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Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awards $150K grant to support youth survivors of sex trafficking
- Hartford Courant
- Jul 30, 2019
Love 146, an organization that helps support child sex trafficking survivors in Connecticut, has received a three-year, $150,000 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
With the grant, Love146 will be able to better reach the Greater Hartford area and fund aspects of its survivor care program not covered by government money, according to a news release. -
#ProtectChildrenByDefault Campaign Pressures Facebook to Change Default Settings to Protect Children
- The Chronicle of Social Change
- Jul 18, 2019
A group that specializes in working with children who’ve been trafficked is calling out Facebook to change its privacy settings to protect vulnerable children.
Connecticut-based Love146 works closely with youth who have been trafficked to rebuild their lives. Through that work, they’ve heard from countless young people that many predators first contacted them through social media like Facebook and Snapchat.
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Saying Something
- Daily Nutmeg
- Mar 21, 2019
New Haven, Connecticut’s Daily Nutmeg interviews Love146 social worker Cynthia Melendez about her experiences working with you who have been affected by trafficking. “Kids may meet a trafficker on the street, Melendez says, but most of the time, they meet on social media. ‘This person will kind of prey on something regarding the youth, a vulnerability,’ she says. For example: ‘My parents just don’t get me.’ ‘Well, I get you, you know, and I’ll take care of you’ and then that starts the grooming process for these kids.’”
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Human Trafficking in Conn. in Spotlight Following Robert Kraft Arrest
- WTNH TV News 8
- Feb 22, 2019
Love146’s US Programs Director Erin Williamson is interviewed by WTNH News 8 following the charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft for soliciting prostitution. Watching a wealthy, politically connected figure like Kraft be arrested makes a big statement, she said, “sends a very powerful message and that ripples.”
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Meet Rob Morris, The Leader Who Fights Human Trafficking From The Hallway
- Forbes
- Jan 17, 2019
Last October, we shared on social media this photo of Rob Morris, our President and Co-founder, sitting at his desk in the hallway of our office so that he would be available for anyone to sit down and think with him. Forbes took notice and interviewed Rob about why he prefers to work without walls.
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The sick tactics sex traffickers use to find victims
- New York Post
- Apr 17, 2018
The New York Post interviewed US Survivor Care Program Director Erin Williamson about how traffickers groom vulnerable youth.
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An Interview with David Henry, US Strategic Partnerships Coordinator for Love146
- MissionBox Blog
- Apr 6, 2018
MissionBox co-founder and CEO, Kathryn Engelhardt-Cronk talks to David Henry, the US strategic partnerships coordinator for Love146, about the organization’s culture and our mission to help survivors of child trafficking.
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Sen. Blumenthal urges Senate to pass anti-sex trafficking bill
- WTNH TV
- Mar 12, 2018
WTNH in Connecticut’s coverage of a press conference with US Sen. Richard Blumenthal held in our office.
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Online Sex Trafficking Targeted
- New Haven Independent
- Mar 12, 2018
Coverage of a press conference with Sen. Richard Blumenthal at our headquarters in support of the Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act. Blumenthal is a co-sponsor of the bill that would amend the Communications Decency Act, which he said currently protects sites like Backpage.com from any liability associated with content posted by others, including advertisements featuring children being sold for sex.
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Making Allies, Not Adversaries: A Grassroots Effort to Battle Human Trafficking
- A report on the impact of the Love146 Volunteer Teams from the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) industry association website
- Mar 2, 2018
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We Can’t Ignore Sex Trafficking Cases On Our Doorstep
- Hartford Courant
- Feb 21, 2018
Hartford Courant columnist Vinny Vella reports about the case of an accused trafficker in Connecticut. Erin Williamson, the survivor care program director for Love146, says sex trafficking is “a crime hiding in plain sight and a crime where the offenders aren’t scared to flaunt what they do.”
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Child Trafficking “is Not What It Looks Like in the Movies”
- WPKN
- Jan 27, 2018
WPKN ‘s Michelle Morgan interviews US Survivor Care Program Director Erin Williamson about her experiences serving youth affected by trafficking in Connecticut.
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Meet Kim Thomas of Reimagine Resale Thrift Store
- Voyage Houston
- Dec 19, 2017
Our Reimagine Resale Store Manager Kim Thomas talks about her journey to Love146, the challenges of opening a new retail store, and the connection between restoring value to discarded items relates to Love146’s work to end child trafficking and exploitation.
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State steps up efforts to end child sex trade
- Connecticut Post
- Nov 15, 2017
Love146 US Survivor Care Program Director Erin Wiliamson talks about working with survivors of trafficking in Connecticut.
