Action Steps: How you can stand with incarcerated trafficking survivors
TW: violence, sexual assault
Justice systems often fail to uphold laws implemented to protect human trafficking survivors. In fact, survivors are often incarcerated and their experiences are overlooked in courthouses. Punitive institutions implement a prison model that exposes human trafficking survivors to false accusations by their abuser. Intrusion, solitary confinement and inmate-officer power dynamics fail to be trauma-informed and this negatively impacts survivors of trafficking.
Though there are many organizations, such as Karana Rising, a member of the Dressember Network, and prosecutors that seem to have the means to advocate for incarcerated survivors, there are countless opportunities for the public to involve themselves in advocacy. Karana Rising is a survivor-led organization that aims to represent survivors in a customized, holistic manner that paves the road to self-security and healing.
Tiffany Simpson, Advocate Lab Associate with Karana Rising, shares her experience of exiting child sex trafficking while currently serving a 20-year sentence (since 2012) for being falsely accused of trafficking a minor. Karana Rising has partnered with Tiffany to share her story and highlight the importance of advocating for justice. While being trafficked, Tiffany was impregnated and further endured violence by her trafficker and other men. Unfortunately, the abuse did not end with Tiffany. Another young woman, a 13-year-old runaway, was lured into this nefarious scheme when she was promised to receive help. Matters grew worse as the trafficker threatened to burn Tiffany’s grandmother’s house down. Using threats against family members is a common tactic used by traffickers to leverage power against victim-survivors.
Tiffany’s story is not an isolated experience. June 23rd, 2020 Jessica Hampton (18-years-old) and Jordan Hampton (then 14-years-old) were incarcerated for the murder of a 24-year-old man who attempted to buy and rape them. Jessica, who first experienced a trafficking situation at age 14 and sexual harassment at the age of 5, was in the process of recovery, when she got a job at a thrift store. What was first perceived as a friendship with a coworker at the thrift store, led to sexual exploitation that later involved grooming Jordan and the harassment of Amy Cage, the mother of Jessica and Jordan Hampton.
Now, the sister-brother duo have endured retraumatization at the hands of the law. Jordan has been sexually assaulted by two correctional officers in the unit. Moreover, the judges are seeking to sentence Jordan, a lively boy at heart who loves comic books, to the death penalty. When we do not consider the situational factors that contribute to the complexity of human trafficking, the criminal legal system fails to distinguish perpetrators from survivors, resulting in intense retraumatization and failure to protect those in vulnerable positions.
It is our responsibility to connect with organizations like Karana Rising to direct the media’s attention on Tiffany’s case, Jessica and Jordan Hampton’s case and cases alike.
What role can community members, such as yourself, play in supporting incarcerated survivors? In what ways can organizations contribute to the ongoing efforts of learning and unlearning?
Below is a non-exhaustive list of petitions, organizations and persons that are informative and are actively accepting advocates to reshape how we encourage human trafficking survivors and learn about trauma.
Karana Rising provides comprehensive curriculums made by those who have overcome human trafficking and are knowledgeable about at-risk populations. Additionally, after the passage and backing of the 2014 Sex Trafficking of Minors Act, Karana Rising’s Hope Court program (in partnership with the D.C. Superior Court) blossomed to meet the needs of court-involved youth who are a part of the PINS (persons in need of supervision) systems and are at risk or have experienced sexual exploitation.
Tiffany Simpson’s Petition In Tiffany’s article, ‘Believing In Yourself is How Justice Begins for Survivors Like Me’ she shares how crucial it is to believe in the undeniable power of advocacy. “If you believe me and want to make a difference, I want you to use your voice. Yes, I want you to sign my petition for clemency, but I also want you to share this story and others like it. Let’s not wait for the system. Let’s create justice together for all survivors. Writing from behind bars but still free.”
By signing and sharing Jessica and Jordan Hampton’s Petition, we are demanding the judge and prosecutors to examine the entirety of their trauma as it relates to their sentence and the resources they rightfully deserve.
Judge Toko Serita on the Human Trafficking Court in Queens. Judge Toko Serita is an active Asian American advocate on and off the bench and has been played a prominent role in changing the scope of human trafficking in New York. Her groundbreaking work has been recognized as playing an integral role in supporting incarcerated survivors and continues to expand on a national and global scale.
Write a letter to a survivor. In support of survivors like Tiffany, Jessica and Jordan, you can write a letter! A team will review the letter to be sure it is ready to send and may ask for minor revisions if needed. Once a survivor has gotten the letter from you, you two can decide how to communicate. ** Note: Parents or guardians will be informed of the letter when communicating with a minor.
About the Author
Porsche Smith is a biracial young woman who is a rising college freshman based in North Carolina. Her mission is to couple community involvement and psychology to impact the youth internationally. She believes the socioeconomic status of an individual should not limit their ability to receive adequate resources. When Porsche isn't challenging global systems today, she enjoys diving into self-care by engaging in Bible studies, appreciating nature’s beauty and coffee dates with friends.