.
>>> GOOD MORNING. THE PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE
MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER.
I'M ROBERT KETTLE, CHAIR OF
THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL? [ ROLL BEING
CALLED ]
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE
MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING AND SEEING NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED.
GOOD MORNING.
TODAY, FOR CHAIR
COMMENT, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO
THREE THINGS.
FIRST OBVIOUSLY IS MINNESOTA,
MINNEAPOLIS. A SECOND TRAGIC
KILLING IN
THREE WEEKS BY FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN MINNEAPOLIS UNDER
INDISCRIMINATE HEAVY-
HANDED OPERATIONS AGAINST
CITIZENS AND
NON- CITIZENS ALIKE DEMAND
THE NEED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY, DHS, TO
CEASE OPERATIONS IN OUR CITY AND
CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THESE DHS FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS ARE
ILL-DISCIPLINED, NON-
KEEPING WITH
ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE POLICY OR GUIDANCE,
AND ARE MARKED BY POOR
LEADERSHIP, WHICH MAKES PUBLIC
SAFETY IN OUR
CITIES WORSE. WE NEED TO STAND
ON IT AT ONCE.
THE EVENTS POST-9/11, THE
GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, THE
CREATION OF
DHS CHANGED OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT APPROACH FROM
GUARDIAN ETHOS
TO WARRIOR ETHOS AT ALL LEVELS
OF
GOVERNMENT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE LOOKING
TO RETURN TO A
GUARDIAN APPROACH. WE NEED TO DO
IS SAME WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND
SECURITY.
I ASK STATE, COUNTY, AND FEDERAL
DELEGATIONS IN JOINING SEATTLE A
CONSENT TO CREATE -- SO
THAT THEY CAN WORK THEIR
MANDATED
MISSION SETS, IMMIGRATION, BUT
ALSO TERRORIST NETWORKS, DRUG
TRAFFICKING, FOR EXAMPLE,
NOT KILLING PROTESTERS.
WHAT THE REGION NEEDS IS NOT
I.C.E. BUT RATHER THE FBI, THE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INFORMATION,
ATF, ALCOHOL, TOBACCO,
AND FIREARMS, AND DEA, TO STOP
THE FLOW OF GUNS AND DRUGS INTO
OUR
CITY.
THAT IS WHERE LAW
ENFORCEMENT CAN HELP IMPROVE OUR
SAFETY --
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
ALONG THESE LINES AND IN
TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, I
WANT TO
THANK THE EXECUTIVE.
WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTIVE FROM
THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
EFFECTIVE THE 15th OF JANUARY
THAT STARTS, IN THE EVENT OF
A DECISION BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO
UNILATERALLY DEPLOY THE NATIONAL
GUARD
OR OTHER FEDERAL AGENTS INTO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, SBD WILL
NOT
ADVOCATE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES
AND CONTINUE TO SERVE
SEATTLE'S COMMUNITIES UNDER THE
COMMAND OF THE
CHIEF OF POLICE. THAT'S HOW IT
STARTS.
AND THE KEY THING FOR THIS
GUIDANCE, THAT IS TO
ONE, ENGAGE.
WE NEED OUR OFFICERS TO RESPOND
TO THE 911 CALL LIKE WE RECENTLY
HAD AN ARMED KIDNAPPING
ON
AURORA. WE NEED TO CONFIRM --
TO CONFIRM -- THE IDENTITY OF
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, IN
THIS CASE, I.C.E., AND PROBABLE
CAUSE.
AND VERY
IMPORTANTLY DOCUMENT. WE NEED TO
DOCUMENT THESE
ENCOUNTERS. WE NEED TO DOCUMENT
WHAT
IS HAPPENING WITH FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN
OUR CITY. SO, ENGAGE, CONFIRM,
AND
DOCUMENT.
IT IS SO KEY FOR US TO HAVE
THIS DIRECTIVE AND TO HAVE
THIS APPROACH.
AND I THANK THE DIRECTIVE THAT
WAS PROMULGATED ON THE 15th
OF JANUARY.
ONE LAST THING I WANTED TO NOTE
IT RELATES TO FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THIS
COMES TO ME ON A REGULAR BASIS,
AND THAT IS TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
IN OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, FIRST
WITH
THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE
READER, THE CCTV AND THE
REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
THESE
PROGRAMS WERE PUT IN PLACE WITH
LEGISLATION PASSED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL THAT INCORPORATED
CITY OF SEATTLE VALUES.
WE PUT THESE PIECES IN PLACE TO
INCLUDE BY AMENDMENTS BY
MY COLLEAGUES TO INCLUDE
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, VICE
CHAIR SAKA.
WE PUT THESE PIECES IN PLACE
AND THEY HAVE BEEN SERVING
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEY HAVE BEEN SERVING
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I RECOGNIZE THE CALLS.
BUT WE BUILT IN SO MANY
PIECES TO PROTECT AGAINST THAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ONE
SWORN OFFICER WHO HAS ACCESS TO
AOPR AND CCTV.
THAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY
SOMETIMES I.C.E.
GETS INFORMATION.
IT'S BASICALLY AN INSIDER
THREAT
ISSUE. WE'VE SEEN THIS IN
OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
BUT WE BUILT A DIFFERENT SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE
THERE'S ONLY ONE SWORN OFFICER
AT
THE REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
I RAISE THIS BECAUSE THERE'S
BEEN DIFFERENT REPORTING
AND THERE'S EFFORT RIGHT NOW
IN OLYMPIA THAT'S REALLY
FOCUSED
ON FLOCK.
IF YOU READ THE
REPORTING, YOU WOULD THINK
SEATTLE HAD THE
FLOCK SYSTEM. WE DO NOT HAVE
FLOCK.
WE DO NOT HAVE FLOCK.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE SYSTEMS
THAT THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS
HAD.
AND THE ISSUES THAT THESE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS IN THE COUNTY
AND THE SAY IT HAVE HAD.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT
TO
HIGHLIGHT. AND BY THE WAY, WE
HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY IN
CITY GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL AND
THIS
COMMITTEE TO THINK BIG PICTURE
ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM
OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
THERE'S JUST LITTLE
THINGS ONE SHOULD NOTE.
SINCE MAY OF LAST YEAR,
IT'S BEEN USED 18 TIMES FOR
MISSING PERSONS CALLS, FOR THOSE
AMBER/SILVER ALERT CALLS THAT WE
RECEIVE, YOU SEE WHEN
YOU'RE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.
SO IMPORTANT.
ON TOP OF THAT, 14 SUICIDAL
SUBJECT CALLS.
SO, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS.
BUT WE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
BEFORE WE PASSED THESE LAWS.
WE BUILT IN PROTECTIONS.
WE BUILT IN PROCESSES.
AND BOTH SYSTEMS AND THE
REALTIME CRIME CENTER ARE
SERVING OUR CITY
WELL. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
OVERSIGHT AND CONTINUE TO
WORK THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
THESE POINTS AS IT RELATES TO
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
FIRST, MY STATEMENT, TWO,
THE NEW DIRECTIVE PROMULGATED ON
15
JANUARY, AND THE BIG PIECE OF
ENGAGE, CONFIRM, AND DOCUMENT.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO TOUCH
ON THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE
BECAUSE IT IS A SUBJECT AND
THERE'S
A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT
THERE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ENSURE THAT
THESE PIECES ARE OUT PUBLICLY.
OKAY.
WITH THAT CHAIR COMMENT, WE
WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO
THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA
OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THE COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP
FOR TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO
IN PERSON AND ONE REMOTE
SPEAKER.
>> OKAY. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE
TWO
MINUTES, AND WE'LL START WITH
IN-PERSON. THANK YOU.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MONITORED IN THE
FOLLOWING MATTER, UP TO
60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF
THEIR TIME.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR COMMENTS
WITHIN THE
ALLOTTED TIME. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN AND WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST ON THE LIST.
THE FIRST IN-
PERSON SPEAKER IS EMMY COYAMA TO
BE FOLLOWED BY
HOWARD GAYLE.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS EMMY
COYAMA AND
THE DIRECTOR FOR -- AND
COFOUNDER/CODIRECTOR OF ILENE'S
COMMUNITY SPACE STREET OUTREACH
PROGRAM.
WE REACH ABOUT 100
MOSTLY
HOMELESS MAJORITY BLACK WOMEN.
-- ANTICIPATION OF
KCPAO'S PRESENTATION.
PROSECUTORS OPERATE WITHIN
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM,
WHICH FOCUSES ON WINNING
CONVICTIONS AND CUTTING PLEA
DEALS RATHER
THAN TRUTH SEEKING, GENERALLY --
AND SURVIVOR AND
COMMUNITY WHOLENESS.
THEY ALSO BRING THIS APPROACH
TO POLICY MEETING, WHICH DOES
DISSERVICE TO OUR CITY
AND RESIDENTS.
AND KCPAO HAS BEEN
PREPARED FOR THE COMMITTEE, YOU
SEE PROSECUTORS THROW ANY AND
ALL
ARGUMENT TO SEE WHAT STICKS.
THEY USE STOCK PHOTOS,
SCREEN CAPTURED FROM A FICTIONAL
DRAMA
FILM, IMAGE --
DATA AND -- PROVIDES A FAULTY
APP FOR I.C.E.
AGENTS TO LOCATE AND
RECOGNIZE FACES OF CITIZEN
IMMIGRANTS.
PHOTOS STOLEN FROM
ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT FROM
SOMEONE
WHO STILL WORKS AS AN ESCORT.
AND SERIES OF PHOTOS OF
BRUTALIZED, BLOODIED WOMEN THAT
SHOW THEIR FACES IN COMPLETE
DISREGARD FOR THEIR DIGNITY.
THEY INSTRUMENTALIZE --
WITHOUT OFFERING ANY REMEDIES AS
SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS
PRODUCE THOSE VULNERABILITIES IN
THE
FIRST PLACE.
-- TESTIMONIES THAT ARE
USEFUL IN CEDING FURTHER POWER
TO LAW LAW
ENFORCEMENT. -- DO NOT AGREE
WITH THE
PROSECUTOR'S IDEA OF HOW
WE PROTECT AND EMPOWER
MOST VULNERABLE
AMONG US. -- ADD VERSARIAL --
MADE
TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY ALIGN
WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR NOT AND --
AGENDA.
PROSECUTORS HAVE A ROLE TO
PLAY IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT
THEIR DOMINANCE IS UNWARRANTED
AND
DISRESPECTS SURVIVORS. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE HOWARD GAYLE.
>> MORNING.
HOWARD GAYLE.
SO, YESTERDAY IN A PRESS
CONFERENCE,
STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL NICK
BROWN SAID, QUOTE,
STATE AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT DO NOT HAVE TO
SIMPLY WATCH
OR LOOK AWAY IF THE LAW IS
BEING VIOLATED.
IF THEY SEE SOMEBODY
BEING ASSAULTED UNLAWFULLY OR
ATTACKED UNLAWFULLY OR OTHERWISE
HAVING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS
VIOLATED,
WE DO EXPECT STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICERS NOT TO SIMPLY WATCH
OR
DO NOTHING. THE WASHINGTON
PUBLIC EXPECTS
THEIR LOCAL SHERIFF,
LOCAL POLICE CHIEF, OR OFFICERS
THAT WORK FOR EITHER TO NOT
SIMPLY WATCH IF SOMEBODY IN
THEIR COMMUNITY IS HAVING THEIR
RIGHTS
VIOLATED. CHAIR KETTLE, FIVE
MONTHS AGO,
SPEAKING FOR THE 36th DISTRICT
DEMOCRATS, I PRESENTED
A PROPOSAL THAT FULFILLS EXACTLY
THAT. AND YET WE HAVE NOT HEARD
ANY
DISCUSSION OR ANY PROPOSED
LEGISLATION. THIS IS A PROPOSAL
THAT
DOES NOT -- IS NOT A QUESTION OF
TRYING TO CONTROL LOCAL LAW --
TRYING TO CONTROL FEDERAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT IT'S ABOUT
EVERYBODY, LOCAL AND FEDERAL,
BEING SUBJECT TO THE FOURTH
AMENDMENT.
SO, THE POINT OF
THIS LEGISLATION AND WHY IT'S
SO
IMPORTANT IS WE'VE SEEN SOME
HORRIFYING EXAMPLES IN THE LAST
FIVE MONTHS.
IN WEST SEATTLE ON
SEPTEMBER 12th AND IN SOUTH
SEATTLE
ON DECEMBER 29th, WHERE SEATTLE
POLICE OFFICERS ACTIVELY
DISREGARDED CONCERNS ABOUT
I.C.E.
AND WHAT HAPPENED ON
THE DECEMBER 29th WAS A RIGHT
WING
PROVOKE TORE GOING INTO THE
SMILY COMMUNITY TO CHILD
CARE CENTERS STIRRING UP HATE.
AND WHEN CONFRONTED BY
SPD BECAUSE HE DISPLAYED A
FIREARM,
THEY SIMPLY BLEW IT OFF.
THIS IS WHY WE NEED MUCH
MORE AFFIRMATIVE SORTS OF
LEGISLATION AND NOT SIMPLY
SAYING POLICE
SHOULD STAND BACK.
LASTLY, I DO WANT TO POINT
OUT, TODAY IS HOLOCAUST
REMEMBRANCE
DAY. AND AS A JEW WHO LOST A LOT
OF
FAMILY IN THE HOLOCAUST,
WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS
NOT A
HOLOCAUST.
BUT IT IS A PRECURSOR TO
A
HOLOCAUST. IT'S THE
DEHUMANIZING AND
THE WILLINGNESS TO MURDER PEOPLE
WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
AND SO, AGAIN, IT'S ALL THE
MORE
IMPORTANT THAT WE
TAKE DIRECT ACTION TO HAVE OUR
POLICE
FORCE ACTUALLY INTERVENE AND ACT
IN
A WAY WHICH IS NOT SIMPLY
STANDING
BACK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER
IS DAVID HAYNES.
AND WE HAVE A SECOND
REMOTE SPEAKER, ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
DAVID HAYNES FIRST.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT, YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> HI.
THANK YOU. DAVID HAYNES.
STOP THE SEXPLOTATION -- THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY WITH IMPUNITY.
WHEN IS THE KING
COUNTY PROSECUTOR GOING TO SUE
TO
TAKE OVER ALL THOSE EVIL MOTELS
USED TO RAPE AND PILLAGE AND
TRAFFIC
WOMEN? WITH ALL THOSE PROPERTY
OWNERS WHO DEVALUE THE VALUES OF
HUMAN LIFE?
AND WHEN IS THE COUNCIL GOING TO
REDEVELOP THE ENTIRE AURORA
CORRIDOR WITH EMERGENCY
HOUSING TO REPLACE THE DISGRACE
OF SOCIETY IMPLODING
BEFORE EVERYBODY'S EYES ON THAT
ENTIRE SLUM MOTEL AVENUE?
AND WHEN IS CITY HALL GOING TO
REALIZE THAT THEY NEED
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE
TARIFFS
AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO
REDEVELOP THAT WHOLE
AREA?
YOU KNOW, EVER SINCE THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO SET UP AN
ENTRAPMENT OPERATION TO GO
ON DISPLAY IN FRONT OF THE
REAL HUMAN TRAFFICKERS OVER IN
THE AURORA AVENUE CORRIDOR,
ALL THESE EVIL PUMPS AND
TRAFFICKERS ARE JUST BECOMING
MORE SOPHISTICATED.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE USING THE
RAIL FROM LINWOOD TO DOWNTOWN.
AND IT SOUNDSSOUNDS WEIRD,
BUT EVEN THOUGH THE WOMEN ARE
WITH
THEM, THEY SORT OF ACT
LIKE THEY'RE NOT WITH EACH
OTHER, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE.
AND IT'S LIKE THEY'RE AFRAID
TO SPEAK OUT.
AND YET THE PLACES THEY
GET TAKEN TO ARE SOME OF THE
MOST EVIL PLACES IN THE WORLD.
AND THEY'RE RIGHT HERE IN
SEATTLE, USUALLY IN THE
U DISTRICT.
IT'S LIKE THEY'VE GOT THESE
RAPE HOUSES WHERE SOME GUY WILL
FIND SOME DESPERATE WOMAN AND
HE'LL CALL UP 20 EVIL, WICKED
JOHNS, AND THEY'LL SHOW UP TO A
HOUSE AND PAY WHATEVER THEY PAY
AND THEY DRUG A WOMAN AND DO
ALL KINDS OF HORRIBLE THINGS.
AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH
THE COPS MADE AT THE SEAHAWKS
GAME BECAUSE THERE'S MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO --
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE
ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, THERE IS
A PROBLEM BEYOND THE FLOCK
SYSTEM.
WHEN FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT SUBPOENAS LICENSE
PLATE DATA
AND VIDEOS OF PEOPLE PROTESTING
BY THE LAWS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
ESTABLISHED, YOU HAVE TO COMPLY
WHEN THEY SUBPOENA
FOR THAT INFORMATION.
TO MARITZA RIVERA, WHAT HAVE YOU
BEEN DOING FOR OVER A YEAR?
YOU'VE HAD COUNTLESS
MEETINGS WITH HOMENDY MOHOMMAD
THAT YOU
MENTIONED AT COUNCILS MANY,
MANY TIMES.
HOW DO YOU HAVE NO PLAN OF
ACTION?
HAVE YOU SLOW WALKED OR
IGNORED ACTION OR
RECOMMENDATIONS BY
THE OFFICE OF --
THAT IS MY QUESTION?
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING
FOR OVER A YEAR?
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO
NOTE REALLY
QUICKLY, I APPRECIATE ALL THE
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
-- SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT POINTS IF YOU CAN.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO
NOTE, PARTICULARLY WITH MR.
GAYLE
AND MR. ALVAREZ, WE HAVE
BEEN
ENGAGING. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE
MEETINGS.
YESTERDAY, FOR EXAMPLE, I
HAD MEETINGS WITH CITY
ATTORNEY EVANS AND HER TEAM AND
THEN
ALSO MAYOR WILSON AND MEMBERS OF
HER TEAM AS WELL, WORKING
THROUGH
THESE PIECES.
THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS TO
THIS, AND I REALIZED A
LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LEGAL
OPINIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY APPROACH
IS DETERMINED BY THE LEGAL
OPINION
OFFERED FIRST BY CITY ATTORNEY
EVANS AND THEN ALSO OUR IN-
HOUSE LEGAL COUNCIL HERE IN
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.
SO, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH
THE OPTIONS.
AND WITH THAT LEGAL
BACKDROP THAT WE NEEDED.
AND AGAIN, I MET WITH
MAYOR WILSON YESTERDAY IN TERMS
OF
ENGAGING WITH THE EXECUTIVE,
IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS AND
SO FORTH.
I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY I
110% AGREE WITH YOU REGARDING
THE PARALLELS TO
THE, YOU KNOW -- WHAT LED TO THE
HOLOCAUST.
I'VE SEEN PARALLELS
MYSELF DURING THE COURSE OF MY
CAREER,
AND I SEE IT AGAIN AND AGAIN
IN
HISTORY. AND WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN
TERMS OF THE AUTHORITARIANISM
THAT'S ENVELOPED OUR FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, IT HAS THE
SAME MARCHING POINTS.
AND IT'S VERY CONCERNING.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO STAND UP.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO DO
THE PIECES THAT WE TALKED TO.
AND FINALLY TO MR.
ALVAREZ, THERE'S BEEN NO
SUBPOENAS TO
THIS POINT.
WE DO HAVE A -- YOU
KNOW, THE LIKE WITH CCTV TO
PAUSE.
THERE'S BEEN NOTHING I'VE
ASKED, NOTHING HAS COME TO
MY ATTENTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT
KNOWN. OKAY.
PUBLIC COMMENT HAS EXPIRED.
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS
OF BUSINESS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE
ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT COMMENT
ON THE CARDS ON THE PODIUM OR
EMAIL THE CONVINCE AT
SEATTLE.GOV.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> KING COUNTY PROSECUTING
ATTORNEYS OFFICE PRESENTATION
ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
>>
THANK YOU. MS. McGINNIS, MS.
VOORHEES, PLEASE JOIN US AT THE
TABLE
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
ANY INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS,
YOU'RE
WELCOME TO.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK --
I'LL JUST SAY THEIR NAMES --
BRAELAH AND ALEXANDRA
FOR SITTING WITH US FOR OVER
TWO HOURS AND THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MEET WITH YOU GUYS AGAIN AND
THE
CITY ATTORNEY ON THE
SEX
TRAFFICKING. I KNOW IT WILL COME
UP IN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
I'M SURE THE CHAIR WILL
FLAG THIS AS WELL.
AND I'LL LET YOU DO
YOUR PRESENTATION MAINLY FOR
HERE
AND ALSO HOPEFULLY IN OLYMPIA.