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Reimagine Resale Combines Ethical-Minded and Budget-Friendly Fashion Under One Roof
- Houstoniamag.com
- Nov 15, 2017
Houstonia magazine explores the Reimagine resale thrift store, which was inspired by Love146’s belief in restoring value to what has been discarded by others.
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Trafficking Does Happen Here
- WCNY Radio
- Aug 14, 2017
New York Public Radio’s Susan Arbetter interviewed U.S. Survivor Care Program Director Erin Williamson on how trafficking & exploitation happens in the U.S.
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Connecticut prosecutors, judges, advocates work to broaden awareness of sex trafficking
- New Haven Register
- Jul 17, 2017
Law enforcement, judges, and victim’s advocates are working together to help prosecute sex traffickers.
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Connecticut DCF, New Haven nonprofit work to educate about domestic sex trafficking of minors
- New Haven Register
- Jul 16, 2017
Love146 is partnering with the state of Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families to get awareness training into schools. “We would love to be reaching every child in the state of Connecticut this year,” said Kimberly Casey, director of prevention at Love146.
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Sex trafficking moves to social media to find victims and perpetrators, Connecticut authorities say
- New Haven Register
- Jun 19, 2017
From recruiting and grooming sex workers to finding customers, the internet is being used in every stage of the sex trafficking game.
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Volunteers Work to Combat Human sex Trafficking
- New Haven Register
- Jun 11, 2017
Love146 volunteer teams do more than spread awareness — they help raise money, hold backpack campaigns to provide backpacks for known victims of sexual abuse who work with Love146 social workers in the Survivor Care program, and do outreach to hospitality businesses and truck stops about the potential for sex trafficking in those locations.
“They are the vehicle in which we can get resources and other information into the community,” Love146 Mobilization & Partnerships Strategist Heather Fischer said.
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New England agency targets growing number of sex trafficking cases
- Fox25 News Boston
- May 5, 2017
Love146 U.S. Survivor Care Program Director Erin Williamson talks to Fox25 News about how youth are lured by traffickers and what be done to help protect children.
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Examining the child trafficking problem in Connecticut
- WTNH TV
- Mar 30, 2017
“These aren’t kids that are making bad decisions,” Erin Williamson, director of the Survivor Care Program at Love146, told WTNH news. “These are kids in really difficult places that are being manipulated by adults who are trying to take advantage of them.”
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3 Nonprofit Leaders Speak On Their Top Priorities To Eradicate Human Trafficking
- Forbes
- Feb 1, 2017
Forbes talked to Love146 President and Co-founder Rob Morris about progress made in the effort to end child trafficking and exploitation in 2016, and what lies ahead for this year.
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Thousands Pay For Prostituted Children In CT Every Year But Nobody Has Been Charged Since 2013
- WSHU / NPR
- Jan 16, 2017
State officials say about 2,000 people pay for prostituted children in Connecticut every year, but no one in the state has been charged with soliciting children under a felony-level law that took effect in 2013. Erin Williamson, with the victims’ advocacy group Love146, says across the country, it’s the victims who usually get arrested because it’s easier to recognize them. That makes it hard to address the real source of the problem.
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Hoteliers Take Sex-Trafficking Prevention 101
- New Haven Independant
- Jan 12, 2017
Hotel staffers received that message delivered Thursday morning at Gateway Community College, where the Connecticut Lodging Association joined forces with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, the Office of the U.S. Attorney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the advocacy organization Love146 to host a “Human Trafficking Awareness” training.
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New Haven forum helps hotel/motel owners learn to spot sex trafficking
- New Haven Register
- Jan 12, 2017
Some of the warning signs hotel and motel staff should look out for include pornography rentals in rooms where children are staying, children arriving for an extended stay in a room with very few possessions, and children that appear to be disoriented, confused, or unable to speak for themselves, said Erin Williamson, the survivor care coordinator for the New Haven-based nonprofit Love146, which is dedicated to fighting human trafficking domestically and around the world.
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Training to Spot Human Trafficking
- NBC Connecticut
- Jan 12, 2017
The training, which took place at Gateway Community College, was held as part of a state law enacted in October that requires lodgers to participate in awareness trainings and post information about human trafficking on their premises as an ongoing effort to prevent and end human trafficking in the state.
