[Music] victim testimony is about to begin
victim testimony is about to begin
victim testimony is about to begin inside a brightly lit Santa Barbara
inside a brightly lit Santa Barbara
inside a brightly lit Santa Barbara California courtroom seated at counsel
California courtroom seated at counsel
California courtroom seated at counsel table
table
table is the prosecutor the detective the
is the prosecutor the detective the
is the prosecutor the detective the defense attorney and the defendant he’s
defense attorney and the defendant he’s
defense attorney and the defendant he’s dressed in an orange jail suit smugly
dressed in an orange jail suit smugly
dressed in an orange jail suit smugly waiting for the victim to be escorted
waiting for the victim to be escorted
waiting for the victim to be escorted into the courtroom she was discovered
into the courtroom she was discovered
into the courtroom she was discovered some ten days earlier in a local motel
some ten days earlier in a local motel
some ten days earlier in a local motel room on a Thursday morning in October of
room on a Thursday morning in October of
room on a Thursday morning in October of 2014 the police had found an
2014 the police had found an
2014 the police had found an advertisement of what appeared to be an
advertisement of what appeared to be an
advertisement of what appeared to be an underage girl advertised on the Internet
underage girl advertised on the Internet
underage girl advertised on the Internet to anyone who was willing to purchase
to anyone who was willing to purchase
to anyone who was willing to purchase sex so they went to this motel room on a
sex so they went to this motel room on a
sex so they went to this motel room on a Main Street in our city situated between
Main Street in our city situated between
Main Street in our city situated between two upper-middle class neighborhoods and
two upper-middle class neighborhoods and
two upper-middle class neighborhoods and they contacted her she was in the lobby
they contacted her she was in the lobby
they contacted her she was in the lobby they showed her the picture and she said
they showed her the picture and she said
they showed her the picture and she said yeah that’s me and the pimp he’s up in
yeah that’s me and the pimp he’s up in
yeah that’s me and the pimp he’s up in room 208 and the police made chase and
room 208 and the police made chase and
room 208 and the police made chase and they got him and they arrested him and
they got him and they arrested him and
they got him and they arrested him and here we here he was today in the
here we here he was today in the
here we here he was today in the courtroom as the victim advocate for the
courtroom as the victim advocate for the
courtroom as the victim advocate for the District Attorney’s Office is Court the
District Attorney’s Office is Court the
District Attorney’s Office is Court the victim into the courtroom she climbs up
victim into the courtroom she climbs up
victim into the courtroom she climbs up onto the witness stand she settles in
onto the witness stand she settles in
onto the witness stand she settles in and she prepares to tell her story
not just a story of how she had gotten
not just a story of how she had gotten here today but she would tell her story
here today but she would tell her story
here today but she would tell her story about how she came into the life as a
about how she came into the life as a
about how she came into the life as a human trafficking
human trafficking
human trafficking victim the prosecutor is trying to set
victim the prosecutor is trying to set
victim the prosecutor is trying to set this up for the court it’s a preliminary
this up for the court it’s a preliminary
this up for the court it’s a preliminary hearing so the idea is to present enough
hearing so the idea is to present enough
hearing so the idea is to present enough evidence to believe that a felony was
evidence to believe that a felony was
evidence to believe that a felony was committed and he knew this was not going
committed and he knew this was not going
committed and he knew this was not going to be a small thing to prove to the
to be a small thing to prove to the
to be a small thing to prove to the court that this was a felony so he
court that this was a felony so he
court that this was a felony so he begins questioning her about the life
miss doe can you explain to the court
miss doe can you explain to the court what it means to be in the life in the
what it means to be in the life in the
what it means to be in the life in the game like you explained to the police
game like you explained to the police
game like you explained to the police well sure well that’s like when you’re
well sure well that’s like when you’re
well sure well that’s like when you’re doing dates for money and there’s rules
doing dates for money and there’s rules
doing dates for money and there’s rules and there’s people in charge and miss
and there’s people in charge and miss
and there’s people in charge and miss doe when you say people in charge who
doe when you say people in charge who
doe when you say people in charge who are you referring to
are you referring to
are you referring to well like the bottom like the bottoms in
well like the bottom like the bottoms in