WE DID GET A COPY AND LOOKED AT
THE HOUSE BILL 2526 THAT
REPRESENTATIVE STERNS
IS PRESENTING AND -- SENATOR
ORWELL ON THE SEX TRAFFICKING.
AT SOME POINT YOU CAN
SPRINKLE IN YOUR PRESENTATION
BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE
ISSUES ISSUES
WELL, PARTICULARLY IN AURORA
AND THE NORTH END, AND AS YOU
SHARED
WITH US ALL ALONG THE 99
CORRIDOR AND
OTHER HOTELS AND OTHER WAYS TO
GET TO
SEX TRAFFICKERS OF CHILDREN,
NOT ADULT WOMEN WHO ENGAGE IN
THE
PRACTICE WITH CONSENSUAL FOR
THEIR BUSINESS MODEL, WHICH
IS
ANOTHER ISSUE. OUR FOCUS
IS YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE BEING
TRAFFICKED FROM BC TO
PORTLAND TO SAN FRANCISCO.
IT'S MORE THAN SYSTEMIC.
I HAVE TO HEAR ONE MORE TIME
THAT THIS IS THE WORLD'S
OLDEST PROFESSION AND IT'S OKAY.
IT'S NOT.
I WANT
TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR TAKING THE
TIME FOR MEETING.
AND WE ARE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SENATE
AND OF COURSE
WITH REPRESENTATIVE STERNS.
SO, I'M HOPING THAT WE
CAN -- SOMETHING GOOD WILL COME
OUT OF THIS, THAT WE DON'T JUST
DO
ANOTHER COMMITTEE AND, YOU
KNOW, THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO AFTER
PEOPLE
THAT TRAFFIC WOMEN, COERCE WOMEN
AND
YOUNG GIRLS, AND GROOM THEM
FOR SEX TRAFFICKING IN OUR
GREAT STATE AND BEYOND.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. AND
OVER TO YOU. NOW, THIS IS A LONG
-- SOMETIMES
I SAY, HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS,
COLLEAGUES, UNTIL TEND.
SINCE THE LENGTH OF THIS
BRIEF, IT MAY BE BETTER TO
FIND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO
HAVE
QUESTIONS. IS THAT OKAY?
>> WE ARE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE.
>> COLLEAGUES, IN SOME OF
THESE BRIEFINGS IT'S BETTER TO
WAIT
UNTIL THE END.
THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE
LENGTH AND SO FORTH, IF THERE'S
OPPORTUNITIES, PLEASE, YOU
CAN ASK QUESTIONS DURING THE
COURSE
OF
THE BRIEFING. OKAY.
OVER TO YOU.
CAN YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD TOO?
>> CERTAINLY.
GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ALEX VOORHEES.
I'M A SENIOR DEPUTY PROSECUTOR
WITH THE
KING COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
>> MY NAME IS BRAELAH M
cGUINNESS
AND I TOO A SEEN KNORR
DEPUTY PROSECUTOR WITH THE KING
COUNTY
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
JUST FOR A QUICK LAYOUT OF THE
LAND, I HANDLE THE SOUTH END OF
THE COUNTY AND MS.
VOORHEES HANDLES THE NORTH END.
IT IS HER AND I WHO SPLIT
THE COUNTY AND HANDLE THE
CASES ACROSS THE
COUNTY.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OVER TO YOU.
>> CHAIR KETTLE, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS
MORNING.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TO
TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AS MS. McGINNIS ALLUDED TO, THE
KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS
OFFICE HAS TWO PROSECUTORS THAT
ARE DEDICATED TO
WORK IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
OF
JUVENILES AND ADULTS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A PROBLEM
THAT IMPACTS BROAD SWATHS OF OUR
COMMUNITY.
IT IMPACTS THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING
TRAFFICKED. IT IMPACTS THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRYING TO LEAVE, THE SURVIVORS
TRYING TO LEAVE THE
ABUSIVE AND COERCIVE
SITUATIONS THAT THEY'RE IN.
IT IMPACTS PUBLIC SAFETY AS
WE SEE EVERY DAY ON
AURORA WITH ROLLING GUN BATTLES,
KIDNAPPINGS, PEOPLE IN THE
NEWS BEING RUN DOWN OR
ATTEMPTED TO BE RUN DOWN.
THIS PUTS MEMBERS OF
THE COMMUNITY ACROSS BROAD
SPECTRUM IN DANGER.
SO, I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR
ATTENTION.
A LOT OR SOME OF WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO SHOW YOU IN THIS
PRESENTATION IS UNCOMFORTABLE.
IT INVOLVES GRAPHIC IMAGES.
IT INVOLVES
DEPLORABLE STATEMENTS MADE BY
MEN
WHOWHO PURCHASE SEX FROM SOME OF
THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. THIS PRESENTATION WAS
MEANT TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH A NUMBER
OF SURVIVORS WITH RESPECT TO
THE LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE
WORKING ON SURVIVAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'VE HAD SURVIVORS THAT HAVE
TESTIFIED BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE
ON BEHALF OF THE BILL THAT WE'LL
TALK ABOUT AT THE
END OF THE PRESENTATION.
AND ONE OF THEM HAS SAID BOTH
TO US AND IN PUBLIC THAT WHILE
THIS SUBJECT MATTER IS
UNCOMFORTABLE, IT'S
UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ALL
OF US IN THIS ROOM, IT WAS EVEN
MORE
UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HER TO
LIVELIVE
THE ABUSE, THE VIOLENCE
SKRKS , AND THE EXPLOITATION
THAT WAS
PERPETRATED AGAINST HER BY PIMPS
AND BUYERS. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS
MAKES
ANYBODY UNCOMFORTABLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS THE
NATURE OF THE TOPIC THAT WE ARE
GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY.
EXPLOITATION IS EMBEDDED
IN GAINING POWER AND CONTROL
OVER ANOTHER PERSON.
IT STEMS FROM SLAVERY AND
COLONIZATION.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT SOMEONE
PHYSICALLY FORCES, ABUSES, OR
RESTRAINS SOMEONE ELSE.
WHEN IT IS NOT IN A POSITION
TO GIVE CONSENT AND IT DOES NOT
MATTER WHETHER OR NOT YOU
ARE RECEIVING PAYMENT WHEN
THERE'S
A MAJOR POWER IMBALANCE.
AS PROSECUTORS WE DEAL WITH THE
LAW.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STATUTES ON
THE BOOKS IN WASHINGTON
STATE WITH RESPECT TO HUMAN
TRAFFICKING. I WANTED TO START
WITH A
GENERAL DEFINITION.
THIS COMES FROM THE FEDERAL AND
STATE STATUTES ON
HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
THE RECRUITMENT
AND TRANSPORTATION, TRANSFER,
HARBORING, OR RECEIPT
OF INDIVIDUALS THROUGH FORCE,
FRAUD, OR COERCION FOR THE
PURPOSE
OF EXPLOITATION. THIS
EXPLOITATION CAN
INCLUDE FORCED BOR, SEXUAL
SLAVERY,
OR OTHER FORMS OF EXPLOITATION.
COERCION CAN BE SETTLE OR OVERT,
PHYSICAL, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL.
AND I'LL TELL YOU FROM
WORKING THESE CASES, IT IS OFTEN
ALL
OF THE ABOVE.
IN ORDER TO PROVE THE CRIME
OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING WITH
RESPECT TO ADULT, THE STATE MUST
PROVE
FORCE, FRAUD, OR COERCION.
WITH RESPECT TO
EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR, THAT IS
A PER
SE VIOLATION OF THE
HUMAN TRAFFICKING STATUTES.
AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO REMIND
EVERYBODY THAT THE SYSTEM OF
EXPLOITATION IS CONSIDERED
A FORM OF MODERN DAY SLAVERY.
IT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES
AND ALL BACKGROUNDS.
UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING -- THAT'S, SORT
OF, A PHRASE THAT HAS BECOME A
COLLOQUIALISM FOR A WIDE
RANGE OF CRIMES.
BUT THEY ALL DEAL WITH
THE EXPLOITATION
OF. SO MOST VULNERABLE IN
OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.
PROMOTING COMMERCIAL
SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IS A
SIMILAR
STATUTE UNDER WASHINGTON
LAW THAT MAKES IT A CRIME FOR
AN INDIVIDUAL TO EXPLOIT A
MINOR FOR COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
PURPOSES.
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ABUSE OF
A MINOR DEALS WITH THOSE
WHO PURCHASE MINORS, PURCHASE
JUVENILES FOR SEX.
PROMOTING PROSTITUTION IN THE
FIRST AND SECOND DEGREES ARE,
SORT OF, THE PRECURSOR STEPS
THE LEGISLATURE HAS TAKEN TO
INCREASE PENALTIES FOR
THOSE WHO TRAFFIC IN ADULTS AND
CHILDREN AND THOSE WHO BUY
CHILDREN.
ALSO WE HAVE THE CRIME OF
PROSTITUTION AND THE CRIME
OF PATRONIZING A PROSTITUTE.
THE CRIME OF PATRONIZING A
PROSTITUTE IS A
SIMPLE MISDEMEANOR UNDER
WASHINGTON
LAW, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS.
THAT MEANS IF SOMEONE WERE
TO PURCHASE A MINOR UNDER THETHE
COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ABUSE OF
A MINOR STATUTE, WHEN SHE IS 17
AND 364 DAYS OLD, HE WOULD
BE SUBJECT TO A CLASS B FELONY
AND VERY SUBSTANTIAL
INCARCERATION AND OTHER
CONSEQUENCES.
THE DAY THAT YOUNG WOMAN OR BOY
OR MEMBER OF OUR
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY TURNS 18, IT IS
A SIMPLE
MISDEMEANOR. IT IS LESS OF A
CRIME TO
PURCHASE SEX FROM
THAT INDIVIDUAL -- WHICH THAT
INDIVIDUAL IS LIKELY NOT
GOING TO KEEP FOR HER BENEFIT --
THAN TO STEAL A CANDY BAR FROM
THE
AMDM.
THAT'S WHAT OUR STATE LAWS
CURRENTLY SAY ABOUT BUYERS.
WE CLAIM TO BE A STATE THAT
IS OPPOSED TO RACISM, MISOGYNY,
SEXISM.
BUT OUR CURRENT STRUCTURES ININ
REINFORCE THOSETHOSE
NOT HOLDING BUYERS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR
THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAY IN THIS
ECOSYSTEM.
THIS IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND ALL ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE. MS. McGINNIS
WILL GO INTO MORE
DETAIL LATER, BUT THIS ISN'T
JUST AURORA.
AURORA IS THE TIP OF
THE
ICEBERG. IT'S WHAT PEOPLE CAN
SEE
AND HAVE A VISCERAL REACTION TO.
BUT WHAT PEOPLE OFTEN
DON'T UNDERSTAND OR DON'T KNOW
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE IT WITH
THEIR OWN
EYES IS THAT THIS IS A
CIRCUIT OF TRAFFICKING OF
VULNERABLE PEOPLE UP AND DOWN
THE
WEST COAST TO ARIZONA, TO VEGAS,
AND
BACK.
IT HAPPENS IN VANCOUVER AND
SPOKANE AND THE TRICITIES AND
BELL VIEW AND KIRKLAND.
IT HAPPENS ALL ACROSS
OUR COMMUNITIES.
WASHINGTON IS KNOWN AS A CENTER
FOR
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. SOME
STUDIES SUGGEST THAT
WE HAVE THE SECOND BUSIEST TRACK
IN
THE COUNTRY. AND WHEN I SAY
"TRACK," THAT
IS AN OPEN AREA FOR
INDIVIDUALS ENGAGING IN SEX WORK
HERE.
THAT IS AURORA AVENUE.
THE BUSIEST IS FIGUEROA IN L.A.
WE FILE AS MANY -- AS WE CAN
AND USE THE LAW TO ENFORCE
CRIMES COMMITTED
BY TRAFFICKERS. MS. McGINNIS AND
I ALSO
HANDLE CASES THAT INVOLVE
ASSAULTS,
RAPES, AND ROBBERIES
OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENGAGING
IN COMMERCIAL SEX.
THIS IS REGARDLESS
OF WHETHER OR NOT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS ARE
WORKING FOR A PIMP OR
TRAFFICKER OR WHETHER THEY ARE
WORKING INDEPENDENTLY.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE
VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE CASES
THAT WE
FILE, THOSE
INVOLVE CASES OF PEOPLE WHO
CLAIM TO BE
WORKING INDEPENDENTLY.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT
CAN ACTUALLY CALL 911.
WHEN A PERSON WHO IS UNDER THE
CONTROL OF A PIMP OR
TRAFFICKER IS RAPED OR ROBBED OR
ASSAULTED, THEY ARE UNDER
STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO NOT
NOTIFY LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
SO, WE DO WORK WITH
SURVIVORS. WE WORK
WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ENGAGE IN
THIS WORK OUT OF NEED,
OUT OF DESPERATION, OUT OF
SITUATIONS WHERE THEY
BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE BEST
WAY FOR
THEM TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES.
OUR OFFICE HAS MADE A
COMMITMENT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT
TO WORKING WITH SURVIVORS ACROSS
THE BOARD.
>> CAN I ASK A QUICK
QUESTION
THERE?
>> SURE.
>> YOU KNOW, WE THINK OF AURORA,
THINK OF IT AS DISTRICT 5.
WE THINK OF IT AS A
SEATTLE
PIECE. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING
HERE BECAUSE IT IS A COUNTY
CITY.
BUT IT'S ALSO A COUNTY,
CITY, AND STATE.
IT SHOULD ALMOST BE
WASHINGTON STATE
POLICE. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THIS
IN COMMUNITY WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE -- PROSTITUTION ABOUT
THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF,
THE METRO SECURITY, THE CITY
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THE STATE AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE THE SECOND
OUT OF THE
COUNTRY, THAT SHOULD GRAB THE
ATTENTION OF THE
GOVERNOR, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
YOU KNOW, AND TO HAVE THAT
KIND OF ASSISTANCE.
SO, CAN YOU SPEAK, YOU KNOW, TO
YOUR INTERACTIONS
WITH STATE- LEVEL ENTITIES AND
HOW THAT PLAYS INTO HOW WE
ALLOW SUCH A LONG -- YOU KNOW,
THE SECOND LONGEST IN THE
COUNTRY?
>> CERTAINLY.
SO, WE ARE FORTUNATE IN
KING COUNTY AND TO SOME
RESPECTS STATE- WIDE TO HAVE AN
AMAZING TEAM OF DETECTIVES
SPANNING
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.
THE KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE
HAS DESIGNATED, THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DESIGNATED
DETECTIVES, BELL VIEW, SHORELINE
ALL HAVE DETECTIVES
WHO SPECIALIZE IN THIS WORK.
AND WE ALSO WORK AS
PART OF OUR JOB WITH THE OFFICE
OF
CRIME VICTIMS TO PUT ON
TRAININGS ACROSS THE STATE FOR
LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS
TO LEARN HOW TO INVESTIGATE
THESE
CRIMES, TO LOOK FOR THE
SIGNS, WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE
--
WHEN YOU'RE A PATROL OFFICER
AND
YOU SHOW UP AT A MOTEL BECAUSE
THERE'S BEEN A 911 CALL FOR
A DISTURBANCE AND YOU'RE SEEING
THINGS, YOU KNOW, A GIRL THAT'S
NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW,
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS TO LOOK
FOR AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS
TO TAKE?
WE DO THESE TRAININGS STATE-
WIDE TWO TO THREE TIMES A YEAR,
AND WE INVITE ALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTORS FROM
ACROSS THE
STATE TO COME AND WORK ON THOSE.
THE STATE PATROL ALSO HAS A
GROUP THAT WORKS
ON INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING
HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE
STATE PATROL ON CASES INVOLVING
THE
KIDNAPPING OF A TODDLER BY A
TRAFFICKER. THE TODDLER WAS THE
CHILD
OF ONE OF HIS GIRLS THAT WAS
WORKING FOR HIM.
THE STATE PATROL DOES
FAIRLY ROBUST WORK WITH RESPECT
TO
NET NANNY AND ONLINE SEX BUYING
OF
MINORING.
MINORS.
AND WE WORK TO ENGAGE IF
THEY OCCUR IN KING COUNTY.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE FBI
HAVE WORK GROUPS THAT
SPECIALIZE IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
EXPLOITATION
AS WELL.
SO, THIS IS -- IT'S
NOT SOMETHING WE DO ON OUR OWN.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A TEAM OF
PEOPLE TO
WORK WITH.
BUT NO TEAM COULD BE BIG ENOUGH
ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS
MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS -- THESE
ARE
JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW,
RECENT OR RELATIVELY RECENT
CASES IN THE NEWS FROM
AURORA AND
OTHER AREAS. WHEN WE CONDUCT
OPERATIONS,
WE FREQUENTLY ARREST INDIVIDUALS
THAT YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT TO
BE PURCHASING SEX.
THESE INCLUDE TEACHERS,
DOCTORS,
LAWYERS. WE'LL GET INTO THIS A
LITTLE BIT
FURTHER DOWN.
WE'VE ALSO HAD, YOU KNOW,
911 DISPATCH COORDINATORS
SOLICITING SEX FROM MINORS
ONLINE.
AS I REFERRED TO EARLIER,
WASHINGTON HAS BEEN AT
THE FOREFRONT OF COMBATTING
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.
WE WERE THE FIRST STATE IN
THE NATION TO ENACT A
HUMAN TRAFFICKING LAW THAT
WAS MODELLED ON THE FEDERAL
MODEL.
WE HAVE SAFE HARBOR LAWS SINCE
2020 THAT ALLOW FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ARRESTED FOR
THE
CRIME OF PROSTITUTION TO ASSERT
A DEFENSE THAT THEY WERE FORCED
OR
COERCED.
WHAT I CAN TELL THE
COUNCIL ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF
THE CRIME OF PROSTITUTION IN
KING COUNTY IS THAT WE HAVE
NOT PROSECUTED A CASE IN KING
COUNTY OF THE CRIME OF
PROSTITUTION, SIMPLE
PROSTITUTION, SINCE 2014.
OUR EMPHASIS HAS REALLY BEEN
ON THE TRAFFICKERS AND TO SOME
EXTENT THE BUYERS OF CHILDREN.
THERE ARE VACATER LAWS ON
THE BOOKS THAT ALLOW INDIVIDUALS
WHO
HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF SOME
OFFENSES RELATED TO THEIR
WORK IN PROSTITUTION OR
BEING TRAFFICKED TO
VACATE CONVICTIONS.
THERE'S AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE
TO THE CRIME OF PROSTITUTION.
AND THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTORS
OFFICE, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS
WE HAVE LAUNCHED IS SURVIVORS
FIRST -- WHERE INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES,
OUR PROSECUTORS LOOK AT THE
CASES.
WE WORK WITH, IN MANY
INSTANCES, DEFENSE COUNSEL.
WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAYS WE
CAN IMPACT THAT PERSON
GOING
FORWARD. AND OFTEN, OR IN MANY
CASES, IT IS A REFERRAL TO
CULTURALLY
RESPONSIVE, CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE, TRAUMA-
INFORMED SERVICES WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITY THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE THE
YMCA.
>> SO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEX
TRAFFICKING -- AND JUST TO BE
CLEAR, MS. VOORHEES AND
I SPECIFICALLY HANDLE SEX
TRAFFICKING. SO, UNDER THE
UMBRELLA OF HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, THERE'S ALSO A LOT
OF LABOR
TRAFFICKING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR
STATE.
AND I REALLY WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO
UNSPOKEN. WE DO NOT HANDLE THOSE
KINDS OF
CASES.
WE ARE SPECIFIC TO
SEX TRAFFICKING. I JUST WANTED
TO, SORT
OF, LAY THAT -- THE LAY OF THE
LAND FOR THAT WHEN WE'RE
SPEAKING ABOUT THIS.
SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I
WANT IT TO BE MADE VERY CLEAR
THAT
ANYONE CAN BE TRAFFICKED.
ANYONE IS VULNERABLE TO
BEING SEX TRAFFICKED.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH
OUR DETECTIVES ON CASES WHERE
WOMEN WHO HAVE PHD DEGREES OR
ARE DOCTORS AND END UP IN
CERTAIN LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES END
UP BEING
TRAFFICKED.
SO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT THAT IS KNOWN.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR
TEACHERS OR
PEOPLE, YOU KNOW -- IT'S NOT
QUITE SAID, BUT I THINK A LOT
OF PEOPLE THINK, THAT COULD
NEVER
HAPPEN TO ME.
THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO MY
DAUGHTER.
THAT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO MY
SON.
