Presbyterian Women in the PC(USA)

A Litany for Women in the Changing World of Work

By Wanda Beauman

One:  Almighty God, we honor you for the gifts and talents that you have given women.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today enriches your world.

Table set for Ecumenical Women's opening worship service at CSW61 represents the work of women.

One:  Because women work in your world, our families are cared for.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today enriches your world and our families.

One:  When women work to nurse the sick and care for those in need, we are tending your sheep.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today enriches and heals your world.

One:  As women work in businesses, in factories, in fields, and in stores, we multiply your blessings.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today provides for our needs and enriches your world.

One:  Through women who work at encouraging us and inspiring us, at teaching us and motivating us, we learn how to love one another.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today gives us a better understanding of your vision for the prosperity of our lives, and this enriches your world.

One:  Women who work to safeguard us and support us teach us how to empower ourselves for life's journey.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today keeps us safe in your promise and enriches your world.

One:  Women working in ministry and in mission deepen our faith.
Many:  Lord, we know that the work we do today fills our spirits and enriches your world.

All:  Our God, we give ourselves to you completely so that we may do the work that you call us to do. We know that this world is different every day, and we know that you are walking beside us in a changing world. Your grace and your love guide and protect us. We know that your word prepares us to work for justice and to work for peace in this ever-changing world. We know that you provide love and courage for our journey. In Jesus’ name we pray our thanks to you. Amen.

 

Wanda Beauman is vice moderator for justice and peace on the 2015–2018 Churchwide Coordinating Team of Presbyterian Women. She was a member of the Presbyterian delegation to the 61st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

The Women's March: Our daughters are listening

By Laura Lee

“Who do we love?”

“All y’all!”

“Who do we love?”

“All y’all!”

“Who do we love?”

“All y’all! Kentucky in the house!”

This was the chant of a small group from the Kentucky contingent to the Women’s March on Washington, January 21, 2017. We would yell it from time to time on the streets of Washington, D.C., and in the sea of people standing shoulder to shoulder. Our group of 54 included women and men ranging in age from 13 to 74—people of diverse cultural backgrounds, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

When I heard about the opportunity to go to Washington with the Louisville Justice League, I jumped at the chance.¹ Our group included several parents with their daughters; one family had three generations represented. This felt like a perfect opportunity to share with my 16-year-old daughter, Zoe, the experience of standing with others to have our voices heard.

My family lives in a part of Southern Indiana that is conservative, economically privileged and very white. At her high school, most of the faces Zoe sees every day are like hers. But our family is progressive. We are tiny blue dots in a sea of red. After the election in November, my daughter, who was an avid Bernie supporter, was disconsolate. Most of the political conversations she engages in every day with friends leave her feeling hopeless and angry. I wanted her to know she was not alone, that there are many who see the world as she does, and that her idealism and dreams for a just world are important. In taking her to this march, I wanted her to feel the strength of her voice and the importance of action.

I was asked several times by friends and family, “Why are you going? What’s the point?” At first, my response was that it was important to show up, to be counted as one of the hundreds of thousands of women and men who care about justice and equality for all, who are saying “We are here and we are paying attention!” For me this was a pro-human rights event, meant to uphold the rights of women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, refugees and immigrants, and the vulnerable. It was a march in support of freedom of speech, religion, gender equality, reproductive rights and the environment. I wanted to show up with my daughter for these ideas, to be counted and heard. And, for selfish reasons, I wanted to be able to say that I was there, that we were there together.

I learned that showing up isn’t enough.

Our group boarded a bus early Friday morning, Inauguration Day for the new president. We had signs, pink hats, energy, excitement and snacks. In Washington, we were housed at the Church of the Pilgrims Presbyterian Church.

Five of our group were Muslim women who were refugees (four from Somalia, one from Iraq) and who now call Louisville their home. These women came with a group of predominantly white Christians in the hope of representing their brothers and sisters with a message of unity. Hearing about their experiences was one of the most meaningful aspects of the journey. One of the young Somali women told us she feared coming to this event, because, as a Muslim, a refugee and a woman of color, she didn’t know what response she would encounter. She and the other immigrants in our group were taking a big chance by leaving their community and joining this march. The responses she got from our group and from the larger group of marchers was overwhelmingly positive. Many other marchers came up to the immigrants marching with us and thanked them for being there. The young Somali woman in our group saw other women in head scarfs, which made her feel safer. She said she wanted to be there to show that we are all one, we are all human.