well like the bottom like the bottoms in charge the bottom misto can you explain
charge the bottom misto can you explain
charge the bottom misto can you explain to the court what the bottom is well
to the court what the bottom is well
to the court what the bottom is well yeah like the bottom bitch she’s the one
yeah like the bottom bitch she’s the one
yeah like the bottom bitch she’s the one that keeps the other girls in lying in
that keeps the other girls in lying in
that keeps the other girls in lying in the stable she sometimes posts the ads
the stable she sometimes posts the ads
the stable she sometimes posts the ads she collects the money I see and is
she collects the money I see and is
she collects the money I see and is there more than one girl usually working
there more than one girl usually working
there more than one girl usually working well sure like there’s usually more than
well sure like there’s usually more than
well sure like there’s usually more than one girl working for the pimp like in
one girl working for the pimp like in
one girl working for the pimp like in the stable do you need me to break this
the stable do you need me to break this
the stable do you need me to break this down I’m sorry miss doe the court needs
down I’m sorry miss doe the court needs
down I’m sorry miss doe the court needs to understand this you all really should
to understand this you all really should
to understand this you all really should know this shit and she was right we
know this shit and she was right we
know this shit and she was right we should have known this shit but we
should have known this shit but we
should have known this shit but we didn’t we didn’t understand not only the
didn’t we didn’t understand not only the
didn’t we didn’t understand not only the terms and the words that describe human
terms and the words that describe human
terms and the words that describe human trafficking
trafficking
trafficking but the faces of the people and the
but the faces of the people and the
but the faces of the people and the girls that were the victims a sex
girls that were the victims a sex
girls that were the victims a sex trafficking in our own community and
trafficking in our own community and
trafficking in our own community and even working as a victim advocate in the
even working as a victim advocate in the
even working as a victim advocate in the district attorney’s office for over 20
district attorney’s office for over 20
district attorney’s office for over 20 years and interacting with lots of
years and interacting with lots of
years and interacting with lots of different victims of crime I didn’t know
different victims of crime I didn’t know
different victims of crime I didn’t know that this was happening in our own
that this was happening in our own
that this was happening in our own backyard on a Main Street between two
backyard on a Main Street between two
backyard on a Main Street between two upper-middle class neighborhoods next to
upper-middle class neighborhoods next to
upper-middle class neighborhoods next to a coffee shop that I frequented and in
a coffee shop that I frequented and in
a coffee shop that I frequented and in fact according to the US Department of
fact according to the US Department of
fact according to the US Department of Justice some 300,000 kids in the United
Justice some 300,000 kids in the United
Justice some 300,000 kids in the United States are being sex trafficked on any
States are being sex trafficked on any
States are being sex trafficked on any given day 300,000 kids that is the size
given day 300,000 kids that is the size
given day 300,000 kids that is the size of Pittsburgh and think for a minute
of Pittsburgh and think for a minute
of Pittsburgh and think for a minute what it felt like to be 12 or 13 years
what it felt like to be 12 or 13 years
what it felt like to be 12 or 13 years old how impressionable we were how much
old how impressionable we were how much
old how impressionable we were how much we wanted to be loved and accepted have
we wanted to be loved and accepted have
we wanted to be loved and accepted have people think we were pretty boys like us
people think we were pretty boys like us
people think we were pretty boys like us well that’s the average age that a child
well that’s the average age that a child
well that’s the average age that a child is recruited into sex trafficking and
is recruited into sex trafficking and
is recruited into sex trafficking and yet still as I talk about this topic
yet still as I talk about this topic
yet still as I talk about this topic with people there’s still misconceptions
with people there’s still misconceptions
with people there’s still misconceptions that teenage girls may actually choose
that teenage girls may actually choose
that teenage girls may actually choose this actually choose to sleep with
this actually choose to sleep with
this actually choose to sleep with multiple have sex with multiple
multiple have sex with multiple
multiple have sex with multiple strangers in bleak motel rooms all over
strangers in bleak motel rooms all over
strangers in bleak motel rooms all over our country and often very dangerous
our country and often very dangerous
our country and often very dangerous circumstances really do you really