AND WE ALL WANT TO BELIEVE THAT
WE ARE GREAT PARENTS AND
GREAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
THAT AWAY FROM ANYONE.
BUT I DO WANT TO
EMPHASIZE, WHICH I WILL GET TO
LATER IN THE
PRESENTATION, THAT
THE TRAFFICKERS AND THE BUYERS
WILL LOOK AT VULNERABILITIES
THAT
YOU YOURSELF MAY NOT EVEN BE
AWARE OF.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT
THAT OUT THERE.
BUT WHAT WE KNOW FROM
THE SURVIVORS THAT WE WORKED
WITH, THE CASES THAT COME ACROSS
OUR
DESK, LOCAL AND
NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DATA,
ORGANIZATIONS
THAT WE WORK WITH, POLICY
AND LEGISLATIVE FOLKS, IS THAT
THE NUMBER ONE VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS WHO ARE MOST AT RISK
OF THIS HAPPENING IS BIPOC
WOMEN, YOUTH, AND INDIVIDUALS
IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
NOW, THAT -- PART OF THAT
STEMS FROM SOCIETY, RIGHT?
HOMELESSNESS, FOSTER CARE
SYSTEM, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOT
OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHICH IS
SHOWN THROUGH RESEARCH --
AND I BELIEVE DR. BOYERS, ONE OF
HER
STUDIES AND REPORTS, WHICH IS ON
OUR KING COUNTY TASK FORCE,
SAID A LOT OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY HAVE A
HISTORY OF
CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE AND
TRAUMA. AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT
THESE VULNERABILITIES ARE THEN
USED
AS HOLES THAT -- OR GATEWAYS --
THAT PIMPS AND TRAFFICKERS WILL
USE TO EXPLOIT AND GAIN
CONTROL OVER THESE INDIVIDUALS.
SPECIFICALLY HERE IN WASHINGTON,
BLACK WOMEN AND NATIVE AMERICAN
WOMEN ARE AT ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH
RISK. AND IF YOU SPEAK WITH THE
YWCA, THE SILENT TASK FORCE, THE
SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD,
THEY WILL TELL YOU ABOUT SOME
REALLY AWFUL EXPERIENCES AND THE
IMPACTS OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALREADY
OPPRESSED BY
SOCIETY IN MANY OTHER WAYS NOW
BEING FURTHER PUSHED
UNDERGROUND.
AND LOTS OF THEM FEEL LIKE NO
ONE CARES, RIGHT?
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TO
SAY WE CARE AND THAT, YOU
KNOW, THIS SHOULD NOT BE
HAPPENING TO
YOU.
AND THESE WOMEN DESERVE SO
MUCH BETTER.
THE SURVIVORS THAT ALEX AND
I WORK WITH AND THE STORIES WE
HAVE HEARD FROM THEM AND
THOSE WHO HAVE MADE IT OUT OF
THE LIFE AND BEEN ABLE TO GROW
UP TO BE
MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE
JUST TOLD, THESE WOMEN ARE
INCREDIBLE.
AND SO THERE ARE GREAT
SUCCESS STORIES AND THERE ARE
STORIESSTORIES WE CAN NEVER
BRING TO
YOU TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE LOST
AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM THEM BECAUSE OF THEM BEING
TRAFFICKED.
I, SORT OF, HIGHLIGHTED THIS
PREVIOUSLY, BUT THESE ARE
JUST SOME STATISTICS
THAT WE, YOU KNOW, RELY ON
RIGHTS FOR
GIRLS IS A GREAT
ORGANIZATION. YASMIN -- RUNS
THAT ORGANIZATION.
AND THEY DO LEGISLATIVE
AND NATIONAL REPORTS DATA.
AND SO OF MORE THAN 10,000
CASESCASES REPORTED THE
NATIONAL
HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE,
NEARLY 40%
WERE BLACK WOMEN AND
GIRLS, WHICH WAS THE HIGHEST OF
ANY RACIAL GROUP.
ACCORDING TO THE
NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE
TRAINING
CENTER, 40% OF SEX TRAFFICKING
VICTIMS IN THE UNITED
STATES IDENTIFIED AS NATIVE
AMERICAN,
DESPITE BEING ONLY 3% OF THE
POPULATION.
AND IN SEATTLE, 94%
OF NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN WERE
FORCED OR
COERCED INTO SEX IN
THEIR LIFETIMES.
SO, SPECIFICALLY WITH BLACK
WOMEN AND BLACK GIRLS, THE TERM
ADULTIFICATION, FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT,
IT'S A FORM OF INTERSECTIONAL
BIAS OF BLACK GIRLS
THAT PERCEIVE THEM AS OLDER AND
LESS INNOCENCE THAN THEIR WHITE
PEERS. THIS IS SPECIFIC TO SEX
TRAFFICKING AND DATES BACK
TO HISTORICAL OPPRESSIVE
NARRATIVES AND REALITIES OF
BLACK AND BROWN
WOMEN WHO WERE SPECIFICALLY
ENSLAVED.
STEREOTYPES ATTRIBUTED TO BLACK
WOMEN ARE PROJECTED ONTO BLACK
GIRLS, LEADING TO THEIR
HYPERSEXUALIZATION AND
THE PERCEPTION THAT BLACK GIRLS
MORE AGENCY
WHEN ENGAGING IN THE COMMERCIAL
SEX
TRADE, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE
TOO YOUNG TO CONSENT.
ONLY AVERAGE, ONLY 30% OF
BLACK YOUTH ARE CHARACTERIZED
AS VICTIMS COMPARED TO 66% OF
THEIRTHEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
RISE
REPORT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A REALLY GREAT
REPORT. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU
TO READ
IT.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A COPY.
THIS WAS ACTUALLY DONE
HERE BASED ON INTERACTIONS
WITH INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN
THE COMMERCIAL SEX TRADE HERE IN
WASHINGTON. AND IT WAS DONE BY A
SURVIVOR
HERSELF.
FROM THIS REPORT THEY
GATHERED SOME OF THE
FOLLOWING INFORMATION THAT FROM
THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING
HOTLINE WHO REPORTED THEIR AGE
OF ENTRY INTO
EXPLOITATION, 89% REPORTED THAT
THEY WERE
CHILDREN WHEN FIRST EXPLOITED.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE OUR AVERAGE AGE, WHICH
VARIES,
BUT IS APPROXIMATELY 11 TO 14
WHEN INDIVIDUALS
ARE FIRST INTRODUCED OR
EXPLOITED INTO THE
SEX TRADE.
SO, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IS THAT A
LOT OF THESE
INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE EXPLOITED
AS
CHILDREN BECOME THEN ENTRENCHED
IN THEIR
TRAUMA AND THE EXPLOITATION.
AND IT MAKES IT VERY
DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ESCAPE AND
GET OUT.
OF THAT REPORT, NEARLY
ALL PARTICIPANTS EXPLOITED BY A
THIRD PARTY REPORTED
MULTIPLE CONCURRENT
VULNERABILITY.
SO, SOME OF
THOSE VULNERABILITIES I WAS
LISTED ON
THAT PREVIOUS SLIDE
RANGING FOR THE NEED FOR
SHELTER,
FOOD, AND CLOTHING TO INING
ACCESS
TO ITEMS AND FULFILLING
EMOTIONAL
NEED, SUCH AS LOVE, FAMILY, AND
BELONGING.
THIS NEXT POINT IS
VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY
INTERESTING AND I DON'T THINK
IT'S
TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT THE
VULNERABILITIES, IT'S
VERY COMMON WE TALK ABOUT
THOSE WHO ARE IN AND OUT OF THE
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND COME FROM
LOW INCOME OR NO SHELTER
SITUATIONS.
THE R.I.S.E. REPORT FOUND MOST
SPOKE ABOUT THE NORMALIZATION OF
SEX WORK IN THEIR CHILDHOOD
HOMES AND
SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES. THESE SURVIVORS
TALKED
ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS AND
OTHER FEMALE ROLE MODELS'
INVOLVEMENT INTO THE SEX
INDUSTRY AND TO A
LESSER EXTENT THEIR FATHERS AND
ROLE MODELS AS PIMPS.
WE
SEE THIS ACTUALLY PLAYING OUT IN
CASES.
WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY
WORKED WITH -- OR PROSECUTED
PIMPS WHO ARE FATHERS AND THEN
GROOM
THEIR SONS INTO BEING PIMPS AND
NORMALIZE THAT, RIGHT?
AND THEN IT IS PASSED DOWN A
GENERATION.
AND WE ALSO SEE THIS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
YOUTUBE DOCUMENTARIES OR FILMING
OF AURORA AVENUE SPEAKING WITH
PIMPS. AND THEY WILL ASK
THEM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOUR
DAUGHTER
TOLD YOU THAT THEY WANTED TO DO
THAT.
AND THESE PIMPS WILL SAY, I
WOULD
TEACH HER THE LIFE OF THE
GAME. I WOULD TEACH HER HOW TO
RESPECT A PIMP, HOW TO DO
ALL THAT. IT'S REALLY AWFUL.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE POINT OF
THE NORMALIZATION AND
THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA THAT CAN
STEM FROM THAT.
SO, THIS WAS A STATEMENT FROM
A STUDY PARTICIPANT IN THE
R.I.S.E. REPORT. AND THEY SAID,
ALMOST ALL OF THE
CHILDREN THAT I'VE SERVED
HAVE BEEN RECRUITED OR
SOLICITED ONLINE ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY.
LIKE I CAN THINK OF IN THE
LAST YEAR EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS
BEEN ONLINE SOLICITATION.
THIS IS A FORM OF TECHNOLOGY
BOOMING, RIGHT?
AS TIME HAS GONE ON AND
AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO
ADVANCE,
YOU KNOW, ONLINE
SOLICITATION AND EXPLOITATION IS
JUST EXTREMELY PREVALENT.
AS EVERYONE IN THEIR DAY-TO-
DAY WORK HAS A PHONE, A
COMPUTER, AND USES THAT TO
COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILY AND
FRIENDS, THAT
IS THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT
PIMPS AND BUYERS ARE GAINING
ACCESS TO
EXPLOITED CHILDREN AND
INDIVIDUALS.
WE SEE THAT CHILDREN ARE
EXPLOITED ON VIDEO GAMES.
THEY ARE -- YOERKS THERE
ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY
ABOUT
PARENTS' AWARENESS WITH THEIR
CHILDREN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE
ABILITY TO CHAT WITH SOMEONE
ON A VIDEO GAME CAN TURN
INTO GROOMING AND EXPLOITATION.
AND AS A PARENT, YOU MAY NOT
EVEN THINK IT CAN GO THERE.
INSTAGRAM IS A VERY
PREVALENT PLATFORM THAT IS BEING
USED
TO EXPLOIT INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO AS TIME IS GOING ON,
AS WE ARE JUST BECOMING MORE
TECH
DEPENDENT, SO IS THE LIFE
AND THE GAME AND THE COMMERCIAL
SEX
SUBCULTURE.
SO, EVERY YEAR, ABOUT EVERY TWO
YEARS, OUR OFFICE CONDUCTS --
WE REVIEW THE CASES THAT WE
HAVE FILED.
SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S
ONLY FILED CASES.
AND WE WORK WITH THE CSEC
KING COUNTY TASK FORCE.
AND WE RELEASE THE DATA.
THE DATA IS PUBLIC.
IT IS ON THE KING COUNTY
CSEC TASK FORCE WEBSITE.
SO, THIS IS JUST A
SNAPSHOT OF THE DISPROPORTIONALI
TY OF
THE BLACK INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE EXPLOITED IN RELATION TO THE
PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION
THAT THEY REPRESENT.
I WILL NOTE -- AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUE
AND
I HAVE TALKED ABOUT -- IS WHAT
WE KNOW THROUGH SOME OF THE DATA
THAT I HAVE PUT
FORWARD BEFORE YOU IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH
SURVIVORS IS ACTUAL WITH
OUR
OFFICE. WE DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF
NATIVE AMERICAN SURVIVOR CASES
ON OUR END, BUT WE DO KNOW
THAT THEY ARE -- THEY ARE --
IT'S HAPPENING TO THEM.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT THEY
ARE WORKING WITH SOME OF THE
DIRECT
SERVICE PROVIDERS. BUT I DO
THINK THAT IT IS
A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO
BE HAD WAY MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT
REACHING THOSE COMMUNITIES
AND SPEAKING TO THOSE
INDIVIDUALS
AND, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT
FOR SUPPORT SO THAT THEIR VOICES
ARE, TOO, HEARD IN THIS.
>> OKAY.
GREAT. SO -- OH,
OKAY. SO, AS MS. VOORHEES
INDICATED, YOU KNOW, TIP OF THE
ICEBERG
IS AURORA
AVENUE.
THAT IS WHAT IS VISUAL.
BUT WE SHOW THIS SLIDE TO REALLY
EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING
ALL
OVER. AND THESE ARE ACTUALLY
SOME PLACES THAT WE HAVE HAD
CASES OUT OF.
AND SO STRIP CLUBS, AURORA
AVENUE, JOB OFFERS,
FAMILIAL TRAFFICKING, SHELTERS,
FOSTER
CARE, SCHOOLS, SHOPPING MALLS,
VICTIMS SERVICE
FACILITIES ARE -- CAN BE
RECRUITING GROUNDS.
THE TRACK OR THE CIRCUIT, WHICH
IS KNOWN ALSO AS AURORA AVENUE,
PROSTITUTION- RELATED WEBSITES
SUCH AS SKIP THE GAMES OR
MEGAPERSONALS, TRANSPORTATION
HUBS, SOCIAL MEDIA, OR ANYWHERE.
WE HAVE A SURVIVOR THAT
WAS RECRUITED BY HER PIMP AT A
GROCERY STORE.
SO, THE RECRUITING
PROCESS, IT SHOULD BE WELL KNOWN
THAT WHEN
PIMPS ARE IDENTIFYING WHO
THEIR TARGET VICTIM IS, THESE
WOMEN ARE NOT SEEN AS WOMEN.
THESE WOMEN ARE SEEN
AS PRODUCTS.
AND WE WILL SEE THAT
AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT
THIS PRESENTATION AND THROUGHOUT
THE CASES THAT ALEX AND I WORK.
THESE WOMEN ARE SEEN
AS PRODUCTS.
AND THE QUESTION THAT A
PIMP NEEDS TO ANSWER IS, HOW
QUICKLY CAN I GET MONEY?
HOW CAN I MAKE THIS PRODUCT
BETTER?
IT IS AN ECONOMIC BUSINESS
MODEL. AND THE WOMEN IS THE
PRODUCT.
THERE IS SUPPLY. THERE IS
DEMAND.
AND THE BUYERS DRIVE
THAT DEMAND.
SO, WHEN PIMPS ARE FINDING
VULNERABILITIES, WHAT THEY
WILL DO IS WHAT WE CALL SELL THE
DREAM.
SO, THEY WILL FIND AND GET
INTO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS
EVERYONE
HAS A BROKEN PIECE OF THEIR
LIFE, RIGHT?
EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING THAT IS A
VULNERABILITY FOR THEM.
AND WHAT A PIMP WILL DO
IS IDENTIFY THAT, AND THEN THEY
WILL
EXPLOIT IT. WHEN I SAY THEY WILL
EXPLOIT
IT, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF
SOMEONE IS -- LET'S SAY THEY
ARE
COMING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE
SYSTEM
AND THEY IDENTIFY THAT THEY ARE
UNHAPPY WITH THEIR FOSTER CARE
PARENT, MAYBE THEY EVEN SAY
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY
ABUSED
BY THEIR FOSTER
CARE PARENT. THAT PIMP WILL THEN
SAY,
WELL, IF YOU COME WITH ME, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO -- THAT WON'T
HAVE
TO HAPPEN TO YOU ANYMORE.
I CAN GIVE YOU A REALLY NICE
HOUSE.
I CAN GIVE YOU SHOES.
I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE THINGS
THAT YOU REALLY WANT.
AND WHEN YOU ARE A VULNERABLE
PERSON, STUCK IN ALREADY AN
OPPRESSIVE CYCLE FROM
SOMEONE ELSE AND THERE IS WHAT
YOU SEE
AS A GLIMMER OF HOPE, THE
PIMP USES THAT.
AND THAT IS HOW THEY RECRUIT
AND THEY BEGIN TO GROOM.
PIMPS ALSO RELY ON
BOOKS IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL
AND MANIPULATE THEIR VICTIMS.
IT IS JUST ONE OF MANY,
"PIMPIN' KEN.
" MS. VOORHEES AND I HAD A
CASE WHERE THE DEFENDANT WROTE
DOWN
WAYS HE WOULD EXPLOIT
HIS VICTIMS.
HE SAID WEAKNESS IS THE BEST CAN
FIND
IN SOMEONE THEY WANT TO CONTROL.
IF YOU CAN'T FIND A WEAKNESS,
YOU HAVE TO CREATE ONE.
YOU HAVE TO TEAR SOMEONE'S EGO
DOWN TO
NOTHING BEFORE THEY WILL START
LOOKING TO YOU FOR
SALVATION.
AS I INDICATED PREVIOUSLY, SOME
OF THE CONTROL AND MANIPULATION
TACTICS ONCE THEY HAVE EXPLOITED
AND BEGAN TO GROOM IS THEN
HOW DO THEY KEEP THAT PERSON
WITHIN
THEIR CONTROL?
THEY WILL -- VERY SIMILAR
TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SITUATIONS, THEY WILL ISOLATE
THEIR VICTIMS.
MAYBE IT MEANS THEY TAKE AWAY
THEIR PHONE PREVIOUSLY AND
GIVE THEM A
NEW PHONE. THEY REMOVE ACCESS TO
FAMILY,
FRIENDS, ANYONE WHO THEY CAN
RELY ON.
IF SOMEONE IS -- HAS A
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE, THEY WILL
HAVE
THE PERSON BE DEPEND ON THEM TO
NEED THE DRUG AND TO ENGAGE IN
COMMERCIAL SEX.
AND THE BENEFIT OR THE
REWARD, IN AIR QUOTES, IS THE
PIMP
SUPPLYING THEM WITH THE DRUG
THEY ARE WITHDRAWING FROM.
IT IS A CONSTANT GAME OF KEEPING
THE VICTIM OFF BALANCE.
SO, IF THE VICTIM IS DOING THE
SAME THING ONE DAY, SHE COULD
DO THE SAME THING THE NEXT DAY.
BUT THE PIMP MAY
RESPOND DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE THE
LIFE IN THE GAME IS VIOLENT.
IT IS MANIPULATIVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP CONTROL
OVER THESE VICTIMS AND TO KEEP
THEM FROM GOING AWAY SO THESE
PIMPS CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE
MONEY IS TO INSTILL THIS FEAR,
THIS
DEPENDENCY, AND THIS
ISOLATION IN THEM.
THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES
OF VIOLENCE
AND COERCION FROM A CASE THAT I
HAD. THE PIMP GRABBED HIS GUN,
POINTED IT AT HER HEAD, KNEE,
STOMACH, AND VAGINA -- EXCUSE ME
ONE DO YOU WANT TO GET SHOT OFF
FIRST,
BITCH. WE'RE GETTING OUR MONEY.
HE HIT HER WITH A BELT, HIT HER
IN THE MOUTH, WRAPPED THE BELT
AROUND HER NECK, FILLED
THE BATHTUB WITH COLD WATER AND
SUBMERGED HER HEAD IN THE TUB
WITH THE BELT WRAPPED AROUND
HER NECK UNDERWATER.
THESE ARE CASES OF VERY
AWFUL VIOLENCE, INCLUDING BOX
CUTTERS AS WELL TO THE SIDE OF
THE FACE. SOME PIMPS WILL ONLY
BEAT
THE LEGS OF THE VICTIMS SO THAT
THEIR FACES ARE STILL
PRETTY ENOUGH FOR SEX BUYERS.
AND IT DOES NOT DAMAGE
THE PRODUCT TO THE POINT WHERE
THEY CANNOT SELL IT.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
THE PHOTO IN THE MIDDLE WAS
A CASE WITH DETECTIVE
WASHINGTON,
AND I DO KNOW FROM US PREVIOUSLY
PRESENTING IT THAT HE
INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A VERY
VIOLENT ATTACK BY A TRAFFICKER,
I
BELIEVE, ON THIS VICTIM.
HE HAD DAMAGED HER FACE SO
BADLY IT WAS, I BELIEVE,
UNRECOGNIZABLE AND THE IMAGE
WAS TOO GRAPHIC TO PRESENT.
THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER VICTIM.
IT WAS A VICTIM, I BELIEVE,
OF MS.
VOORHEES' CASE. DO YOU WANT TO
EXPLAIN THE
FACTS
BRIEFLY.
