Project Respect
Young women and men who are forced into prostitution have long been treated as criminals instead of the victims they are. A new CCYJ project, in partnership with YouthCare, will ensure a compassionate and consistent response to the exploitation of prostituted youth.
"We believe these victimized girls and boys need help and compassion, not the further victimization of arrest, incarceration and a return to the streets where they once again will be forced into commercial sex acts for the monetary gain of abusive pimps," says Bobbe Bridge.
"Unfortunately, there is currently no standard cross system, best practice or coordinated response for youth trying to escape prostitution," she explains. "Without such a standardized response and the training to implement it appropriately, law enforcement, the courts and other 'first responders' unintentionally perpetuate the problem and offer little hope to young victims."
Project Respect will develop a statewide model victim-centered response protocol along with training for first responders. This shift in the relationship between the justice system and youth will decrease arrests among victimized youth, reduce the number of youth who are forced to return to prostitution, and increase the prosecution of traffickers. The protocol will not only improve the lives of victimized youth throughout Washington State, but it will become a national model for easing the further traumatization of these vulnerable young girls and boys.