A BIG Win in an Ongoing Battle

Since 2004, I have been reporting a location that has all the indicators of human trafficking to the human trafficking task force. To keep this in perspective in 2004, I was on the task force and was a trainer to the police- I was trained by the Department of Justice to identify trafficking and assist victims.

In 2005, I found a victim that has escaped from this location- she was cooperative with law enforcement and the task force however- still no results. We assisted this victim and she was later written about in the story the Lost Girls in the April 2010 Texas Monthly. In the hard copy of the magazine we included a photo of the building. Again, no results!

The location belongs to a man who owns many businesses in Houston. One is a car dealership and his wife is a special counsel for Chevron.

After public pressure due to van tours conducted by my friend and colleague Cat French of Elijah Rising the land owner was pressured into closing the location. In meetings with this land owner Cat offered to rent the building- so last week she received the key. I now have a copy of the key on my key chain and I giggle every time I see it.

After 9 years of reporting, getting media attention and filing a victim’s statement with authorities – a van tour closed the facility.

I took great pleasure last week in using a sledge hammer to break through walls that held my client Kiki.


I look forward to this location being a safe haven in the middle of numerous sexually oriented businesses thriving off the suffering of trafficked victims.



Teamwork, determination, prayer and forced patience led to this small victory.

How can you help?

  Please spread our story, send us notes of support, and recommend us to known philanthropists, social groups, churches and others in your area or contact list.

We can make a huge difference with your donations. Please donate, share, fundraise, blog or give us ideas on how to procure funding.

To help our team reach it's potential to help more victims to safety and restoration, send donations to: 

http://bernardokohler.org/programs/save-one-soul/

Designate "Human Trafficking" or "SOS" in the comments section and your donation can Save One Soul and make them “better now.”

Dottie Laster is available for law enforcement training, workshops, keynotes and presentations for schools, churches and organizations about all aspects of human trafficking, warning signs, prevention and reporting in an age/audience appropriate presentation. Please contact ImaginePublicity  Tel: 843-808-0859  Email: contact@imaginepublicity.com

Human Trafficking Education with Texas League of Women Voters

On Thursday, January 17th,  the League of Women Voters of Comal, Texas will host Dottie Laster leading an educational workshop on human trafficking issues within the state of Texas and the nation at the Tye Preston Memorial Library, 16311 South Access, Canyon Lake, TX.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. 

While the mission of the League of Women Voters is to encourage government participation and voting, it also serves to educate members and the public on issues important to, not only the country and state, but also local communities in an effort to shape policies for the betterment of all.

“At the state organization level, the LWV-TX has adopted the topic of human trafficking as a new study for 2013-14 to be conducted by the local Leagues prior to forming a consensus and publishing the League’s position paper on the issue.” says organizer, Phyllis Walther.

 It’s hoped that through the study of the issue, established facts will be brought forth to influence the public’s perception of the epidemic of human trafficking and, through their votes, will hold elected officials accountable for properly addressing it.

One of the barriers standing in the way of fighting against human trafficking is that people either don’t believe it or don’t want to hear about it…until it happens to their family member or someone they know. Dottie Laster is on the front lines of awareness, education and training. Her work with such organizations as the Bernardo Kohler Center, as well as the Department of Justice, qualify Laster to work with law enforcement agencies and organizations across the country to get the message to the public that human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes affecting every country, even the United States.

Dottie Laster has served as a consultant with several celebrities in film and television projects and is featured in The Cantinera Documentary which exposes the life of the “cantina girls” in the Houston area. In October 2012 she was the subject of a feature story in MORE Magazine written by Mimi Swartz. She has appeared on several local and national television and radio shows as well as completed training of law enforcement and social workers for the state of Kansas.

Recently, Laster has created a way for victims to find that self-sufficiency by designing and creating jewelry for TRAFFICKED Designs and an awareness campaign called SOS “Save One Soul.”  To read articles written by and about Dottie Laster refer to her site, Anti-Human Trafficking News from Dottie Laster.

Event details:

Human Trafficking Educational Workshop

• Date:  January 17, 2013
• Time: 6:30-8:00pm Central time
• Location:  Tye Preston Memorial Library, 16311 South Access, Canyon Lake, TX
• Open and FREE to the public
• Contact: Phyllis Walther  phylwalther@hotmail.com

For information about scheduling Dottie Laster for your next event, please contact ImaginePublicity. Tel: 843.808.0859  Email: contact@imaginepublicity.com

• Kansas Social Workers and Law Enforcement Receive Human Trafficking Training
• The Cantinera Documentary
• Sex Trafficking in San Antonio
• Dottie Laster Appearing on San Antonio Living Morning Show
• Sumter: Human Trafficking, A Threat to New Jersey's Way of Life
• Dottie Laster: Human Trafficking Education with Texas League of Women Voters
• Human Trafficking Awareness

Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Training in Spring, TX

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING ADVOCACY TRAINING

Presented by Laster Global Consulting,The Journey on Elm Street (JOES) and Freedom Place

Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, 2012

9am-5pm

Ambassador Auditorium

Arrow Child and Family Ministries Facility

2929 FM 2920

Spring, Texas  77388

A 2-day extensive training in which you will learn about case histories,legal details and distinctions in place to stop and punish traffickers, and how to become and advocate who brings recovery and services to survivors.

