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Dear Friend,  

Exciting things are happening this summer! First off, GEMS has premiered a new and entirely survivor-written Victim, Survivor, Leader training curriculum. We’ve been highlighting the great work that direct service providers can provide to victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking, and the trainings have been going really well. I feel incredibly proud to be co-facilitating a totally survivor-written curriculum about our Victim, Survivor, Leader model with two incredible survivor leaders.  

Last month, we celebrated the achievements of GEMS members who are participating in our Educational Initiative program. It was such a moving night, and I’m so proud of all of our girls who are furthering their education.  

GEMS also just selected six amazing candidates for our intensive, summer Youth Leadership program. Congrats to our members for making it through a tough selection process! I’m excited to see them learn and grow this summer, and their commitment to supporting their peers is really inspiring. They are the next generation of leaders!  

Big thanks to all who came out for End CSEC Day! It was a great day with a great turn out of supporters. It was good to see family and friends, meet new people, and, most important, to hear our young women share what it means to survive CSEC.   

As always, thank you so much for your support. We couldn’t do it without you!  

Sincerely,
  

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director  

Community Outreach

 New, Survivor-Written Training Curriculum!
GEMS Founder and Executive Director, along with the Survivor Leadership Coordinator Sheila White and Youth Outreach Worker Tiffany Rivera, premiered a new, entirely survivor-written Victim, Survivor, Leader training curriculum for direct service providers. This curriculum, funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, is based on two foundational principles that shape and guide all of GEMS’ work: survivor leadership and “transformational relationships,” which have been proven necessary for effective youth development.   

Sheila says, “It’s so important for service providers to understand that CSEC survivors need to move beyond being victims, and not keep survivors in that box. Survivors need to be presented with the opportunity to take on leadership roles and be able to build confidence from their natural talents and strengths.”  

“CSEC victims can be made to feel like criminals if they are only provided housing with lots of rules,” says Tiffany. “To break the cycle, to get out of the life, victims need real services, and they need to be able to have enough independence to test the waters.” The training recognizes that relapse is a normal part of recovery.  

This new curriculum helps agencies already experienced in working with commercially sexually exploited youth to enhance their services by examining programming from a survivor’s perspective, understanding the effectiveness and necessity of survivor empowerment, and learning to engage youth through direct service techniques like motivational interviewing.   

A Victim, Survivor, Leader training manual will be available in the next few months!   

Crucial Publication 
Interested in finding out more about how the law can help trafficking victims? Check out Rachel’s piece, coauthored with Katherine Mullen from the Legal Aid Society, called ”The Passage of the Safe Harbor Act and the Voices of Sexually Exploited Youth” in the Lawyer’s Manual on Human Trafficking, which was put together by outspoken allies to educate and equip lawyers and others working in the legal system to find justice for trafficking victims.  

Highlights & Happenings

Member Spotlight
Samantha came to GEMS in 2001 and was part of the program for several years, struggling with stability and exiting the commercial sex industry. GEMS maintained contact with Samantha and never stopped telling her that she was loved and precious, and that we believed in her ability to recover and heal. Last year, Samantha re-engaged as a full member and enrolled in the Educational Initiatives (EI) program.In this year’s EI ceremony, Samantha was honored for obtaining her Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assistant, and she is enrolling at the Borough of Manhattan Community College to work toward a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. A caring, enthusiastic, and energetic person, Samantha is also one of the six candidates in this summer’s intensive Youth Leadership program. 

Samantha always brings a positive attitude, and is very interested in deepening her knowledge about her nursing degree and the intersections of social systems and their impact on CSEC. She is a tremendous role model! 

Youth Leadership 
The seven-week version of the Youth Leadership program began this month! Six GEMS members are meeting twice a week and participating in a concurrent internship to develop public-speaking and community-organizing skills through outreach, events, advocacy, and media work to serve the national movement to end CSEC as peer mentors and community educators. 

GEMS’ Youth Outreach Coordinator Kalima DeSuze has worked closely with GEMS’ Family Court Advocacy Coordinator to enhance this intensive program.  

New Groups for Members 
This summer, GEMS is kicking off a number of new groups, including Act Out, where members have the opportunity to experiment with and learn more about acting; and a radio-recording workshop, where participants listen to other radio shows that are produced by young people, learn the basics of recording and reporting for a radio show with digitial recorders and microphones, and get a CD with their recording to keep! Photo credit: Pixomar   

Graduation and Member Accomplishments 
June 30 was graduation day for GEMS’ participants in the Educational Initiative program, which provides financial incentives for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation to obtain their high school diplomas, GEDs, Associate’s degrees, and Bachelor’s degrees. We had such a great time celebrating each of our graduates and their amazing accomplishments! 

We are delighted to report that one of our members completed her certification to be a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, two completed requirements for medical assistant certification, five earned their GEDs, two graduated from high school, and seven more completed college semesters.  

Big thanks to the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center for hosting the celebration, and to spoken-word poets NeNe Ali and True Poetess for giving such inspiring performances!   

End CSEC Day 
We had a fantastic time in Central Park for our sixth annual End CSEC Day! Hundreds of people, including interested passersby and long-time supporters, stopped by to celebrate with the GEMS team as members and staff shared pieces they’d written on this year’s theme, Girls Like Us, highlighting the common ground that we all–survivors and allies alike–stand on. Shared pieces included powerful poems and stories, a beautiful a capella song, and striking posters made by members. Thank you to all who came out; we hope to see you again next year!   