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Lodging workers learn how to spot human trafficking
- CT News 8
- Jan 12, 2017
Lodging industry workers got educated in what they should look for to help stop the exploitation. “At some point [child victims are] either taken to a hotel or a motel, or they’re meeting traffickers at hotels and motels,” explained Erin Williamson of the International Anti-Trafficking agency Love 146. The group is based in New Haven and, unfortunately, fighting trafficking is a growth industry.
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Michelle Phan Raises $105,000 To Fight Child Trafficking For Nonprofit Love146
- Tubefilter
- Dec 27, 2016
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Child trafficking victims disappearing from UK care at ‘alarming’ rate
- The Guardian
“Every week we see children going missing, most within 24 hours of arriving in care, and we know child trafficking victims are largely going back to their traffickers,” said Lynne Chitty, our UK care director, in this story in the Guardian.
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Love146 Tackles the Challenges of Child Trafficking and Exploitation
- Branford Eagle
- Oct 31, 2016
At a Hope is Brewing event in Branford, Connecticut, the atmosphere was convivial. Love146 President and Co-founder RobMorris’s presentation was punctuated with identity-protected slides of joyful survivors. Stony Creek Brewery’s special brews flowed freely and attendees dined on barbecue and played games of Jumbling Towers, a challenging game of stacking blocks. It was a challenging game reflecting a challenging problem.
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UK Anti-Slavery Day Radio Interview
- Premiere Christian Radio
- Oct 18, 2016
UK Chief Executive Tania Bright talks about Love146’s work in the UK and the challenge of providing safe accommodations and therapeutic services to child refugees.
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Talking About Trafficking and Prevention Education in Texas
- KPFT-FM Houston
- Jul 13, 2016
Love146 Senior Prevention Advisory Specialist Carolina Fuentes talked about the power of Prevention Education and her own social justice journey on KPFT’s public radio show show “Open Journal.
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New Haven group working against human trafficking to expand survivor care program
- New Haven Register
- Jun 29, 2016
Our Survivor Care program is receiving multi-year critical investments totaling more than $800,000 annually from the Connecticut Office of Victim Services and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. A large portion of this funding comes from the federal Crime Victims Fund established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders.
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Human Trafficking Around the World and In Connecticut
- Where We Live - WNPR
- Jun 23, 2016
Love146 President & Co-founder Rob Morris, U.S. Survivor Care Director Erin Williamson, and Grace Farms Foundation’s Justice Initiative Director Krishna Patel, are interviewed by Lucy Nalpathanchil, host of WNPR’s “Where We Live.”
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Sex trafficking moves to social media to find victims and perpetrators, Connecticut authorities say
- New Haven Register
- Jun 19, 2016
From recruiting and grooming sex workers to finding customers, the Internet and social media have changed the way sex traffickers and customers of sex workers operate: social media applications are used to recruit young girls into sex work, and online sites are being used to find customers. 15 years ago, there was more talk among advocates against human trafficking about face-to-face interactions and how minors should protect themselves from strangers in parks, malls, or other public spaces.. But, the crime is shifting fast to the Internet.
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“Recovery is a Lifelong Journey”
- The Daily Nutmeg
- Jan 19, 2016
New Haven, Connecticut’s online journal, talks to Love146 Co-founder & President Rob Morris about child trafficking and exploitation, and the various strategies we are using to make a safer world for children.
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Sex Trafficking Has State on High Alert
- Waterbury Republican-American
- Dec 28, 2015
A Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force brings new attention to the issue — and to Love146’s efforts.
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Sex trafficking referrals on rise in Connecticut
- New Haven Register
- Nov 28, 2015
Referrals of possible victims of human trafficking in the state are rising, and Connecticut responds by creating a Human Trafficking Task Force, made up of officials from multiple service providers, federal agencies, state police, and 14 local police departments across the state. Love146’s Survivor Care Manager Erin Williamson talks to the New Haven Register about the situation.
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Persuading Through Storytelling
- Yale School of Management MBA Blog
- Oct 1, 2015
Rob Morris, the president and co-founder of Love146, spoke as part of the Superpowers of Influence workshop, organized by Yale Professor Zoë Chance, which brings individuals from a variety of sectors to Yale SOM to share practical guidance on how to influence and persuade people.
For Morris, storytelling is key to his work’s success. People aren’t persuaded to act by statistics and numbers about how many children have been affected, he said; it’s the human element that engages them.
“People hear those statistics and they forget them. What they don’t forget is when you tell them a story,” Morris said. “The individual attachment allows you to get beyond the ‘Oh my God, this is a horrible thing’ and become attached to the cause.”
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Words Shape Perceptions
- New Haven Register
- Oct 21, 2014
In a world in which sex attracts attention, it’s not rare to see prostitution arrests, mugshots or brothel raids posted on the Web or televised.