Per participant $50

To reserve your place contact:

B. Reid  mommabee1@gmail.com

Dottie Laster info@lasterglobal.com

CEUs are available, for information email B. Reid in advance

Details

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Your gift will help cover the costs of preparing and filing applications that can give hope, health, and a new life to a client in one of the vulnerable populations we serve. Your support for the B.K.C. is also critical to our efforts to provide legal services that will affect low-income immigrants in the years ahead. 

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Dottie Laster on The Roth Show

 Listen LIVE: http://therothshow.com

Join Dr. Laurie Roth and Susan Murphy Milano each Wednesday

BROADCASTING AT A NEW TIME!  7-10Pacific, 10-1amEastern

Human Trafficking, also known as Modern Slavery, Sex Slavery or Human Bondage, has made it's way across the United States, into large cities and rural communities as well. We can no longer ignore its existence or thinking that it only happens overseas. As our young daughters and sons are being lured by promises of big money, independence from parents, or to live the "pimpin" lifestyle, we are finding them in brothels, cantinas and even in neighborhoods that would be the least suspect to harbor criminal activity.

Not only is there trafficking of humans for the sex trade, but we see deplorable conditions for migrant workers in agriculture, restaurant and hospitality industries, again, lured to the land of plenty with promises of a better life.

Founder of Laster Global Consultants, Dottie Laster, is the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator for the Bernardo Kohler Center and is an accredited representative recognized by the Bureau of Immigration Appeals under BKC. She is a nationally recognized expert in the field of human trafficking and has been trained by the Department of Justice to train law enforcement on human trafficking. She has been the architect and leader of human trafficking task forces and coalitions in many cities in Texas and California. During her career she has been directly and indirectly responsible for the rescue and service of over 200 victims of trafficking in the United States.

Having been called early on in the investigation of the Long Island Serial Killer, Laster continues to work with family members of the victims seeking justice for the several people whose remains have been found near Gilgo Beach in Long Island, NY. Recently, the "romeo pimp" of Megan Waterman pleaded guilty in a plea deal. He admitted to transporting Megan and another woman from Maine to New York for the purposes of prostitution. The terms of the plea deal say that he’s only looking at a little less than 4 years in federal prison.

For more information about the extensive work of Dottie Laster, please visit her website: LasterGlobal.Com

Dottie Laster is available for speaking engagements and training opportunities. Please contact ImaginePublicity to schedule her for your next event.  843.808.0859 or email: contact@imaginepublicity.com

Related articles

• The Roth Show Presents: Dr. Scott Bonn and Dottie Laster Discussing The Long Island Serial Killer (imaginepublicity.com)
• Dottie Laster Holds Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Training (imaginepublicity.com)
• Dottie Laster on Panel at Human Trafficking Summit (imaginepublicity.com)
• Dottie Laster Presenting at Conference on Crimes Against Women, March 26-28 (imaginepublicity.com)
• Why Does the Long Island Serial Killer Prey on Sex Workers? (docbonn.wordpress.com)
• A Father's Mission to Disarm a Dangerous Predator (murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com)

Dottie Laster on Panel at Human Trafficking Summit

Human Trafficking Summit

Hosted by Texas State Representative Todd Hunter,

Del Mar College and Victoria College

Dottie Laster of Laster Global has been invited to participate in the panel discussion at the Human Trafficking Summit on Thursday, March 29 at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas.

During the 81st Legislative session, Todd Hunter served as the Chairman of the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committee. While serving as Chairman of the committee, he was shocked to learn about the human trafficking issue currently present in Texas. It quickly became clear that this is an issue that Texas needs to focus on and strive to shutdown in all its forms. During the 82nd Texas Regular Legislative Session, Rep. Hunter filed and passed House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 68, which was signed on June 17, by Governor Rick Perry.

 The U.S. State Department estimates that 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders each year by criminals. It is also estimated that approximately 20 percent of those individuals go through the State of Texas. In fact, Houston and El Paso are listed among the “most intense trafficking jurisdictions in the country” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

 As part of the U.S. Attorney's Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, task force, Laster has trained over 5,000 police officers on the issue of Human Trafficking and worked directly with adult and child victims of trafficking. She was selected by the US Attorney’s Office to be certified by the Department of Justice to train law enforcement and others on human trafficking. She is the co founder of San Antonio’s Coalition Against Human Trafficking and the past Administrator of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force. Dottie Laster has successfully written for over $6.5 million in grants to assist children and victims of human trafficking.

 Dottie Laster, the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator with the Bernardo Kohler Center, is an accredited representative recognized by the Bureau of Immigration Appeals under BKC. She is a nationally recognized expert in the field of human trafficking. She has been trained by the Department of Justice to train law enforcement on human trafficking. She has been the architect and leader of human trafficking task forces and coalitions in many cities in Texas and California. In her 8 year career she has been directly and indirectly responsible for the rescue and service of over 200 victims of trafficking in the United States. She is credentialed to practice immigration law.

  Related articles

• Dottie Laster Speaking to Class at Northwest Vista College February 8 (imaginepublicity.com)
• Dottie Laster Presenting at Conference on Crimes Against Women, March 26-28 (imaginepublicity.com)
• Dottie Laster Speaking at St. Marys University Wednesday, February 28 (imaginepublicity.com)