Another of our group was a young African American woman who is active in the local Black Lives Matter chapter. When she was questioned about coming to a march that is seen as a predominantly white feminist event, she responded that she wanted to make sure the message “Black Lives Matter” was part of this protest. She said she hoped that when the time came, she could count on the same support from our group. This message really hit home. Throughout the day, I saw several signs that called out white feminism. One read, “I’ll see all you nice white ladies at the next Black Lives Matter march, right?” Another said “White women voted for Trump!” (Exit polls have shown that 53% of white women voted for Trump, while only 6% of African American women, and 32% of Latino women did the same.)² Of all the signs I saw that day, these struck the deepest chord for me.

Many who came to the women’s march were doing so out of a deep fear and insecurity about the Trump presidency and his inflammatory campaign rhetoric (myself included!). After hearing derogatory statements about women, minorities, the disabled, refugees and immigrants, I wonder, Can this president (and those in Congress who support him) be trusted to protect everyone’s rights? The reality is that many in this country, especially people of color, have lived with this kind of fear and insecurity all their lives. What felt like a shock to me, a new distrust and apprehension of our political system, was old news to them. Because I am white, I was unable to see the reality that they already know and live every day. Although I consider myself aware and engaged in justice issues, experiencing anxiety about the future to this degree has been an eye-opening, soul-shaking experience.

In some ways, by participating in the march, I achieved my goal. We were there. We stood up, chanted, carried signs. We experienced a feeling of solidarity in that massive crowd, protesting the possibility of human rights being eroded by the new administration. My daughter got to see a form of democracy in action. But now I have a greater goal. Standing up is not enough. Chanting and wearing pink hats is not nearly enough. That’s the fun and easy part, like social justice tourism. Now the hard work begins. It’s one thing to stand up, it’s entirely another to do something!

As part of the staff of Presbyterian Women, I can say that my work for the organization is a contribution. Presbyterian Women work for justice and peace; they support mission and build community. I am extremely privileged to do this work, and I’m proud to be a part of PW. But as the mother of a politically aware daughter, as a person of conscience, and as a Christian, I feel the need to do more. This includes waking up to issues of race and privilege, and using whatever power that privilege imparts to stand with vulnerable people and people of color in ways that are helpful. It includes working in my own community to be the change that is needed, to ask questions, to shut up and listen, to have enough cultural humility to accept that I don’t know what I don’t know. Being angry isn’t enough. Sharing a Facebook post isn’t enough. I’ve joined our local Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) chapter, and that isn’t enough. I’ve joined a book group that is reading Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, by Debby Irving, and that isn’t enough. I need to find what is to be my work, and do it.

Here’s what I do know: presence is good, but action is better. I am getting started. Empowered women empower women, and my daughter is watching.

Notes

1. The trip was organized by The Global Human Project, a transformative network founded in Louisville, Kentucky, that offers innovative and educational experiences and cultivates diverse initiatives that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. They offer the “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” refugee camp simulation experience, which visits schools and churches nationally to educate about the lives of refugees. See more at www.globalhumanproject.net/.
2. Phoebe Lett, “White Women Voted for Trump. Now What?” The New York Times, November 10, 2016; https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/10/opinion/white-women-voted-trump-now-what.html.

Courageous conversations in Guatemala

By Sandi Thompson-Royer

Can you imagine preaching and telling your very personal story of abuse from the pulpit? 

One brave seminary student felt the call to share her story in front of 45 men and women from her presbytery, seminary and a partner church in Madison, Wisconsin, who came together to learn about domestic violence in Guatemala and make plans to be more involved.

Margot, a student from the Escuela Socio Teologica, a Presbyterian seminary that teaches students to be pastors and community organizers, had experienced all forms of abuse by her husband, the father of her three boys. After her six-year-old son was beaten for trying to protect her, Margot decided it was time to leave her marriage. The safety and support of her family and church gave her the courage and ability to leave. Today, she is a strong, independent woman with three teenagers and a goal to pastor a church and work for change in her community. 

Guatemala is an extremely patriarchal country. Each day women are killed because of their gender. There are only eight women pastors and very few women elders in the more than 400 Presbyterian churches in Guatemala. For the Sinodica (Presbyterian Women of Guatemala) to courageously step out in hopes of changing the culture is a huge deal!

