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

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Lincoln the Movie-

I recently watched the movie Lincoln by Steven Spielberg – 2 times. It was sold out at both of the days that I attended. I was so inspired and hopeful by the interest in and the success of this movie.

One of the main themes is a very interesting view of the discussions and politics surrounding the passage of the 13th Amendment. Those for and against it gave their arguments. I must point out that many of them sound so familiar to the myths and misunderstanding I hear today. Especially when discussing commercial sex and sexually oriented businesses. There are many who think that money or as I call it “praying to the money god” trumps most all decisions. The Houston Mayor wrote to a non profit and explained how the city would not focus on the buyers who provide the demand but instead on the landlords who were benefiting from the prostitution of minors. All I could think of is how I hope this of acceptance of prostituted children is just as ancient and horrible a thing to condone as historical slavery. I am hopeful we can see what this horrible and prolific crime –modern slavery- is doing to our families, individuals, women, children and communities. We are at a time where there is almost no place that commercial sex (stripping. pornography, and prostitution) are not touching most families. I get calls from parents of missing children and wives who are facing life ending illnesses due to their husbands purchasing of sex without their knowledge. This is the horrible tragedy of out times.

In the movie Lincoln, the issue was whether all people should be treated as equal under the law. All in the back drop of the civil war and the fight to treat some people as property and the use of state’s rights to recognize them as such.

When combating modern slavery, I often look to history for themes, quotes and encouragement. When viewing this film I saw something that inspired me. ‘ all people should be treated equal under the law’-

That made me able to put words to what I have been fighting in order to protect the victims' freedom.

They are treated more harshly, incarcerated more, sentenced more, and even institutionalized in mental hospitals more than the people who are the criminals. I often say if we could get as many traffickers and johns arrested as we see victims arrested then we might be making progress.

In addition, there is no federal law against prostitution so the commercial sex businesses are operating under state and city laws and are providing quite a large economic boost to some local governments.

Recently, a Houston strip club donated money to the county sheriff’s association and the club’s attorneys openly donated money to the county district attorney whose office has a criminal nuisance suit filed against the club.

After watching Lincoln I came away wishing I could speak directly to Thaddeus Stevens. I wish I could ask for his advice now-I so appreciate his direct approach and urgent nature. I wish we could kick some hornets nests together.

Are we treating all humans the same under the law in 2012? When working to assist victims I often see that we are not- they are most often arrested, prosecuted, shunned within society, and even placed in mental institutions against their will for nothing more than being victims of a crime that most professionals do not understand or are even trained to recognize.

I do not believe that we recognize the rights of people who have been forced into commercial sex- this seems to put labels and stigmas on the victims that intrudes upon their lives forever. We should do more to protect them, not fail them so miserably.

Until we treat the demand for commercial sex and cheap labor as the crime the laws calls for- we are truly violating the spirit of the 13 and 14th amendments as well as so many other laws.

Just recently it was reported that Lawrence Taylor prevailed in the civil suit brought against him by a minor who was prostituted to him. She was not treated the same under the law, in Houston a 13 year old was prosecuted all the way to the Texas Supreme Court for being prostituted, The man who sold her and the men who bought her were never even interviewed. Under the Trafficking laws (both state and federal) any minor who is in any commercial sex is a victim of human trafficking and should not be treated as a criminal.

It seems that we have some of the same excuses and myths that were alive and well in the times of historical slavery- blaming the victims, fettering them because freeing them as too much trouble, or holding them is in their best interest, and on and on.

If it were you or your child how long should freedom wait? And what excuse would suffice to excuse your enslavement? And how much punishment/detention in addition to your enslavement would you want to accept?

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The Cantinera Documentary

At the recent event at Rice University on October 22, 2012, I was asked to speak on a panel after the
premier screening of The Cantinera by Ruth Villatoro. Her documentary is about the women who drink
and have sex for money in the many cantinas in the Houston area.

I was so encouraged to see the audience response after viewing the film which follows the life of a
woman who was first sold as child for sex and the advocates who are working to help victims and
disrupt traffickers. Many had just learned about human trafficking during the film and were completely
shocked- others knew about human trafficking but were so angered that it was occurring openly in their
city. A fellow a advocate was Cat French of Exodus Cry – her van tours of locations around Houston
that have indicators of Human Trafficking were shown in the film and I believe that audience members
were eager to participate in a tour.

I am hopeful that this film will take a life and that many audiences will see what is happening in
most communities and learn how they can make their communities safe for trafficked victims and
unwelcoming to traffickers.

Please share and post this blog so that others can know about the film and recognize this as just one of
the many schemes of human trafficking that occurs in most of our communities.

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Sex Trafficking in San Antonio

Appearing on San Antonio Living Morning Show, Dottie Laster talks about the significant epidemic of human trafficking in San Antonio and how law enforcement is fighting to stay ahead of it. 

She discusses the role of the men who purchase commercial sex from minors, and those who force them into prostitution and benefit from their acts, while the victims have no benefits.

To assist victims in the local community, Dottie has created TRAFFICKED Designs which has jewelry designed and made by rescued victims of trafficking.

