“Help me Jerry” were the only words his daughter needed  to utter, but never heard.

Today on CHWR (CyberHood Watch Radio), The CyberHood Watch partners, Dave & Bill, had an exclusive interview with Jerry and Janet, parents of a young woman who sadly became the victim of human trafficking.

Michelle Bart On CHWR With Dave & Bill

In addition, to Jerry and Janet were Michelle Bart from Soroptimist International (Best of Women) and the chair of the annual Northwest Conference Against Trafficking (NWCAT). As well as, Suzanne Stafford from My Internet Safety Coach, she educates on Internet safety… And, how parents can oversee their child’s Internet surfing habits and especially when to make it your business to whom they are corresponding with.

This particular human trafficking case did not involve kidnapping. What parents need to understand is this human trafficking case was the kidnapping of a young woman’s free will and complete control over her self-governing behavior. Too many individuals think human trafficking exists in some developing country; unfortunately, the developed countries are a much bigger problem.

Be assured, human trafficking is in the backyards of small town America.

The young woman in question lived in a loving home, well provided for, and looking towards a bright future in medicine. While interviewing the parents, Janet and Jerry, I could not help wonder how this could have happened to such a bright child surrounded by a loving family.

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For anonymity purposes, we interviewed the parents as Jerry and Janet. As we talked with Jerry, he told our listeners that his daughter had gone online and entered a dating site Jerry called, “Plenty of Fish”, where his daughter met a man approximately ten years her senior, and who turned out to be a registered sex offender.

Jerry’s daughter arranged to meet Anthony at the theater, and unfortunately, for Jerry and Janet’s daughter, he showed up. As Jerry went on to explain, in the end, Anthony groomed their daughter using drugs, fear, and coercion, which ultimately lead to her addiction, submission, and enslavement to her trafficker.

Anthony is in prison, but what should haunt every parent is how Anthony, a trafficker and registered sex offender got around a loving and caring family. Bill and I have stated before how sophisticated predators are online, and they are certainly no match for a child.

Earlier, Suzanne brought up the point how the first thing a predator has to do is build a trust-bridge relationship. Previous guests have talked about how often children and young adults seek the attention and/or approval of another. The predator, trafficker, or pedophile understands this, and are masters of recognizing it in their victim. Once they have his or her victim’s trust, the grooming process has begun.

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There is another side to trust that parents should be mindful about. I used to tell my kids “Do not think you are clever because you pull the wool over my eyes and get away with something. The only reason you can do that is because I trust you, and that is worth keeping. Do not give it away.” They seemed to appreciate that thought…Maybe they were pulling the wool over my eyes.

Janet and Jerry’s relationship with their daughter is based on years of trust, and it was at an appropriate time for their daughter to push away and prepare to go out on her own, commented Janet. She was becoming independent; nonetheless, circumstances occurred allowing her trafficker to meet through a dating service.

Some of what was happening behind the scenes that Janet and Jerry did not realize was that Anthony had taken control of not only their daughter’s phone and answering her text messages, but the control of their daughter leaving her void of any rational thinking. A psychologist friend of Janet and Jerry called it a case of “classic victim ambivalence.”

A point regarding technology and something Bill and I have discussed on previous shows are the opinions of those who consider the use of monitoring software as spying on his or her child or young adult. As Janet pointed out in her daughter’s case was Anthony’s use of monitoring software to know exactly what their daughter’s, his victim, every move or comment was regarding her digital communication.

CHWR Through Communication & Awareness

The Internet is a prime example of how technology can be used for nefarious purposes or for greatness. Parents need to be mindful that the intent of monitoring his or her child is to keep his or her child out of harm’s way. One of the first steps in an investigation by law enforcement when a child goes missing or involving an internet predator is to check his or her online activity. Law enforcement is looking for a trail and leads to clues and the safe return of a missing child.

It is evident from Janet’s comment that criminals as Anthony understand the value of technology to control his or her victim. Another critical point that Janet brought up for parents to understand is how Anthony manipulated her daughter. Not everything was belittling or degrading; Anthony would treat her respectfully and do what normal loving couples would do, so that her daughter would believe he actually loved her.

