CUPCAKE GIRLS
Below is a post I made about a week ago about the Cupcake Girls and Hookers for Jesus. Today I spoke to yet another woman who told me she tried to find housing for a sex trafficking victim and they are "a sham" to quote her. She didn't understand what their purpose is however until I told her about who their lobbyist is - connected with Snoop Dogg. Welcome to the maze you run into when you get involved in the trafficking of children for sex and/or money.
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I've written more at length about my history with Annie from Hookers from Jesus here: http://traffickingandprostitutionservices.blogspot.com/2015/08/annie-lobert-hookers-for-jesus-pastor.html
As for the Cupcake Girls - I had read an announcement about them in the porn blog run by Michael Whiteacre, and also that they were having a "hospitality suite" at the AVN. Now I know the attorney for the AVN and I've talked to him about Sex Workers Anonymous having a booth at the AVN. Now when I first met him - he was very standoffish. I asked him to level with me and tell me why he was acting this way. He then did what most people in the porn industry do lately - which is he asked me "are you like Shelley Lubben?". To which I truthfully replied that "no I'm not at all like Shelley Lubben". I know what he means because many people tell me when they call that the ONLY reason they called was NOT seeing her on our "friends" list. So after explaining that I do not have an opinion on the industry itself - but only focus on helping the person who wants help to quit, and to recover from any issues they have left over from the industry - he then calmed down and even offered to help me out with some issues.
I had spoken to him about his thoughts on Sex Workers Anonymous having a booth donated at the AVN so I could do (1) some HIV outreach, and (2) register the attendees to vote. He then told me they were having some strong discussions about the HIV issue and they hadn't made up their minds what they thought about it yet. I have no idea what the problem is - but I've had a few people tell me that there really is a war raging between those who think condoms are necessary to fight HIV vs. those who think the vaccine is the way to go vs. those who think that condoms are a "sexual restriction". I don't know but the answer was "no" as to donating us a booth.
Now I don't know if they bought space on the porn blog, or maybe paid for their booth at the AVN - but when I saw them being promoted this way considering the lack of what I've seen them doing for sex workers you're darn tooting I was pissed. Why?
When I first heard they were coming to Las Vegas - remember I answer the only hotline for adults in this country to call nationally for help not just when they're a sex trafficking victim - but also if they just want to retire from sex work. For example, we have a woman who is a member who has been in Playboy, she's a stripper, and she's done more than one Playboy. She's never had a pimp nor a drug problem. Now she's in her 40's but she's been doing this since she was a teen on the streets. Now she wouldn't qualify for help with the National Trafficking Hotline or victim services - so we are the only hotline she'd be able to call for help in this country to get into another type of work. Which was not easy since she literally got a cancer diagnosis right as she came into SWA. So she wasn't able to work NOR was she able to keep stripping and doing porn because of having to go into chemo. But we held her hand and walked her through all of this transition.
But we don't do everything. For that reason, I try and maintain a list of resources that do what we don't do. For example, I have a list of drug treatment programs that will donate treatment to someone leaving the sex industry free. I have a list of companies that will hire someone who has a prostitution conviction or a drug conviction. I even have a list (granted a short one but it's a list) of foundations that will give felon sex workers money to start their own companies. I have a list of scholarships not only to sex trafficking victims - but also to help someone leave the sex industry. I have a list of attorney's who will donate their services. I mean we have a lot of lists of people and companies that do what we can't do.
So when I heard about them opening in Vegas I wanted to know what they did so if the need came up - I could refer them to them for whatever they did. I emailed them asking if I could please meet with them to learn more. They blew me off. I asked again and got blown off. Frankly I would have thought they would have liked to at least hear from me about what the field is like considering I've been here since 1996 working with this community. But nothing.
Then this whole thing with "Kamylla" and "8 Minutes" came up. I initially thought I needed to file for an injunction to stop another episode from airing that would not blur this woman's face. I needed to file it with the court, and I knew a news reporter in Vegas that could announce the filing - but I was out of state. I didn't have enough money to crash afterwards to get a nap before driving home. So I told them what I was doing, that I was trying to stop this show from airing before her face went out and her kids (and their friends and teachers) saw this, and did she know anyone that would let me grab a nap on their couch before going home.
Now mind you honestly - I have 100 places I am welcome to spend the night with SWA members in Las Vegas. I wanted to see what their response would be to helping out someone in an emergency situation would be. Well I got my answer. They told me to leave them alone and blocked my email.