Shout Out to Staff!  
Shout out to Youth Development Coordinator Karen Zaremba and Youth Outreach Worker Tysheena Rhames for their hard work to support the Educational Initiatives program! You’re doing such inspiring work!

 GEMS in the News

“Seattle’s Sex-Trafficking Problem Brought to Light”  

- South Seattle Beacon  

“Sex Trafficking of Americans: The Girls Next Door”  

- VanityFair.com  

“Countrywide Efforts Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking”  

- GenEllynPatch.com  

“Is the Media Reporting on Human Trafficking Accurately?”    

- SocialJusticeUSA.org  

“Broad Stage to Host Human Rights Watch Benefit”  

- LATimes.com

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Dear Friend,

Summer is almost finally here! I had an amazing time in L.A. reading from Girls Like Us with Annette Bening, Minnie Driver, and Taraji P. Henson for Human Rights Watch–talk about a pinch-myself moment!–but I’ve got to say it’s good to be back home with the GEMS team.

Allies in the anti-trafficking movement have made major strides in bills and laws across the nation. Let’s congratulate Missouri, Vermont, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia for comprehensive human trafficking laws! Also, Georgia and Tennessee‘s new laws have critical Safe Harbor components.

Be sure to sign the petition to help Hawai’i get its very first human trafficking laws, and take a few seconds to fill out this online form to send a letter to your senator to support the Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2011!

Thanks to all who contributed their gorgeous pictures to our Mother’s Day music video. Everyone here loved the photos! Plus, thank you to all who continue to raise money for GEMS girls by downloading “This Is to Mother You,” featuring Mary J. Blige, Sinead O’Connor, and GEMS own Martha B!

And Father’s Day is just a few days away. Let’s join A Call to Men in urging NYPD Commissioner Kelly to end demand in NYC, and give a gift of Girls Like Us to a man in your life! GEMS is

so proud of all the great men who are allies in our cause!

Finally, if you’re in the New York area, we hope to see you for End CSEC Day this Saturday (June 18) in Central Park!

Thank you for your ongoing support. GEMS couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

Community Outreach

Vacating Convictions in Action

New York’s Vacating Convictions Law is officially in action! A Queens judge has applied this law for the first time to clear prostitution and drug possession convictions for a victim of sex trafficking.

Judge Toko Serita wrote, “The defendant has provided a very compelling narrative of the circumstances surrounding all of her arrests, demonstrating that they were the product of years of brutal physical, psychological, and sexual violence by her husband, which resulted in having been trafficked by him.”

Though the defendant had escaped her husband in 2005, her criminal record continued to re-victimize her. The judge’s decision to wipe the defendant’s record signals huge progress in how the courts view victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking.

Courageous GEMS Members, Progressive Law Enforcement

We are so proud of two of our members who recently took actions against their traffickers: one testified for a grand jury and another wrote an empowering”victim statement,” where she

acknowledged to her former trafficker that what he did to her was wrong and she would not allow it to keep her from excelling in her life.

To help GEMS staff build members’ confidence in testifying, the Manhattan ADA and an accompanying social worker met with GEMS’ Clinical Director and direct service staff to discuss how traffickers are prosecuted, the process of testifying in front of a grand jury, and what a potential trial looks like. GEMS members shared their experiences with law enforcement and highlighted how important being listened to is–rather than solely being fast-tracked to prosecuting traffickers. The ADA reiterated his dedication to helping victims and recognized the importance of GEMS’ work. We’re energized by this partnership!

Highlights & Happenings

Diamond of the Month

We are happy to announce that Sasha is our June Diamond of the Month! Sasha became a GEMS member last year and is a resident in GEMS’ Transitional Independent Housing (TIL) program. Like many GEMS members, her previous experiences taught her to keep others at a distance. Since her arrival at GEMS, she has committed to her healing process and deserves all the credit for her growth; she is constantly putting forth her best effort, is always honest, and is motivated daily to realize her best self. She recently began classes in a GED program, and her commitment to developing safe, trusting relationships is evident in her daily engagement in GEMS programming. She has also done an excellent job of reaching out to positive sources of support when she deems necessary. Her determination to realize her potential is an inspiration; we are so proud of her ongoing effort and how far she has come!

End CSEC Day

GEMS’ annual End CSEC Day event is this Saturday! On June 18, at the Merchant’s Gate Park 59th Street entrance to Central Park, games and readings to educate the public and come together as a community will take place from 11 am to 4 pm. GEMS members and staff will be reading stories and poems, flyers with facts about CSEC will be distributed, and GEMS will conduct quizzes on facts about CSEC throughout the day for candy prizes!

GEMS will display members’ posters that represent what CSEC means to them, GEMS merchandise will be available for purchase, and there will be awards for the best participants in the day’s events. This gathering is free and open to the public; bring your family and friends!

Special Member Screening

GEMS members watched a special prerelease film screening of Yelling to the Sky, and debut filmmaker Victoria Mahoney conducted an intimate Q&A session. The girls were eager to discuss filmmaking and art, and for the surprise visit visit from Zoë Kravitz, who stars in the film! The screening kicked off GEMS members’ film screening series, which Alexandra Roxo is conducting.

This Month’s Museum Trips for Members

Visiting the American Folk Art Museum really resonated with members, as a lot of women were featured in the recent quilting exhibition, and the girls made folk art self-portraits in a special workshop. At the Museum of Modern Art, members got a private tour with one of the museum educators on German expressionists. Everyone had a great time!