circumstances really do you really
circumstances really do you really believe that people that teenagers
believe that people that teenagers
believe that people that teenagers choose this as we came to understand
choose this as we came to understand
choose this as we came to understand this topic one of the things that was a
this topic one of the things that was a
this topic one of the things that was a was new to us and this thinking was that
was new to us and this thinking was that
was new to us and this thinking was that the pimps actually knew exactly what
the pimps actually knew exactly what
the pimps actually knew exactly what they were doing
they were doing
they were doing they knew exactly who to recruit and
they knew exactly who to recruit and
they knew exactly who to recruit and under what circumstances and many of
under what circumstances and many of
under what circumstances and many of these girls actually look like and acted
these girls actually look like and acted
these girls actually look like and acted like your regular teenage girl in fact
like your regular teenage girl in fact
like your regular teenage girl in fact one day I was walking down State Street
one day I was walking down State Street
one day I was walking down State Street here in Santa Barbara with my son
here in Santa Barbara with my son
here in Santa Barbara with my son and we ran into Jane Doe it was after
and we ran into Jane Doe it was after
and we ran into Jane Doe it was after the criminal trial and we exchanged hugs
the criminal trial and we exchanged hugs
the criminal trial and we exchanged hugs how are you doing
how are you doing
how are you doing and we walked on and my son said mom who
and we walked on and my son said mom who
and we walked on and my son said mom who was that I said oh honey that’s just a
was that I said oh honey that’s just a
was that I said oh honey that’s just a friend of mine from work Oh
and we walked on but Jane Doe she had a
and we walked on but Jane Doe she had a story and while unique in its own ways
story and while unique in its own ways
story and while unique in its own ways it had variations on many many other
it had variations on many many other
it had variations on many many other stories we would hear after her father
stories we would hear after her father
stories we would hear after her father was in and out of custody he was a pimp
was in and out of custody he was a pimp
was in and out of custody he was a pimp as she was growing up her mother when
as she was growing up her mother when
as she was growing up her mother when her father was in custody prostituted
her father was in custody prostituted
her father was in custody prostituted herself occasionally to put food on the
herself occasionally to put food on the
herself occasionally to put food on the table at 12 years old she had her first
table at 12 years old she had her first
table at 12 years old she had her first unwanted sexual experience when a family
unwanted sexual experience when a family
unwanted sexual experience when a family friend raped her she tried to tell
friend raped her she tried to tell
friend raped her she tried to tell somebody but nobody really listened and
somebody but nobody really listened and
somebody but nobody really listened and no report was made and nothing was ever
no report was made and nothing was ever
no report was made and nothing was ever done at some point in time the foster
done at some point in time the foster
done at some point in time the foster care system got involved and she was in
care system got involved and she was in
care system got involved and she was in and out of group homes and so forth and
and out of group homes and so forth and
and out of group homes and so forth and so at age 13 when a pimp came along and
so at age 13 when a pimp came along and
so at age 13 when a pimp came along and tried to recruit her she really couldn’t
tried to recruit her she really couldn’t
tried to recruit her she really couldn’t think of anybody that could save her she
think of anybody that could save her she
think of anybody that could save her she didn’t her parents weren’t around she
didn’t her parents weren’t around she
didn’t her parents weren’t around she couldn’t think of anybody they could
couldn’t think of anybody they could
couldn’t think of anybody they could save her from it so she said you know
save her from it so she said you know
save her from it so she said you know at some point I just came to accept but
at some point I just came to accept but
at some point I just came to accept but maybe this was just as good as it was
maybe this was just as good as it was
maybe this was just as good as it was going to get that may be all I was ever
going to get that may be all I was ever
going to get that may be all I was ever going to amount to was a prostitute that
going to amount to was a prostitute that
going to amount to was a prostitute that the best I could hope for was to find a
the best I could hope for was to find a
the best I could hope for was to find a pimp that wouldn’t hurt me who wouldn’t
pimp that wouldn’t hurt me who wouldn’t
pimp that wouldn’t hurt me who wouldn’t beat me a Romeo pimp and then she
beat me a Romeo pimp and then she
beat me a Romeo pimp and then she started to cycle down into a negative