So I figured that meant they didn't want to help Kamylla. On the contrary. They then went behind my back and started up a second fund raiser for her other than the one Domina Elle had set up. Then just about then I'd talked to five reporters who all told me they had not seen her face on an episode, the episodes were now taken offline, they hadn't seen an ID, an eviction notice, her police report, nor even the contract between her and Relativity Media. Four reporters said she said she was from Brazil while one said she was from Russia. I smelled a rat so I contacted Relativity Media Human Resources who told me they would not confirm she was ever on the show. Then her story starts completely falling apart. She's telling everyone she has to "raise money for a lawyer" yet I'd spoken to two attorney's who told me she was their client. So one lie after the other after the other.
I then went to the Cupcake Girls to warn them that if they were raising money for this woman using their 501c3 I sure hoped they'd done their "due diligence" and checked her out properly before asking people to donate to her. Also, that if they were asking known sex workers to donate - then they could be charged with felony pimping and even possibly money laundering. They did not respond and they continued to fund raise.
Then I heard they were at the Nevada legislature trying to get a Bill passed based on the claim that strippers were unable to find "legit" work because of past convictions for prostitution. Which is pure poppycock. I've been placing men and women in jobs since 1996 in this state and EVERYONE will hire an ex-prostitute with a conviction, even a felony conviction - for any job except one handling money like a cashier job. But who wants that kind of job anyway/
Now if you ask me - this is an excuse I hear all the time. I hear these prostitutes tell me "oh I can't work because I have a criminal record". To which I say "have you tried?" The answer is "no". I have a list of companies who hire even with a criminal record, and an even longer list of companies in Las Vegas that don't even care and don't look. I even have a list of companies who actively WANT to hire someone who has a past criminal conviction because the owners believe they make the best salesmen. I know of a car dealership and a mortgage brokerage in Las Vegas that actively recruit from the probation department for that reason. I know a time share company that will pay one $25 an hour full-time plus commission with health insurance because they think they are "good with people". I won't name these companies because they don't like to throw it around.
I mean look at NeNe for example. She used to be a stripper and she was on Donald Trump's "Apprentice" show. So she's done quite well for herself with a stripper background. On "Master Chef" - the woman who won was an ex-stripper so Gordon Ramsey doesn't discriminate. So the last thing I do is buy that they can't find work that will hire them. That's baloney. But I'm thinking why are they saying they're not a "political group" but here they are only two years in and they're already at the legislature in front of the cameras?
I'm also thinking they would like the list from me of companies who hire. NOPE. They refused the list and they continue to fund raise for Kamylla despite her claims now being just outrageous. For example, her apartment supposedly flooded in July. Yet now they want to pay $980 for unpaid rent. Only legally the landlord can't CHARGE RENT FOR AN UNINHABITABLE UNIT. This is complete nonsense or she's being taken for a ride by the landlord. One or the other.
THIS is what I mean by they're collecting the checks - and I'm the one doing the work. I can't help but think when I look at the PR for the Cupcake Girls that they are creating the impression they ARE a "rescue" group as they say they are not. They're raising money for Kamylla, and they're going to the legislature saying they're "trying to find work for those with records". Reading their "minutes" about them - again it sure looks like they're doing what I'm also doing for our members. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/78th2015/Minutes/Senate/JUD/Final/1207.pdf How are they NOT a "rescue" group like they say they are here. They also said in their email they have a "differing view" on how to accomplish things. However, since they're never spoken to me, and never met with me, nor have we ever discussed how we operate or how we do things - I have no idea what they're basing their opinions on other than 2nd hand rumors if that.
As for me - I don't mean posing for the camera. I mean I'm doing the work. As for Annie putting people into the program that's described here - all I can say is that I've done EXTENSIVE research into what works and what doesn't work for us and I have NEVER EVER heard of a program like this being described that worked as far as extracting someone from sex work and/or trafficking, and rehabilitating them into supporting themselves outside of sex work.
The only thing this sounds like to me is one of the first cases I worked with - extracting people from the cult of the "Children of God" that had been indoctrinated into the cult. If this type of isolation is being done to protect them from a pimp that's looking for them - putting them from one jail into another is NOT HEALING nor EMPOWERING. It takes them from a position where they've been treated like a captive child and put them into the same exact setting with only the people changed. I will guarantee you no expert in this work has approved this program and I'd love to talk to anyone who says this program "rehabilitated" them. I can guarantee you people looking for a free ride for six to nine months will go into this program and the minute they have to get on their own two feet again they will either relapse, run away, or find someone else to become dependent upon.
