TIME 4 Girls

Training, Intervention, Mentorship, Education 

In the United States the commercial sexual exploitation of children often sounds different from foreign trafficking stories. Yet, the major elements and dynamics between traffickers and their prey remain the same. Pshychological manipulation, violence and threats of violence, false promises of a better life and drugs are the common elements used to keep exploited children complient and to tip the ballance of power towards traffickers. For too long these perpatrators of violent, sexual crimes against American children have gone unchallenged.

TIME 4 Girls is a multi-level response program designed to reduce the risk toward commercial sexual exploitation of teen girls. In an effort to combat commercial sexual exploitation, Love146 believes that it is important to train and educate youth themselves as well as the adults who work with them about this issue.  Providing the education and support prior to a level of involvement in CSE is vital as there is an existing community that they are still connected to, and consequently have support enough to protect themselves.  In 2010, Love146 will partner with:

FAIR Fund: A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization aimed at reducing the risk toward commercial sexual exploitation of teen girls in Washington, D.C.

My Life My Choice: A program created by Lisa Goldblatt-Grace and survivors of CSEC, designed to reach adolescent girls most vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation.

Key Connecticut Stakeholders: Who will collaborate to build a community of trained and supported teachers and community-based organizations who can identify and assist Connecticut teens at risk of commercial sexual exploitation.

One of two curriculum that will be used in TIME 4 Girls is the Tell Your Friends program. Tell Your Friends It is a four-week educational workshop series developed by FAIR Fund, based on the real life experiences of teen survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, that aims to take place in public middle and high schools, foster care and group homes, and youth agencies.  Each workshop is designed to educate and facilitate discussion with teens on their perceptions of healthy and unhealthy dating relationships, commercial sexual exploitation, sexual violence, and human trafficking.  It seeks to give teens confidence to avoid exploitation. The program also trains community service agencies, teachers, police officers, and local officials in how to better identify and assist teens in need. 

The second curriculum that will be used in the TIME For Girls project is My Life, My Choice. My Life My Choice, is a program designed to reach adolescent girls most vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation, however, the prevention groups work well with girls who have no specific risk factors for exploitation, for those with several risk factors, or for those who have been exploited to prevent re-victimization.  My Life, My Choice is a ten-week curriculum created to dispel myths about commercial sexual exploitation, build awareness of recruitment tactics by pimps, provide information on sexual health, understand the link between substance use and exploitation—how it can pull you in and how it can keep you there, raises awareness of resources and a path out of the Life, and helps to improve self-esteem. The program is meant specifically for agencies or organizations in which adolescents have a therapist to follow up with after the group as the curriculum can be quite intense for some. The program also trains the staff that works directly with the children that are about to receive the group so they are properly educated around the issue should a girl chose to disclose abuse. The training for these adults takes place immediately prior to the group sessions with the children.

In addition to the prevention programming and training that Love146 is looking to provide, we are also looking to provide peer to peer mentoring to survivors of child sex slavery and exploitation. The healing process for a sexually exploited victim can take years and can be a very difficult process. For some, peer-supported initiatives can prove to be helpful in their recovery. Whether it is a supplement for the formal counseling process, the only opportunity for growth and recovery or just the preferred mode for connection and healing, benefits of peer-support can be seen throughout. Many survivors face problems in relationships which can put survivors at risk of isolation, re-victimization, and abuse. Some key benefits to peer to peer support is emotional support, empowerment, finding hope and positive role models, achieving insight, and learning coping skills (Goodwin & Patton). For some, there is no greater help than help from those that have been in their shoes and know exactly what they are going through.