Dignity U Wear

GEMS is grateful for an ongoing partnership with Dignity U Wear: Brand New Clothes for a Brand New Life, which has been donating never-before-worn casual and professional clothes to GEMS members for job interviewing and attending job fairs.

Community Partnerships

GEMS members have been having so much fun during their monthly “Girls Night In” with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Delta Omega Chapter! The sorority also donated proceeds from a screening at Long Island University to GEMS.

Philanthropic Student Group Wins Award

Cornell’s student group SASSY recently won two awards! The Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Award helped fund the GEMS training for their local law enforcement community, and the Program Showcase Award recognizes the group’s exceptional educational programs about CSEC.

Shout Out to Staff!

GEMS is thrilled to have hired a new Youth Outreach Coordinator, Kalima DeSuze. Welcome to the team, Kalima! Also, GEMS’ Transitional Independent Living intern Tajia

Haynes and Criminal Court Advocacy Coordinator Zena Watson have been doing great work as social work interns. Thanks for your hard work, everybody!

GEMS in the News

“Seattle’s Sex-Trafficking Problem Brought to Light”

- South Seattle Beacon

“Sex Trafficking of Americans: The Girls Next Door”

- VanityFair.com

“Countrywide Efforts Raise Awareness of Human Trafficking”

- GenEllynPatch.com

“Is the Media Reporting on Human Trafficking Accurately?”

- SocialJusticeUSA.org

“Broad Stage to Host Human Rights Watch Benefit”

- LATimes.com

Greetings! April has been a whirlwind month! I am sending this message from the west coast, where for the last week I have been having conversations about the importance of survivor- and community-led organizing and activism. These conversations have reinforced the GEMS principle that the only way to end the commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of girls and young women is to address the issues that perpetuate them, including racism, poverty, police brutality, and other forms of violence and oppression. And we must ensure that the most impacted, the most marginalized, are leading the fight!

I’m happy to report that at the end of last month, GEMS members and staff met with NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly to talk about importance of better training for the NYPD on

the needs of CSEC victims. The GEMS team killed it! The experience proved once again how important survivor advocacy is.  Read more below.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I hope you’ll consider purchasing the GEMS anthem, “This Is to Mother You,” featuring GEMS member Martha B, Mary J Blige, and Sinead O’Connor. The song is a great way to support our members’ accomplishments, raise awareness, and support GEMS!

Thank you for supporting the girls and young women we are proud to serve. While I’m traveling around the country for the Girls Like Us book tour, I am so honored to be meeting other allies just like you. We couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

Community Outreach

Meeting with Commissioner Kelly
GEMS’ members and staff met with Commissioner Kelly last month and shared their experiences with the NYPD. On her own experiences with police, GEMS’ Survivor Leadership Coordinator Sheila said, “As a child, you have this belief that if you call 911, police will help you. Instead, when I was in the life, they were propositioning you for sex, using you, abusing you. It shatters your world. And it reinforces the bond that you have with this pimp, because he is telling you that he is the only person who can help you.”

The Commissioner acknowledged that the NYPD needs better training when interacting with victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking and said that a special police unit on trafficking is in the making. Keeping in mind how training videos have sensitized the NYPD to the needs of victims of domestic violence, the Commissioner also called for a CSEC training video, produced by survivors, to educate the police on the specific needs of victims of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking.

Dorchen A. Leidholdt, Director of the Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services at the Sanctuary for Families, who was also at the meeting with international CSE survivors, is hopeful about the outcomes of the meeting. Says Leidholdt, “I hope that he [the Commissioner] will use this new found knowledge to develop a comprehensive response to human trafficking that prioritizes investigations of traffickers, curtails demand by arresting sex industry buyers, and stops revictimizing victims by arresting people for prostitution, given the undeniable fact that many if not most have been subjected to exploitation and abuse, including trafficking.”

The GEMS team reports that the meeting was empowering: the Commissioner was clearly moved by the survivors’ testimonies, and he let everyone know that he was taking their stories seriously. This is a huge step forward in how law enforcement treats victims of CSEC and domestic trafficking, and we’ll keep you posted on the outcomes!

Educating the Courts

The Gender Fairness Committees of New York County Courts in conjunction with the New York Women’s Bar Association and the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association screened Very Young Girls to a packed house of judges and lawyers at the New York County Supreme Court. GEMS’ Clinical Director presented at the panel discussion that followed the screening alongside representatives from the Sex Crimes Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and from the Sanctuary for Families.

GEMS Members’ T-shirts on Display

To mark National Crime Victims’ Week, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office organized events with local service agencies. GEMS members made t-shirts for the Clothesline Project, which were on display all week at the Bronx Museum to promote awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), an often overlooked form of violence against women.

Celebrating Mother’s Day

The brainchild of Sinead O’Connor, who asked GEMS member Martha B to re-record with her and Mary J Blige, “This Is to Mother You” expresses this simple promise to vulnerable children worldwide: You may not see us, but we see you. And we will love and care for you. Buy the song here!

Highlights & Happenings

Diamond of the Month

We are proud to name Anna as April’s Diamond of the Month. A long-time member, Anna has recently reengaged with GEMS and is now an active presence at GEMS. She regularly participates in groups, and we are so thankful for how she has been mentoring other members, particularly those who have also been mandated through the Alternative to Incarceration program. Anna is a great role model and is smart, upbeat, and continues to make girls new to the agency feel comfortable. She is a shining example of the GEMS saying, Once a member, always a member! She has continued to connect with the GEMS family as she transitions into independent adulthood. Anna is an inspiration!