In our work as mission co-workers, my husband Brian and I support leadership development among the Presbyterian women. For more than 30 years, I have worked in the domestic violence and sexual assault field and know too well that violence against women is a global issue. I am thrilled to see Presbyterian Women’s commitment to breaking the silence around this issue. Leaders in the PC(USA) have decided it’s time to devote the year to having “courageous conversations” in the church, and the Sinodica is joining those conversations.

The Sinodica has strategically prioritized ways to address what has impacted too many women and families. The first thing they plan to do is assemble a team of leaders who will be trained, with help from CEDEPCA, another PC(USA) global partner, to go out into the 25 presbyteries and educate congregations about domestic violence and the ways congregations can support victims.

Second, the Sinodica plans to hold a training for men using Kevin Frederick’s curriculum Men in the Mirror, which has been translated into Spanish. Rev. Dr. Frederick, of Western North Carolina Presbytery, will travel to Guatemala in February 2017 to provide a two-day retreat for more than 40 men. Participants will learn to be more reflective and, therefore, better husbands and fathers. They will then teach men in their home churches.

Lastly, several microloan workshops will be offered to women.  Microloans are a way for women to have a small business and earn money, which increases their ability to be independent. These efforts seek to change the culture of Guatemalan churches and communities with the hopes of less violence and healthier communities.

Margot’s story is just one that we’ve heard from our Presbyterian sisters in Guatemala. Abuse happens to wives of pastors, as well. Child sexual abuse is also a problem; we recently heard about a teacher molesting girls in a rural school.

Brian and I are honored to be walking with the Sinodica as they courageously work toward change. Please pray for us and consider supporting our work. If you’d like to learn more about our work, consider inviting us to your spring or fall gatherings in 2017.  To schedule a visit, email [email protected].

 

Sandi Thompson-Royer is a mission co-worker in Guatemala. You can support the work she and her husband are doing at www.pcusa.org/donate/E200334.

Activated Again!

By Alpha Brown

Alpha Brown, right, participates in worship as part of Ecumenical Women's orientation at UN CSW 60.

Again, I have been activated by the Holy Spirit to fill my cup from the many issues at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. It is always a pleasure to be included in this wonderful learning experience. Although I had not attended in a couple of years, attending the 60th session (in March this year) was still a journey of excitement, meeting and greeting women from all over the world. Being part of the advocacy team is an opportunity to share information with other countries, as well as to bring forth voices of all women. And attending the NGO events that run parallel to the official session of the Commission gives me a more informed outlook on issues.

I no longer think domestic violence is just in the household; intimate partner violence can happen in any venue. The “Domestic Violence at the Work Place” panel opened my eyes to the fact that whatever happens at home can show up at work; it can be physical abuse or a threat. This can create a health and safety risk to other workers as well as the person who is being threatened. The employer and employee are responsible for each other and the safety of all workers. Governments have lobbied to address this issue by creating centers on violence against women and girls, training men and boys, and holding the employer responsible for security measures such as not publishing emails, telephone numbers and other identifiers. Egyptian legislators are acting on a two-year victim leave. Transgender people have a higher ratio of being victims of intimate partner violence.

Another thought-provoking panel, “When Home Is Where the Harm Is: Family Law Reform to Challenge Gender-Based Violence,” was held in the New School in lower Manhattan. I learned that in some countries, laws are governed by religion. For example, you follow laws of your religion; however, some individuals can change their religion to be free of the crime.

In some countries, women are struggling with police arresting young girls, then selling their bodies. The solutions include women becoming police officials so they can have a seat at the decision-making and policy-making table.

In one of the NGO briefings, the word all in front of the word women was a big debate among the attendees at the briefing. The debate ended when the facilitators left the room without side conversations. The only reason they gave was that it was too late to change the agreed conclusion.

This year I walked away from CSW60 with remarks made by then-director of the PC(USA)’s UN office Mark Koenig. He said, “The task of advocacy has nothing to do with giving voice to the voiceless, because all people have voices. Some people have voices we choose not to hear. Some people have voices we ignore. Some people have voices we force to the margins. Some people have voices we oppress, repress and suppress. Some people have voices we have silenced, sometimes for a long time, but all people have voices.” May we be a voice for those who have been silenced.

Editor's note: The 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women was held in New York City March 14–24, 2016. Representatives of UN Member States, UN entities and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world attend the session. Hundreds of parallel events are organized by the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. Independent from the UN, the NGO CSW Forum gives activists from around the world the opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to women and girls, to network, share strategies/good practices, and to lobby governments to implement resolutions and treaties.  

About the author: Alpha Brown is justice and peace chair for PW in the Synod of the Northeast.

