Merry Christmas

Abduction Prevention Curriculum for Kids

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has just announced a free downloadable curriculum for K-5 to teach personal safety. It is great for educators, counselors, caregivers, scout leaders, and youth programs.

Help your students learn about being safer with the KidSmartz Education Kit! Teach the 4 Rules of Personal Safety with project-based activities designed to educate and empower using bulletin boards, journals, and animated videos. For more information click www.kidsmartz.org/TeachingTools.

Youth who use substances are at a higher risk for sex trafficking.

The North Kitsap Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is conducting a survey of the community to help them plan substance abuse prevention services in North Kitsap School District area. We need your help. Residents of the North Kitsap School District area please complete the brief survey, please follow this link.  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NOKIXON

Thanks for your help.

Calling Volunteers

We want to cover our area with WARNING SIGNS OF SEX TRAFFICKING posters! Please drop by Poulsbo Library, west reading room between 7:00 and 7:45 on Monday November 17^th, pickup some posters and tell us what neighborhood you will cover. We want these posters in schools, libraries, community bulletin boards, etc. Thanks for your help.

BKAT showing CHOSEN this month

Do you think trafficking only happens to at risk youth?

Watch the film Chosen about two girls who break the stereotypes for being at risk for trafficking. See how the trafficker recruited them, manipulated them, and brainwashed them into doing what he wanted them to do.

BKAT, public television, will be showing CHOSEN this month. Here’s the schedule:
Nov. 9^th 10pm

Nov. 18^th 8pm

Nov. 21st 1pm 

Please forward to your friends and family and help education everyone on the dangers of child sex trafficking. Thanks.

Report from the Washington State Supreme Court

Gene (not shown) demonstrated against Backpage.com and attended oral arguments as Backpage's lawyer asked the civil suit against them by three victims be thrown out. The essence of the arguments were:

'A lawyer for Backpage.com told Washington’s Supreme Court that a lawsuit filed by three sex trafficking victims should be thrown out because the website has immunity under a federal communications law. Jim Grant told the justices Tuesday that Backpage did not create the ads that allegedly caused harm so they can’t be held liable.

But the lawyer for the victims said that was not true. Erik Bauer said Backpage gives instructions to pimps on how to post an ad that works and that makes them an “information content provider.” Since they participate in the creation of the ads, they lose their immunity.' (Washington Post, Oct 20, 2014)

Have a safe Halloween

www.netsmartzkids.org has fun activities and a video for your children all designed to teach them how to be safe this Halloween. Check it out!

Juvenile sex trafficking

Juvenile sex trafficking is the focus of a seminar to be held on November 4, 2014 at the WEA Olympic Uniserve Office, Poulsbo from 4:30 to 8 pm. The event is sponsored by the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary service group for leading women educators in Kitsap County.

Participants for the November seminar may come from any public or private school, community social service and mental health agencies, churches and the general public. Register by emailing dkgkitsap@yahoo.com with “seminar” in the subject line, and include name, phone, email address, and affiliation. There will be a limit of eighty participants so early registration is encouraged.  

Backpage.com, an online advertsing site, on Trial

On October 21^st at 1:30pm, our WA State Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on an unprecedented liability lawsuit against Backpage for knowingly profiting from the sale of girls. We applaud attorneys Erik Bauer of Tacoma and Mike Pfau of Seattle for their courage in filing this suit on behalf of three girls who were raped and otherwise brutalized hundreds of times while Backpage.com profited from this practice.

What you can do? 
Our State Supreme Court Justices need to know the sentiment and passion against the sale of children online, and we need the press to publicize this case. YOU can volunteer to do one of the two below:

1. Call people to attend and fill the inside and outside of the courtroom.  WAEngage is organizing groups: admin@waengage.com to volunteer.
2. Attend the oral argument and/or rally outside the courtroom.

JOIN SHARED HOPE!

1.    Wear a red shirt (or wear Shared Hope International activist T-shirts)

2.    Nick and Jo Lembo will have Shared Hope stickers for everyone to wear on the front of your shirt. Ambassadors wear your nametag!

3.    Meet on the state capitol steps at 12:30 pm with your signs. After we make our appearance, we will go up to the hearing room together.  NOTE: Depending on the turnout, we may not all have seating in the hearing room but your presence is still important! Posters are allowed on the steps, but NOT inside the building. Create  your own to say “NOT IN MY CITY” in bold black letters on white paper.

