Encouraging Excellence
Fostering Fellowship
What a Ride!
A Troika is a traditional Russian carriage drawn by a team of three horses harnessed abreast. It is frequently depicted in Russian folklore scenes, movies (such as Doctor Zhivago), paintings and literature. In olden days, newlyweds often left the wedding ceremony in a troika as a sign of future success and happiness. The troika became a symbol of a new life where dreams have come true. The road was the symbol of the couple’s journey in life, with the three horses to help lead the way.
Over the past three years, “Friends of Russian Orphans” (“FORO”) has become the Troika for children in Russian orphanages and families right here in America whose lives have been completely changed as a result of FORO’s “Journeys of Joy” program. Of course, FORO is about much more than just “Journeys of Joy”. Its work still involves meeting practical needs of children and orphanages where we work. In 2011 FORO has helped install a new water system at an orphanage located in a highly polluted city, helped create private restroom facilities at another orphanage, created a computer lab and acquired much needed laundry equipment. We have also funded academic and health awards, supplied books for an orphanage library, and enabled medical equipment to be purchased for a special needs orphanage. But the program that had the most impact in 2011 was the “Journeys of Joy”.
“Journeys of Joy” is a program that enables Russian orphans to visit to United States for two weeks. The children are matched with a “mentor family” that provides friendship, care, activities and love during their stay. The program is centered at a “host community” which serves as the logistical and
January 2012
spiritual center for the program. The families and host community are asked to continue to pray for, communicate with, and be concerned about the welfare of the children after the program ends. “Journeys of Joy” allows orphans to experience family life, understand that someone cares for them individually, and realize that they are special and beloved children of God. Those involved in the United States experience a special blessing that comes from expressing compassion, generosity and unconditional love.
In old Russia, the troika form of driving was primarily used when there was a need to transport heavy items and when there was a need for speed. The need for three horses and special harnesses made troikas expensive. So too is the FORO Troika. “Journeys of Joy” has changed the lives of many children and families. In order for the FORO Troika to continue to travel on its “Journey of Joy”,spiritual center for the program. The families and host community are asked to continue to pray for, communicate with, and be concerned about the welfare of the children after the program ends. “Journeys of Joy” allows orphans to experience family life, understand that someone cares for them individually, and realize that they are special and beloved children of God. Those involved in the United States experience a special blessing that comes from expressing compassion, generosity and unconditional love. We need your help. We need you to spread the word of the program to Christian families in NW Ohio ready to make the journey. We need financial contributions to help clear the road of the financial obstacles that could stop our troika. And we need your prayers for the program, the children and families who participate. With your help, our horses of faith, hope and love, will pull our FORO troika forward on a journey of joy that God has charted. Come on…let’s climb aboard!!!
If you wish to donate to Friends of Russian Orphans to help with these programs please visit our website at www.fororphans.org for more information.
MINISTRY
SPOTLIGHT
Friends of Russian Orphans
WASHINGTON, January 4, 2012 ― Trafficking victims in Virginia have few options for help. Unlike other states, Virginia is continuing to struggle to implement a comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation. Without strong laws, children remain particularly vulnerable to traffickers and have nowhere to turn.
Shared Hope International, an anti-human trafficking organization based in Vancouver, Washington, recently highlighted the plight of sex trafficking of minors in Virginia. The report, Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) in Virginia says lack of comprehensive anti-human trafficking laws lead law enforcement to criminalize victims, ignore the magnitude of the crime, and impose light penalties on traffickers.
According to Shared Hope International, police officers and social workers in Virginia often misidentify DMST victims as criminals. One law enforcement officer in Richmond responded to a researcher’s interview as follows: "If we have a 17-year-old prostitute, there’s going to be a criminal offense there. We’ll [think] ‘hey, you’re out here; you’re doing an act of prostitution; we’re going to arrest you as a juvenile... Is this an individual who is in need of some help or this individual is making a life choice that this is what they want to do at 17 or 17 and a half years old."
Minors convicted of prostitution often are incarcerated.
One survivor of human trafficking says that incarceration was just as traumatic as forced prostitution: "The system didn't know what to do with me…I mean, they didn't treat me like a kid. They treated me like a criminal." Current Virginia law contradicts federal human trafficking law. Federal trafficking law treats all children engaged in prostitution as victims. In Virginia, however, the state law assumes that children between 15 and 17 are able to consent to commercial sex acts and are criminals, not victims forced into the sex trade.
While many professionals in Virginia deny the DMST occurrence in Virginia, reported incidents confirm that DMST cases are rather widespread throughout the state: In March 2011, Police in Newport News made 24 arrests as part of an undercover operation targeting prostitution. Police arrested five women including a 17 year old girl for prostitution related charges. Police charged a 19 year-old perpetrator from Norfolk with contributing to the delinquency of minor.
In 2008, police arrested 21-year-old Breanna Ligget of Chesapeake, Virginia, for prostitution and other related crimes. After posting ads on Craigslist, Ligget agreed to meet with an undercover cop at a local motel. Police said that Liggett also brought her 17-year-old sister with her and offered a “two girl show.”
In 2007, Virginia Beach Police arrested 38-year-old woman, Silesia Rogowski, for running a prostitution ring. After receiving 20 calls to a resident house for complaints of domestic violence, drug abuse, and disputes, investigators eventually believed that the house might be a den of prostitution and drugs advertised on Craigslist.org. Neighbors also stated to police that they have witnessed minors in and out of the house.
The report says lack of a comprehensive law contributes to the ignorance of the crime occurrence among professionals in Virginia. Because human trafficking isn’t a stand alone crime in Virginia, authorities have prosecuted traffickers under general sexual offenses like, rape, pandering, or others, rather than human trafficking. Hence, statistics on human trafficking cases isn’t readily available to policymakers.
Traffickers sometimes walk free after receiving minor penalties under current Virginia law. In all cases mentioned above, the authorities charged traffickers with the contribution to the delinquency of minor, which can carry a prison sentence as little as six months.
Under federal law, a trafficker can spend a minimum of five years and maximum 30 years in prison for the exact same offense. Advocates argue that a state’s comprehensive law will end criminalizing victims and start imposing heavy penalties on traffickers.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli disagrees. He argues that law enforcement already has the tools to fight human trafficking and that the expansion of the current law rather than creating a new laws is better way to end the crime. During the interview with nbc29, he said:"On a government policy side, I don't think we're at a point where it warrants spending state dollars on creating essentially a new social welfare program," he said…The structure of the law, to me, isn't the critical thing,"…"It's do you cover the battlefield? And we do."
Last year, Virginia passed three bills to improve its anti-human trafficking efforts. Since then, Polaris Project also recognized Virginia as one of the states with the most improved anti-human trafficking legislations in 2011.
Still, some experts argue that Virginia is far from where it should be when tackling demand and protecting victims. This year, advocates are hoping that will change as well.
C U R R E N T T R E N D S
Virginia's Struggle to Fight Human Trafficking
by Youngbee Dale See more of her work at Rights So Divine
Valuable Resources
Domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) is the commercial sexual exploitation of American children within U.S. borders. It is the “recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act” where the person is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident under the age of 18 years.
Experts estimate at least 100,000 American juveniles are victimized through prostitution in America each year. Domestic minor sex trafficking is child sex slavery, child sex trafficking, prostitution of children, commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), and rape of a child.
Shared Hope International first actively addressed the sex trafficking of American children through research on the markets that create demand for commercial sex and which result in the commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls.
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