Girls Night Out

GEMS members received donated tickets to head out in style to Good Housekeeping’s SHINE ON: Celebrating Women Making History on April 12. The girls got a shout out from host Rebecca Romijn during this star-studded event and watched Eve perform, Meryl Streep present, and Frangela do stand up. All proceeds benefited the National Women’s History Museum, and the girls had a great time!

New Group for Members

The Educational Initiative (EI) group is a new facet of the EI Program, which provides members with incentives for taking the next step in their education. Designed to offer therapeutic support, this group will help EI participants brainstorm and support each other while tackling the challenges that come with enrolling in school, navigating financial aid, interacting with professors, and more.

Tragedy and Awareness

Nationwide news sources have been covering the story of the Long Island serial killer who has tragically murdered ten young women and possibly a child, at least four of whom the media has identified as “prostitutes” or “Craigslist escorts.” While these news stories have helped to raise awareness about how commercially sexually exploited girls and young women are so much more likely than their non-prostituted counterparts to be murdered, numerous questions about these victims have arisen: Does society view these women and girls as real victims? Listen to the full interview with Rachel here.

Woman of Achievement

The Bronx County Gender Fairness Committee and the Bronx Women’s Bar Association gave Rachel the Women of Achievement Award! The program for this Women’s History Month celebration was dedicated to recognizing outstanding women who are fostering positive change in their community and worldwide.

GEMS in the News

News

“Five Books for Mothers, and Others”

- USAToday.com

“Girls Like Us: The Hidden Story of Human Sex Trafficking in America”

- TakePart.com

“Sex Trafficking in the U.S. Called ‘Epidemic’”

- WashingtonTimes.com

“What About American Girls Sold on the Streets?”

- NYTimes.com

“The Complexities of Sex Trafficking, and Some Simple Solutions”

- COLORLINES.com

“Escaping the Sex Trafficking Industry”

- Alternet.org

“A Girl Like Rachel Lloyd”

- TheHuffingtonPost.com

“Review of Rachel Lloyd’s New Book Girls Like Us–Girls Like Us Book Review”

– MarieClaire.com

“Not Oprah’s Book Club: Girls Like Us”

- Feministing.com

Media

“Activist Rachel Lloyd on ‘Inside City Hall’“

- NY1.com

“Rachel Lloyd: Girls Like Us | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR”

- TheDianeRehmShow.org

Happy Spring!  Despite the snow (!) we’ve been getting in NYC the last few days, everyone here at GEMS is filled with hope and excitement about the upcoming months and several of the great changes we’ve recently made.

After a thorough renovation, our new office is up and running!  For the last 10 years, the GEMS office has been a home for the girls and young women we serve, and we are excited to bless the revamped space with new memories and the people who make the office a home.  Through the generosity of Perkins + Will Design firm and our many in-kind donors, GEMS’ drop-in space perfectly reflects the great beauty and worth of every young woman and girl who walks through our doors!

And, we’re excited about the release of my memoir, Girls Like Us, which will be out in in less than two weeks on April 5th. The book is a love letter to the girls and young women we serve and will educate the public about CSEC and domestic trafficking.  I hope you have an opportunity to get a copy and pass it along to your friends and family!

During this season of new beginnings, I want to thank you so much for standing beside GEMS and our girls and young women on an ongoing basis. We simply couldn’t do it all without your support!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

Community Outreach

GEMS Members Advocate for Homeless and Runaway Youth
GEMS’ staff and youth leaders went up to Albany on March 10th to advocate against the proposed cuts to runaway and homeless youth funding.  The agency has a long-standing commitment to survivor and youth leadership and advocacy; it’s what GEMS was founded on and it is at the heart of all our programming. We are so incredibly proud of our young women who are standing up for themselves and their peers.  Please stand by us in opposing these cuts, which would severely limit services for homeless and runaway youth, by signing this petition.

Rachel Serves on Panel about Sex Trafficking in New York

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Rachel Lloyd participated in a forum addressing the prosecution of traffickers and how to end the demand that fuels this industry.  The panel included Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist, Honorable Fernando Camacho, Queens County Administrative Judge for Criminal Matters, Dorchen A. Leidholdt, Legal Director, Sanctuary for Families, Jonas Trolle, Detective Inspector, Stockholm Police, Human Trafficking Unit and GEMS’ own Founder and Executive Director, Rachel Lloyd.  A Women’s Media Center writer in the audience shared via twitter, “Rachel is the power voice tonight. Speaking boldly for the young women she works with.”

Increasing Awareness

Eighty female students age 12 to 15 attended two screenings of Very Young Girls at Middle School 254. The documentary provoked a lively discussion with the student audience. As the school’s counselor requested, GEMS is planning an additional screening for parents in April.

Educational Initiative

This year’s Educational Initiative Program ceremony, which honors members who have taken the next step in their education, celebrated our members impressive educational accomplishments.  Four girls received special achievement awards for going above and beyond expectations this school year. And, GEMS is proud to announce that twenty-seven girls are enrolled in school this spring semester, and twenty-two more registered. The agency wants to extend a special thanks to Knoll for donating their amazing space and catering such delicious food, and to Dani Evans, winner of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 6, who was the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

Highlights & Happenings

Our Newly Renovated Space

Before

After

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 10th, GEMS celebrated the opening of its completely renovated office space. In attendance were GEMS’ community partners, supporters, and staff, including representatives of the more than forty vendors who donated close to 1,100 hours of volunteer time and $170,000 of in-kind donations.

