THREE GAVE ME THAT ADVICE.
I WAS LIKE, I WAS TOLD SOMEBODY ASKED TO HUG YOU.
OH, HUG HIM, HUG HIM, BE POLITE.
AND HE VERY QUICKLY TOLD ME THAT YOU ARE TELLING HER SHE DOESN'T OWN HER BODY.
AND SO THAT IS HUGE FOR PARENTS.
DON'T FORCE YOUR KIDS TO TOUCH ANYONE THAT THEY DON'T WANNA TOUCH.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A RELATIVE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND WE FOUND THAT LIKE FOR THEIR
[01:05:01]
C FOR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, UM, AND YOUR VICE GUYS THAT WE'VE MET WITH ARE AMAZING.I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY DO, BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CITY'S HANDS ARE TIED BECAUSE THE STATE NEEDS MORE LAW.
BUT I'M JUST, WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE PUBLIC WORKS AND CITY LEVEL WITH THEIR CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY? I'VE SAT IN PLANNING COMMISSION AND SEEN A, UH, SPA, UH, GET A VARIANCE, A PARKING VARIANCE BECAUSE THEY SAID ALL THE WORKERS WERE GONNA BE LIVING THERE.
HOW
AND IF, IF YOU ARE A CHURCH AND YOU START OPERATING A RESTAURANT, WE CAN PULL YOUR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
BUT IF YOU SAY YOU'RE A REFLEXOLOGY OR A FOOT MASSAGE PARLOR, BUT YOU'RE SELLING PEOPLE, WE CAN'T PULL YOUR CO.
SO CAN WE GET CREATIVE AND FIGURE OUT HOW AT THE CITY LEVEL, THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS, WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO EITHER PREVENT IT OR BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM FROM OPERATING ANYMORE.
AND ALSO THE LANDOWNERS HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE, UH, WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE, THERE'S TRAFFICKING HAPPENING IN THE BUILDINGS THEY OWN, HOW CAN WE START HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE? THANK YOU.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT POINT.
UH, AGAIN, IT STARTS WITH INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T KNOW IT UNLESS YOU TELL US.
RIGHT? SO IT'S A, I I THINK I TOLD SOMEONE EARLIER THAT IT, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT CRIME FOR US TO PROVE.
SO TODAY YOU, YOU MENTIONED A REFL, A REFLEXOLOGY.
IF I GO IN THERE, IN AN UNDERCOVER CAPACITY, I HAVE TO MAKE THE CASE.
SO THE PENAL CODE TELLS US WHAT, WHAT THE ELEMENTS ARE TO MAKE THE CASE.
SO NOW THE VICTIM ISN'T COMMUNICATING 'CAUSE THEY'RE, I MIGHT BE WEARING A WIRE, RIGHT? UH, DO I HAVE POLICIES WITHIN THE OFFICE WHERE THE, THE UNDERCOVER PERSON, THIS ROBES, RIGHT? SO HOW, HOW DO WE AS A PROFESSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY APPLY ALL THAT TO MAKE THE CASE? BECAUSE NOW THE WOMEN OR MEN, RIGHT, THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION.
SO IF YOU GO IN THERE, YOU GET YOUR, YOUR A TRADITIONAL MASSAGE, 50, $60, IF THERE'S ANYTHING EXTRACURRICULAR, IT'S, IT'S ALL CODED RIGHT? IN THREES, TWOS, FIVES, THEY'RE NOT GONNA COMMUNICATE WHAT THE COST IS.
AND THEN THERE'S NO MONEY EXCHANGE FOR IT.
THE MONEY EXCHANGE IS SENT TO A CASH APP.
TO A WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, TO TO, TO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE I CAN'T PROVE THE ELEMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T EXCHANGE ANY MONIES WITH THEM.
THAT, SO IT'S, IT, IT IS, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS, IS IN A REALLY TOUGH POSITION BECAUSE THEN I CAN'T GO CLOSE THAT BUSINESS DOWN.
'CAUSE THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS IS A BUSINESS OWNER CONTACTS A COUNCIL MEMBER, RIGHT? WHY ARE WE BEING TOO ROUGH WITH THE BUSINESSES? I MEAN, IT, IT, IT ALL HAS TO WORK COLLECTIVELY.
BUT THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT OUR VICE TEAMS HAVE TO DEAL WITH, RIGHT? I'M NOT GONNA ALLOW THEM TO DISROBE AND GO THROUGH A PROCESS JUST TO PROVE THE CASE.
'CAUSE IT'S DISGUSTING TO DO THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT, THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO IT'S THE, THOSE BUSINESSES OPERATE BECAUSE THEY HAVE REALLY SMART DEFENSE LAWYERS AND THEY, THEY, THEY GET IT.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO.
SO IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A VERY TOUGH POSITION OR SPACE TO PUT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TO JUST TO MAKE THE, THE TRADITIONAL ON THE STREET, UH, WITH THE JOHNS, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE THE CASES THAT OFTENTIMES COME DOWNTOWN AND GET DISMISSED.