started to cycle down into a negative
started to cycle down into a negative spiral she became exhausted and a
spiral she became exhausted and a
spiral she became exhausted and a miracle happened she met a man on
miracle happened she met a man on
miracle happened she met a man on Facebook they started talking he said
Facebook they started talking he said
Facebook they started talking he said all the right things told her how pretty
all the right things told her how pretty
all the right things told her how pretty she was said why don’t you get out of
she was said why don’t you get out of
she was said why don’t you get out of this life come live with me come stay
this life come live with me come stay
this life come live with me come stay with my mother and I my mother has
with my mother and I my mother has
with my mother and I my mother has cancer you can come here you can live
cancer you can come here you can live
cancer you can come here you can live with us it will be a family and she did
with us it will be a family and she did
with us it will be a family and she did she moved she moved in with him and his
she moved she moved in with him and his
she moved she moved in with him and his mother and soon enough he started
mother and soon enough he started
mother and soon enough he started trafficking her he was recruiting her to
trafficking her he was recruiting her to
trafficking her he was recruiting her to write to her vulnerabilities so here she
write to her vulnerabilities so here she
write to her vulnerabilities so here she was today in this courtroom
was today in this courtroom
was today in this courtroom testifying against the very person that
testifying against the very person that
testifying against the very person that she thought had saved her she was
she thought had saved her she was
she thought had saved her she was conflicted and the prosecutor again is
conflicted and the prosecutor again is
conflicted and the prosecutor again is still trying to paint this picture for
still trying to paint this picture for
still trying to paint this picture for the court misto can you explain to the
the court misto can you explain to the
the court misto can you explain to the court what it was like what was the
court what it was like what was the
court what it was like what was the worst thing was it lack of food lack of
worst thing was it lack of food lack of
worst thing was it lack of food lack of sleep strange hotel rooms what was it
spirituality misto can you explain to
spirituality misto can you explain to the court what you mean when you say
the court what you mean when you say
the court what you mean when you say spirituality well sure I mean like what
spirituality well sure I mean like what
spirituality well sure I mean like what I was doing for money I mean all my
I was doing for money I mean all my
I was doing for money I mean all my money was going in his pocket all my
money was going in his pocket all my
money was going in his pocket all my energy was used up I mean I felt like
energy was used up I mean I felt like
energy was used up I mean I felt like shit that’s what I mean
shit that’s what I mean
shit that’s what I mean I see misto and did you feel like you
I see misto and did you feel like you
I see misto and did you feel like you were a hostage like you couldn’t leave
were a hostage like you couldn’t leave
were a hostage like you couldn’t leave well like I said all my money was in his
well like I said all my money was in his
well like I said all my money was in his pocket I didn’t even know where I was I
pocket I didn’t even know where I was I
pocket I didn’t even know where I was I did not know where I was and plus I had
did not know where I was and plus I had
did not know where I was and plus I had nowhere to go I had nobody to call where
nowhere to go I had nobody to call where
nowhere to go I had nobody to call where was I gonna go he had all my money you
was I gonna go he had all my money you
was I gonna go he had all my money you know
know
know we tripped all over ourselves trying to
we tripped all over ourselves trying to
we tripped all over ourselves trying to keep her from going back into the life
keep her from going back into the life
keep her from going back into the life as a sex trafficking victim and she said
as a sex trafficking victim and she said
as a sex trafficking victim and she said an interesting thing she said you know
an interesting thing she said you know
an interesting thing she said you know listen I I want to get out of this work
listen I I want to get out of this work
listen I I want to get out of this work work to this life – but what am I gonna
work to this life – but what am I gonna
work to this life – but what am I gonna do go work at Starbucks work along other
do go work at Starbucks work along other
do go work at Starbucks work along other high school kids I mean I want to go to
high school kids I mean I want to go to
high school kids I mean I want to go to college I want to become a writer
college I want to become a writer
college I want to become a writer someday but people don’t understand this
someday but people don’t understand this
someday but people don’t understand this and I could run you guys are you know
and I could run you guys are you know