The new space’s therapeutic lighting, colors, and design are enhancing the spectrum of services that GEMS provides its members.   The new office is now flooded with natural light, bright accent walls, and inspiring pictures of the organizations’ members who have gone on to achieve great things. Uplifting quotes and a chalkboard for on-the-fly art personalize the space and increase the healing, homey feeling the space exudes.  We are so proud of the transformation!

Girls Like Us: Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not For Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself
In her riveting memoir, Rachel shares her own story and those of the many girls like her, exposing the realities of the commercial sexual exploitation of girls in America, and reminding us that the trafficking doesn’t just happen in other places. Told with clarity, humanity, and insight, Girls Like Us is a call to arms to help empower the young women GEMS serves everyday.  You can pre-order a copy here.

Events and Groups for Members

We are adding some exciting events to our schedule for members, including a visit to the Museum of American Folk Art, original jewelry design with Bethany, weekly Poetry 4 Power workshops, and weekly hair care and styling lessons from a professional stylist.

Recent Member Accomplishments

GEMS has been working closely with Sidney, who will be released from a juvenile detention facility this month. Sidney has grown tremendously.  She is more conscious of the healthy and unhealthy relationships in her life, has reconnected with her family in a positive way, and is a role model for other girls in the facility. She maintains a job in the facility and recently passed her science Regents exam. Upon her release, she attend weekly group and individual sessions at GEMS as she continues to make meaningful changes in her new life.  Way to go, Sidney!

GEMS in the News

News

“The Dignifying Power of Design”

- Feministing.com

“Child Sex Trade Subject of Washington Heights Forum and Film Screening”

- Dnainfo.com

Contact: Samantha Choy

212.207.7582

samantha.choy@harpercollins.com

GIRLS LIKE US

Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not for Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself

RACHEL LLOYD

“Lloyd’s passionate, persuasive arguments for recognition and protection give a voice to the thousands of girls all around us who work and suffer in near invisibility.” –Elle

“Powerfully raw, deeply moving, and utterly authentic. Rachel Lloyd has turned a personal atrocity into triumph and is nothing less than a true hero. Exposing the complexities of ‘the life,’ she takes you inside a world most prefer to pretend doesn’t exist, and puts you front and center with the realities of the commercial sex industry and the modern day slave trade right here in America. Never again will you look at young girls on the street as one of ‘those’ women—you will only see little girls that are girls just like us.”

— Demi Moore, actress and activist

“This book will burn a hole in your heart. The beauty of Rachel Lloyd’s searing memoir is how she exorcises the pain of her own troubled girlhood by connecting with hundreds of young women on a brutal path. The truth and power of her writing takes us to a place where common humanity becomes the ultimate healer.”

— Mira Nair, director of The Namesake

At thirteen, Rachel Lloyd found herself spiraling into a life of abuse as a victim of commercial sexual exploitation.  Eventually, Lloyd was able to escape “the life”—but as the founder of GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), a groundbreaking non-profit programs that helps girls and young women, ages 12-21, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking, Lloyd knows all too well that her success story is the exception. In her astonishingly frank memoir, Girls Like Us: Fighting for a World Where Girls Are Not for Sale, an Activist Finds Her Calling and Heals Herself (Harper; April 5, 2011; $24.99 hardcover), Lloyd bravely tells of her own ordeal as a sexually exploited girl, and shares stories from her tireless work with other subjugated girls, drawing much-needed attention to the largely misunderstood epidemic of the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the U.S.

“When I tell people that the agency that I run serves over three hundred girls a year in the New York City metro area alone who’ve been trafficked for sexual purposes, they’ve invariably stunned,” Lloyd writes. “When I tell them that the girls and young women we serve are predominately U.S. citizens, their shock and sympathy turn to utter incomprehension… It’s often not until I explain that this phenomenon is what is commonly called ‘teen prostitution’ that recognition dawns. ‘Oh, that … but that’s different. Teen prostitutes choose to be doing that; aren’t they normally on drugs or something?’ In under three minutes, they’ve gone from sympathy to confusion to blame. Not because the issue is different, not because the violence isn’t real, not because the girls aren’t scared, but simply because borders haven’t been crossed, simply because the victims are American.”

Yet, as Lloyd eloquently and powerfully argues in Girls Like Us, the adolescents caught up in the commercial sex industry did not “choose” the life, and their past circumstances, often involving substance abuse, family abuse, and poverty, in no way mitigate their exploitation. Growing up in Britain, Lloyd herself dropped out of school at age thirteen to help support her alcoholic, and suicidal, mother. Escaping to Germany, she began working as a “hostess” in a strip club and became involved with an abusive and controlling man who was essentially her pimp. She expertly dissects the relationship between girls and their pimps, examining the psychological and emotional dependency these predators engender in their young victims. She boldly indicts the “system”—from johns to cops to the judicial system to the media—and the double standards it propagates about teen prostitution. (She points out, for example, that until recently in New York State a girl couldn’t legally consent to sex until she was seventeen, yet girls considerably younger were routinely charged and convicted for soliciting sex while the true perpetrators—the pimps and johns who are exploiting children—often went free.)

In addition to her own harrowing story, Lloyd shares many equally troubling stories from the girls with whom she works—stories steeped in physical and psychological abuse, and even rape. The girls that Lloyd helps through GEMS are as young as eleven, already in the life at a time when most children are still watching Disney movies. Though victims by any reasonable standard, she has discovered that these girls are rarely taken seriously by the system, their experiences of victimization shrugged off because of their race or economic backgrounds. While the media will pounce on a story involving a white middle-class girl abducted from the suburbs, countless minority girls disappear under similar circumstances and resurface on the streets with little or not attention paid to their plights.

