On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, Jacob Anderson-Minshall hosted an Out Loud panel discussing sex and human trafficking, the role gender and sexuality have in this modern day slave-trade, and how this is happening right here in Portland, Oregon.
IF YOU ARE BEING EXPLOITED CALL THE NWCAT HOTLINE AT 1-888-3737-888
A human trafficked homeless 16-year old boy was asked what agencies in Portland could do in order to help him and thousands like him get off the street, he paused and then turned to the folks at a partnered organization and said “Obliterate Stark Street.”
Panelists included:
1. Michelle Bart – Soroptimist International's Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking (NWCAT)
Michelle Bart is the Chairperson and a founding member of Soroptimist International Northwestern Region’s Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking (NWCAT) and is the Public Awareness Chair for the Soroptimist Northwestern Region. Bart is also the owner of a national marketing and public relations corporation, Helping Heroes; and she serves on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Advisory Board for Take25. Bart is trained on Human Trafficking through CASE and Girls Educational and Mentor Services (GEMS) and is the host of “Voices for Justice” on BlogTalkRadio and also contributes to Curve magazine, The Human Rights Campaign, Soroptimist, and GLAAD.
Michelle A. Bart
Soroptimist International Northwestern Region / NWCAT
(626) 644-3472
www.soroptimistnwr.org
2. Chris Hennel – Special Project Coordinator -Human Trafficking, YWCA Greater Portland
Chris Hennel MSW, has 19 years experience working in child welfare with Oregon's Department of Human Services; where she worked as a caseworker, supervisor and branch manager of Union, Wallowa, and Baker counties. Hennel has been involved with the YWCA's Human Trafficking project for about a year now. She also was a faculty member at the Graduate School of Social Work, PSU, in the mid 90's; where she helped launch a program for Oregon state employees working in child welfare to get their Masters in Social Work degrees. Hennel is experienced as a mediator, therapist, and with all aspects of child welfare programs and services. The YWCA of Greater Portland is slated to receive $900,000 to establish a shelter for victims of human trafficking.
Chris Hennel, MSW
Special Project Coordinator -Human Trafficking
YWCA of Greater Portland, Oregon
(503) 294-7430
www.ywca-pdx.org
3. Elisa Saphier--Sexual Assault Resource Center
Elisa Saphier works for the Sexual Assault Resource Center, one of only two stand-alone sexual assault agencies in the state, as a case manager and advocate for sexually exploited youth. Saphier has nine years of experience working in the anti-sexual violence field; and has spent much of that time focusing on the affects of oppression, providing direct services to survivors and offering prevention education to the community.
Elisa Saphier
Case Manager for Sexually Exploited Youth
Sexual Assault Resource Center
(503) 626 9100 x 232
www.sarcoregon.org
Music for the show was from Amy Ray (of the Indigo Girls)'s solo album Prom. Including the songs Rural Faggot, Covered for You and Driver Education.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE IS BEING EXPLOITED CALL THE NWCAT HOTLINE AT 1-888-3737-888
Additional Resources
- The Northwest Conference Against Trafficking www.NWCAT.org
- The Polaris Project www.polarisproject.org
- Portland YWCA www.ywca-pdx.org
- Sexual Assualt Resource Center www.sarcoregon.org
- SMYRC: The Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center www.smyrc.org
- Outside In: Serving Homeless Youth (includes a shelter & Queer Zone for LGBT youth) www.outsidein.org
The Annual Northwest Conference Against Trafficking, “We have a DREAM…”
January 14-16, 2011 Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
For information and registration go to www.NWCAT.org
- KBOO