 Ohio's Governor Awards
Medal of Courage to Theresa Flores, Director of Education and
Training for Gracehaven Dublin House.
2.8.12 Ohio.
Theresa Flores, director of education and training for Gracehaven Dublin House
and author, has been awarded Ohio Governor
John Kasich's Medal of Courage. Flores, a sexual slavery victim,
anti-human trafficking advocate and past Midwestern
Region Soroptimist's Ruby Award winner, was forced
into the sex trade as a teenager.
After two years at the whim of traffickers,
Flores survived to tell her story and expose human trafficking
for its vile explotation of women and girls. Millions
have become aware of the magnitude of trafficking
through Flores' books, outreach, advocacy for victims, and speaking
engagements. Governor
Kasich's honor citation notes, as a victim of human trafficking, a teenage Theresa Flores was
exploited, blackmailed,
and abused. Today she is Director of Education & Training for Gracehaven
House in Dublin, a faith-based care
and rehabilitation home for girls who have been victimized by human
trafficking. A licensed social worker, she
is courageously using her experience to help make a positive
difference in countless lives.
In recognizing Flores' passionate action initiatives Governor Kasich says, "Her courage has
helped
her to turn her experience around and make a difference in countless lives,"
The S. O. A. P.initiative, recruits thousands
to distribute hand soap in hotels in metropolitan venues
where traffickers migrate to exploit young women and girls as
temporary crowds swell for high-attendance
events such as the Detroit Auto Show and the more recent Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
Midwestern
Region Soroptimist members have volunteered to help during these two events and several others
as 2012
unfolds. Traffickers who have previously found easy anonymity and access with the influx and generally
fast egress
of such in-town visitors have been put on notice. With the advocacy to distribute hand soap, Flores has
involved thousands
in putting out the anti-trafficking message and national victims' hotline
telephone number.
Most recently 10TV's Glenn McEntyre is among a multitude of local, regional, national,
and
international media interviewers to recognize the importance of Flores' story and activism.
Theresa Flores
was forced into sexual slavery at a young age and survived to tell her story,
and Kasich said the state needed more
resources like her to fight human trafficking , reports McEntyre.
.
Through her books, speaking engagements, and attempts to interest individuals in providing
financial and collateral support for Gracehaven, she has utilized traditional and modern
social networking tools. Those
previously familiar with Flores know of her projects posted
to Kickstarter. Several interested parties continue to assist
in Theresa's goal create mass
public awareness by having a major motion picture made centered upon her personal story.
Individuals may watch for related projects to advance public awareness and help to
adolescent victims through such
platforms as Kickstarter, as well as professional civic and
volunteer service organizations as Soroptimist International
clubs. Midwestern Region
Soroptimist club members volunteer in support of Gracehaven in many
and varied ways, as
groups and single individuals contributing time, talent, craft,
and financial donations.
Going forward, Flores, now 46, continues to
encourage the passage of legislation called the Safe Harbor for Exploited
Children Law, according to McEntyre's reported.
The Safe Harbor bill would prevent minors
from being arrested and jailed for soliciting. Instead the objective
would be to place them
into appropriate treatment environments conducive to their re-establishing them into local
communities.
More than in-name recognition, the Governor’s Courage Medal was designed by Columbus graphic
artist David Browning,
who also designed the Ohio Bicentennial logo. Each medal is three inches in
diameter and made of 10 troy
ounces of .999 silver, with selective 24k gold plate highlights and hangs
on a red ribbon. Browning’s design was
converted into a three dimensional die by the manufacturer,
Northwest Territorial Mint.
2.4.12
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and state legislators pass new law to strengthen penalties agains sex traffickers
prior to Super Bowl in Indianapolis. Details home page and pending
U. S. Senator's Testimony Describes Human Trafficking Enterprise as "Massive
World-wide"
See Washington Times article
Soroptimist Human Trafficking Program Wins National Award Read details 9/2011 Philadelphia
7.17.11 See District
IV Director's Newsletter for Completion Details and Photos
Multiple Midwestern Region Clubs Team to Paint
Gracehaven Interiors Spring Colors
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| QUILTING PROJECT |
SI-Kenton/Hardin
County Receives National Quilting Association Grant
Project Care and Comfort Quilting Retreat
Project Care and Comfort Quilting Retreat took
place in Kenton January 28
and 29th.. Quilts are to be included in baskets which will benefit
trafficking
victims under the age of 18. Members from Kenton andnearby clubs
welcomed all volunteers to come for
the carry in dinner Friday
and to work
through Saturdayto sewing and participate in the quilting assembly. Governor
Cheryl (right) ironed
fabric for the quilt blocks which other members then
cut or sewed to coordinate into patterns of various designs. See
more photos
Facebook :: Quilting Retreat 2011
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Soroptimists STOP Trafficking It is a violation of rights when women are trafficked, bought
and sold as prostitutes."