Dottie Laster is available for presentations and training for organizations, churches, law enforcement and anyone interested in eradicating human slavery and trafficking. To bring Dottie to your next event, contact Laster Global Consulting or ImaginePublicity  phone: 843.808.0859  email: contact@imaginepublicity.com

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Sex Trafficking’s Unlikely Angel, Dottie Laster Featured in MORE Magazine’s October, 2012 Issue

On the day that President Obama spoke about his administration’s beefed up efforts to fight against human trafficking, MORE Magazine’s October issue hit the news stands with an excellent article on one of trafficking’s leading advocates, Dottie Laster.

President Obama Speaks Against Human Trafficking

Enforcing the laws, rescuing and restoring victims of trafficking is a 24 hour job which Dottie Laster takes seriously. With little sleep, Laster’s phone is always on, ready to take the next call from the next victim who may need her help, or victims whom she has rescued who just need to talk to her in order to stay on the path of self sufficiency.

MORE Magazine article, Sex Trafficking’s Unlikely Angel, by Mimi Swartz, outlines what it’s like for Dottie Laster as an advocate, trainer and facilitator to victims of sex trafficking globally. Lately, Laster has focused within her home state of Texas and has helped expose what’s going on behind closed doors in the bars and cantinas, massage parlors and spas, and sometimes residential homes in Houston, one of the major hubs for trafficking in the US.

Schwartz’s article also relates the stories of two of the victims which Dottie Laster and her team rescued, Lizbeth and Precious. Both caught up in sex trafficking, but now working through the difficulties specific to human trafficking victims, overcoming addictions and fear, they are both on their way to a stable life with the help of Dottie Laster.

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 Deptartment 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.

It’s often difficult for the victims to get a fresh start, especially in the job market where background and credit checks limit the availability of meaningful employment. Resources for rescued victims are limited throughout the United States, clearly an area of need among nearly every community whose budgets are forcing them to work at a minimum. Like anyone victimized by crime, trafficking victims must have specialized care, safety from the traffickers, mental health treatment, and the basics like food and shelter.

Described in Swartz’s article in MORE Magazine as a ”relentless recovery squad of one,” Dottie Laster tirelessly devotes whatever it takes to rescue and restore victims, many more like Precious and Lizbeth. Her motto, “first rescue, then self-sufficiency” is taken quite seriously.

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. A dedicated website will be launched soon for showcasing and purchasing the many exclusive designs created by victims of trafficking. Until the website is completed jewelry can be seen on Laster’s blog, Anti Human Trafficking News.

“The inspiration for TRAFFICKED Designs is”Lisbeth” who was rescued by me and my team on Sept 15 2010- she reported being held as a victim of sex trafficking. 

In her recovery she learned to make and sell jewelry- when she came to live with me it reminded me that I had made jewelry for my cousin when I was younger- he eventually grew his business to employ many people- I am hopeful that TRAFFICKED Designs will employ victims of trafficking and others who need a way to enter the economy.”

The Save One Soul awareness campaign begins with the SOS distress call that each victim of human trafficking should be noticed, rescued and restored to society. Individuals who purchase and wear the SOS jewelry will be creating more awareness as well as sustaining victims until they are able to find better jobs.

While President Obama has declared a tough stance on eradicating trafficking it takes much more. It takes the awareness and activism of everyone, in every community, to recognize it for what it is and do something about it.

Please head to your nearest magazine retailer and get the October issue of MORE Magazine for the complete story by Mimi Swartz to learn all about the background and life work of Sex Trafficking’s Unlikely Angel, Dottie Laster.

To schedule Dottie Laster for your next event, training or speaking engagement, please contact ImaginePublicity: phone 843.808.0859 or email: contact@imaginepublicity.com

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Dottie Laster Speaking on May 12 at Women of Vision Event in Austin, Texas

 

  Women of Vision is a volunteer ministry of World Vision, mobilizing and uniting women called to invest their time, intellect, compassion, creativity, and finances so impoverished women and children might find hope and experience a tangible expression of God's love.

 The Austin, Texas Chapter of Women of Vision has cordially invited Dottie Laster of Laster Global Consulting and the Bernardo Kohler Center, to speak at their upcoming meeting:

Saturday, May 12^th  10am to 11:30am  at Bethany United Methodist Church, 10010 Anderson Mill Rd. Austin TX 78750.   Room D305.  

The group has been called to the issue of trafficking and has committed to becoming more educated about the issue in Texas.   Wanting a better understand the challenges being faced locally, what is working in this area, what is not, and any opportunities for local service.

  Dottie Laster's list of credentials in the field of human trafficking training and advocacy is extensive. She has been instrumental in creating task forces, coalitions and advocacy groups all across the country. She also works directly with law enforcement in the area of training, as well as rescue and restoration of victims of trafficking, and most recently was called in to consult on the Long Island Serial Killer case.  She has been a consultant, producer, and has appeared in several films and television shows, and has hosted her own internet radio show, Trafficked to further reach the masses with information. Currently Laster is the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator with the Bernardo Kohler Center as an accredited representative recognized by the Bureau of Immigration Appeals under BKC. 

 Dottie Laster is available for speaking engagements, media opportunities and intensive training and workshops. Please contact ImaginePublicity for details. (contact@imaginepublicity.com or 843.808.0859)

 Download:  Dottie Laster Media Kit

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