We closed the show with Jerry sharing a few of his ideas to improve what he believed would effect a positive change in the system. Jerry’s first observation was not to release anyone back into society with a homeless status. Doing so, does not allow authorities to track efficiently the status of an individual on probation. A concern that Jerry’s daughter voiced was incarcerating a sex offender among like-minded criminals. The reason stems from Anthony’s comment that he will be able to hone and perfect his techniques for when he is eventually released. Jerry’s final comment was he wished he had been aware of organizations such as Michelle Bart’s Soroptimist International and the Northwest Conference Against Trafficking (NWCAT).

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

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Say it ain’t SO…

Please, someone tell me this is not happening in SMALL towns across America!?

You know the sad TRUTH is.. it’s happening in your town RIGHT Now… and if you were looking for it you would see it!!

The problem is… NO one wants to see it, they don’t want to talk about it, they don’t want to know about it or that it actually exists in todays world, and for sure they don’t think their neighbors and others in their own communities are involved in this horrendous problem.

The fact is, that because people are not aware and don’t discuss it, its one of the main reasons this has become one of the worlds (and modern day SOCIETY’S) dirtiest little secrets!!

It does exist and it is OH So Real for an estimated 27 Million humans around the world TODAY!!

For 27 MILLION Men, Women and Children this is their life. Someone else OWNS them, CONTROLS them, TELLS them what do, what they can eat, when they can go to the bathroom, when they can clean themselves, when they have to perform sexual acts and for who, and how many times a day they will have to do perform this daily service. Sometimes only getting just a few scraps to eat, or not!

Victims are told constantly that they (the victim) owe “them” the (Human Traffickers) for their lives and they better keep doing what they are told or they will put their family in jeopardy of being brutally beaten or killed!!!

177 years later HOW can this be Happening in 2010 and be even worse, than it has ever been before!! People, politicians, professors, administrators, school teachers, government officials, world leaders, friends, families, parents, neighborhoods and communities are NOT LOOKking!

Well then, you absolutely need to listen to our interview today with the parents of a young Oregon teen, that had her life and her future turned upside down with-in a matter of a few short months…

Listen to Jerry and Janet as they share this almost hard to believe over a year long chain of events that lead to their precious teenage daughter who was at the time; a great student and potential medical student, preparing and getting ready by working and saving her money from part-time jobs to go to collage into the medical field:

Modern Day Slavery is in your backyard, and yes, right here in America. You’ll will hear the story as we “Look Beneath the Surface” with Michelle and the parents of a recent teenage victim from the Oregon area who had everything going for her including medical school and a bright future – a detour of hell would follow and today we hear for the first time from the parents who found themselves in a nightmare and had to make a deal with the devil to protect their teenage daughter and see justice prevail.

Also, joining Jerry and Janet today were Michelle Bart from Soroptimist International and the chair of the annual Northwest Conference Against Trafficking. Also, Suzanne Stafford from My Internet Safety Coach, she educates on Internet safety… And, how how parents can oversee their child’s internet surfing habits and especially when to make it your business to whom they are corresponding with.

You can also get more information from Michelle and her websites, as well as her affiliated sites here: http://www.soroptimistinternational.org/ – http://nwcat.org/ – http://www.polarisproject.org/

You can also get more information from *Suzanne and her websites: http://myinternetsafetycoach.com/ and, Suzanne has negotiated a great deal and opportunity for all the CHWR listeners, followers and world wide supporters, and we want to thank her for this great offer! All you have to do is mention her name, Suzanne Stanford to get your discounted copy of the GAME: Missing by WebWise!!

Reported by The Salt Lake Tribune: Global Horizons in Utah

Direct CHWR Link:
Modern Day Slavery is in your backyard, and yes, right here in America

Also today, we were highlighted in the National News Media as well… check this out the CHWR Press Release!

Direct PR Link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/HumanTrafficking/CHWRadio

Thanks everyone, and especially all our of guests today!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalist

* Special Show Notes from Suzanne:

797,500 reported missing kids every year
Over 2,000 kids missing per day
Parents need to NOT be afraid to learn about Human Trafficking…
These are crimes that are preventable (for the most part) by educating ourselves and our children
Make sure that your child (if missing) is classified as a victim!
Runaways get the least attention from the authorities, yet, not all children that are listed as runaways are actually runaways….
Within 18 hours most of these kids are lured into trafficking, sexually abused and killed!!

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Why wooden swing sets?
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