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Human Trafficking Experts Praise Connecticut’s Progress Helping Victims
- New Haven Register
- Aug 25, 2014
A panel of experts, including Love146’s Jim Ehrman and Erin Williamson, and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, met to discuss child trafficking in the U.S., including Connecticut’s efforts to help those who have been trafficked.
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Lawmaker Aims to Stop Sex Trafficking
- WTNH TV
- May 5, 2014
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro visited the Love146 office to talk about a bill she is co-sponsoring that would toughen federal laws on human trafficking.
“It creates a fund for domestic victims financed entirely through increased fines on persons convicted of trafficking,” said DeLauro.
Trafficking that goes on, right here in Connecticut.
“We hear about it from children. We see it. We work with children who have been exploited and trafficked. We know it exists,” said Love 146 Executive Programs Director Stephanie Goins. -
Study on Sexually Exploited Males in Chiang Mai
- City News - Chang Mai
- Sep 27, 2013
Chiang Mai NGO Urban Light along with CMU’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Love146 presented the results of one of the first studies of male sex workers in Chiang Mai.
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Love146 and Amistad America
- New Haven Register
- Jul 23, 2013
Abolitionists from Amistad America and Love146 gathered aboard the Freedom Schooner Amistad to announce their joint commitment to liberate at least one modern day slave, hopefully more.
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iTV covers Run For Love 1000
- iTV
- Jan 22, 2013
Three Londoners are running 39 marathons in 33 days, all to raise awareness and support for Love146 Europe.
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Secret sex workers: Mumbai’s exploited male masseurs
- New York Daily News
- Jan 17, 2013
India is a hotbed for the sexual exploitation of boys and Love146 is doing something about it.
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Love146 Europe’s research shape UK survivor care
- Express UK
- Dec 30, 2012
Senior Torry MP Peter Bone using Love146 Europe as possible model for survivor care in the UK.
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Sex trafficking in the USA hits close to home
- USA Today
- Sep 27, 2012
USA TODAY’s front-page article on sex trafficking in the U.S. highlighted the need for prevention education in schools
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Advocates for child victims keep on riding
- Albany Times Union
- Sep 8, 2012
The Albany Times Union of New York has featured Love146 fundraisers and volunteers.
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3 voices: How to end modern-day slavery
- CNN Freedom Project
- Jul 12, 2012
CNN Freedom Project features Rob Morris in their discussion of how to end modern-day slavery.
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Dayton groups fight sex trafficking
- Dayton Daily News
- Jun 24, 2012
Ohio legislature passes bill offering more protection to sex trafficking victims
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12 Hours with a sex tourist
- Relevant
- Jun 4, 2012
Love146 Europe Operations Director Gaz Kishere Featured in Reject Apathy Magazine
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Trade of Innocents: A Global Perspective on Human Trafficking
- Yale & CNN
- Apr 12, 2012
Yale and CNN Freedom Project Invite Love146 to Participate in Symposium on Human Trafficking
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A report towards better survivor care
- Love146 & University of Stirling
- Apr 1, 2012
Love146 and University of Stirling in Scotland publish report for better survivor care
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Child slavery in the U.S.
- Fox News
- Mar 14, 2012
FOX News anchor Gregg Jarrett interviewed Rob Morris on what Love146 does to end child trafficking and exploitation and how the organization got its name.
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You Can Save a Child From Slavery
- Redbook Magazine
- Mar 1, 2012
Redbook Magazine Features Love146 Co-Founder Desirea Rodgers in March 2012 Issue
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Here’s the thing
- WNYC
- Feb 13, 2012
Alec Baldwin recently sat down with Rob Morris, president and co-founder of Love146, to talk about child trafficking and exploitation in the United States and abroad.
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Fighting Child Trafficking
- Huffington Post
- Feb 9, 2012
Rob Morris of Love146 was recently featured in The Huffington Post, writing about his recent trip to the organization’s safe home in the Philippines.
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Kent State University raise $30,000 at Songfest
- Kent State Wired
- Nov 18, 2011
Fraternities and sororities split into teams to show off their performances to about 2,000 spectators and five judges. Among the judges, sat Rob Morris, president and cofounder of Love146.
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Walk to Address Human Trafficking Problem in DC
- PR Newswire
- Sep 20, 2010
DC Stop Modern Slavery hosted a walk to raise awareness about human trafficking.
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Why Love146
- Relevant Magazine
- May 18, 2010
Relevant Magazine Online discusses the history of Love146.