>> THIS WAS A YOUNG WOMAN
BEING TRAFFICKED BY A MAN BY THE
NAME OF WINSTON BURT.
WE PROSECUTED HIM BECAUSE HE GOT
INTO A ROLLING GUN BATTLE
ON AURORA WITH AN INDIVIDUAL
WHO RESCUED ANOTHER GIRL THAT
WAS WORKING FOR HIM AFTER SHE
JUMPED OUT OF A THIRD STORY
WINDOW
AND FLED FOR HIM.
THIS IS LEADING TO DANGER
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
THE FACT SURROUNDING THIS
WAS THAT SHE HAD SAID SOMETHING
DISRESPECTFUL TO MR. BURT.
SHE WAS BEATEN BY HIM,
FORCED INTO THE BATHTUB,
URINATED UPON.
THESE HORRORS ARE REAL.
>> SO, AS I INDICATED THETHE --
I'M SORRY.
>> ON THIS PARTICULAR
CASE, WHEN YOU SAID YOU
PROSECUTED
HIM, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I MEAN, HOW MUCH TIME DID
THIS INDIVIDUAL -- WHAT ARE THE
--
>> SURE, SO MR. BURT WAS
CHARGED BOTH IN STATE AND IN
FEDERAL
COURT.
IT WAS A NATIONAL
TRAFFICKING OPERATION MOVING
GIRLS
FROM CALIFORNIA AND
ARIZONA. THERE WERE MULTIPLE
YOUNG
WOMEN WORKING FOR HIM, ONE OF
WHOM PARTICIPATED.
THE OTHERS DID NOT.
THAT IS NOT UNCOMMON AT ALL
GIVEN THE PARAMETERS OF
DON'T TALK TO THE POLICE AND
DON'T
COOPERATE. WE CHARGED HIM IN
KING
COURT SUPERIOR COURT WITH BOTH
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SHOOTING
RELATED, ASSAULT
RELATED CHARGES.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THEN
ADOPTED THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
PORTION OF THE CASE.
THEY DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION
OVER CRIMES LIKE DRIVE-
BY SHOOTING OR ASSAULT IN THE
FIRST DEGREE THAT HAPPEN ON
STREETS.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A NATIONAL
NEXUS.
SO, HE WAS ULTIMATELY
PROSECUTED IN BOTH
JURISDICTIONS.
HE ENTERED INTO A GUILTY PLEA
AND IS SERVING OVER TEN YEARS IN
PRISON.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN
THAT CASE.
>> SO, AS I INDICATED THESE
WOMEN ARE SEEN AS PRODUCTS.
AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH
PIMPS WILL USE CONTROL IS
BY BRANDING THEIR VICTIMS.
AND THESE BRANDS ARE SEEN TO
OTHER PIMPS AND KNOWN TO OTHER
PIMPS NOT TO MESS WITH
THEIR QUOTE, UNQUOTE PROPERTY.
AND IT'S JUST A VERY DEMEANING
SYMBOL OF CONTROL
AND MANIPULATION.
WE PRESENTED SOME PHOTOS FROM
SPOKANE AS WELL JUST
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, AS WE NOTED,
THIS IS ACROSS THE STATE.
>> AND A NOTE ON THE BRANDING.
I HAD A 17-YEAR- OLD VICTIM
WHOSE
TRAFFICKER HAD HER TATTOOED,
DAVID'S BITCH, ABOVE HER
DERRIERE.
SO, IT'S DEMEANING.
IT'S DEHUMANIZING.
AND WHILE PIMPS AND
TRAFFICKERS CAUSE A GOOD DEAL OF
HARM ON
THEIR OWN, PSYCHOLOGICALLY,
PHYSICALLY, THE SIDE OF
THE EQUATION THAT THIS STATE HAS
NOT YET COME TO TERMS WITH AND
DEALT
WITH ARE THE BUYERS.
THE BUYERS DRIVE DEMAND.
>> HMM-MM.
>> WITHOUT -- AND LET'S
BE REAL -- IT'S MEN.
WITHOUT MEN BEING WILLING TO
PURCHASE SEX FOR THEIR
GRATIFICATION, THIS MARKET
COLLAPSES.
WITHOUT MEN SEEKING TO
DEHUMANIZE WOMEN FOR THEIR
PLEASURE, THE IMPETUS REDUCES
FOR TRAFFICKERS TO RECRUIT
AND EXPLOIT THOSE THAT ARE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WHO ARE
OUR BUYERS? THEY COME FROM ALL
AGE
GROUPS, ALL DEMOGRAPHICS.
THEY RUN THE SPECTRUM
OF DIFFERENT JOBS.
YES, SOME ARE DAY LABORERS.
SOME ARE CONSTRUCTION
WORKERS. SOME ARE STUDENTS, TECH
WORKERS, TEACHERS, LAWYERS,
DOCTORS.
THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU STAND
NEXT TO ON THE BUS AND
WOULDN'T KNOW THAT THEY
PURCHASE SEX.
BUT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN
THIS ECOSYSTEM AND THEY
MAKE IT THRIVE.
IN KING COUNTY BETWEEN 2014
AND 2023, OUR STATS THAT ARE ON
THE
CSEC WEBSITE THAT MS.
McGINNIS REFERRED TO FOR
UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS INVOLVING
INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO PURCHASE
SEX FROM
CHILDREN, 71% OF OUR BUYERS
WERE WHITE MEN.
IN NATIONAL STUDIES, THIS
DATA IS REPLICATED.
THEY ARE FOUND ACROSS ALL INCOME
GROUPS.
THE MOST FREQUENT BUYERS TEND TO
HAVE HIGHER INCOMES, MAKING
MORE THAN SIX FIGURES.
THERE'S A STUDY OUT
OF CALIFORNIA FROM 2016, I
BELIEVE, THAT DEALT WITH ONLINE
SEX
BUYING.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS
DISPROPORTIONATELY HAD
BACHELORS DEGREES.
I THINK SOMEWHERE IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 38 OR 48%
HAD
GRADUATE DEGREES.
THEY WERE MAKING IN EXCESS
OF $120,000 A YEAR.
THESE
ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISPOSABLE
INCOME AND A
BELIEF THAT IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO
BUY
OTHER INDIVIDUALS
FOR THEIR PLEASURE.
THEY TREAT THE INDIVIDUALS
THAT THEY PURCHASE WITH DISDAIN
AND
DISRESPECT.
AND THERE IS ALWAYS AN IMBALANCE
OF POWER AND CONTROL.
A REVIEW OF POSTS ON SEX
BUYERS BUYING FROM CHAT ROOMS
FOUND
THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE
POSTS EXPRESSED
CONTEMPT FOR THE WOMEN AND
GIRLS,
OFTEN REFERRING TO THEM AS MEAT
OR MERCHANDISE.
BUYERS IN ONLINE
CHAT ROOMS IN ILLINOIS ADMITTED
TO
BEING VIOLENT OR AGGRESSIVE WITH
WOMEN
IN PROSTITUTION. THEY RECOGNIZE
THE HARM
THAT TRAFFICKERS AND BUYERS
CAUSE.
I MEAN, THERE'S COMMENTS ON
THESE COMMENT BOARDS ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, HER PIMP MIGHT BE HIDING
IN THE CLOSET OR SHE'S
SUPER STRUNG OUT
TODAY. YOU BETTER GET TO HER
BEFORE
NOON BEFORE SHE'S ABLE TO RE-
UP HER DRUG SUPPLY.
THEY KNOW THAT THEY
ARE PURCHASING PEOPLE
WITH VULNERABILITIES WHO ARE
BEING EXPLOITED.
>> EXCUSE ME.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON
THIS GENERAL PIECE THAT WE GOT
HERE?
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR
COMMITTEE AND OUR COUNCIL, IT'S
INCREDIBLE BECAUSE OUR FOCUS
HAS BEEN ON THE JOHNS, HAS BEEN
ON
THE MEN.
YOU SPOKE THAT YOUR
FOCUS IS ON THE
JOHNS, THE MEN, THE TRAFFICKERS,
THE PIMPS.
YOU HAVEN'T DONE A CASE SINCE
2014. AND I THINK ABOUT YOU
SPEAK
ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS.
WHAT ARE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASPECTS OF SOCIETY WHEN
PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY THAT
LETTERS ARE
SENT TO HOMES OF MEN WHO ARE IN
CARS THAT ARE FREQUENT THESE
AREAS? BY THE WAY, ALL OF US --
I
CAN'T SPEAK -- I CAN'T SAY
ABSOLUTELY ALL OF US.
BUT ALL OF US HAVE DONE RIDE
ALONGS. I HAVE BEEN ON AURORA
WITH A
COP. AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS
COMMITTEE HAVE DONE SO.
WE KNOW.
WE'VE BEEN THERE.
AND AS A RETIRED NAVAL
OFFICER, I SPOKE TO MY
DEPARTMENT
ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER AND I
TOLD
FOREIGN PORTS, I SAID, DO NOT
BE THE DEMAND SIGNAL BECAUSE IF
YOU'RE A DEMAND SIGNAL, THAT IS
WHAT DRIVES THE SUPPLY NETWORK.
YOU ARE DRIVING THE
SUPPLY NETWORK WITH YOUR DEMAND
SIGNAL.
AND I SAID THAT BEFORE
FOREIGNFOREIGN CALLS.
AND SO WHAT IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
PIECE OF OUR SOCIETY THAT IS
OPPOSED TO THE LETTERS TO
THESE MEN WHO ARE THERE ON
AURORA IN
THOSE AREAS THAT WE ALL
KNOW RELATES TO THE SEX BUYING?
>> SURE.
AND I THINK YOU'RE
TALKING
ABOUT --
>> OR -- OR WHY WE HAVE
PEOPLE IN CHAMBERS WHEN WE AS A
COUNCIL ARE TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING RELATED TO THIS
PROBLEM ON
AURORA THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THE
MEN? WHAT IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
ASPECT
OF SOCIETY THAT WANTS TO PROTECT
THE MEN WHO ARE DOING THIS?
>> IT'S A BRILLIANT QUESTION
AND ONE THAT I STRUGGLE
WITH EVERY DAY DOING THIS WORK
AND
SEEING THE DAMAGE THAT IS
CAUSED.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, ON A MACRO
LEVEL, LOOK AT THE
EPSTEIN FILES.
THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN
RELEASED.
WHY? BECAUSE THERE ARE POWERFUL
NAMES
WITHIN THOSE FILES THAT
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME OUT.
FOR TOO LONG, WE'VE
PROTECTED MEN AND THEIR BAD
BEHAVIOR.
WE KNOW FROM STUDIES
AND STATISTICS THAT PLACES
WHERE, FOR INSTANCE, SEX WORK IS
LEGALIZED, THAT VIOLENCE
INCREASES AGAINST WOMEN.
THIS DOES NOT MAKE WOMEN SAFER.
AND PRETENDING THAT THE MEN AND
THE BUYERS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.
IN MANY RESPECTS, I THINK
IT'S BECAUSE SYSTEMICALLY AND
HISTORICALLY, MEN HAVE MADE
THE LAWS.
MEN HAVE PASSED THE LAWS.
AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE
HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW,
AND I THINK THAT'S BRILLIANT
AND
WONDERFUL. BUT IT IS TIME FOR
SOCIETY TO
HAVE A CONVERSATION, A
REAL, BRUTAL,
HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT
THIS BEHAVIOR -- YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE SAY,
IT'S TWO CONSENTING ADULTS, OR,
IT'S THE
OLDEST PROFESSION, AS
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ MENTIONED.
IT'S THE OLDEST OPPRESSION.
AND WE NEED
TO SAY THAT OUT
LOUD. WE NEED TO SPEAK THAT AS
A
TRUTH. AND WE NEED TO HOLD
MEN ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ROLE
THAT THEY PLAY IN THIS SYSTEM,
AND
NOT JUST THE MEN THAT ARE THE
TRAFFICKERS, THE MEN THAT ARE
THE BUYERS.
>>
THAT'S THE DEMAND SIGNAL.
>> THAT'S THE DEMAND SIDE.
>> THAT'S THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
IMPACT. WHAT IS THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT
OF OUR SOCIETY, PEOPLE HERE IN
SEATTLE, WHO
DECRY JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND THAT
WHOLE PIECE AND
THEY'RE DEMANDING X, Y, AND
Z RELATED TO THE EPSTEIN
CASES, BUT THEN TURN AROUND AND
SAY,
WELL, HERE ON AURORA, THAT IS --
AS COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
SAYS, THE OLDEST PROFESSION.
OR THEY'RE DOING -- THAT'S
THEIR
JOB. YOU KNOW, WHEREAS I DRIVE
THOSE
AREAS WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE
BACK, SAME THING WITH
THE, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS RIGHT
NEARBY BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCIL
MEB RIVERA HAS THE SAME ISSUE.
HER DAUGHTER IS IN THE
SCHOOLS
NEARBY. SOCCER PRACTICE RIGHT
NEARBY.
ALL THE
ABOVE. AND THEN YOU MAKE YOUR
POINT
ABOUT MEN.
BUT THERE'S SO MANY WOMEN IN
OUR SOCIETY WHO MAKE THAT KIND
OF TWO POINTS THAT REALLY
NOT SHOULD BE
MADE TOGETHER. OH, EPSTEIN,
THIS, THAT,
WHATEVER.
BUT THEN, OH, AURORA,
THAT'S JUST CONSULTING ADULTS
OR WHATEVER.
OR THEY DECRY THE LETTERS,
AGAIN, BY SPD TO THOSE JOHNS
OR POTENTIAL JOHNS.
IT'S JUST -- IT'S A QUESTION
THAT WE AS A CITY NEED TO
ASK OURSELVES.
SO, EVERYBODY WHO MAKES THESE
POINTS, WHO YOU SAY, OH,
WELL, THAT'S JUST WHATEVER ON
AURORA BUT THEN
DECRY EPSTEIN. THESE PEOPLE --
THE PEOPLE COME
IN HERE OR YELL AT US.
WE'RE TRYING TO GO AFTER THE
MEN, BUT WE'RE THE TARGET.
WE AS A CITY NEED TOTO STOP,
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND THINK
ABOUT THAT.
WHEN I READ SOMETHING ONLINE BY
THE CHATTERING CLASSES IN THE
CITY THAT TALK ABOUT THESE
PIECES, THEY
NEED TO STOP AND LOOK AT
THEMSELVES AND SAY, HEY,
THEY NEED TO REVIEW
THIS BRIEFING.
THEY NEED TO COME TO YOUR
OFFICE AND GET EVEN IN DEPTH,
MORE IN
DEPTH, IN TERMS OF THESE
PIECES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S
HOLDING
US UP IN PART.
GO AFTER THE MEN.
IT'S SIMPLE.
>> YOU KNOW, I WILL -- I WILL
JUST MAKE AN OBSERVATION THAT
I THINK IS -- IT HURTS DEEP
THAT THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED ARE
HISTORICALLY OPPRESSED.
THE WOMEN WHO ARE IMPACTED HAVE
BEEN ENSLAVED IN COMFORT CENTERS
HISTORICALLY, HAVE BEEN
BOUGHT AND ENSLAVED BY WHITE
MEN, AND
THEIR CRIES FOR SOMEONE TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE BUYERS
ARE
AND I WILL JUST MAKE THE
OBSERVATION AND THE NOTE THAT
THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN
OPPRESSED FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I AGREE THAT IT IS TIME
TO REALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION.
I ALSO AGREE THAT IT'S TIME TO
DO SOMETHING.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR YEARS.
OUR PREDECESSORS WHO ENGAGED
IN THIS WORK, RICHEY --
THE HONORABLE SHAWN O'DONNELL,
HAVE
BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR A
VERY LONG TIME.
DR. BOYER HAS BEEN DOING
THIS WORK FOR A VERY LONG TIME
TO
TRY TO ADDRESS THE DEMAND.
SO, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE
HAPPENING. AND WE ARE TRYING TO
RAISE
THEM TO ENGAGE AND SAY, THIS IS
--
THIS IS REAL.
THIS IS AS REAL AS IT CANCAN
GET.
AND THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN RAPED.
THEY HAVE BEEN
PSYCHOLOGICALLY TRAUMATIZED FOR
THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES.
AND THEY HAVE TO PICK UP
WHERE THEY LEFT OFF AND FIND A
WAY TO
MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY
AFTER EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN
THROUGH.
AND I JUST WANT TO
MAKE THAT NOTE OF OBSERVATION
BECAUSE IT
IS SOMETHING THAT MYSELF AND
ALEX, WORKING WITH THESE
SURVIVORS HERE, THEIR CRIES FOR
HELP IN SOMEONE DOING
SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN
OPPRESSED IN MANY OTHER WAYS FOR
SO LONG.
AND I DON'T DISAGREE THAT
THESE OPPRESSIVE NATURE OF, YOU
KNOW,
UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S A CONTRIBUTOR,
ABSOLUTELY. WE ARE NOT -- WE ARE
NOT DENYING
THOSE THINGS.
BUT THE DEMAND IS DRIVING --
THE DEMAND TO BUY ANOTHER HUMAN
BEING, A SOLE, A LIFE, AND THERE
IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY
FOR SELF-REFLECTION
ON THAT. ZERO.
AND THE REASON THAT MS.
VOORHEES AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE
CASES
IS BECAUSE IT IS A
SIMPLE MISDEMEANOR AND WE
PROSECUTE
FELONIES.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR HAVING
THIS PRESENTATION TODAY. AND
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING
HERE.
AND I HEARD YOUR TESTIMONY IN
OLYMPIA, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ONE THING WE HAVEN'T
TALKED ABOUT THAT I DO THINK
IS PROBLEMATIC AS WELL IS THAT
THERE IS A CONFLATION
ABOUT FOLKS WE'VE HEARD IN
CHAMBERS
SAY, WOMEN WHO HAVE COME TO
SAY, I'M ENGAGED IN SEX WORK
AND I
AM DOING THAT, I'M CHOOSING TO
DO
THAT, VERSUS
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE,
WHICH IS NOT
CONSENSUAL.
IT IS SEX
TRAFFICKING. OFTEN TIMES
INVOLVES MINORS,
OFTEN TIMES CHILDREN WHO ARE
VULNERABLE.
AND I THINK THIS CONFLATION
IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE
IT GETS TO -- IT GETS US AWAY
FROM THE PIECE ABOUT THE MEN,
THE
BUYERS, ARE A HUGE PROBLEM.
AND IT GETS USUS INTO
SPACE ARGUING BETWEEN WHAT'S MY
BODY
MY CHOICE AND WHAT'S
ACTUAL YOUR -- WHAT'S
TRAFFICKING.
AND I THINK
THAT'S HARMFUL. IT'S HARMFUL
TO THE
WOMEN THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO
HELP.
THE OTHER PIECE I WANT TO SAY IS
WE HEAR -- AND CHAIR KETTLE, YOU
ALLUDED TO THIS -- IS,
YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO COME TO
CHAMBERS
TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT
WE'RE
DOING IS HURTING VICTIMS
WHEN IN FACT WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS
TRYING TO HELP VICTIMS.
SO, AS YOU SAID, THE FOCUS FOR
YOU ALL IS NOT TO HURT VICTIMS.
IT'S TO HELP VICTIMS GET
AWAY FROM THEIR ABUSERS, TO
PROSECUTE PIMPS AND BUYERS, TO,
YOU
KNOW, ALL IN HELPING THIS -- THE
VICTIMS AND THIS
HUMAN TRAFFICKING SITUATION
BROADLY. BECAUSE IT MS TO ME YOU
ALL
ARE TRYING TO DO THE
BEST YOU CAN AND IT'S ONE
VICTIM AT A
TIME.
BUT THERE ARE MANY
VICTIMS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT
WE REALLY NEED TO TACKLE BIGGER
THAN ONE VICTIM AT A TIME.
I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T --
WE DEFINITELY SHOULD DO ONE
VICTIM AT A TIME, YES.
AND WE NEED TO COME TO TERMS
THAT THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE.
AND WE DON'T -- WE NEED TO
STOP WITH THE ARGUMENTS
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THIS IS
PIMPS OR
BUYERS OR THE WOMEN.
I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF -- I SAY THIS A LOT,
PARTICULARLY IN SEATTLE
BECAUSE WE ARE A BLUE STATE.
OUR HEARTS ARE ALL IN THE RIGHT
PLACE.
I THINK THERE ISN'T A
PERSON THAT WOULDN'T SAY, WE
WANT
TO HELP ALL THE WOMEN AND THE
CHILDREN AND THE BOYS WHO
ARE CAUGHT UP IN THIS.
AND YET WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET
TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY
DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE
WE'RE HAVING THESE
DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT,
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK
WE SHOULD BE GOING
AFTER THE VICTIMS OR WHAT
YOU'RE DOING IS GOING AFTER THE
VICTIMS.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE NOT
LISTENING.
WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER
THE
VICTIMS. WE'RE TRYING TO HELP
THE
VICTIMS. AND WE'RE TRYING TO
DISRUPT,
WHICH IS A WORD MY
COLLEAGUE USES A LOT.
BUT IT IS TRUE.
WE ARE TRYING TO DISRUPT.
SO, I
REALLY WISH THAT WE COULD GET TO
A PLACE WHERE OUR
LAWS ARE CATCHING UP TO WHAT WE
NEED TO DO, WHICH I KNOW
THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO --
THAT'S YOUR
SIDE JOB IN ADDITION TO YOUR DAY
JOB
IS TO TESTIFY, BE HERE, TALK TO
OLYMPIA LEGISLATORS TO ACTUALLY
PASS LAWS THAT ARE GOING
TO HELP OUR VICTIMS AND MORE
IMPORTANTLY
THAT ARE GOING TO HELP
HOPEFULLY ONE DAY ELIMINATE THIS
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING
SITUATION, WHICH IS WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
IT'S NOT THE ONLY HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, BUT IT'S WHAT
WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT SAY, TODAY,
SEX TRAFFICKING.
I WILL SAY THAT MY DAUGHTERS DID
GO TO INGRAM HIGH SCHOOL, AND
THEIR FRIENDS GOT SOLICITED
ON AURORA BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT
OFF OF THE ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE
TALKING
ABOUT TODAY.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THERE IS A
MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BOTH OF MY
COLLEAGUES' DISTRICT.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ AND
I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP
ON THIS,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. THE MIDDLE
SCHOOL, ROBERT
EAGLESTAFF.
THOSE YOUNG -- THEY'RE CHILDREN.
THEY'RE GETTING SOLICITED
IF THEY'RE ON AURORA.
THIS IS NOT OKAY.
AND SO WHILE WE'RE SPINNING
ABOUT HOW TO DO BEST FOR THE
VICTIMS, WE'RE NOT
PAYING ATTENTION TO THE FACT
THAT
WE NEED SOME STRONG LEGISLATION
THAT WILL HELP US GO AFTER THE
BUYERS AND THE PIMPS AND THAT
WE STOP SPINNING ON THIS OTHER
PIECE AND ARGUING ABOUT
WHOSE CONSENT -- YOU KNOW,
THIS
CONSENSUAL PIECE. THAT'S NOT
WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE.
SO, I THINK, TO ME, IT'S A
RED
HERRING. AND WE NEED TO REALLY
GET TO --
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEX
TRAFFICKING, AND WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT
BOTH THE BUYERS AND THE PIMPS,
FULL STOP,
HARD
CORE. I REALLY -- THAT IS MY
OPINION.
I DO HAVE TWO
DAUGHTERS. SO -- AND I AM A
LATINA
WOMAN WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON ALL
ISSUES
RELATED TO IMPACTS TO MY
COMMUNITY FOR THE ENTIRE --
I'M IN MY 50s NOW -- FOR A VERY
LONG
TIME. SO, REALLY APPRECIATE MY
COLLEAGUE FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ FOR HER
COMMENTS.
THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE IN
THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY.
WOMEN ARE GETTING STOLEN
AND THEN TRAFFICKED.
MISSING WOMEN.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOT
ROBUSTLY GOING AFTER THIS
BECAUSE WE'RE SPINNING
AROUND THIS LEGAL PIECE AND
TRYING TO -- I DON'T -- THIS
WHOLE
MOVEMENT OF DEFUNDING THINGS
AND WE'RE NOT GOING
ABOUT IT THE
RIGHT WAY.
NO. THERE'S A LOT OF
CONFLATION.
YES, THERE ARE FACTORS THAT WE
NEED TO ADDRESS THAT LEADS TO
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BEING
TRAFFICKED TO BEGIN WITH.
YES, WE NEED, TO YOUR
POINT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE NEED THE FOSTER CARE
SYSTEM NEEDS REFORM.
THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEM NEEDS REFORM.
WE ALL AGREE ON ALL
THESE PIECES.
SO, TO ME, IT IS REALLY
DISHEARTENING WHEN I AM LIVING
IN A BLUE CITY WHERE WE
ALL AGREE ON THESE PIECES BUT
YET
WE CAN'T AGREE ON HOW TO TACKLE
IT.
AND WE ARE WASTING TIME
WHILE WE'RE SPINNING ON THESE
THINGS THAT TO ME ARE
SO CLEAR. SO, THE LAST THING
I'LL SAY
IS, YOU KNOW, OUR ACTIONS, LIKE
THE
SOAP, WHICH EVERYONE
WAS -- YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF
PEOPLE COME TO CHAMBERS AND
FIGHT AGAINST.
AGAIN, IT WAS MEANT TO
DISRUPT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO HELP
THE VICTIMS.
AND WHY PEOPLE CAN'T SEE THAT
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO AND THAT YOU ALL REALLY
ARE HELPING VICTIMS IS BEYOND
ME.
SO, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO -- YOU
HAVE MORE OF YOUR PRESENTATION,
AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO
TALK
MORE ABOUT HOW YOU HELP THE
VICTIMS.
AND I WANT TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT THAT.
BUT
I JUST, AS YOU CAN HEAR, WE'RE
ALL IMPASSIONED ABOUT
THIS.
AND AS A MOM, I AM ESPECIALLY
IMPASSIONED ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU ARE NOT A
MOM, YOU ARE ALSO IMPASSIONED.
BUT JUST TO STATE
WHERE MY PASSION IS COMING FROM.
AND THIS IMPACTS ALL
OF US. EVERY ONE OF US.
AND ALL OUR CHILDREN IN THIS
CITY BECAUSE, TO YOUR POINT,
PEOPLE ASSUME THAT THESE
KIDS ARE NOT FROM FAMILIES WHERE
PARENTS ARE ENGAGED.
SOME OF THEM.
JUST LIKE SOME OF THE BUYERS
ARE LAWYERS AND DOCTORS AND
TEACHERS AND YOU WOULD
NEVER THINK. AND ACTUALLY, THERE
ARE
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS INDUSTRY
ON THE
TRYING TO HELP SIDE WHO ARE ALSO
ENGAGED.
JUST LIKE DRUG TRAFFICKING.
SO, WE'VE GOT TO BE HONEST
ABOUT
THIS AND WE REALLY NEED TO
DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
REALLY ROBUSTLY AND SUPPORT LAWS
THAT
ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY HELP
THE VICTIMS AND STOP
VICTIMIZING THEM FURTHER BY
SPINNING
ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE REALLY, I
THINK,
A COMPLETION OF WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEB.
>> I THINK YOU'RE SO RIGHT
ABOUT TIME.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
THIS FOR -- IN OUR OFFICE, WE'VE
HAD SPECIALLY DESIGNATED
PROSECUTORS ON THIS FOR OVER TWO
DECADES.
AND TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
EVERY TIME WE DELAY TAKING A
STEP AND TRYING AN INNOVATIVE
SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S THE
DEAR
JOHN LETTERS OR THE LEGISLATION
THAT REPRESENTATIVE STERNS IS
SPONSORING, THAT IS MORE
KIDS BEING DRAFTED INTO THIS
SYSTEM, RECRUITED INTO THIS
SYSTEM,
THIS SYSTEM THAT IS
INCREDIBLY HARD TO BREAK AWAY
FROM.
AND I'LL THROW OUT
SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS REALLY
TIME SENSITIVE WITH RESPECT TO
THIS.
FIFA IS
COMING.
>> THAT'S
RIGHT.
>> WE KNOW THAT LARGE-
SCALE TOURIST AND SPORTING
EVENTS LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN
HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.
THIS IS TRUE OF THE NBA FINALS,
THE SUPER BOWL, AND FIFA, WE
ARE GOING TO HAVE A WORLDWIDE
AUDIENCE. AND WOULDN'T IT
BE NICE TO SAY THAT SH
WASHINGTON STATE
STANDS WITH WOMEN, STANDS
AGAINST
MISOGYNY, STANDS AGAINST
SEXISM, AND STANDS AGAINST
RACISM
AND WANTS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM
THE HARMS THAT THIS SYSTEM, THIS
ECOSYSTEM THAT BUYERS FUND
PERPETUATES?
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT --
YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU
WERE ASKING SOME QUESTIONS
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE
OPPOSED
OR SOMEHOW THINK THAT THIS IS
CONSENSUAL SO IT'S OKAY.
THE PROBLEM IS YOU CAN'T MAKE
SEX WORK SAFE.
IT IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS
AND IT IS INHERENTLY A POWER
IMBALANCE.
AND IF I CAN HAVE THE NEXT
SLIDE.
I THINK YOU NEED TO HEAR FROM
THE BUYERS THEMSELVES AND HOW
THEY VIEW THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE
PURCHASES.
43% OF MEN BELIEVE THAT IF
THEY PAY FOR SEX, THE WOMAN
SHOULD DO
ANYTHING THEY ASK.
THAT MEANS IF YOU HAVE AN
OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE WITH A
CLIENT
AS A SEX WORKER AND YOU SAY,
OKAY, I
WILL DO THIS BUT IT WILL BE WITH
A CONDOM AND IT WILL ONLY
BE -- AND I'M GOING TO USE REAL
CLINICAL TERMS HERE -- IT
WILL ONLY BE VAGINAL SEX WITH
A
CONDOM. WHEN THAT WOMAN IS ALONE
IN
A ROOM OR A CAR OR A PARK WITH A
POWER IMBALANCE AND A MAN
WHO WANTS WHAT HE WANTS, CONDOMS
ARE
REMOVED, ANAL SEX IS
FORCED, ORAL SEX IS FORCED.
THERE'S NO OTHER
PROFESSION WHERE THINGS ARE
ENTERING
YOUR ORIFICE WHERE PEOPLE ARE
NOT
PROTECTED. THINK ABOUT YOUR
DENTAL HYGIENISTS.
EVEN YOUR BEAUTY
PRACTITIONERS WEAR GLOVES AND
MASKS.
THIS IS THE MOST INTIMATE OF
CONDUCT, CONTACT WITHOUT REAL
PROTECTION.
>> ONE THING THAT I ALSO WANT TO
ADD TO THAT THAT IS A REALITY IS
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE A
PIMP THAT IS DRIVING WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THAT ROOM, IF A
VICTIM WANTS A CONDOM USED
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW --
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE EXPOSED
TO POTENTIALLY HARMFUL THINGS
BUT
A BUYER IS WILLING TO PAY
MORE, WHICH IS VERY COMMON, FOR
UNPROTECTED OR JUST ANY OTHER
SEX ACT AND THAT VICTIM DOES
NOT WANT TO DO IT, IF THAT MAKES
MORE MONEY FOR THE PIMP,
THE VICTIM IS THEN FORCED TO
ENGAGE
IN THAT. WHICH WHILE THEY MAY BE
VERBALLY SAYING, FINE, YOU CAN
DO THIS
TO ME, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS,
THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSENT IS
DRIVEN BY THAT THIRD PARTY
MANIPULATION, VIOLENCE,
AND
COERCION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE
THAT POINT.
>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AS I NOTED EARLIER, 75% OF
MEN WHO BUY SEX UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE ARE PIMPS INVOLVED,
THAT
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING
TRAFFICKED.
AND
40% ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY KNOW A
WOMAN WHO HAS ENGAGED
IN PROSTITUTION WHO WAS UNDER
THE CONTROL OF A PIMP OR
TRAFFICKER AT THE TIME THEY
PURCHASED THAT
INDIVIDUAL.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY TOO,
WHEN I SAY -- SO, THERE'S
A
CONFLATION. THESE -- THE SEX
TRAFFICKING -- WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT
HERE IS -- INVOLVES PIMPS AND
MEN
AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, HAVING
CONTROL
OVER WOMEN. SO, I THINK THE
CONFLATION
IS THERE IS A SEX
INDUSTRY AND WOMEN ARE SAYING, I
WANT TO
DO THAT NO PIMP INVOLVED VERSUS
--
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE.
SO, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
THAT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAT IS
DRIVEN BY PIMPS AND
BUYERS, UNDERAGE CHILDREN WHO
CANNOT CONSENT BY VIRTUE OF THE
FACT
THAT THEY'RE UNDERAGED. THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE. AND THEN OF- AGE WOMEN WHO
HAVE BEEN STOLEN.
THIS IS NOT CONSENSUAL, LIKE,
IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
SO, I WANT TO DISTINGUISH
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THESE
ARE THE ARGUMENTS FOR THE WORK
THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE
THAT VERY
CLEAR. THANK YOU.
>> WHETHER SEX WORK IS DONE OUT
ON THE STREETS LIKE IN AURORA OR
IN HOTELS, % OF WOMEN
IN ESCORT SERVICES
STATED THEY THEY BEEN FORCED TO
HAVE
SEX MORE THAN TEN TIMES.
THIS IS THE SAME
PERCENTAGE RATHER ON THE STREET
OR
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
ONE WOMAN REPORTED THE
FOLLOWING OBJECTS HAVE BEEN
INSERTED
INTO HER BODY.
-- A SEX TOY WITH TAPE ON IT
AND A HAND WITH BRACELETS STILL
ON
IT.
RESEARCH DONE IN CHICAGO
FOUND THAT MOVING PROSTITUTION
INDOORS DOES NOT MAKE
IT SAFE. THE SEVERITY OF
VIOLENCE IN
INDOOR VENUES IN THE STUDY
WAS HIGH.
AND SOME OF THE SAME TYPES
OF VIOLENCE WERE EVEN HIGHER
THAN
STREET LEVEL PROSTITUTION.
THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM A
BUYER OF A WOMAN WHO WAS
WORKING IN AN ELICIT MASSAGE
PARLOR.
ONCE WITH A PETITE LITTLE
SPINNER, ABOUT 40, WHO TOLD
ME, NO BJ, NO BLOW JOB.
BUT THEN I SIMPLY INSISTED
FIRMLY, YES, YOU SUCK, AND
GRABBED HER HEAD, AND SHE
DIDN'T
RESIST.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE WILDEST
MP EXPERIENCES I'VE EVER HAD.
I COMPLETELY FACE F- ED HER
WHERE
SHE HAD TO PUKE ON THE
FLOOR TWICE AND WOULD CLEAN IT
UP
AND THEN COME BACK TO ME
WHERE I WOULD F HER FACE SILLY
AGAIN.
I EVEN HAD HER LICKING MY
ASSHOLE THAT TIME.
I THINK I GAVE HER $80.
$80 FOR THAT LEVEL OF
DEHUMANIZATION.
WE TALK ABOUT AURORA.
BUT THIS ALSO
-- IN HOTELS AND MOTELS AND
PIMPS AND
TRAFFICKERS.
BUT THIS ALSO HAPPENS IN
ELICIT MASSAGE BUSINESSES.
WHICH IF YOU DRIVE
AROUND THE CITY, THE STATE, THE
COUNTY, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH TELL
WHICH ONES
THEY ARE.
NEXT SLIDE. THESE ARE JUST SOME
OTHER
THINGS THAT MEN HAVE SAID.
SHE IS AN OBJECT PLACED THERE
BY SOCIETY FOR MEN LIKE US
TO USE AND MOVE ON.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY
STED ON ONLINE WEBSITES WHERE
MEN REVIEW SEX AND TALK ABOUT
ENCOUNTERS
WITH SEX WORK.
FIND THEM, F THEM, FORGET THEM.
THIS IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR
MEN'S SEXUAL HEALTH,
PROBABLY WOMEN'S TOO, BUT I
REALLY
DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT.
THE ONE IN YELLOW WAS A --
SI SEX BUYER SAYS, SO ARE YOU
GOING TO SUCK MY DICK OR WHAT?
STUPID WHORE, SPREAD YOUR LEGS
AND THAT'S IT.
THAT'S ALL YOUR WORTH ANDCUM
DUMPSTER.
THIS IS NOT "PRETTY WOMAN. "
THIS IS THE REALITY THAT
INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER THEY'RE
FORCED BY A PIMP OR
TRAFFICKER OR FORCED BY CHOICE
OR
CIRCUMSTANCE OR INABILITY TO PUT
A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS OR FEED
THEIR KIDS, THESE ARE THE
MEN THAT THEY ARE FORCED TO DEAL
WITH.
IT CANNOT BE MADE SAFE.
PROSTITUTES ARE LIKE
PRODUCT,
LIKE CEREAL. YOU GO TO THE
GROCERY STORE,
PICK A BRAND YOU WANT, PAY
FOR IT.
IT'S BUSINESS.
SHE HAS NO RIGHTS BECAUSE
YOU ARE PAYING FOR A SEX ACT.
SHE GIVES UP THE RIGHT TO SAY
NO. NOT
MY WORDS. HIS WORDS.
AND THIS HAS TREMENDOUS IMPACT
ON VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS,
THOSE THAT
DO SURVIVE. STUDIES SHOW THAT
THERE IS UP TO
A 200% TIME HIGHER
MORTALITY RATE FOR INDIVIDUALS
INVOLVED IN
COMMERCIAL SEX WORK.
INDIVIDUALS THAT ENGAGE
IN PROSTITUTION SUFFER FROM PTSD
AT RATES HIGHER THAN COMBAT
VETERANS.
THIS STUDY THAT WE CITED IS 53%.
SOME SAY IT'S AS HIGH AS 63 OR
68%. AND THAT'S NOT TO MENTION
THE PHYSICAL HARMS OF EXPOSURE
TO STIs, BODILY FLUIDS, JUST
THE PHYSICAL TRAUMA THAT A BODY
GOES THROUGH WHEN YOU'RE FORCED
TO HAVE SEX WITH TEN DIFFERENT
MEN A DAY, VAGINAL PROLAPSE,
ANAL
PROLAPSE, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
FROM REPEATED BEATINGS.
THESE ARE ALL COMMON THINGS TO
SEE.
AND WHETHER -- IT'S A
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE CRISIS AS
WELL BECAUSE THESE -- THESE
DANGERS
CAN'T BE RENDERED OBSOLETE BY
US
PRETENDING THAT THIS
IS CONSENTING
ADULT BEHAVIOR. THE REALITIES
ARE
JUST TOO STARK.
AS I MENTIONED, EXPOSURE
TO STDs, HIV, FORCED ABORTION,
FORCED STERILIZATION, URINARY
TRACT INFECTIONS, BLADDER
INFLAMMATION, FECAL
INCONTINENT, INFERTILITY,
CERVICAL
CANCER, ORAL CANCER, AND OTHER
ISSUES ASSOCIATED.
THE LIST -- THE LIST REALLY
GOES ON.
>> SO, THESE AREARE SOME
VOICE OF WHAT WE CALL SURVIVAL
FROMFROM
SOME OF RESEARCH AND DATA.
WHEN A PIMP SAYS HE'S
GOING TO TORTURE YOU, WHAT I'VE
SEEN IS
GIRLS IN DOG CAGES, GIRLS
BEING WATER BOARDED, STRIPPED
DOWN NAKED AND PUT IN THE RAIN
AND
COLD OUTSIDE AND HAVING
TO STAND THERE ALL NIGHT.
AND IF YOU MOVE, YOU'LL BE
BEATEN. I'VE SEEN GIRLS GET HIT
BY CARS
AND STUNNED BY STUN GUNS.
I'VE SEEN GIRLS BURNED AND
STRANGLED.
IF YOU WANT TO USE THE
RESTROOM, YOU HAVE TO ASK.
IF YOU WANT TO EAT, YOU ASK.
AND IF YOU DON'T GET
PERMISSION, YOU JUST
DON'T DO IT. IT'S MORE THAN
JUST
PHYSICAL
DOMINATION. IT'S EMOTIONAL AND
MENTAL
AND THAT'S THE DOMINATION THAT
TENDS TO LINGER.
AND I REALLY WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT MS. VOORHEES AND I SEE
-- I
HAD A CASE WHERE SHE WAS
16. SHE WAS TRAFFICKED BY A
PIMP.
AND A REVEAL OF THEIR TEXT
MESSAGES SHOWED THAT SHE HAD
TO ASK IF SHE COULD GET WATER.
THIS IS FROM, YOU KNOW, A
STUDY AND A REPORT, BUT IT IS
REFLECTED EVERY SINGLE DAY
IN OUR CASES AND WHAT COMES
ACROSS OUR DESK.
THESE ARE NOT FOREIGN CONCEPTS
TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND IF YOU SPEAK WITH
SURVIVORS ABOUT THE VIOLENCE,
YOU
WILL ALWAYS HEAR
UNFORTUNATELY SOMETHING NEW.
BUT THERE ARE
OBVIOUSLY REPETITIVE THINGS THAT
CONTINUOUSLY HAPPEN.