By daring to share her own story and those of many girls like her, Rachel Lloyd opens our eyes to the shocking realities of the commercial sexual exploitation of girls in America, reminding us that the trafficking of children is not merely a Third World problem. Told with clarity, humanity, and insight, Girls Like Us is a call to arms to help empower these young women, so they can escape their abusers and save their lives.

About the Author

Rachel Lloyd is the founder and executive director of Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS) She earned her BA in psychology from Marymount Manhattan College, and an MA in applied urban anthropology from the City College of New York.  She has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Reebok Human Rights Award.  Lloyd is an Ashoka Fellow and a Prime Mover Fellow, and was a leading advocate for the Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act, which makes New York the first state to protect, not prosecute, sexually exploited children.  She lives in New York City.

Visit www.gems-girls.org for more information

GIRLS LIKE US

By Rachel Lloyd

Harper | On-sale April 5, 2011 | $24.99 hardcover | ISBN: 978-0-06-158205-9 | 288 pages

January has been another inspiring and productive month here at GEMS!

I recently conducted a special survivor-focused train-the-trainer training for GEMS’ Youth Outreach Workers. As survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking, GEMS’ Youth Outreach workers are key in the education and training of the public about this issue–it’s absolutely critical for trainees to understand the perspectives of survivors in order to address gaps in services and erase stigma.  This training was tremendously motivating to me personally.  I am reminded of how much work there is still to be done, and how lucky GEMS is to have a group of thoughtful, talented young women committed to doing it.

I am so excited about GEMS’ upcoming Valentine’s Day Campaign: I Love GEMS!  While people usually associate the holiday with flowers, cards and candy, here at GEMS that day is about real love and what that means.  I hope you will join us in this campaign to spread awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of girls and young women by sharing why you love GEMS!

As always, thank you so much for your ongoing support of GEMS’ mission and the girls and young women we serve.  Our supporters make it all happen!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

Community Outreach

Show GEMS Some Love This

Valentine’s Day

GEMS is kicking off our annual Valentine’s Day Campaign this year: I Love GEMS!  Stay tuned on Facebook, Twitter and the Council of Daughters for action ideas; inspiring words from members, staff and supporters; and opportunities to talk about CSEC and domestic trafficking with the people you love.

Screenings with Big Brothers Big Sisters

On January 10th, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC hosted a screening Very Young Girls for the “Bigs” in their program to educate them on the issues of CSEC and domestic trafficking.  A GEMS representative spoke after the screening offered suggestions on ways to get more involved.  If you’d like to host a screening, please click here.

Highlights & Happenings

GEMS Holds Third Annual HIV/AIDS Awareness Week

HIV/AIDS Awareness Week was founded to honor the memory of a GEMS member who passed away in 2008 from AIDS. Organized by GEMS’ Youth Outreach Team, the event educates the girls and young women we serve about HIV/AIDS, and offers them information on protecting themselves, HIV/AIDS testing, and resources for HIV positive people.  Each year the event has a theme, and  this year the team focused on HIV positive women.  GEMS members created books to illustrate how HIV affects women and children in the United States.  Members also wrote an engaging play about transmission and prevention.  The play was interactive, and members had an opportunity to step into parts of the performance and explore options on how they can protect themselves with the cast.  Sheila, a GEMS Youth Outreach worker said, “It’s beneficial, this week helps girls think twice about their decisions in relationships with men.  They know that they can still have a life, but can live it safely.”

POETRY 4 POWER

GEMS hosted a Poetry 4 Power workshop last month, which focused on how girls and women can utilize poetry to empower themselves.  After the two spoken word poets shared powerful performances, GEMS members each wrote their own moving poetry and shared it with the group.  This workshop was so inspirational that one of our GEMS members has gone on to read her own work at three open mic nights!

Meet Glory

Glory is a certified therapy dog.  She visits the GEMS office weekly with our licensed clinical psychologist and is an expert at providing affection, comfort and attention to the girls and young women we serve.

Member Spotlights

One of GEMS’ diamonds this month is Gwen.  Gwen lives in GEMS’ Imani House with her one-year-old daughter.  She holds a full-time retail position and her daughter is enrolled in daycare.  Gwen courageously testified against her trafficker and her testimony played an integral role in the judge’s handing down of a significant sentence.  As a former participant in GEMS’ Alternative To Incarceration program, Gwen is often seen mentoring a new GEMS member or giving advice from the perspective of someone who can relate to what another member is facing. Gwen is proof of the incredible courage and compassion of GEMS members!

Marybeth was a GEMS member and resident who successfully moved into to her own apartment in 2009 is now a Human Resources manager.  She continues to keep a sharp focus on her goals which includes going to college, and becoming an active advocate in the human trafficking field.  We are so proud of all that she has already accomplished!

GEMS in the News

News

Five Innovative Ways to Protect Young Victims of the Sex Trade

- Theglobeandmail.com

Christmas is just a couple of days away!  As you know, this holiday can be tough for the girls and young women we serve.  A day that emphasizes gathering together to celebrate with friends and family can be difficult when you are working on rebuilding these relationships, if they even exist.  And yet, I am also conscious of how beautiful this season can be when I witness people giving generously from their hearts.

The gift of being able to help another person in need has profoundly changed my life.  I founded GEMS because I saw young women and girls who needed consistent compassionate support in order to exit the commercial sex industry and reclaim their lives.

