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Sex trafficking survey to be released Monday
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Posted on Jul 29 2008
[B]By KRISTI EATON[/B]
[I]kristi_eaton@saipantribune.com
Reporter[/I]
Reporter[/I]
The founder of Shared Hope International will be on Saipan this weekend to release results of a study the organization conducted in April on sex trafficking of minors in the CNMI.
Linda Smith will share results of the study that was part of a larger study on sex trafficking and exploitation of minors in 10 sites across the United States. The study will be officially released Monday.
SHI Director of Programs Samantha Vardaman met with representatives from CNMI agencies dealing with juvenile welfare issues in April.
In addition to the CNMI, SHI conducted the study in Clearwater, Florida; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Independence, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; Buffalo, New York; Salt Lake City, Utah; Fort Worth, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; and Dallas, Texas.
In April, Vardaman said the CNMI was chosen as one of the 10 locations because “the CNMI has had extensive experience with human trafficking prosecutions.”
SHI would look at statistics on the number of prostitutes and consumers in the area, as well as demand, Vardaman told the Saipan Tribune in April.
According to Karidat Social Service, 50 victims sought help through Karidat’s Guma Esperansa House of Hope in 2007, up from 28 in 2006.
In October 2007, the owner of the local Phoenix Karaoke, was found guilty of tricking women from China into coming to Saipan to work with the promise of legal jobs. Instead, the women ended up working as prostitutes.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the average age girls enter into prostitution and pornography is 12.
