www.lsshopper.com • email:lonestarshopper@gmail.com • February 5,2020
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GOOD GOSH! CALL JOSH! 903-865-7002 LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CANDIDATES FOR SHERRIF RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ABOUT SEX TRAFFICKING IN EAST TEXAS. Callie Carrell Lawrence Candidate For Wood County Sherrif We asked, If elected what will you do to help stem the tidw of sex trafficking in East Texas?We can not ignore the facts. 25 million people are enslaved worldwide. 234,000 victims of labor trafficking in Texas, and 79,000 victims of youth sex trafficking in Texas. Attorney General Paxton formed the Human Trafficking and Transnational/ Organized Crime Section (HTTOC), tasked with combating human trafficking across our state. There are four major types of human
trafficking. Adult sex trafficking, adult labor trafficking, child sex trafficking, and child labor trafficking. There is no “look” for a trafficker. The scariest part is that it doesn’t always take force, fraud, or coercion. Children will be children. Traffickers know how to establish relationships and take advantage of vulnerability. It is vital that we are aware of the warning signs and educate ourselves on what to do if put in a dangerous situation. Parents need to be aware of the applica-
tions their children use on their smartphones. Parents need to talk to their children about the importance o f knowi n g their s u r roundings. Adults need to know the red flags. Below are a few offered by the Texas Attorney General: There are several red flags that someone is being forced into labor trafficking, including: Third-party control of schedule and social interaction Evidence of violence: bruises, swelling, scarring, etc. Works excessively long or unusual hours Living where the individual works Living in an area that is not zoned for residential Transported to and from work by employer Housing, food, and hygiene products all being
supplied by the employer Not being paid on a regular schedule Recruited through false promises related to citizenship or working conditions Inability to speak English Identification documents or money are being h e l d by a
third-party Malnutrition, dehydration, exhaustion Untreated disease or dental and/or vision problems Chronic pain — e.g., back pain, muscle strains, respiratory issues, etc. Children can be victims of sex trafficking. Important red flags to look for include: Changes in school attendance, habits, friend groups, vocabulary, demeanor, and attitude Sudden appearance of luxury items — e.g., manicures, designer clothes, purses Truancy (absence) from
school Sexually provocative clothing Tattoos or branding Refillable gift cards Multiple phones or social media accounts Lying about the existence of social media accounts Provocative pictures posted online or stored on the phone Unexplained injuriesSocial interaction and schedule being strictly controlled by someone else Isolation from family, friends, and community Red Flags for Adult Sex Trafficking Important red flags to look for: Contents of the vehicle/location Hotel receipts Drugstore receipts Lingerie Condoms, Female personal hygiene items in a place of business High-end clothing recently purchased, Hotel keys, Rolls of money Prepaid credit cards, Tattooing/branding, Lack of eye contact, Bruises, swelling, and/ or redness Third-party control of the person’s schedule, identifying documents, money, and/or travel. Sex ads linked to the individual’s phone number. Red Flags for Illicit Massage Parlors/Spas Permit or license for
something other than actual business Male clientele Location may have a guarded entrance Open at unusual hours compared to the businesses on either side Cameras both inside and outside Location storefront may be curtained off/ blocked, etc. Location may be locked and opened only when someone at the door with a phone “Employees” may be ferried to and from work by the “spa” or may live at the location Men walking through the parking lot, seem to be confused, and/ or talking on their cell phones Condoms in the parking lot, drains, or pipes. Callie Carrell Lawrence is an educator who lives in Wood County with her family. Meanwhile in Van Zandt County Candidate Steve Hendrix gave the following statement. :We will work with federal, state and local agencies to aggressively investigate the human trafficking problem. Citizen tips will be taken seriously and all leads followed up on.”
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