More than thirteen years later, after spending this time with the girls we serve, with supporters, with volunteers and with colleagues in the field, I continue to be humbled by everyone’s gifts of generosity.  Over the years, girls have comforted each other with their support and encouragement, volunteers have helped GEMS with their time and expertise, and numerous people have invested in GEMS’ mission with financial assistance and by donating much-needed items.  While the people outlined in this newsletter represent only a fraction of the friends who have sustained us over the years, I wanted to highlight a few of the ways people support GEMS.

GEMS could never have gotten to where we are without the help of our larger community.  If you’ve made a contribution to GEMS this year, I want to thank you on behalf of everyone here.  And if you haven’t yet, and would like to help, please know that your support will help get us to where we are going!

Thank you for all you do to ensure that GEMS can make a difference.  Warmest holiday wishes to you!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

2010 Giving

Fulfilling Wishes for Girls and Young Women

Did you know that you can buy gifts for the girls and young women we serve by purchasing items directly from GEMS’ Target Wish List?  The wish list is filled with critical personal items like toiletries and pajamas, as well as art supplies for projects and household items for our safe homes.  When you buy items from GEMS’ Target Wish List you are ensuring that the girls and young women we serve are having their basic needs met.

Sustaining GEMS

GEMS is particularly grateful for our monthly supporters.  These committed friends have made an agreement to have a gift of any amount charged to their credit card, which helps sustain GEMS’ work on an ongoing basis.  When you give to GEMS monthly you help create a secure foundation for the work that we do.  As one anonymous monthly supporter recently put it, “By giving monthly, I am able to support GEMS in a bigger way than if I made a one-time gift.  It feels good to know that I am helping girls all year long!”  If you’d like learn how to make a long-term investment in GEMS’ work, please click here.

Shopping with A Purpose

Ateba Crocker, CEO and Founder of Shoe Revolt is donating 50% of her company’s profits from this year’s inventory to GEMS. And, there are shoes for sale that have been designed by GEMS members!  100% of the profits from those designs goes to GEMS’ educational scholarship fund. “Shoe Revolt’s goal is to revolt against this injustice by fighting for the victims.” said Ateba about her commitment.  Click here to check out the shoes designed by GEMS’ members.

Donating Time and Expertise

Gio Maletti attended a screening of Very Young Girls in November and he was so moved, he called the GEMS offices the very next morning with an offer to make a television PSA about CSEC, domestic trafficking and GEMS.  Gio said “I’d realized what the problem was at an intellectual level, but it hadn’t stirred me to act yet. The documentary changed that. We’re trying to bring the same emotional realization to a broader public, and stir them to act too.”

Making a Difference Every Day

Jessica was 20-years-old when she first came to GEMS as a member.  Several years later and a semester away from completing her Associate’s Degree, she reconnected with a staff member to find out if there were any openings at the agency.  She was offered a job and said yes immediately.  Reflecting on her position at GEMS, Jessica said “…seeing successful survivors was what convinced me that there was hope when I was a member.  Coming back to GEMS feels like a privilege.  I am happy to give back to the organization that gave me my life back.”

Highlights & Happenings

Free Sara Kruzan

Sixteen-year-old human trafficking victim Sara Kruzan was sentenced to life in prison without parole when, in a desperate act to escape captivity, she shot her pimp.  Now 32 years old, and a model inmate, Sara is a resilient, compassionate and brave woman who could make significant contributions to society. Throughout her incarceration, she has earned an education, served as a mentor to other incarcerated young women and was named Prisoner of the Year by the correctional officers. GEMS is advocating for Gov. Schwarzenegger to grant Sara clemency, sending a message to trafficking victims that their lives matter and that they are not forgotten.  Click here to sign the petition to encourage the Governor to grant her clemency.

Member Spotlight

After completing her Alternative to Incarceration programing with GEMS, Gina found a great job as an Outreach Worker with the HEAT program, which educates NYC youth about HIV/AIDS, STIs, sexual and reproductive health and healthy relationships.  Gina is a significant source of support and inspiration for other GEMS members. We are so proud of her!

This past month has been another exciting one for GEMS!  We welcomed GEMS’ new Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Ada Vasquez, a scholar and psychologist who has dedicated her professional career to political and community activism.  I look forward to introducing her to our dedicated community of supporters and partners in the coming months and I’m thrilled to have her on board to help us further our missions and goals.

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

GEMS Community Outreach

Keep GEMS in mind for the holidays!

The holiday season is quickly approaching! It’s a great time to bring people together for a purpose. Here are some ideas from fellow supporters to raise awareness among your friends and colleagues.

If you are planning a dinner party, screening event, tabling or flyering activity, we would love to hear from you! Share your ideas and plans with GEMS by e-mailing jenny@gems-girls.org.

Training & Survivor Leadership
Training Medical Professionals

Medical professionals frequently come into contact with victims of CSEC and domestic trafficking but often miss the signs.  GEMS recently partnered with ECPAT-USA to create a survivor-informed training video for medical professionals.  Five GEMS staffers, who are also survivors, recorded their experiences in medical environments.  The moments that these young women were being seen by emergency room personnel, nurses, general practitioners, and gynecologists were all pivotal points-moments when someone could have intervened and offered them options.  Dana, a GEMS staff person who participated in the video said, “I hope this video will have a lasting effect on medical professionals.  They come into contact with victims everyday in their profession and this video will help them learn best practices.  There are so many medical professionals who have missed out on opportunities to help trafficking victims.  If I can step in, and help them identify victims, they can help get more girls and young women the services they need.”  We are looking forward to seeing the final product in action!

