GenerateHope recently had the opportunity and honor to meet with two different delegations from other countries who are working to combat trafficking in persons. These groups, arranged by the Department of State have included representatives from The Netherlands, China, Haiti, Tonga, New Zealand, Guatemala, Lagos, Trinidad and Tobago.

It has been interesting to see that around the globe different nations are fighting this same cause, running up against similar struggles, managing various levels of support and for the most part also just beginning to get programs up and running as is true for us here in San Diego. It has been exciting to share our program plans and see the international support for our approach and our work here. It has certainly been agreed by the participants in these groups that NGOs (non-government organizations) and faith based groups are by far the most active in making a difference and pushing for change.

SAN DIEGO – A teen describes her entry into local sex trafficking, and how she was able to turn her life around.

Watch now on 10news.com.

SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury in San Diego handed up an 11-count indictment charging three men with transporting and harboring undocumented immigrants for prostitution, a prosecutor announced Wednesday.

Adrian Zitlalpopoca-Hernandez, 32, faces two counts each of sex trafficking by force, persuasion or coercion to travel to engage in prostitution, harboring aliens for prostitution and bringing illegal aliens into the United States for financial gain.

Eduardo Aguila-Tecuapacho, 25, and Carlos Tzompantzi-Serrano, 35, are each charged with one count of harboring aliens for purposes of prostitution and one count of harboring illegal aliens, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tenorio. (more…)

SAN DIEGO – A young woman who helped recruit girls to pose for racy photos, which were then placed on craigslist.com to solicit prostitution, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison.

Jessica King, 20, pleaded guilty Jan. 20 to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children and coercion and enticement of a juvenile into prostitution.

Her co-conspirators, Christopher Black and Jordan Arnold, both 21, pleaded guilty on the same day to the same charge.

(Continue reading at 10news.com)

Malaysia’s prime minister vowed to investigate a scathing report by U.S. lawmakers saying thousands of Myanmar refugees were handed over to human traffickers with some ending up working in Thai brothels.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said in the report that illegal Myanmar migrants deported from Malaysia were often forced to work in brothels, fishing boats and restaurants across the border in Thailand if they had no money to purchase their freedom.

(Continue reading at 10news.com)

SAN MARCOS – Sheriff’s Deputy Colin Ingraham, who investigates Internet vice, was scrolling through the sex ads on Craigslist when he saw a young woman advertising services he thought he recognized from other postings.

Ingraham arranged to meet the 18-year-old at the Ramada Inn on San Marcos Boulevard, according to court records. The woman had a warrant issued for her arrest, and Ingraham learned later she had once been listed as a runaway juvenile. (more…)