SO FOR US, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EASY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO AN OPERATIONAL PLAN.
WE HAVE TO DO, I MEAN, THERE IS, WE JUST DON'T, I MEAN, WE, WE DON'T FORGIVE ME HALF, BUT ANYTHING, RIGHT? NOT TO NOT USE THE, SO WE HAVE TO DO OPERATIONAL PLANS.
AND IT STARTS WITH SOMEONE, USUALLY IT STARTS WITH SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY GETTING INJURED OR GETTING ROBBED IN THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS.
THAT'S HOW WE GET THE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE THE GIRLS IN THOSE POSITIONS AREN'T GONNA REPORT IT 'CAUSE THEY'RE TIED TO THAT BUSINESS.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY'LL MOVE THEM FROM DAIRY ASHFORD TO OUS IN NEW ORLEANS TO ANOTHER ONE.
I MEAN, IT IT, WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN YOU'RE, WE'RE TALKING TRAFFICKING NETWORK, IT'S A NETWORK.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST HERE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A PROCESS WHERE THEY'RE MOVED.
THEY'RE IN DOWN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN, IN A, IN A, IN A SHOP IN CINCINNATI IN TWO WEEKS.
SO THERE GOES OUR VICTIMS. AND ALSO, UM,
[01:10:01]
RA, WHICH IS YOUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESCUE ALLIANCE, THEY DO HAVE ORDINANCES FOR THIS.UM, BUT AGAIN, IT TAKES A WHILE TO BUILD THE CASES.
BUT THOSE ORDINANCES WILL THEN, UH, TRY TO HOLD NOT JUST THE BUSINESSES ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THE LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, IT'S JUST TAKES A PROCESS TO DO IT.
AND WITH COMMUNITY AND TIPS, IT REALLY HELPS.
UH, BUT WITH HATCHER, I KNOW THAT THEY ACTIVELY LOOK AT THESE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF ORDINANCES ARE BEING BROKEN, THAT'S A WAY, A WAY THAT THEY CAN NAVIGATE TOO.
I GET IN, IF I CAN JUST ADD ONE QUICK THING.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT TODAY ABOUT WHY AREN'T MORE TRAFFICKERS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE, RIGHT? AND CERTAINLY THERE'S LAWS THAT COULD IMPROVE AND WE'VE MADE A LOT OF STRIDES.
BUT AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR, I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, FOR THESE CASES TO BE SUCCESSFUL, TYPICALLY YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT VICTIM COME FORWARD, RIGHT? AND YOU CAN IMAGINE ALL THE REASONS WHY HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM MIGHT NOT WANT TO GO THE DISTANCE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU, UM, TO PUT A SILVER LINING IN ALL OF THIS, EVERY ONE OF THESE AGENCIES HERE ON THE STAGE HAS VICTIM ADVOCATES.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DO, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS HELPING THOSE VICTIMS GET OUT OF THE LIFE.
AND IT'S, THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT.
THEY NEED OTHER PEOPLE THEY TRUST.
AND SOMETIMES THE COURT PROS PROCESS TAKES A VERY LONG TIME.
THEY MAY BE VICTIMIZED TODAY, RECOVERED TODAY, AND THEIR TRIAL MIGHT NOT BE FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY THEY MAY DROP OFF.
BUT THE SUPPORT THAT THE LANDING GIVES AND REALLY EVERY OR ORGANIZATION HERE HAS ADVOCATES IS KEY TO SUPPORTING THEM, HELPING THEM RECOVER, KEEPING THEM ENGA ENGAGED, AND GIVING 'EM THAT STRENGTH TO SHOW UP ON TRIAL DAY AND LOOK THAT BAD GUY IN THE EYE.
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL INFORMATION.
UM, I, WE COULD TALK ALL DAY, LITERALLY.
I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY MORE QUESTIONS.
I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO IS THANK EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING.
IF YOU HAVE TIME TO HANG AROUND AND ANSWER SOME MORE QUESTIONS FROM, FROM, UH, OUR AUDIENCE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING UP EARLY, COMING ON DOWN FOR SOME COFFEE.
OUR FRIENDS FROM STARBUCKS WITH THE COFFEE AND THE PASTRIES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS LIKE THIS IS WHAT REALLY IS THE START OF GETTING OR NOT THE START BECAUSE THE WORD'S OUT, BUT REALLY HELPS TO GET THE WORD OUT.
BECAUSE I, I, I THINK IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S ONE TAKEAWAY WE ALL CAN LEAVE HERE WITH TODAY, IT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS NOT EXACTLY THE ONE THING WE THOUGHT IT WAS.
THERE'S SO MANY ASPECTS AND SO MANY LAYERS AND SO MANY AVENUES, AND IT'S OVERWHELMING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW DO YOU TACKLE IT.
BUT THE FIRST PIECE, OF COURSE IS AWARENESS.
THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, AWARENESS, EDUCATION EQUALS PREVENTION.