and I could run you guys are you know making such a fuss and I could run if I
making such a fuss and I could run if I
making such a fuss and I could run if I had two dollars in my pocket but I want
had two dollars in my pocket but I want
had two dollars in my pocket but I want something different except as I said
something different except as I said
something different except as I said people don’t understand how I got here
people don’t understand how I got here
people don’t understand how I got here and how hard it is to get out and how
and how hard it is to get out and how
and how hard it is to get out and how dangerous and as a matter of fact the
dangerous and as a matter of fact the
dangerous and as a matter of fact the average life expectancy of a sex
average life expectancy of a sex
average life expectancy of a sex trafficking victim
trafficking victim
trafficking victim in her case having been recruited at
in her case having been recruited at
in her case having been recruited at just 13 years old he’s a mere 7 to 10
just 13 years old he’s a mere 7 to 10
just 13 years old he’s a mere 7 to 10 years 7 to 10 years so the likelihood
years 7 to 10 years so the likelihood
years 7 to 10 years so the likelihood that she’ll be dead when she’s 20 it’s
that she’ll be dead when she’s 20 it’s
that she’ll be dead when she’s 20 it’s very high of homicide suicide addiction
very high of homicide suicide addiction
very high of homicide suicide addiction overdose or disease these girls matter
overdose or disease these girls matter
overdose or disease these girls matter they really do now I don’t stand here
they really do now I don’t stand here
they really do now I don’t stand here with all of the answers but I do believe
with all of the answers but I do believe
with all of the answers but I do believe one thing very strongly that she said to
one thing very strongly that she said to
one thing very strongly that she said to us and she taught us a lot you know if
us and she taught us a lot you know if
us and she taught us a lot you know if just one person would have believed in
just one person would have believed in
just one person would have believed in me believed and how precious I was when
me believed and how precious I was when
me believed and how precious I was when I was that 12 or 13 year old child
I was that 12 or 13 year old child
I was that 12 or 13 year old child believed in my capacity I don’t believe
believed in my capacity I don’t believe
believed in my capacity I don’t believe I’d be standing here today I don’t
I’d be standing here today I don’t
I’d be standing here today I don’t believe I would have been a victim and
believe I would have been a victim and
believe I would have been a victim and definitely not in this courtroom so
definitely not in this courtroom so
definitely not in this courtroom so there are small things that we as
there are small things that we as
there are small things that we as individuals can do simply becoming a
individuals can do simply becoming a
individuals can do simply becoming a mentor to an at-risk child through a Big
mentor to an at-risk child through a Big
mentor to an at-risk child through a Big Brother Big Sister program listening if
Brother Big Sister program listening if
Brother Big Sister program listening if a child says something’s wrong
a child says something’s wrong
a child says something’s wrong if they’re acting out of sorts listening
if they’re acting out of sorts listening
if they’re acting out of sorts listening and empowering and can’t we all just
and empowering and can’t we all just
and empowering and can’t we all just think at that age at 12 or 13 how maybe
think at that age at 12 or 13 how maybe
think at that age at 12 or 13 how maybe just one adult changed the whole
just one adult changed the whole
just one adult changed the whole trajectory of our lives or becoming a
trajectory of our lives or becoming a
trajectory of our lives or becoming a court-appointed special advocate these
court-appointed special advocate these
court-appointed special advocate these are advocates who advocate for kids in
are advocates who advocate for kids in
are advocates who advocate for kids in the foster care system there’s an
the foster care system there’s an
the foster care system there’s an astounding 400,000 foster kids in our
astounding 400,000 foster kids in our
astounding 400,000 foster kids in our country whose parents can’t care for
country whose parents can’t care for
country whose parents can’t care for them
them
them and a critical shortage of trained
and a critical shortage of trained
and a critical shortage of trained foster parents that will take them in so
foster parents that will take them in so
foster parents that will take them in so as I said I don’t stand here with all of
as I said I don’t stand here with all of
as I said I don’t stand here with all of the answers but I believe firmly in the
the answers but I believe firmly in the
the answers but I believe firmly in the humanity of these girls our girls and
humanity of these girls our girls and
humanity of these girls our girls and that humanity is the casualty of human
that humanity is the casualty of human
that humanity is the casualty of human trafficking
”
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