A WEEK INTO THE JOB, I STARTED
VAGINAL BLEEDING, PROBABLY
DUE TO OVERWORKING MY BODY, SO I
INFORMED HER, SAYING I
COULDN'T CONTINUE.
BUT SHE PRESSED ME
TO KEEP WORKING WITH COTTON PADS
PACKED INTO THE VAGINA DURING
INTERCOURSE, SAYING
THAT CUSTOMERS WOULDN'T NOTICE.
SO, I REPEATED EVERY HOUR
THE PROCESS OF PACKING IN AND
REMOVING THE BLOODY
COTTON PADS FROM MY VAGINA SO AS
TO HIDE
THE
BLEEDING FROM CUSTOMERS PER HER
INSTRUCTION.
WELL, AS WE JUST ASKED THAT
QUESTION OF WHAT CAN BE
DONE, HOUSE BILL 2526 IS A BILL
THAT
OUR OFFICE IS STANDING STRONGLY
BEHIND, AND IT IS A BILL TO
STOP THE EXTREME PHYSICAL AND
SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
AND WOMEN THAT IS DIRECTLY
DRIVEN BY
SEX BUYERS USING THEIR MONEY TO
BUY SEXUAL ACCESS TO VULNERABLE
PEOPLE.
THIS BILL WAS HEARD BY THE
HOUSE COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMITTEE
ON
ON 20th, LAST WEEK ININ
OLYMPIA. I TESTIFIED ON BEHALF
OF THE
BILL. THERE WERE A LOT OF
OTHER SURVIVORS WHO TESTIFIED ON
BEHALF OF THE BILL IN SUPPORT.
AND THAT BILL DOES NEEDNEED
COMMITTEE VOTE OF APPROVAL BY
FEBRUARY 4th.
AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, IT'S
A SHORT LEGISLATIVE
SESSION THIS YEAR.
THAT BILL DIRECTLY ADDRESSES
SEX BUYERS, INCREASING THE CRIME
OF PATRONIZING A PROSTITUTE TO
--
FROM A SIMPLE MISDEMEANOR TO
A CLASS C FELONY.
IT ALSO WOULD DOUBLE
THE ASSOCIATED FINDS AND FEES.
AND AS THE BILL WAS ORIGINALLY
WRITTEN, THERE WAS A
SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT WAS GOING
TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
WE HAVE AMENDED THAT FROM OUR
END, AND WE ARE SEEKING TOTO
ALL THE FUNDING FROM THAT
GO DIRECTLY TO
SURVIVORS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THAT UPON
CONVICTION, DEFERRAL,
A RESOLUTION OF SOME SORT ON
THE CHARGE FOR THE FELONY,
THE DEFENDANT, THE SEX BUYER,
WOULD
BE REQUIRED TO PAY THOSE FINES
AND FEES, AND THEY WOULD
GO DIRECTLY BACK TO THE
MUNICIPALITIES TO ASSIST WITH
SURVIVORS.
THAT CAN BE DONE IN PREVENTION
WORK.
THAT CAN BE DONE IN SUPPORT OF
HOUSING.
THAT CAN BE DONE IN
ANY RESOURCES THAT COULD BE
HELPFUL TO THAT MUNICIPALITY
THAT
THEY SEE FIT IN ORDER TO ASSIST
SURVIVORS.
THE FINAL NOTE THAT I'LL
MAKE WITH REGARD TO ASSISTING
SURVIVORS, AS MS. VOORHEES
INDICATED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE
A LOT OF GREAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THIS
FIELD WITH OUR
DETECTIVES, BUT THEY WEAR
MANY HATS.
THEY'RE NOT JUST DETECTIVES.
THEY ARE SOCIAL WORKER.
THEY ARE ADVOCATES.
THEY PLAY MULTIFACETED
DYNAMIC ROLES TO WORK WITH
THESE VICTIMS.
AND SO SOME OF OUR OFFICERS
WILL HAVE, LIKE, A BUCKET OF
TAMPONS, PADS, BLANKETS, EXTRA
CLOTHES,
OR TAKE A SURVIVOR TO THE
STORE TO GET FRESH UNDERWEAR.
AND SO THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT
SURVIVORS CAN BE SUPPORTED.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A
FEW OF THOSE.
>> THIS IS JUST MORE ABOUT
THE BILL.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S VERY LITTLE
INCENTIVE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
DO A LOT OF PROACTIVE WORK
AROUND ARRESTING SOMEONE FOR
A SIMPLE MISDEMEANOR BY
ELEVATING THE CRIME TO A FELONY
LEVEL
OFFENSE. IT MAKES IT
SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE LAW
ENFORCEMENT
WILL TAKE MUCH MORE
SERIOUSLY, NOT THAT THEY DON'T
ALREADY,
NOT THAT THEY DON'T ALREADY
DO FANTASTIC WORK.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN
YOU'RE ARRESTING SOMEONE FOR A
CRIME THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT
EVEN
GOING TO BE BOOKED INTO THE
JAIL FOR, THAT TAKES THAT
OFFICER OFF THE STREET FOR A
REALLY LOW --
IT'S NOT -- I DON'T WANT TO
SAY IT'S A LOW- LEVEL OFFENSE
BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW IT'S A
REALLY
SERIOUS OFFENSE.
BUT IT'S LOW IN TERMS OF WHAT
OUR LEGISLATURE HAS SAID
THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR COMMITTING
THAT OFFENSE ARE.
THE MONEY TO SURVIVOR
SERVICES, THAT IS DIRECTED TO
THE
MUNICIPALITY SO THEY
CAN DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR
THEIR
COMMUNITY. WHAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE
CHOOSES TO INVEST IN IS
GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
A
MUNICIPALITY IN -- COUNTY
THINKS IS THE BEST USE OF THAT
MONEY FOR SURVIVORS AND THEIR
COMMUNITY. THEY CAN PARTNER WITH
NGOs,
PLACES LIKE BEST AND REST
AND OPS AND WAYS AND YWCA.
WE HAVE SO MANY
TREMENDOUS ORGANIZATIONS HERE.
BUT IT LEAVES IT TO
THE MUNICIPALITIES TO DECIDE
WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR
JURISDICTIONS.
SO, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, COMING
HERE, WE WERE TOLD TO
THINK ABOUT AN ASK.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS AN
ASK OTHER THAN FOR PEOPLE TO
LISTEN, FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR
THESE STORIES, FOR PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND THE REALITIES OF
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THIS
ECOSYSTEM.
WE CAN ALWAYS USE
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR
SURVIVORS.
BACK WHEN THE LEGISLATURE
DECRIMINALIZED PROSTITUTION FOR
JUVENILES, SO IT'S NO LONGER --
WE CAN'T ARREST A JUVENILE
FOR ENGAGING IN ACTS OF
PROSTITUTION. -- THOSE WERE TO
BE PLACES,
SAFE, LOCKED
FACILITIES WHERE KIDS COULD GO
AND HAVE
IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SUBSTANCE
USE
DISORDER, MENTAL HEALTH,
TRAUMA- INFORMED SUPPORT
WHERE THEY WOULD BE NOT LOCKED
AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAD DONE
SOMETHING
LONG BUT LOCKED
AWAY AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM
THEIR TRAFFICKERS
AND TAKEN OUT OF THAT
ENVIRONMENT AND BE GIVEN
RESOURCES.
THERE WAS ONE IN
EASTERN WASHINGTON FOR A VERY
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AT THAT TIME I WAS IN
BRAELAH'S SPOT IN SOUTH KING
COUNTY, AND
I HAD DETECTIVES FROM KENT
DRIVING KIDS TO SPOKANE
AND BACK AND FORTH ON OVERTIME.
WE ALL KNOW THAT'S NOT A
GREAT USE OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT
RESOURCES. BUT IT WAS IN THESE
CASES BECAUSE THOSE KIDS
DESPERATELY
NEED
THOSE SERVICES. WE'VE NEVER HAD
ONE FROM
ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE
MOUNTAINS.
WE'RE IN CONVERSATIONS RIGHT
NOW WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS, AND
I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH ANY OF
YOU FURTHER ABOUT THIS
PRIVATELY ABOUT SOME IDEAS THAT
WE'VE
HAD FOR GETTING A RECEIVING
CENTER
UP AND RUNNING IN KING COUNTY.
WE'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH THE
COUNTY, SOME COUNTY- LEVEL
FOLKS, SOME FOLKS WITH THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE
TO ENGAGE IN THOSE
CONVERSATIONS.
WE CAN NEVER HAVE
ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS.
WHEN WE HAVE A JUVENILE, FOR
INSTANCE, THAT IS RECOVERED
OFF OF AURORA, WHETHER OR NOT
THAT KID WANTS TO PARTICIPATE OR
IS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE OR
ENGAGE IN SERVICES OR ENGAGE IN
A
PROSECUTION, THAT IS NOT
OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL.
OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS
MAKING SURE THAT THAT CHILD IS
SAFE.
WE HAVE NO PLACE TO TAKE
THAT CHILD.
>> EVEN IF THAT CHILD WERE
TO SAY TO DETECTIVES, TO THEIR
DCYF CASE MANAGER, TO WHOMEVER
THE ADULT IN THEIR LIFE IS, I'VE
BEEN USING DRUGS FOR TOO TOOLONG
--
YOU KNOW, WE HEAR OUR KIDS SAY
THIS, 15, 16, 17 YEARS OLD, THEY
WANT TO GET OFF --
>> 13
YEARS OLD.
>> -- 13 YEARS OLD.
THERE ARE NO TREATMENT
BEDS AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE TO TELL THAT CHILD,
FILL OUT THIS PAPERWORK, HAVE
YOUR PARENTS OR CASE MANAGER
FILL OUT
THIS PAPERWORK.
WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU ON
A WAITING LIST AND IT
COULD BE THREE TO SIX MONTHS
BEFORE WE CAN GET YOU A
TREATMENT BED.
>>
YES.
>> THAT'S REALITY.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS,
WE ALSO WORK WITH PARTNERS
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM IN A
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH
TO INDIVIDUALS THAT WE BELIEVE
ARE JUVENILES THAT ARE AT RISK
OR
BEING SEX TRAFFICKED. AND WE
HAVE THESE
HARD CONVERSATIONS EVERY WEEK
ABOUT
A DIFFERENT KID.
AND THE SOLUTION IS
ALMOST ALWAYS THE SAME.
THERE IS NO SOLUTION.
THERE IS NO PLACE FOR
THAT PERSON TO GO.
THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE WHERE
THEY'RE NOT JUST GOING TO
GET SNATCHED UP BY THEIR
TRAFFICKER OR SOME OTHER
TRAFFICKER AGAIN.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS A
REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
THAT'S ONE OF
THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT I
THINK WE SHOULD HAVE.
YOU KNOW, I WILL ALWAYS
ADVOCATE FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR
LAW
ENFORCEMENT. I KNOW THAT ALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE
STRAPPED ACROSS
THE BOARD RIGHT NOW WITH BODIES
AND
FUNDING AND NEEDING TO ALLOCATE
RESOURCES TO DIFFERENT PROJECTS
AND
DIRECTIVES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I
WILL ALWAYS
ADVOCATE FOR MORE LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
YOU KNOW, AT THE
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, LISA
MANION ASKED FOR
ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT FOR THE POSITION THAT
BRAELAH AND I
ARE
IN. WE ASKED THE COUNTY COUNCIL
FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR
ADDITIONAL PROSECUTORS TO WORK
IN
THIS FIELD AND IN OTHER AREAS
ACROSS THE OFFICE.
AND IT WAS A PRETTY RESOUNDING
NO.
ONE THING THAT I THINK WOULD BE
SUPER HELPFUL -- AND WE
STARTED TALKING WITH ERICA EVANS
AND THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ABOUT
WHETHER THERE'S SOME
WAY WE CAN PARTNER TO SHARE A
RESOURCE, WHAT COMES TO MIND FOR
BRAELAH AND I BECAUSE THESE
CASES ARE
MASSIVE.
THEY INVOLVE VAST AMOUNTS OF
DATA, DIGITAL EVIDENCE,
RECORDING, JAIL TELEPHONE
CALLS, CELL PHONES, SOCIAL
MEDIA,
HAVING A DESIGNATED ASSISTANT
TO, FOR INSTANCE, HELP US
COMB THROUGH THAT EVIDENCE, HELP
US
SORT THROUGH THAT EVIDENCE.
BECAUSE IT'S EITHER BRAELAH AND
I OR OUR DETECTIVE THAT'S
DOING THAT WORK.
IF OUR DETECTIVE -- WHICH --
AND
WE ALL DO IT. WE'RE CERTAINLY
NOT
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE WORK
WE DO. IT'S FASCINATING.
BUT TO HAVE SOMEONE,
AN ADDITIONAL PERSON WHO COULD
HELP
CULL THROUGH SOME OF
THAT EVIDENCE MIGHT FREE UP
A DETECTIVE WHO DOESN'T HAVE
TO SPEND EIGHT HOURS AT
HIS DESK CULLING THROUGH A CELL
PHONE BUT COULD BE OUT ON THE
STREET
RECOVERING ANOTHER SURVIVOR
OR CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS OR
DOING FOLLOW- UP TO RECOVER
VIDEO.
THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT WE CAN USE RESOURCES
FOR
DIFFERENTLY.
>> I WANT -- NORMALLY I GO
LAST,
AS CHAIR. BUT FIRST I WANT TO
SAY, WHEN YOU SAID THAT
REGARDING NOWHERE
TO GO AND SO FORTH, THAT
IS REALITY.
>> MM-HMM.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING
THROUGH MY MIND?
THAT IS FAILURE.
YOU CAN SAY THAT IS REALITY,
BUT THAT IS FAILURE.
AND I WILL -- I'M GLAD YOU
BROUGHT UP OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND
OFFICE
BECAUSE I WAS AT -- I WAS GOING
TO ASK
THAT QUESTION, WHETHER YOU
CAN SPEAK TO THAT RELATIONSHIP
AND
THE POSSIBILITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO WITH OUR
NEW EXECUTIVE, WITH MAYOR WILSON
AND HER TEAM, YOU KNOW, THAT
I RECENTLY MET AND HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED WITH.
BECAUSE THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT -- AND IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR
EVERYBODY WHO'S NOW IN THESE
NEW
SEATS TO LOOK AT THINGS AS THEY
ARE,
NOT AS THEY'RE DESCRIBED ANDAND
THE CHATTERING CLASSES.
BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
AND SO I WILL QUICKLY ASK, AND
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUES, IS, YOU KNOW, WITH
SHORT STAFF AND THESE
PIECES, AURORA, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE
INVESTED A LOT RELATED TO THE
CCTV PROGRAM AND THE
REALTIME CRIME CENTER PROGRAM.
AND MY
HOPE IS THAT THAT IS ASSISTING
YOU IN YOUR WORK AND
NOT JUST THE WORK OF YOU,
KING COUNTY SHERIFF, KING COUNTY
METRO, SPD, AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> I FILED A CASE
YESTERDAY WHERE THE VEHICLE THAT
WAS INVOLVED WAS
IDENTIFIED BECAUSE OF THE USE OF
THE REALTIME
CRIME CENTER VIDEO.
>> AWESOME.
>> SO, THE REALTIME CRIME
CENTER YESTERDAY WAS AN
ASSISTANT
TO
YOU?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND
I'LL BE BRIEF.
THANK YOU.
I'M SO GLAD WE HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET
BEFORE THIS. AND WE DID SIT DOWN
AND MEET
WITH AND SPEAK TO CITY ATTORNEY
EVANS AND KING COUNTY PROSECUTOR
MANION.
SO, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THIS.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD
YOU ADDRESSED THE HOUSE BILL,
THE
HOUSE BILL 2526,
WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS GOING TO
BE
IN EXECUTIVE HEARING ON THE
29th.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU'RE
GOING TO WAIT FOR THE COMMITTEE
VOTE
ON FEBRUARY 4th.
LET ME JUST BRIEFLY ASK YOU --
BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW FOLLOW-
UPS,
JUST MORE INFORMATIONAL. BUT TO
ALSO ASK YOU, ON THE
SENATE BILL 5936 BY
SENATOR ORWELL WHICH IS MAINLY
DIRECTED -- AND I THINK WE
TALKED ABOUT THIS -- TOWARDS
BUSINESSES WHICH I DEEM
AS CODEFENDANTS AND
ENABLERS BECAUSE THEY'RE PART
OF
THIS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT
THIS,
THIS BUSINESS MODEL, IF INDEED
WOMEN ARE PRODUCTS, THAT WE'VE
BEEN
UNABLE TO DISRUPT.
SO, THAT'S ONE THING.
AND MR. CHAIR, YOU BROUGHT
UP SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST
MONTH, AND YOU BURIED THE LEAD.
I TOLD HER.
I SAID, YES, WE HAVE AN ASK.
I'M
GOING TO SAY THIS NOW. I KNOW
THAT COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS IS LISTENING.
WHEN WE WERE SAYING WHAT DO WE
DO IN OUR MEETINGS WITH
CITY ATTORNEY EVANS AND
PROSECUTOR
MANION IS THAT WHEN
BUDGET STARTS GEARING UP THAT WE
LOOK AT FUNDING AFTE FOR THE
COUNTY
AND THE CITY WHICH I TALKED
TO CITY ATTORNEY EVANS ABOUT
FOR EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE
SHARING.
I SAID, I THINK YOU NEED TO
TALK TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE
ACTUALLY DOING THIS WORK ABOUT
WHAT
THEY ACTUALLY NEED, THAT THE
CITY AND
THE COUNTY CAN SHARE TO
GATHER THIS INFORMATION AND
ASSIST
YOU AND THE DETECTIVES.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT I KNOW
THAT ABIGAIL -- MY
UNDERSTANDING IS PROVIDING
PUBLIC COMMENT
AND SHE'S A DEAR FRIEND AND
SHE'S WORKED WITH US ON
MISSING, MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN.
WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF
WORKING WITH THEM AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT
THE TRIBAL JURISDICTION PIECE
AND
BRINGING IN THE TRIBES.
EIGHT OR NINE TRIBES ON THE
I-5 CORRIDOR -- DID PUSH
LEGISLATION ON THE SEX
TRAFFICKING
ACT THAT ARE -- WITH THEIR OWN
POLICE
DEPARTMENT WITH COMMUNITY AND
ADDRESSING NOT JUST --
THEY'RE NOT FOCUSING
ON THE WOMEN. THEY'RE FOCUSING
ON THE BUYERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED
TO POINT AT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AROUND
LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
THIS
AND THIS WILL BE MY LAST POINT.
TWO THINGS, FIRST THIS
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL IN THE
LAST NINE CYCLES, WE'VE GIVEN A
LOT OF
MONEY -- AND I'M REALLY PROUD
OF IT -- TO AURORA COMMONS UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF ELIZABETH DAL
STARTING IN 2016.
TOOK THEIR BUDGET FROM
NOT VERY MUCH TO A WHOLE BUNCH,
WORKING WITH OPS, U DUB, TRYING
TO GET
EXTRA BEDS, WORKING WITH
THESE FOLKS ABOUT HOW TO GET
THESE WOMEN OUT OF THIS BUSINESS
WHERE THEY ARE BEING TRAFFICKED.
THAT WHOLE "PRETTY WOMAN"
THING IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT.
IT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING
AT ALL.
WHEN I HEAR THAT, IT DRIVES ME
CRAZY.
I THINK YOU AND I HAD
A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT ONE
TIME AS WELL.
THERE WAS A TIME MANY,
MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A
VERY YOUNG IDEALISTIC
PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THE DAY --
AND I STILL AM TO
SOME DEGREE -- BUT WHEN THERE
WASN'T A DV
UNIT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNITS.
BACK THEN LAWS WERE MADE FOR
MEN, BY MEN, IN EVERY
WAY. AND THAT IS THE SYSTEM THE
WAY IT'S BUILT.
LONG STORY SHORT, I'M NOT
GOING TO GO INTO ALL THAT.
SO GETTING THE ESTABLISHMENT
AND ANGLO-WESTERN LAW TO
UNDERSTAND
THAT WOMEN ARE NOT
PROPERTY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A
CRIME.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU SLAP
THE WORD DOMESTIC IN FRONT OF
IT.
AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE
CHARGED FOR THAT.
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE
SURVIVOR AND VICTIM SERVICES.
THERE WAS A TIME PEOPLE
DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS A THING.
WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, WELL,
YOU CAN'T REALLY ARREST --
IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO THIS.
IT'S THE
WORL'S OLDEST PROFESSION.
YOU CAN'T REALLY ARREST
THE
JOHN. YOU CAN'T DO THE LICENSE
PLATE
READER. SOME OF THESE WOMEN WANT
TO
BE OUT THERE.
I'M GOING TO CALL BULLSHIT.
THAT
IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE.
