I just got invited to speak at one of the largest anti-trafficking conferences in the country.
Shared Hope International accepted my speaker application for the 2018 JuST Faith Summit from June 20-22 in St. Paul, Minn. This three-day conferences provides attendees with practical knowledge and effective action steps to address trafficking in their own communities.
Here is a brief summary of my presentation, which incorporates research I conducted through my work with both She Has A Name and The Black Lens novel:
Why do men solicit? That’s a complex question, but one we must strive to answer if we’re ever going to reduce the demand for juvenile sex trafficking in the United States. While some women pay for sex, the fact is, most of that demand is coming from men. No national or scientific research exists on the factors that fuel the demand for sex trafficking, but this class will explore some studies that have focused on the connection between issues like pornography and prostitution.
It will also offer 9 reasons why men solicit based on first-hand research I conducted during a John School program in Ohio for men who are mostly first-time offenders with no record of violence. The goal of this class and similar programs is to decrease the demand for paid sex, and hence, reduce the amount of human trafficking and sexual exploitation that occurs.
Learn more about the conference at Shared Hope International’s website.
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