On Child Trafficking and Prostitution

I attended the annual meeting of the 4GIRLS non profit organization, which seeks to empower girls 11-13 to be strong, to lead.  The 4GIRLS organization takes its inspiration from the Women's Conference which is held annually in Long Beach.  Local resident and President, Claudia Copley had attended the Women's Conference for many years and, along with the rest of the board, seeks to make a difference in the lives of young girls at this most awkward, vulnerable time.  Last night, together with familiar faces Maria Gugerty, Cori Cauble and Rosemary Bakker they sought volunteers to help with their mission.  Caprice Rothe (of WackyCapNTrish) had some great ideas on learning to use the new gangly you... them...

As the conversation went...

It's a frightening thought to mothers of girls... that someone could pluck their daughters from the streets, keep them hostage and groom them for prostitution.  Or, as Pamela Sepulveda, a social worker and workshop leader at their flagship event, put it... Child Rape.  Because, if a child under 16 is groomed to be a prostitute, brainwashed into believing that is her path in life, she is still under 16.  And it is still Child Rape.

She explained to me that it happens here, in our very  own city, under our very own unobserving eyes.

I recalled a story here on Patch of a mother who let a stranger living in the same motel as she was, take her children to the corner store.  They didn't come back until several days later, when they turned up in some stranger's home miles away.  Perhaps you remember the story.  I wondered if that was such an attempt.

And today this: http://longbeach-ca.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/long-beach-mother-and-son-charged-with-sex-tr...

Really?

More about the 4GIRLS organization can be found here:
http://www.inspiration4girls.org/index.html

And on a lighter note:
Please like http://www.facebook.com/WackyCapNTrish.  Seventy Three people already like us... You can too!

Background
I've got a Road Trip I want to take with Caprice Rothe (Hands of E.T.).  We want to make things from San Francisco down to Long Beach, but it first requires that we win a car with the Fusion Energi Adventure game! Please Like WackyCapNTrish on Facebook and vote 10 points daily for our vacation!  AND if you like to make things and are in San Francisco or down the coast from there, please let us know on our facebook fan page!