Hillary Clinton
U. S. Secretary of State Three years ago, Soroptimist International of the Americas launched a federation-wide campaign to raise awareness
about
the sex trafficking of women and girls. In 2007 far too few people knew what trafficking was and the devastating
effects it
had on women and girls, families, communities and the world. Soroptimists from all over the globe have been
participating
in the campaign by handing out fliers at transportation centers to spread information about this
heinous crime. To advance awareness regarding the slavery of human
and sexual trafficking,SIA continues to undertake new initiatives to
help clubs to further raise awareness,
prevent trafficking, assist victims, and advocate for establishment and enforcement of
anti-trafficking laws. In order
to assist clubs, Soroptimists STOP Trafficking programming has been to expand the offering
of tools for
approaching this more often than not sexual slavery in a multi-¬dimensional way. The Soroptimist’s STOP Trafficking section of the SIA website has been redesigned to
provide information and new tools
in each of these treas. Each section will also include pertinent Soroptimist club projects
to highlight Soroptimist's impact
around the world. The goal is to offer knowledge and resources to ngage both
members and non-members like in
campaigns and strategies to stop ex slavery. For example, the section on advocating Jr better laws and enforcement will include information about what model
laws would look like, and resources for creating a signature campaign advocating for the Swedish mode! of legislation
where the selling of sex decriminalized and the buying of sex is criminalized. A law like this sends a message that
women and girls are not commodities that can be bought and sold. In the area about assisting victims, information
will
be provided on buying gift cards to local stores and sending them to Soroptimist headquarters for distribution
to clubs
that are working directly with organizations assisting victims. The
new web- site section will also house the monthly trafficking news alerts currently sent out from headquarters
that
highlight important news about trafficking and slavery. And, finally, there will be a "take action" section that
will change monthly and provide simple advocacy efforts to help Soroptimists end the enslavement of women and girls.
The updated section launched December 2, the International Day for the Elimination of Slavery.
http://www.soroptimist.org/stoptrafficking.html
For further information contact Lori Blair, SIA Senior Director of Program Services.
To further be informed
and empowered, watch MIND TV video with SIA’s Executive
Director Leigh Wentz and Lori as they discuss trafficking.
Inform others about the known facts regarding trafficking: * 90-96% of trafficking victims want to leave their controlled circumstance.
* 66% of victims in the United States are women; 14% are girls.
* 79% of trafficked human beings are forced into sexual servitude.
* In the United States the average entry age for victims is 12-14 years.
* Human trafficking is the second-largest and largest growing criminal activity in the world.
Statistics source: SIA Programming Director article Best for Women, 12.10 SI-Monroe Members Support in "One World One
Future" Fundraiser in Lansing
Left Photo:Vivian Walczesky, Dist III Director; Miss Michigan Katie Lynn
LaRoche and Cindy Ellison, President SI Monroe County
Right Photo: Kari Hughes, member SI Monroe County, Kathi Stiefel,
MWR Treasurer and Miss Michigan Katie Lynn LaRoche
Learn more about Miss Michigan's One World One Future initiatives PDF Download
One World One Future October Gala Flyer PDF Download
Soroptimists in Michigan brought this October
Human Trafficking
Awareness Fundraiser to our attention:
ONE WORLD ONE FUTURE GALA. This event will be held at the Lexington Hotel in Lansing
Michigan, on October 24, 2010, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Proceeds will be used to fund a border
transit
shelter for girls who have been victims of sex trafficking. See
other activities SI-Monroe County Soroptimists
Individual tickets are $50 and a table of 10 is $450. There is a dinner and silent auction. The event
is being hosted by Katie Lynn LaRoche, Miss Michigan 2010.
SI-Monroe County members attended. Revisit for
details.
tTo see a short video on the type of shelter that the
proceeds will be used for, please go to www.Friendsofmaitinepal.org
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. Who is Dr. Celia Williamson? What One Can Learn from Her
Program
in Lucas County Ohio; Reporting, Tipline Number
Dr. Celia Williamson received her Ph.D in social work from Indiana University.
She has published research articles on the subject of prostitution and human trafficking and received numerous research grants
to study trafficking. Dr. Williamson founded SECOND CHANCE program in Lucas County, Ohio, which works with trafficked
women and girls. Dr. Williamson was also an active force in securing the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force in Lucas County,
Ohio, to address rescuing girls from the sex trade in Toledo. This year SECOND CHANCE won the national FBI award for
its work with rescued victims. Dr. Williamson also developed the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition involving
numerous agencies who meet monthly to build protocol and procedures to reduce human trafficking. Each year, Dr. Williamson
hosts the National and International Conference on Prostitution, Sex Work and Human Trafficking that usually has approx. 45
presenters on these topics. This year’s conference was held October 7 and 8, at University of
Toledo.
Please see: prostitutionconference.com
The national tipline to report on human trafficking
is: 888-3737-888.
View:
secondchancetoledo.org for more information about Dr. Williamson’s program.
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Lia Valerio to Discuss Trafficked Women and Children in Cambodia;
Share Updates on Ann's
House and Salvation Army's Promise Program
at SI-Chicago's October 20th Meeting
Speaker:
Lia Valerio - Malia Designs
October 20th SI-Chicago Meeting Program Speaker
Bucktown Public Library Lia has been a dedicated advocate for trafficked
women and children in Cambodia. She will tell us about her
social-entrepreneurial business and recent trip to Cambodia
including a visit to Goutte D’Eau Orphanage.
In Chicago, she is raising funds for Ann’s House, the long-awaited
shelter for trafficked girls run by The
Salvation Army’s Promise program. See www.soroptimistchicago.org.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Governor Cheryl talks with Midwestern Region's Ruby
Award winner
Gracehaven Advocate Theresa Flores at Spring Conference in
Indianapolis. Flores was one of three Ruby
Award finalists in
Soroptimist consideration. An accomplished author, anti-human
trafficking speaker,
and frequent speaker at Soroptimist meetings,
Flores has been nominated by two Midwestern Region clubs
in the
Columbus area two consecutive years. She is shown here with her
newest book which is available internationally.
Determination of the
Soroptimist Ruby Award winner was made in spring 2010 by
online membership vote.
Gracehaven -:- Columbus Ohio
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