4.    Contact NICK LEMBO if you have questions.
nick@gencities.org

Workshop on Strengthening Families

Lunch For A Change

Lunch for a Change at Calvary Chapel. A FREE event to learn about modern day slavery, how it impacts you, and what you can do to stop it!

October 19 at 1:00 pm
919 Division St NW
Olympia, WA
Child care not provided.

RSVP: sharedhope.org/calvarychapel

Showing of Photographs

Jak’s Café of Poulsbo is having a showing of Gene and Sandy’s photographs. Profits from the sale of these photos goes to support Freedom13. Please stop by 19355 Jensen Way NE, Poulsbo, have coffee, breakfast or lunch and enjoy the photos and remember, Christmas is just around the corner. They have gluten free items as well. Please forward to your friends.

You can help Freedom13!

You can help Freedom13 earn donations

just by shopping with your 

Fred Meyer Rewards Card!

Fred Meyer is donating $2.5 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, based on where their customers tell them to give. Here’s how the program works:

• Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Freedom13 at www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by our non-profit number ( 89821).
• Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping Freedom13 earn a donation!
• You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.
• If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store.
• For more information, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. 

Please tell your friends.

Truck Show

At the Brooks, OR Truck Show we distributed 100 audio books of Renting Lacy: A Story of America's Prostituted Children to long haul truckers and asked them to be on the lookout.

Our volunteers also gave away fingerprint/ID Kits and Be a Safe Kid coloring books to families explaining about child sex trafficking.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this a successful event!

Demanding Justice

As long as buyers go free there will be demand for child sex trafficking. Today Shared Hope unveiled a campaign demanding justice of buyers. Click http://www.demandingjustice.org/home/ to find who is buying in your state and what can be done.

We are greatly saddened by the Fox News article posted August 7th 2014

“BREMERTON — The body of Jenise Wright, the 6-year-old East Bremerton girl who has been missing since Sunday, was found in a wooded area near her mobile home park Thursday and her death is not believed to have been accidental, authorities said.”

Be on the lookout for 6 year old Bremerton girl

6 year old girl went missing from her house in Bremerton Sunday.

Click here for the story.

National Night Out August 5th

Last year the kids had a great time at this event, so bring the family and be sure to stop by the Freedom13 booth to pick up your free fingerprint kits and free Be a Safe Kid coloring books.

Victims of Trafficking Act

We just signed the petition "Senator Grassley: Support the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S. 1738)" on Change.org.

It's important. Will you sign it too? Read what it does. Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/senator-grassley-support-the-justice-for-victims-of-trafficking-act-s-1738?recruiter=10200944&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

Thanks!
Gene and Sandy

Great news! Anji has been found safe.

Anji was found 4 pm Wednesday July 9th and returned to her grateful parents who expressed their appreciation to everyone for their help. For the full story click this link.

If you see this girl please contact National Human Trafficking Hotline Number

1-888-373-7888 or Text BeFree (233733). Thanks Freedom13

Missing Washington teen, 

feared victim of human trafficking

A 17-year-old Washington girl missing for the last two weeks left a chilling message in her journal no mother should have to find. Read the full story here.

Recognizing Marijuana Use in Youth

Kitsap County prosecuting attorney says local sex traffickers are often drug dealers.

Attention women in ministry

June 11th, 1:00-2:30, Sylvan Way Baptist Church, Sandy is showing the movie Chosen and speaking on minor sex trafficking. All women in ministry are invited.

Want to help find a missing child?

The Polly Klaas Rapid Response Team has helped achieve a 99% recovery rate.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW:
Visit the Polly Klaas Foundation master list of children on their website or Facebook page http://www.pollyklaas.org/missing and choose a child’s poster to share on your Facebook or twitter page.  (You can either cut and paste the URL into your status or you can download and share the PDF of a child’s flyer)
Urge your Facebook friends and Twitter followers to share this missing child’s poster on their page.
If someone recognizes a child they should phone it in to 1-800-587-HELP.

The goal is 25 shares for each missing child! Imagine the total number of people who will see each child’s picture – Imagine the impact this will have for families still searching for their child – imagine being part of finding them and bringing them home!