__________________________________________________
I've written more at length about my history with Annie from Hookers from Jesus here: http://traffickingandprostitutionservices.blogspot.com/2015/08/annie-lobert-hookers-for-jesus-pastor.html
As for the Cupcake Girls - I had read an announcement about them in the porn blog run by Michael Whiteacre, and also that they were having a "hospitality suite" at the AVN. Now I know the attorney for the AVN and I've talked to him about Sex Workers Anonymous having a booth at the AVN. Now when I first met him - he was very standoffish. I asked him to level with me and tell me why he was acting this way. He then did what most people in the porn industry do lately - which is he asked me "are you like Shelley Lubben?". To which I truthfully replied that "no I'm not at all like Shelley Lubben". I know what he means because many people tell me when they call that the ONLY reason they called was NOT seeing her on our "friends" list. So after explaining that I do not have an opinion on the industry itself - but only focus on helping the person who wants help to quit, and to recover from any issues they have left over from the industry - he then calmed down and even offered to help me out with some issues.
I had spoken to him about his thoughts on Sex Workers Anonymous having a booth donated at the AVN so I could do (1) some HIV outreach, and (2) register the attendees to vote. He then told me they were having some strong discussions about the HIV issue and they hadn't made up their minds what they thought about it yet. I have no idea what the problem is - but I've had a few people tell me that there really is a war raging between those who think condoms are necessary to fight HIV vs. those who think the vaccine is the way to go vs. those who think that condoms are a "sexual restriction". I don't know but the answer was "no" as to donating us a booth.
Now I don't know if they bought space on the porn blog, or maybe paid for their booth at the AVN - but when I saw them being promoted this way considering the lack of what I've seen them doing for sex workers you're darn tooting I was pissed. Why?
When I first heard they were coming to Las Vegas - remember I answer the only hotline for adults in this country to call nationally for help not just when they're a sex trafficking victim - but also if they just want to retire from sex work. For example, we have a woman who is a member who has been in Playboy, she's a stripper, and she's done more than one Playboy. She's never had a pimp nor a drug problem. Now she's in her 40's but she's been doing this since she was a teen on the streets. Now she wouldn't qualify for help with the National Trafficking Hotline or victim services - so we are the only hotline she'd be able to call for help in this country to get into another type of work. Which was not easy since she literally got a cancer diagnosis right as she came into SWA. So she wasn't able to work NOR was she able to keep stripping and doing porn because of having to go into chemo. But we held her hand and walked her through all of this transition.
But we don't do everything. For that reason, I try and maintain a list of resources that do what we don't do. For example, I have a list of drug treatment programs that will donate treatment to someone leaving the sex industry free. I have a list of companies that will hire someone who has a prostitution conviction or a drug conviction. I even have a list (granted a short one but it's a list) of foundations that will give felon sex workers money to start their own companies. I have a list of scholarships not only to sex trafficking victims - but also to help someone leave the sex industry. I have a list of attorney's who will donate their services. I mean we have a lot of lists of people and companies that do what we can't do.
So when I heard about them opening in Vegas I wanted to know what they did so if the need came up - I could refer them to them for whatever they did. I emailed them asking if I could please meet with them to learn more. They blew me off. I asked again and got blown off. Frankly I would have thought they would have liked to at least hear from me about what the field is like considering I've been here since 1996 working with this community. But nothing.
Then this whole thing with "Kamylla" and "8 Minutes" came up. I initially thought I needed to file for an injunction to stop another episode from airing that would not blur this woman's face. I needed to file it with the court, and I knew a news reporter in Vegas that could announce the filing - but I was out of state. I didn't have enough money to crash afterwards to get a nap before driving home. So I told them what I was doing, that I was trying to stop this show from airing before her face went out and her kids (and their friends and teachers) saw this, and did she know anyone that would let me grab a nap on their couch before going home.
Now mind you honestly - I have 100 places I am welcome to spend the night with SWA members in Las Vegas. I wanted to see what their response would be to helping out someone in an emergency situation would be. Well I got my answer. They told me to leave them alone and blocked my email.