I'VE SAID THIS ON THIS DAIS.
I'VE HEARD IT SAID MANY TIMES.
YOU CAN JUDGE A SOCIETY BY THE
WAY THEY TREAT THEIR WOMEN AND
GIRLS. AND WE ARE NOT A
PRIORITY.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT
FOR THAT. SO, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
IS
TAKE THIS SENSIBILITIES OF
THIS CULTURE AND THE LANGUAGE
AND
TRANSLATE IT INTO ANGLO-
WESTERN LAW THAT, YES, INDEED,
THIS IS
A PRIORITY AND WE ARE GOING
TO COMMIT SERVICES AND
MONEY TO THIS PROBLEM.
AND SO YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED
WITH THE CAM ERAS AND ALL THAT
STUFF.
WE WERE TRYING TO BE VICTIM
FOCUSED THAT HAS BEEN SEEN
THROUGH THE LENS OF
PATRIARCHY THAT I CANNOT STOMACH
ANYMORE.
I HAVE GRANDDAUGHTERS
AND DAUGHTERS AND SONS TOO, SO
IT'S
NOT JUST
WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I KNOW
WHEN WE TALK
AND THE THING WE TALK ABOUT
WITH REPRESENTATIVE STERNS AND
HOPEFULLY ON THE OTHER PIECE --
BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THE MOTELS
AND AIRBNBs ARE CODEFENDANTS.
REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU TO DO?
START PULLING THEIR LISTENS.
WE SHUT DOWN THE GEORGIAN
FOR THAT BACK IN '17 OR '18.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
HE IS THE CHAIR OF PUBLIC
SAFETY. AND MY EXPERIENCE BEING
A
FORMER PUBLIC DEFENDER AND KING
COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE, THAT THESE
THINGS CAN BE ATTACKED
AND WE CAN DO IT.
SO, MY ASK WAS -- AND I
WANTED YOU TO HAVE THAT ASK AND
I'M GOING TO DO IT FOR
YOU AGAIN. I REALLY WANT TO SEE
US COME
TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY AND THE
CITY TO LOOK AT AN FTE IN
THE BUDGET WHICH ACTUALLY
ADDRESSES
THIS. AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS
THE AGAINING OF WHAT WE SAW WHEN
WE STARTED THE DV UNITS 30 YEARS
AGO, '86, '85.
I'VE BEEN AROUND ALMOST 40
YEARS AS A LAWYER NOW.
SO, I WANT TO THANK YOU
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS IS A
DIFFICULT PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE IT BEFORE.
YOU DID IT LAST YEAR IN OLYMPIA.
I LOOKED BACK AT THE
COMMENTS THAT OPPOSED YOUR BILL,
AND I'M
REALLY GLAD THAT THE SENATE NOW
IS LOOKING AT IT ON THE ENABLER
SIDE, THE CODEFENDANT SIDE,
THE SUPPLY SIDE, BECAUSE THEY
CAN'T DO THIS
STUFF ALONE. THEY NEED TO HAVE A
SYSTEM FROM
VANCOUVER TO PORTLAND ON THE I-
5 AND 99 CORRIDOR TO BE ABLE TO
DO
THIS. I DID SEE SOME CASES WHERE
MOTEL
OWNERS WERE HELD LIABLE AND
SUED, MOTEL 6 AND A COUPLE
OTHER ONES BECAUSE THEY
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, AGAIN -- AND I LOOK TO
THE CHAIR AND MY COLLEAGUES
HERE WHO ARE ALL ENGAGED THAT WE
LOOK UP
AND TEE UP SOME LEGISLATION
AND SOME BUDGET REQUESTS
AND HOPEFULLY I CAN WORK WITH
YOUR
OFFICE AND THE CHAIR'S OFFICE
WELL BEFORE MAY/JUNE SO THIS
IS ALL÷÷ WRAPPED UP BY
AUGUST SO IT CAN BE HOPEFULLY IN
THE
MAYOR'S BUDGET.
I'M GUESSING THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AS WELL AND THE PEOPLE
THAT
SHE HAS SURROUNDED HERSELF WITH
WHO CARE ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR,
FOR INDULGING ME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
THIS COMMITTEE WORKS TWO THING,
ISSUES AND
SET UP THE BUDGET. THAT'S
PURPOSELY DONE
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T
KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
CHRONIC NUANCE PROPERTIES.
WE HAVE A CHIEF THAT USES
CHRONIC NUISANCE PROPERTIES AND
WE HAVE TO USE IT FOR THIS
AS WELL.
AFTER HOUR ESTABLISHMENTS FOR
GUN VIOLENCE BUT ALSO
FOR TRAFFICKING.
THAT, AS YOU NOTED IN YOUR
BRIEFING, IS ALSO VIOLENCE.
SO, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER LYNN?
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A
POINT THAT TRAFFICKING IS
ALSO DRIVING THE GUN VIE P LENS.
>> AS WE'VE SEEN IN AURORA.
GOOD POINT.
>> YEAH.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO
ALL
THAT.
MS. VOORHEES AND I COMMONLY
SEE THERE'S A LOT OF CROSSOVER
WITH OTHER UNITS IN THIS WORK.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE
THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT
OF CROSSOVER.
IT'S INHERENTLY INTWINED IN
A LOT OF THESE CASES.
AND THERE'S JUST NOT
ENOUGH PEOPLE LOOKING AT THIS
AND
PRIORITIZING THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
COUNCILMEMBER LYNN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR,
AND THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS.
REALLY HARD SUBJECT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO WORK ON THESE CASES AND
TO
HAVE TO DO THIS DAY IN AND DAY
OUT. THIS IS -- I'M NOT AN
EXPERT IN THIS FIELD.
I AM LEARNING.
I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.
AND JUST
ONE COMMENT. JUST ON THE
PRESENTATION,
IN TERMS OF THE -- I UNDERSTAND
THE NEED FOR US AND FOR THE
PUBLIC TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE
HORRORS BUT ALSO JUST WONDERING,
IN
TERMS OF THE --
SOME OF THE GRAPHIC FOOTAGE OF
WOMEN'S
FACES, WONDERING IF
THOSE COULD BE BLURRED OR SOME
OF
THE IDENTIFYING IMAGES OF THOSE
WOULD BE -- I'M JUST
CONCERNED ABOUT VICTIMS'
IDENTITIES AND
RE-TRAUMATIZING. I'M NOT SURE
IF
THAT'S A QUESTION.
IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND, IF THERE
IS A SPECIFIC REASON.
BUT JUST WONDERING IF IN
THE FUTURE IF THERE'S A
REASON WHY THERE WASN'T
BLURRING OF
SOME OF THE FACES.
>> IN SOME OF THE
PHOTOGRAPHS, IF
WE HAD FOR INSTANCE, BLURRED THE
EYES, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE
SEEN THE INJURIES.
SO, SOME OF IT IS THAT.
THESE ARE ALSO PHOTOGRAPHS THAT
HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED IN
COURT OR AS PART OF CASE FILES.
>> AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
THEY'RE PROBABLY PUBLIC RECORD
BUT
STILLSTILL JUST WANT TO
THOUGHTFUL
ABOUT SOME OF THE VICTIMS HERE.
I DO JUST -- I'M CURIOUS
ABOUT -- BECAUSE I DO THINK --
I THINK WE ARE ALL HORRIFIED
BY THE HARM THAT IS OCCURRING.
AND I DO THINK -- BUT I DO THINK
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF
OPINION ABOUT HOW BEST TO
PREVENT THISTHIS
FROM CONTINUING.
SO I GUESS ONE OF MY
QUESTIONS WAS HOW MUCH --
INCLUDING
VICTIMS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT
OPINIONS ABOUT HOW -- AND
I HEARD YOU
SAY THAT FOR EXAMPLE THERE IS NO
PLACE FOR PEOPLE
TO GO.
AND I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS
IS, YOU KNOW, MAKING --
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE
HAVE VOICES, THAT THAT IS
CENTERING THIS WORK.
AND JUST -- SO, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT,
SORT OF,
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE
SURE WE ARE CONSIDERING THEIR
VOICES. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT
HERE AT
THE TABLE AND I'M NOT SURE IF
THEY WANT TO. BUT SOME OF THE
DIFFERENCES
WE HEAR FROM COMMUNITY ARE
PEOPLE
THAT ARE VICTIMS.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE NOT, SORT
OF, GLOSSING OVER THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I WILL
NOTE IS THAT WE HAVE LOTS
OF CONVERSATIONS WITH SURVIVORS
OF
TRAFFICKING. AND WE DID -- WE
DID NOT
HAVE SURVIVORS HERE TODAY.
WE HAD -- THERE WERE MULTIPLE
SURVIVORS WHO TESTIFIED
IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 2526
WHO WE WORK WITH AND
HAVE LISTENED TO THEIR STORIES.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT
TESTIMONY WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR
THEM.
BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING TO
CONSTANTLY TELL SOCIETY
WHY SOCIETY SHOULD CARE ABOUT
THE HORRORS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
THROUGH. MS. VOORHEES AND I -- I
WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A
GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEM.
AND THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF
OUR WORK AND THEY ARE IN SUPPORT
OF
THAT BILL.
AND THERE ARE ALSO SURVIVORS AND
VICTIMS, AS YOU NOTED,
WHO TESTIFIED WHO DID NOT
SUPPORT THE BILL.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD A
MEETING WITH SOME OF THOSE
SURVIVORS FROM SOMESOME THAT
COMMUNITY. AND WE LISTEN TO
THEIR FEEDBACK
WHICH, IN PART, DROVE THE
CHANGE IN THE AMENDMENT FOR
HOUSE
BILL 2526 TO CREATE MORE FUNDING
FOR
SURVIVORS. SO, THE CONVERSATIONS
ARE BEING
HAD.
BUT AS I THINK EVERYONE
HAS NOTED HERE TODAY THAT THERE
ARE SOME DIFFERING OF OPINIONS.
AND WE DO HEAR THE OPPOSING
POSITIONS, BUT WE DO REMAIN
IN SUPPORT OF TURNING THE
PATRONIZING A PROSTITUTE STATUTE
INTO A FELONY.
AND WE DO HAVE CONSTANT
COMMUNICATION WITH SURVIVORS
AND WITH DIRECT SERVICE
PROVIDERS.
WE WORK WITH THE WYCA,
THE SILENT TASK FORCE.
WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION
WITH
R.E.S.T. AND WHILE ALL OF THOSE
AGENCIES DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE
LEGISLATIVE OR POLICY POSITIONS,
THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE IN
SUPPORT OF THE VICTIMS WHO DO
DECIDE
TO COME FORWARD AND WORK WITH US
AND ENGAGE WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION.
AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZE
THAT NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO DO
THAT.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THE RISKS
THAT ARE VERY DETRIMENTAL TO
PEOPLE'S
HEALTH IN DOING THAT.
THAT IS A VERY -- IT'S
VERY COMPLICATED.
IT'S VERY HARD.
MR. VOORHEES AND I HAVE TO MAKE
TOUGH DECISIONS OFTEN.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE --
OUR WORK IS DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE
AND
THE PROFOUND COMMITMENT TO
PROTECT THE WOMEN
WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THIS
OPPRESSIVE
NATURE OF THE COMMERCIAL SEX
TRADE.
>> I THINK ONE THING OF
NOTE WITH RESPECT TO THE
SURVIVOR TESTIMONY FOR THE
OPPOSITION AT THE LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE
HEARING. WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE YOUNG
WOMEN
THAT SPOKE OR SPOKE ON BEHALF
OF ANOTHER ALL TALKED ABOUT
HAVING BEEN EXPLOITED AS
CHILDREN, TRAFFICKED AS
CHILDREN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT CAN'T BE
UNHEARD OR UNSAID BECAUSE SIMPLY
TURNING WHAT WAS
YOUR EXPLOITATION INTO YOUR
ONLY OPTION FOR SURVIVAL OR YOUR
CHOICE, IF THAT IS YOUR CHOICE,
IS YOUR WAY -- IT'S WHAT
YOU GREW UP WITH.
IT'S WHAT YOU KNOW.
AND SO I CERTAINLY DON'T MEAN
TO DISCOUNT ANY SURVIVOR
STORY. THEY ARE ALL UNIQUE.
THEY ARE ALL IMPORTANT.
AND THEY ALL DESERVE A VOICE TO
BE HEARD.
BUT AGAIN, IT IS THE DEMAND THAT
SUCKED THEM ALL INTO THIS
STREAM TO BE EXPLOITED AS
CHILDREN.
AND
WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO CONTINUE
THAT WORK AS AN
ADULT OR THEY CONTINUE TO BE
EXPLOITED, WE CANNOT -- WE
CAN NO LONGER TURN A BLIND EYE
TO
HALF OF THE PROBLEM.
>> THANK
YOU. IN TERMS OF VICTIM
RESOURCES, HELPING PEOPLE FIND
SAFETY,
HELPING PEOPLE FLEE THE
EXPLOITATION, I'M
ASSUMING THERE'S PROBABLY NOT
ANY SORT
OF DEBATE OR DIFFERENCE OF
OPINION, THAT WE JUST NEED A LOT
MORE RESOURCES THERE.
>> CORRECT.
YES. AND WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME
PAGE
ABOUT
THAT. WE ARE -- YOU KNOW, SOME
DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE
JUST HAPPENING ON BY A THREAD.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH
FEDERAL FUNDING BEING CUT, THAT
HAS
JUST REALLY IMPACTED A LOT OF
SERVICE
PROVIDERS.
THEY'RE HAVING
TO TURN TO PRIVATE
GRANTS, WHICH I'M SURE YOU'RE
FAMILIAR WITH HOW AWFUL
THE GRANT PROCESS CAN BE.
AND SO YES, WE ARE -- THE MORE
RESOURCES, THE BETTER.
WE DO NOT, YOU KNOW, DEBATE
THAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE
COULD CREATE JUST A SAFE HAVEN
OF
RESOURCES FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS,
IT WOULD TRULY BE A DREAM COME
TRUE.
AND THOSE RESOURCES -- BUT
THOSE RESOURCES HAVE TO SPAN
MORE
THAN JUST ONE SILO OF TRAUMA,
RIGHT?
OUR TRAFFICKING
SURVIVORS HAVE -- YOU KNOW, SOME
SUFFER
FROM SEXUAL UBSTANCE ABUSE
ISSUES.
THERE
ARE SOME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SHELTERS WHO WILL ONLY
TAKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS.
THAT'S NOT A DIG.
THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF HOW
EVERYONE IS HAVING TO
OPERATE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU
MAY BE GETTING SUBSTANCE USE
TREATMENT, AND THAT'S
WONDERFUL, IT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY ADDRESS
THE UNDERLYING SEXUAL TRAUMA OR
THE PTSD.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT
THE RESOURCES HAVE TO BE VERY IN
DEPTH, VERY ACROSS THE BOARD.
THEY HAVE TO BE
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND TRAUMA
INFORMED.
YOU KNOW, AN INDIGENOUS
SURVIVOR MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE
AND LIVED EXPERIENCE THAN
A BLACK SURVIVOR VERSUS
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CAME
FROM PRIVILEGE BUT ENDED UP
BEING
TRAFFICKED. SO, IT HAS TO BE
RESPONSIVE
TO THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF
THE SURVIVORS TO, IN FACT, BE
CONSIDERED SUCCESSFUL TO
SUPPORT THESE WOMEN EXITING THE
LIFE OR
THE÷÷THE GAME.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION,
CHAIR. AND MAYBE THIS WOULD BE
FOR
A FUTURE -- BECAUSE IT'S
PROBABLY TOO OPEN ENDED.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST
LOVE TO, KIND OF, HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF -- I MEAN, I
THINK THERE IS THE, YOU
KNOW, PROSECUTION SIDE OF
THINGS AND -- BUT WHAT
OTHER APPROACHES -- AND
OBVIOUSLY
THERE ARE THESE, YOU KNOW,
LETTERS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, WAS
ONE APPROACH THAT WAS RECENTLY
TAKEN.
I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
OTHER APPROACHES, WHETHER DEMAND
SIDE OR, YOU KNOW,
SUPPORTING YOUNG WOMEN OR, YOU
KNOW, TO
AVOID THIS LIFESTYLE OR NOT
LIFESTYLE, TO AVOID
THIS EXPLOITATION -- SORRY FOR
MY WORDING THERE -- TO AVOID --
TO
BETTER PREVENT THIS FROM
EVER OCCURRING IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
JUST WHAT OTHER OPTIONS WE HAVE,
PREVENTATIVE OPTIONS TO PREVENT
THESE CRIMES?
AND WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS
ARE DOING, IF ANYTHING, THAT
ARE
SUCCESSFUL?
>> I THINK YOU RAISE A GREAT
POINT.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK
OFFLINE WITH YOU ABOUT SOME
OF THAT.
WHAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT
ABOUT THE POINT YOU MAKE -- AND
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
HAVE DISCUSSED WITH
LEGISLATORS IS THIS IS NOT A ONE
-- THIS IS
NOT GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING,
RIGHT?
LIKE, THIS IS THE -- HOUSE BILL
2526 IS JUST A PIECE OF
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.
BUT THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A
CULTURAL SHIFT.
AND WHAT IS GOING TO MOVE THAT
CULTURAL SHIFT ARE BIGGER
CONVERSATIONS, HARD
CONVERSATIONS, TOUGH
CONVERSATIONS AS WELL AS
MULTI- FACETTED APPROACHES FROM
THE CIVIL SIDE, FROM
THE CRIMINAL SIDE, FROM THE
SURVIVOR RESOURCE SUPPORT SIDE.
SO I JUST THINK YOUR QUESTION
IS FAIR.
IT'S VALID. WE'RE HAPPY TO
TALK
OFFLINE ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF
THAT WE ARE EITHER WORKING ON
OR THINKING.
BUT ABSOLUTELY THIS
NEEDS TO BE A DYNAMIC APPROACH
BECAUSE
ONE AVENUE IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE
THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS PART OF
WHY WE BELIEVE WE'RE IN
THE POSITION THAT WE ARE IN
TODAY.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
TO YOUR LAST QUESTION, THAT
ALSO GOES TO THE SEAM OF THE
POINT,
PILLAR, IN THIS CASE HUMAN
SERVICES.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK
YOU, CHAIR. MS. McGINNIS, MS.
VOORHEES,
JUST WANT TO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR A VERY
SOBERING
PRESENTATION TODAY.
I LEARNED A
LOT PERSONALLY. SO, REALLY
APPRECIATE
THE PRESENTATION.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR UNDERLYING WORK
THAT
GOES INTO PROSECUTING
THESE
CASES. IT HAS A TREMENDOUS
IMPACT
AND VALUE AND BENEFIT FOR OUR
BROADER COMMUNITY,
AS DIFFICULT AS THESE CASES I
CAN ONLY
IMAGINE ARE TO WORK WITH
EVERY DAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK
MY COUNCILMEMBER
COLLEAGUES, COUNCILMEMBERS
JUAREZ AND
RIVERA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THESE ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY
IMPACT
ALL OF THE CITY.
BUT YOUR RESPECTIVE COUNCIL
DISTRICTS ARE MOST
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED. SO,
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND ALL YOU'VE DONE
AND ALL YOU WILL DO TO
FIND MEANINGFUL SOLUTIONS TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE FROM THE CITY
OF SEATTLE PERSPECTIVE.
ALL RIGHT.
QUESTION WAS NOTED IN
THE
PRESENTATION. FIFA WORLD CUP,
THIS
YEAR COMING.
THERE'S AN ANTICIPATED UPTICK
IN
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND COMMERCIAL
EXPLOITATION IMPACT DURING
WORLD CUP.
HOW IS THE PROSECUTORS'
OFFICE CURRENTLY THINKING
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, APPROACHING
THAT IN TERMS
OF, LIKE, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC
COUNTERMEASURES OR
MITIGATIONS THAT YOU ALL ARE,
KIND
OF, PLANNING FOR?
SO, FOR YOUR -- ON BEHALF OF
THE PROSECUTORS' OFFICE AND/OR
FROM
WHAT YOU'RE AWARE OF
WITH RESPECT TO SOME OF YOUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY PARTNERS
OR OTHER COMMUNITY
PARTNERS WHO DO THIS WORK, NOT
JUST POLICING?
>> WE'VE BEEN HAVING
CONVERSATIONS -- WE'VE
BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
HOW WE CAN WORK AT
THIS HOLISTICALLY.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ON
A COMMITTEE FOR THE BETTER
PART OF THE LAST 18 MONTHS TO
TWO YEARS.
I MAKE AS MANY MEETINGS AS I
CAN, BUT I'M OFTEN IN COURT.
ON FRIDAY MORNING IS WHEN
WE MEET.
