Report lays out plans to help sex trafficking victims

We read about prostitution stings each year in Nebraska - usually around major events such as the College World Series when law enforcement conducts stings, but most of us like to think "The Good Life" doesn't include "great" opportunities like that, especially in rural Nebraska.

Welcome legal steps have been taken to see that sex trafficking victims aren't treated like criminals in Nebraska, but we have a long way to go, according to a new report, "Nebraska Sex Trafficking Survivors Speak -- a Qualitative Research Study."

The report was authored by Dr. Shireen Rajaram, associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's College of Public Health, and Sriyani Tidball, assistant professor of practice at the College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It was commissioned by the Women's Fund of Omaha and includes publication of a booklet "Nothing About Us Without Us."

Calling sex trafficking an unrecognized public health problem, the report involved interviews with 17 women in the Omaha-Lincoln area and five in rural Nebraska. A dozen of the women had been in foster care and one had lived in a group home.

"Our hope is that their voices will be included in the development of all policy, advocacy, awareness and prevention campaigns in order to develop effective and strategic ways to reduce trafficking," Tidball said.

The report names some special needs for sex trafficking victims, and offers possible solutions, some of them controversial"

* A public awareness effort to educate and train all segments of society as well as front line professionals.

* Efforts to needs of survivors and their children, such as free support services, recovery and rehabilitation services, expunging of criminal records, trauma therapy and long-term medical care.

* Stiffer penalties and better follow-up by law enforcement rather than unjustly blaming women for prostituting themselves, as well as rehabilitation programs for "Johns" to reduce recidivism.

* Collaborating with survivors in planning, implementation and evaluation of statewide efforts and inter-agency collaboration.

The report also outlined steps to evaluate existing efforts and establish new programs.

"You know, they prey upon girls out here in the Midwest because we're naive, because we don't know about the big cities ..." said one survivor. "We're a lot more trusting ... and they love to hit these small towns. I mean, that's a big thing. People don't realize -- they think because a small town, USA, population 1500, that they're safe. No! They're more vulnerable than anybody else. You know? You don't even lock your door."

The complete report is available at http://bit.ly/29PSiVz