Let’s make a difference this May 25th, the National Missing Children's Day

Internet Safety

Would you like to teach your children about Internet safety in a fun and excting way? Check out Netsmartzkids.org. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s new website. The site has interactive, educational safety resources for the 5-17 year old.

As parents do you have questions about Internet safety? Go to NetSmartz411.org and find answers to your questions from their online library.

Let’s make our children’s home a safe place.

Sexual Abuse Talk

Freedom13 will have a table at this event!

Defenders

Gene was privileged to show the movie, Chosen, to the men's retreat from the Port Orchard Faith Fellowship. This was an outreach to men challenging them to be defenders of women.

It was held at the Pacific Beach Resort. Thanks guys for inviting me.

Do You Want to Volunteer?

Freedom13 will be holding a meeting for anyone interested in volunteering to help bring awareness about the child sex trafficking issues in America. If you are interested please join us:

April 1st 

Poulsbo Library

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Thanks,

Gene & Sandy

Boys at Risk

Recently I spoke to the women gathered for the Rescued, Redeemed, Restored Women’s Retreat. We were asked about boys being trafficked into the sex trade and I wanted to share some exciting news with you.

Anna Smith, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Restore One, shared their chief project, The Anchor House will open in 2014. Anna states, “The Anchor House will be the first shelter in the nation designed to meet the psychological, physical and sociological needs of sex trafficked and sexually exploited American boys.”

Thank you Restore One and Anna Smith for you ground breaking work.

Ranier Beach High School

It was a privilege to be the guest speaker for the Successful Youth Inc. at Rainer Beach High School. We appreciated the teens spending their lunch time learning about the dangers of sex trafficking. Freedom13 thanks and appreciates Ms. Nelson and The Danna  K. Johnston foundation for providing this amazing program for our youth.  Everyone be sure and check them out on Facebook, Successful Youth Inc. The Danna K. Johnston Foundation. 

Women's Retreat

Hope you can join us for the retreat. Freedom13 will show the movie, Chosen, which tells the shocking true story of two 'All-American' teenage girls tricked into trafficking. We will be giving away free tools to protect all the children in your life. Hope to see you on the 8th. Sandy Hill 

Chosen Movie in Tacoma

We highly recommend this movie and if you are unable to attend the Tacoma showing email us at ContactUs@Freedom13.org and we would be happy to provide a free showing to your group and in your area.

Super Bowl Sex Sting

Hooray for the Seahawks, And cheers for victory against traffickers at the SuperBowl!

Headline: Missing children rescued from Super Bowl sex trade in FBI sting  Sixteen children as young as 13, and some of whom had been reported missing by their families, were rescued from the sex trade in a law enforcement sting operation that targeted alleged pimps who brought the victims to New Jersey for Super Bowl weekend, FBI officials said. More than 45 pimps and their associates were arrested in the operation conducted by law enforcement, the FBI announced Tuesday. Some admitted traveling to New Jersey from other states for the purpose of forcing women and children to have sex with Super Bowl tourists for money, according to federal investigators. "High-profile special events, which draw large crowds, have become lucrative opportunities for child prostitution criminal enterprises," Ron Hosko, assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, said in a statement. "The FBI and our partners remain committed to stopping this cycle of victimization and putting those who try to profit from this type of criminal activity behind bars." From Fox News, 2/4/14 - Read full article at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/04/fbi-sting-rescues-missing-children-from-super-bowl-sex-trade/)

Nathan’s Movie Night

Nathan’s Movie Night was a great success! We are honored that the Blanchette Family chose Freedom13 to make Nathan’s Dream come true.

Our appreciation goes to the Capital Christian Center for offering their facilities for the event. Thanks Pastor Dwayne and Pastor Keith. Our thanks to all the Freedom13 volunteers: Dan Merritt, Judy Moore, and Marsha Ball. We couldn’t have done it without you. 

Free Movie Night

Nathan was a young abolitionist that wanted to stop youth sex trafficking. He recently passed away. We are showing the movie Chosen in his honor. Everyone is invited so please re-post this and tweet. Snacks will be provided.

An Appreciation

Our sincere thank you to everyone who made a donation to Freedom13 to make Nathan’s Dream come true. We appreciate your generous donations which will make a huge difference ensuring Nathan’s friends will be safe.

Nathan’s Family and Freedom13