So I figured that meant they didn't want to help Kamylla. On the contrary. They then went behind my back and started up a second fund raiser for her other than the one Domina Elle had set up. Then just about then I'd talked to five reporters who all told me they had not seen her face on an episode, the episodes were now taken offline, they hadn't seen an ID, an eviction notice, her police report, nor even the contract between her and Relativity Media. Four reporters said she said she was from Brazil while one said she was from Russia. I smelled a rat so I contacted Relativity Media Human Resources who told me they would not confirm she was ever on the show. Then her story starts completely falling apart. She's telling everyone she has to "raise money for a lawyer" yet I'd spoken to two attorney's who told me she was their client. So one lie after the other after the other.
I then went to the Cupcake Girls to warn them that if they were raising money for this woman using their 501c3 I sure hoped they'd done their "due diligence" and checked her out properly before asking people to donate to her. Also, that if they were asking known sex workers to donate - then they could be charged with felony pimping and even possibly money laundering. They did not respond and they continued to fund raise.
Then I heard they were at the Nevada legislature trying to get a Bill passed based on the claim that strippers were unable to find "legit" work because of past convictions for prostitution. Which is pure poppycock. I've been placing men and women in jobs since 1996 in this state and EVERYONE will hire an ex-prostitute with a conviction, even a felony conviction - for any job except one handling money like a cashier job. But who wants that kind of job anyway/
Now if you ask me - this is an excuse I hear all the time. I hear these prostitutes tell me "oh I can't work because I have a criminal record". To which I say "have you tried?" The answer is "no". I have a list of companies who hire even with a criminal record, and an even longer list of companies in Las Vegas that don't even care and don't look. I even have a list of companies who actively WANT to hire someone who has a past criminal conviction because the owners believe they make the best salesmen. I know of a car dealership and a mortgage brokerage in Las Vegas that actively recruit from the probation department for that reason. I know a time share company that will pay one $25 an hour full-time plus commission with health insurance because they think they are "good with people". I won't name these companies because they don't like to throw it around.
I mean look at NeNe for example. She used to be a stripper and she was on Donald Trump's "Apprentice" show. So she's done quite well for herself with a stripper background. On "Master Chef" - the woman who won was an ex-stripper so Gordon Ramsey doesn't discriminate. So the last thing I do is buy that they can't find work that will hire them. That's baloney. But I'm thinking why are they saying they're not a "political group" but here they are only two years in and they're already at the legislature in front of the cameras?
I'm also thinking they would like the list from me of companies who hire. NOPE. They refused the list and they continue to fund raise for Kamylla despite her claims now being just outrageous. For example, her apartment supposedly flooded in July. Yet now they want to pay $980 for unpaid rent. Only legally the landlord can't CHARGE RENT FOR AN UNINHABITABLE UNIT. This is complete nonsense or she's being taken for a ride by the landlord. One or the other.
THIS is what I mean by they're collecting the checks - and I'm the one doing the work. I can't help but think when I look at the PR for the Cupcake Girls that they are creating the impression they ARE a "rescue" group as they say they are not. They're raising money for Kamylla, and they're going to the legislature saying they're "trying to find work for those with records". Reading their "minutes" about them - again it sure looks like they're doing what I'm also doing for our members. https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/78th2015/Minutes/Senate/JUD/Final/1207.pdf How are they NOT a "rescue" group like they say they are here. They also said in their email they have a "differing view" on how to accomplish things. However, since they're never spoken to me, and never met with me, nor have we ever discussed how we operate or how we do things - I have no idea what they're basing their opinions on other than 2nd hand rumors if that.
As for me - I don't mean posing for the camera. I mean I'm doing the work. As for Annie putting people into the program that's described here - all I can say is that I've done EXTENSIVE research into what works and what doesn't work for us and I have NEVER EVER heard of a program like this being described that worked as far as extracting someone from sex work and/or trafficking, and rehabilitating them into supporting themselves outside of sex work.
The only thing this sounds like to me is one of the first cases I worked with - extracting people from the cult of the "Children of God" that had been indoctrinated into the cult. If this type of isolation is being done to protect them from a pimp that's looking for them - putting them from one jail into another is NOT HEALING nor EMPOWERING. It takes them from a position where they've been treated like a captive child and put them into the same exact setting with only the people changed. I will guarantee you no expert in this work has approved this program and I'd love to talk to anyone who says this program "rehabilitated" them. I can guarantee you people looking for a free ride for six to nine months will go into this program and the minute they have to get on their own two feet again they will either relapse, run away, or find someone else to become dependent upon.
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