THERE'S A KING COUNTY
COUNCIL FIFA COMMITTEE WHERE
THEY'VE
BEEN DISCUSSING DIFFERENT
STRATEGIES. ONE THING WE WOULD
LOVE TO SEE
ROLL OUT IS A BUYER INFORMATION
CAMPAIGN, YOU KNOW,
WHETHER IT IS THE CITY OR THE
COUNTY OFFERING UP SPACE ON THE
SIDE
OF BUSES OR IN BUS SHELTERS OR
BILLBOARDS SPACE, YOU KNOW, TO
GET OUT THE WORD THAT BUYING SEX
CAUSES HARM.
MANY OF YOU HAVE SAID -- AND
WHEN WE PRESENT SOME OF
THIS INFORMATION TO OTHER
GROUPS, PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANY
KIND OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
CAMPAIGNS THAT WE CAN GET
OUT AHEAD OF FIFA, WE HAVE,
IN CONCERT WITH REP STERNS,
HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
WHETHER
OR NOT WE CAN EXPEDITE
IMPLEMENTATION OF '25/'26
SHOULD IT PASS OUT OF COMMITTEE
AND THROUGH BOTH CHAMBERS SO
THAT IT
WOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE
BEFORE THE WORLD CUP HITS.
YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING
TO HAVE MORE BODIES TO PROSECUTE
CASES? NO.
WILL MS. McGINNIS AND I
WORK
LONGER HOURS? YES.
THAT'S JUST REALITY.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO
SPECIFIC TACTICS THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT
IS OR IS NOT GOING TO TAKE
FOR, SORT OF, OPERATIONAL
REASONS.
BUT I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE
BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND
THIS, WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE
FOR OUR SPECIALISTS IN THIS AREA
AS
WELL AS OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS WORK.
SO, I CAN'T GO INTO TOO MUCH
DETAIL THERE,
BUT IT IS CERTAINLY
CONVERSATIONS
ARE BEING HAD.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME
FOR THE CITY AND
THE STATE AND THE COUNTY TO SAY,
COME TO
SEATTLE. WELCOME FOR FIFA.
BUY A CRAFT BEER.
GO TO THE ORIGINAL STARBUCKS.
TAKE A RIDE ON THE GREAT WHEEL.
DON'T PURCHASE ANOTHER
HUMAN BEING.
>> MM-HMM.
MM-HMM.
>> IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.
>> YEAH.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND WOULDN'T NECESSARILY
EXPECT YOU TO GO INTO DETAIL
ABOUT SPECIFIC TACTICS OR
EVEN, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY
DELICATE LAW
ENFORCEMENT STRATEGIES THAT ARE
AN
ANTICIPATED. BUT I THINK THE
BROADER
POINT AND GOAL UNDER LYING LYING
MY QUESTION
IS, THERE'S A PLAN.
THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC.
IF YOU WANT TO -- WE
WANT EVERYONE TO COME TO SEATTLE
AND
ENJOY THE -- OUR WORLD CLASS
EXPERIENCES, IN THIS CASE
WITH RESPECT TO WORLD CUP, WE
WANT
THEM TO GO TO SEATTLE CENTER
AND THE WATERFRONT AND THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT, OF COURSE, AND
ENJOY ALL THERE IS TO SEE.
DON'T WANT THEM COMING TO
BE JOHNS OR BUYERS OF THIS.
AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE ON
NOTICE THAT IF THEY ARE PLANNING
ON
DOING THAT, THERE'S GOING TO
BE CONSEQUENCES.
SO, IN ANY EVENT,
APPRECIATE THE LAST TWO
QUESTIONS IN PARTICULAR
FROM COUNCILMEMBER LYNN.
ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO ADDRESS --
SUBSTANTIALLY ADDRESS --
SOME SIMILAR QUESTIONS THAT I
HAD, ALTHOUGH -- AND I'M GLAD
WE HAD
THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE
PROSECUTOR'S PERSPECTIVE
REPRESENTED IS A VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT PIECE IN
THE BROADER, MORE COMPREHENSIVE
SET
OF STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS
TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES.
WE CAN'T JUST PRETEND THAT
THE PROBLEM -- YOU KNOW,
FOCUS ON TOMORROW AND, YOU
KNOW, PREVENTION AND PRETEND
THE PROBLEM DOESN'T EXIST
TODAY.
BUT WE ALSO NEED A LAYERED
APPROACH, AS I THINK I HEARD
YOU ALL SAYING.
AND PART OF
THAT IS PREVENTION IN ADDRESSING
SOME OF
THESE REALLY NITTY- GRITTY
SOCIETAL ISSUES, COMPLEX
SOCIETAL ISSUES. AND IDEALLY
MAKING SURE THAT WE
MINIMIZE AND
ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE THE VICTIMS
AND
SURVIVORS. IN ANY EVENT -- BUT I
DO
THINK THAT IS WORTH A DEEPER
DIVE POTENTIALLY IN THIS
COMMITTEE.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE
THE QUESTIONS FROM MY
COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER LYNN,
AND, YOU
KNOW, THAT BRIEF EXCHANGE THERE
AS
WELL.
>> AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
JUST TO ADD TO THAT --
IS COUNCILMEMBER LYNN
OFF OR IS HE STILL ON THE -- I
JUST
ALSO WANTED TO NOTE I ENCOURAGE
YOU ALL TO VISIT THE EVERSTRONG
WEBSITE.
IT WAS PREVIOUSLY NAMED
STOLEN YOUTH.
THAT WENT THROUGH A REBRANDING
CHANGE AT THE CONSULT OF
SURVIVORS. THAT IS AN
ORGANIZATION THAT I
AM PROUD TO SIT ON THE
BOARD OF THAT FOCUSES ON
PREVENTION
OF CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING.
AND THERE ARE
RESOURCES. WE JUST HAD A LAUNCH
IN
NOVEMBER, RESOURCES FOR PARENTS.
SPECIFICALLY THERE'S A GUIDE --
I DON'T HAVE LITTLE ONES, BUT I
GUESS ROBLOX IS VERY POPULAR
NOWADAYS. AND THERE ARE GUIDES
THAT AREARE
ALREADY DEVELOPED THAT YOU
CAN
ACCESS. YOU JUST CREATE A PORTAL
LOG-
IN, AND THERE ARE FREE
ANTI-TRAFFICKING
PREVENTION GUIDES FOR TEACHERS
AND PARENTS.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT
ORGANIZATION TO ALSO
GET MOVING AND SUCH.
BUT I REALLY JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR YOU IF ANY
OF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO VISIT
THE EVER STRONG WEBSITE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT
OFFLINE IF YOU WANT TO SEEK ANY
OF
THOSE RESOURCES.
AND THAT IS DIRECTLY AIMED AT
PREVENTION.
>> SO, EVER STRONG IS NOW --
USED TO BE STOLEN YOUTH?
>>
YEP.
>> GETTING CONFUSED WITH
THE HULU DOCUMENTARY?
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD.
>> I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY THE
NAME
CHANGE.
OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE,
BEN GOWAN --
>> I CAN.
>> YEAH, I MET HER.
>> YEAH. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH
SURVIVORS, THE NAMENAME WAS
DONE.
>> SO, FINAL QUESTION HERE.
SO, I NOTE THAT THERE AREARE
-- SO OBVIOUSLY VERY
COMPLEX SET OF ISSUES NEEDS TO
BE ADDRESSED, MULTIPLE ANGLES,
AS WE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT I'M AWARE OF -- VAGUELY
AWARE OF SOME
FEDERAL LEGISLATION FIVE, TEN
YEARS
AGO, TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN
CLASSIFIED
ADS ONLINE ON CERTAIN
MARKETPLACES LIKE
CRAIG'S LIST. AND ULTIMATELY
WHAT IT SEEMS
LIKE, BASED OFF OF THE
DIFFERENT CHANNELS THAT YOU'RE
TELLING
ME IN TERMS OF VIDEO GAMES
ONLINE
AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER -- OFFER
UP OR WHATEVER OTHER CHANNELS,
PEOPLE SEEKING TO ENGAGE IN THIS
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND COMMERCIAL
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION HAS
FOUND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DO
THAT,
CERTAINLY FROM A TECHNOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE.
>>
YES.
>> AND SO THERE ARE WAYS TO
CIRCUMVENT, YOU KNOW, THOSE
LAWS AND PROCESSES AND
SAFEGUARDS
IN PLACE.
DO YOU SEE -- AND THAT WAS
FEDERAL, I THINK, LEGISLATION
TO ADDRESS CERTAIN
MARKETPLACES, ELICIT
MARKETPLACES ON
CRAIG'S LIST.
DO YOU SEE, FROM A -- LIKE A
LOCAL MUNICIPAL CITY
POLICY PERSPECTIVE ANY
OPPORTUNITIES
TO POTENTIALLY HELP ADDRESS SOME
OF THESE ONLINE MARKETPLACES IN
THESE NEW FORUMS, WHETHER
IT'S VIDEO GAMES OR OFFER UP OR
THE LIKE?
WE KNOW, AS WE LEARNED, MOST
OF THESE BUYERS ARE MEN
SEEKING
SEX. AND SO HOW CAN WE, FROM A
LOCAL
PERSPECTIVE, BEST DISRUPT AND
NOT JUST DISRUPT.
THAT JUST TEMPORARILY STOPS
THE
FLOW. BUT DISMANTLE THE
MARKETPLACE
FOR THESE ENCOUNTERS FROM A
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE. ARE YOU AWARE
OF ANY TRENDS,
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,
ACROSS JURISDICTIONS NATIONALLY
OR
EVEN INTERNATIONALLY TO ADDRESS
THAT?
>> I MEAN, I THINK TECHNOLOGY
IS ALWAYS CHANGING AND
ALWAYS EVOLVING AND IT'S ALWAYS
GOING TO BE AN ISSUE IN THESE
SPACES.
WHAT ONCE WAS BACK PAGE AND
CRAIGSLIST HAVE BECOME
A PROLIFERATION OF OTHER
SITES OFFERING COMMERCIAL SEXUAL
SERVICES.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THOSE
SITES, WHAT WE SEE MOST
FREQUENTLY --
AND I THINK I DON'T HAVE
THE ANSWER TO
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO
START HAVING SOME HONEST
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT -- I KNOW
THERE HAVE BEEN
LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS WITH
RESPECT
TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR IMPACT
ON KIDS.
KIDS ARE BEING
RECRUITED THROUGH SNAPCHAT,
THROUGH INSTAGRAM.
SNAPCHAT IS PRETTY WELL DESIGNED
FOR YOUR MESSAGES TO
DISAPPEAR, SO LESS EVIDENCE
TRAIL.
I SEE CASES INVOLVING JUVENILES
WHO ARE ACTUALLY ADVERTISING
THEMSELVES ON FACEBOOK, ON
INSTAGRAM, ON SNAPCHAT, OR
BEING OFFERED UP THERE BY THEIR
PIMPS OR TRAFFICKERS.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE
THESE CONVERSATIONS, THAT
PARENTS MONITOR WHAT'S GOING
ON
ONLINE. I MEAN, AND IT'S NOT
EVEN
JUST THE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
IT'S ROBLOX.
IT'S ALL OF THESE OTHER PLACES
WHERE KIDS ARE JUST INUNDATED.
AND ALSO SPACES WHERE KIDS ARE
SPENDING LESS TIME FACE TO FACE
WITH PEOPLE.
IT'S MORE TIME IN A
FAIRLYFAIRLY
INSULAR WORLD WHERE
YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH
PEOPLE THAT
YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT THEIR TRUE INTENTIONS
ARE.
THEY'RE TELLING YOU YOU'RE
BEAUTIFUL. THEY'RE TELLING YOU
THEY WANT
TO, YOU KNOW, BE YOUR
BEST
FRIEND. THEY'RE PROMISING YOU
THINGS.
AND IN A WORLD WHERE -- I
MEAN, IFTS A TEENAGE GIRL ONCE.
IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I
WAS -- WHEN YOU HAVE
INSECURITIES. THESE SORTS OF
INSULAR SPACES
WITHOUT SUPERVISION REALLY
DO,DO,
THINK -- ARE A FERTILE
BREEDING GROUND FOR RECRUITMENT.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
ANSWER IS FOR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA
OUTLETS, WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY OR
RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE HAD IN
THOSE SPACES.
BUT I DO KNOW FROM MY WORK THAT
THOSE ARE PLACES THAT ARE BEING
ABUSED BY PEOPLE TO ENGAGE
IN EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING.
>> APPRECIATE THAT.
I MENTIONED EARLIER I
HAD ONE FINAL QUESTION.
I LIED APPARENTLY BECAUSE
I HAVE A FOLLOW- UP QUESTION.
BUT THIS WILL BE QUICK
HOPEFULLY.
SO I'M A PROUD PARENT OF
THREE YOUNG KIDS, SIXTH GRADER,
A
THIRD GRADER, AND A FIRST
GRADER.
AT THAT AGE, ESPECIALLY THE
OLDEST, YOU KNOW, WHERE
INTRODUCING TO MORE --
WHETHER WE WANT TO OR NOT --
ONLINE.
AND SO -- AND I ALSO HAPPEN TO
REPRESENT COUNCIL
DISTRICT 1, WHICH BASED OFF THE
LAST DATA,
DEMOGRAPHICS DATA THAT
I'VE SEEN, HAS THE SECOND
HIGHEST
PROPORTION OF UNDER 18
YOUTH IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
SO, A LOT OF WORKING FAMILIES IN
MY COUNCIL
DISTRICT. CAN YOU OFFER ANY
PRACTICE POINTERS OR SUGGESTIONS
FOR PARENTS TO BE AWARE AND
BETTER
TRACK AND MONITOR AND
PREVENT THESE KIND OF
SOLICITATIONS FOR MINORS AND
KIDS ONLINE?
>> I WOULD CREATE A PORTAL
ON EVER
STRONG. I WOULD -- SE ARE SOME
GREAT RESOURCES THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE
HAVE WORKED
ON.
>> I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WOULD YOU MIND
SPEAKING INTO THE --
>>
YEAH. I WAS JUST SAYING, I
RECOMMEND LOOKING UP WHAT EVER
STRONG
HAS TO PROVIDE FROM A
PREVENTION
STANDPOINT. I AM NOT A PARENT,
SO I
WILL MAKE THAT DISCLAIMER.
BUT WHAT WE SEE IS -- OKAY,
AND I'M NOT TELLING YOU HOW TO
PARENT.
SO, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS
AS THAT.
>> BE THAT.
I WELCOME IT.
>> A FEW CHILDLESS FOLKS HERE.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW, LISTENING
TO YOUR KIDS, LISTENING TO THE
CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW,
REALLY WITH GIRLS THAT
ADULTIFICATION THAT I WAS
TALKING ABOUT, REALLY
KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT.
WHEN I WAS A KID, IT USED TO
BE CALLED FAST.
DON'T BE A FAST
LITTLE GIRL. YEAH.
SHE'S A FAST LITTLE
GIRL, WHATEVER.
YEAH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE
COMMON THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY
SEE
ARE, LIKE, KIDS WHO COME HOME
AND
HAVE UNACCOUNTED FOR MONEY.
THE KIDS COME HOME AND,
LIKE, THEY HAVE THEIR NAILS DONE
ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE CAN BE RED
FLAGS OF, LIKE, WELL WHO TOOK
YOU TO GET YOUR NAILS DONE?
AND SO I KNOW THAT MAY SEEM
SILLY, BUT THOSE ARE ACTUALLY,
LIKE, VERY SURFACE
LEVEL INDICATORS OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING.
WE ALSO FIND KIDS LOTS OF
TIMES MAY HAVE A SECOND PHONE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE IT'S USED
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR PIMP
OR THEIR TRAFFICKER.
THOSE ARE SOME OF MY TIPS.
AND I THINK THAT NOWADAYS, YOU
KNOW, IT CAN BE SCARY TO TALK
ABOUT
THIS.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA SPOKE
ABOUT I BELIEVE YOUR
DAUGHTERS WHO WERE SOLICITED ON
AURORA, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, AS A KID, THAT HAS TO
BE VERY SCARY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK
IT'S HAVING THOSE OPEN
CONVERSATIONS.
I ALSO THINK IT INCLUDES
GETTING THE SCHOOLS INVOLVED.
WE HAVE GOT TO GET OUR SCHOOLS
INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, I SPOKE WITH A
WOMAN AT R.E.S.T. WHO SAID YOUR
KIDS MORE ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
ON
THEIR PHONE THAN THEY
DO LISTENING TO YOU AT HOME.
AND, YOU KNOW, INSTAGRAM IS
VERY PREVALENT.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD
DEFINITELY KEEP SOME PARENTAL
LOCKS ON
THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
BUT IT'S ALSO I THINK
JUST HAVING THE VERY OPEN
DIALOGUES WITH YOUR KIDS AND
KEEPING
AN EYE OUT FOR ANY RED FLAGS
AND REALLY TALKING
ABOUT CONSENT. CONSENT, CONSENT,
CONSENT IS
A CONVERSATION THAT I THINK CAN
GO
A LOT DEEPER THAN, YOU KNOW,
SOMEONE CAN'T PUT THEIR HANDS
ON
YOU.
AND THAT CAN GO A LOT
DEEPER THAN, SORT OF, THE THINGS
THAT
WE DISCUSSED HERE.
>> AND I THINK THE CONVERSE
OF THAT IS WE NEED TO BE
HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT CONSENT WITH OUR BOYS.
OUR OFFICE HAS PARTNERED WITH --
IT'S COACHING BOYS INTO MEN.
I'M PROBABLY SAYING THE NAME
OF THAT PROGRAM WRONG.
BUT ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES,
THE HEAD OF OUR SPECIAL ASSAULT
UNIT, IS REALLY INVOLVED
IN THAT.
HIS NAME IS PAT LAVIN.
AND THESE ARE PROGRAMS
WHERE THEY'RE TALKING -- IT'S
MEN ON
MEN. IT IS MEMBERS OF OUR SPORTS
COMMUNITY, MEMBERS OF
OUR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES,
HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS
WITH BOYS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE A MAN,
WHAT IT MEANS TO RESPECT WOMEN,
WHAT NO MEANS, WHAT CONSENT
MEANS. WE CAN TALK TO OUR GIRLS
ALL WE
WANT AND WE WILL
CONTINUECONTINUE TO
THAT. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE
SHOULD TAKE BOYS OUT OF THE
PICTURE
EITHER WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE NEXT GENERATION
THAT'S COMING THROUGH.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS, FRANK
CONVERSATIONS, WITH BOTH GENDERS
AT A YOUNG AGE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
>> MR. VICE CHAIR, I DID
HAVE THE REQUEST FOR ONEONE
QUESTION FROM MY COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA.
BUT WE ARE AT TIME, UNLESS IT'S
SUPER QUICK.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A
COMMENT, CHAIR.
I WANTED TO THANK OUR
GUESTS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT
YOU ALL GET ATTACKED A LOT FOR
YOUR
WORK IN THE SPACE AS IF
SOMEHOW YOU ARE HURTING
VICTIMS BECAUSE THERE IS A
DIFFERENCE
OF
OPINION. AND BY THE WAY, WHEN
I HIGHLIGHTED THAT, IT REALLY
WAS TO NAME IT AND ACKNOWLEDGE
IT BECAUSE THERE IS.
AND FULLY AGREE THAT WOMEN AND
CHILDREN ARE GETTING
SEXUALLY ABUSED AND EXPLOITED
FULL STOP AND WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT ACTIVELY.
PERIOD.
SO, I'M
WITH YOU. I'M HERE TO WORK WITH
YOU.
WHATEVER I CAN DO TO
HELP IN THIS SPACE, I AM 100% ON
BOARD
ON THIS.
SO, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR AND TO
ALSO THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU DO
A LOT TO CONNECT VICTIM
TO SERVICES.
SO, FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT
WILL ATTACK PROSECUTORS FOR
DOING
THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN
THIS
SPACE, FOLKS NEED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHAT YOU'RE
REALLY DOING
IS TRYING TO HELP VICTIMS,
REMOVE VICTIMS FROM THE
SITUATION,
AND THAT
YOU'RE CONNECTING VICTIMS TO
SERVICES, THAT THAT
IS EQUALLY SOMETHING THAT YOU
CARE ABOUT AND ROBUSTLY DO.
AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND NAME IT FOR
THE PUBLIC.
CHAIR, THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA GETS
THE
LAST WORD. WE -- THANK YOU.
SHE GETS THE LAST WORD.
WE HAVE REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING
AGENDA.
IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COURT
BEFORE WE ADJOURN, QUESTION
MARK.
I SEE HERE NOTHING.
HEARING NO OTHER BUSINESS
COMING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, WE
ARE