Training Law Enforcement

The GEMS’ Training and Technical Assistance Department was invited to conduct two multi-day trainings and a one-day training in Washington State with Providence Intervention Center, Washington State ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force and the Seattle Police Department.  GEMS trainers were joined by Senior Attorney Justin Fitzsimmons from NDAA (National District Attorneys Association) and Sergeant Ryan Long of the Seattle Police Department who spoke on the importance of using victim-centered approaches to investigating CSEC cases.

Increasing Awareness Worldwide

Rachel Lloyd recently commented on the critical need for survivor voices in order to end CSEC at the United Nations launch of the Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons.  Check out the inspiring clip here; Rachel speaks at the 1:34:00 mark!

Highlights & Happenings

Highlights & Happenings

Welcoming Ada

GEMS is thrilled to introduce Dr. Ada Ivonne Vazquez as our new Deputy Executive Director!  Ada brings more than 20 years of experience as a service provider, senior manager, and administrative and clinical supervisor in the human services field.

A lifelong advocate for gender equality, she has devoted her career to addressing gender-based oppression and violence.

Of her experiences, Ada said, “As a clinician, I have worked with women from all walks of life, supporting them to find ways to foster their emotional and personal growth. As a senior manager, I have built professional and supportive environments where women can excel to their full capacity”.  Please join the GEMS team in welcoming Ada.  You will be hearing more from her in the future!

Survivors Changing the Conversation

A GEMS staff person and former member participated in St. John’s University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Center for Global Development symposium, “At Risk: A Symposium on Human Trafficking & Modern-Day Slavery” which focused on creating awareness on the issue and the impact it has throughout the world.

Happy Thanksgiving

The GEMS family is looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving together on November 24th!  The staff will be preparing some of our best culinary creations to share with GEMS members.

Recent Member Accomplishments

Since Lesley * has arrived at a residential facility, GEMS has been  impressed with her persistence, openness, and commitment to growth. She has chosen to empower herself through self-exploration, and participating in an open and honest dialogue about her life experiences. We are so proud of the way in which she has taken many difficult and important steps toward her healing.

She is also an excellent writer and is currently working on a book-length compilation of her stories and poems. Lesley consistently draws new conclusions and is able to locate herself in relation to important social issues that she now realizes she can one day impact in a positive way. Based upon the growth and motivation for change that she has displayed, we have no doubts in this possibility for her future!

GEMS In The News

Jay-Z Expresses Regrets Over “Big Pimpin’” Lyrics

In a recent interview Jay-Z said that “reading [the lyrics to Big Pimpin'] is really harsh” for him now. GEMS has been very vocal for years about holding the media and popular culture responsible for the glorification of pimp culture and the ways in which it contributes to the s recent announcement took a lot of commercial sexual exploitation of girls and young women.  Jay-Z’s courage and is a good solid step in the right direction.  Wouldn’t it be terrific if other musicians followed his lead?  Read Rachel Lloyd’s insightful article and call to action here.

Working to Convict More Traffickers

GEMS has been providing clinical support and encouragement to a member as she testifies against a Bronx utility worker who was charged with trafficking women on craigslist.  Convicting traffickers for their crimes is difficult, since victims are often too afraid to testify.  In addition, the experience of testifying in court could potentially re-traumatize a young person who has only recently escaped a violent and exploitive situation.  We commend our member and other victims who have had the bravery to provide the needed testimony to put their abusers behind bars.  And we are encouraged to see our local District Attorneys increasingly prosecuting traffickers and seeking maximum penalties, part of a growing trend nationwide.  For full details on the case, click here.

It’s great to be back!  This summer, I took my first sabbatical since founding GEMS more than 12 years ago.

I returned and hit the ground running, moderating the panel “Harnessing Survivor Leadership in Combating Demand” at Woodrow  Wilson International Center for Scholars. The survivor-led panel focused on panelists’ experiences as survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, their thoughts about gaps in policies and programs, particularly related to demand, and on the importance of survivor leadership in combating the demand for commercial sex.

I am proud of GEMS’ talented team of staff who led the agency in my absence!  I consider myself incredibly fortunate to work with such an amazing group of dedicated and passionate women who are committed to serving girls every day.  It’s been great to be back home at GEMS, catching up with our members and renewing my commitment to serving, supporting and advocating for commercially sexually exploited girls and young women.

I look forward to reconnecting with everyone in the coming months and updating you on the exciting things happening here at GEMS this fall.

As always, thank you for your ongoing commitment to GEMS’ mission.  Our supporters make all the difference!

Sincerely,

Rachel Lloyd
Founder & Executive Director

GEMS Community Outreach

Partnerships + Projects

Girls Are Not For Sale Campaign

GEMS has new Council of Daughters groups in Connecticut; Miami, Florida; Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Queens, New York; South  Florida; Toledo, Ohio; Virginia; and Washington, DC! Each group is led by a local team leader and is working to get the word out about the Girls Are Not For Sale campaign, raising awareness on the commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking of girls and young women.

Check the Council of Daughters site for new tools and resources.  There, you can find lots of ideas and resources for fundraising and building awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST).

New Partnerships

GEMS has launched an exciting new partnership with the Museum of Modern Art that includes private tours of MOMA, on-site art projects, and art discussions with GEMS members that complement the GEMS arts program.

On September 15th, the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security had a hearing on the Domestic Sex Trafficking and Deterrence and Victims Support Act of 2010 (H.R. 5575).  This bill addresses the urgent need for shelter and services specifically tailored to child sex trafficking victims. To support this important bill, go here.