LETTER TO OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jody Williams <msjodywilliams@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 12:51 AM
Subject: SEX TRAFFICKING
To: kenneth.tota@acf.hhs.gov

Dear Kenneth:

We knew this was coming http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/11/25/federal-officials-placed-young-migrants-with-convicted-criminals-senators-say/ the minute we were shut out of the system entirely a few years ago.  We found anyone working within the human trafficking arena reporting to us they were told they would be fired if they so much as spoke to us, let alone told any victims about our program Sex Workers Anonymous (formerly Prostitutes Anonymous).

A program which by the way founded this movement itself.  Those who fought this because of having years of working successfully with us on this issue were in fact fired.  When I started hearing from social workers, police officers, shelter workers, etc., that they were being told specifically not to speak to us any longer and then fired when they refused to do so - that's when I started writing offices such as yours, Homeland Security, etc. saying this to us was a red flag we've seen before.

We know well how to deal with corruption being that we founded this movement because of finding ourselves victims of Iran Contra during the 1980's.  The "brothel" spoken of here in 1984 at www.hightechmadam.com was in reality the first adult safe house in the USA.  An angry pimp reported it as a brothel.  We straightened it out when the victim inside testified against him for his drug sales activities - but clearly I had to go about this another way.  So we launched our hotline, and our 12 step program in 1987.

Meaning we've been working with everyone from social services, to law enforcement, and politicians just fine when we crafted the first alternative to sentencing programs, the first residential programs the first outreach campaigns, etc., in this country during the 80's and 90's leading to the passing of the Trafficking Act of 2000.  

So when we found everyone in SWA who had jobs working with victims, and anyone who even so much as knew our name being ran right out of the system once we achieved federal recognition, i.e., money came onto the table - we knew that this was coming.  Now I appreciate that during an election year a few senators have rescued a couple of victims and got their name in the press.

But you know and I know that nothing is going to be done at any official level to change this.  Not when right now as I speak I've been telling your office, the offices of Homeland Security, ICE, and even the White House, I've got information on traffickers who are using law enforcement to threaten victims, reporters, other police, and even myself on where they are living, where they bank, how they operate, etc., where pimps within their operation have already been found guilty and sentenced, and that trace back to LLiang Yaohui in China - and I can't get so much as a return phone call.  

I guess it's because I'm just another survivor and not a senator looking for a photo op.  This article doesn't change anything and you and I know there isn't going to be any "oversight' committee installed.  Not again when I can't get a return phone call about traffickers right now, and I'm getting nothing but the runaround about the people we know within the system working with traffickers.  

Before, we were able to do something about it as evidenced in cases like Kemp Schiffer and Chris Butler.  We would go to the press, and then the press would force something to be done.  But now we have an ever growing list of reporters telling us they're being threatened now also in not reporting anything about us.  I have now established a very large list of major media ranging from the Los Angeles Times, to CNN, to the Washington Post who now have people on traffickers' payroll working for them.  We are no different now on this issue than Columbia was in the 1990's with the drug cartel.

If you check your records, you'll see I've been writing your office also about this for some time now.  No one has gotten back to me either which is why I'm holding your office just as accountable on those kids, and others, as the ones who were caught in this article.  I've been writing you for some time now that in each city where you have funded "task forces" and other programs - I can't find anything but hostility and antagonism - and the victims are finding they have no where they can turn for help either.  

Which is why I'm alerting you now I've located the means to start filming documentation of all of this which will start airing on public access TV and social media starting in January.  

Jody Williams
(702) 468-4529 Cell Phone
www.sexworkersanonymous.com