Striving To See

By Anita Coleman

This display at the UN shows the relative size of amounts spent worldwide (annually) on military operations and supplies ($1,747 billion); official development assistance to least developed countries ($30 billion); UN regular budget for peace and security, development, human rights, humanitarian affairs, development and international law ($2.6 billion); and international disarmament and non-proliferation organizations ($0.69 billion).

On my first day at United Nations’ headquarters in New York, I took a guided tour. I was in New York to participate in the Presbyterian delegation to the 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. I was particularly struck by the display on disarmament with its bold quote by UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon: “The world is over-armed and peace is underfunded.” I simply could not forget the electronic display of daily military expenditure worldwide, more than $1.5 billion daily.

On Thursday, March 17, at the Commission’s session on addressing data gaps and methodology issues in the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, I heard startling statistics and stories. Most national and international agencies only collect data for women who are 15 through 49 years old (childbearing age). Yet, women over 49 years of age are the largest demographic group (24 percent) of women in the world.

The author with The Knotted Gun

The experts and member states represented on the panel urged CSW60 participants to recommend removal of the discriminatory upper age limit and extend the lower limit below 15. Disaggregation of data showing age, gender, ethnicity and other variables is also needed, they said, as is examining the intersectionality of gender, class, age, health and other categories. More women than men suffer elder abuse. Women with low incomes and those with dementia are even more likely to suffer elder abuse.

Data collection in conflict zones stops when women reach 49, but their suffering does not, as they continue to suffer multiple forms of violence. Finally, I heard about the cross-cutting nature of violence against women. There is an insidious link between domestic and military violence—military prostitution, trafficking and sexual slavery; random and strategic rape; impregnation as ethnic cleansing; sexual torture; sexual violence within the organized military and domestic violence in military families; domestic violence and murders of spouses by combat veterans.

It was on my last day that I saw the sculpture Non-Violence. Also called The Knotted Gun, it is a photo-op that few visitors to the UN miss. It is situated on the plaza near the small security building that visitors must go through before they enter the conference building. I had walked by it every day, several times, and had never noticed it. Knowing it was my last day at the UN, however, I was relaxed, consciously trying to see with new–old eyes all that I’d missed. It was only then that I noticed the dramatic gun.

What are you not seeing today? How do you stay grounded and humbled, yet striving for justice for all?

May the Lord bless you . . . and give you peace (Num. 6:24).

 

Anita Coleman is an independent scholar who lives in Southern California with her husband and son and their cat Smokie. An active member of PW in the Presbytery of Los Ranchos, Anita is developing the Antiracism Digital Library and Thesaurus with a grant from the PW Synod of Southern California and Hawaii. This was her first visit to New York City, the United Nations and the Commission on the Status of Women. Anita’s books are on Amazon. Other writings of hers can be found on the Presbyterians Today blog, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter.

Witnessing on behalf of “comfort women”

By Anita Coleman

#comfortwomen aren’t my passion but when Mark [Koenig, director of the Presbyterian Ministry at the UN office] told us (#CSW60 delegates) that the women, who’d already suffered enough, were being treated unfairly again, I knew I had to add my voice to theirs. So that’s what I did with a bunch of young adults, late Tuesday afternoon, in the office across from the UN. We grieve with our sisters who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during the Second World War. We are #Presbyterians with ecumenical partners—#EcuWomenCSW—gathering to bear witness to truth at the parallel event “Misunderstood Comfort Women” on Wednesday, March 16, at the Taipei Cultural Center. We invite you to join in our witness with our sisters who were violated in the past, and with our sisters who continue to experience similar violations today. #rapeisnotcomfort #sex slaves #VAW #justice #peace #globalgoals #unitednations #elca #methodist #girlpower #humantrafficking #identity To find out more about comfort women, please contact me.

Editor's note: This was first posted from United Nations headquarters on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Though the invitation might be read as an invitation to that day's event, it should also be read as an invitation to ongoing witness. For more by this author on "comfort women," see the author's  longer blog post at https://anitacoleman.wordpress.com/2016/03/17/comfort-women-sex-slaves/.

Presbyterian woman Jill Cohen introduces anti-trafficking app at CSW

By Wanda Beauman

In an early morning presentation on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in a standing-room-only venue on the eighth floor of the Church Center of the United Nations, PW Jill Bolander-Cohen presented a new mobile app designed to inform middle school and high school students about trafficking scenarios that might be occurring around them. The app, called ACT! (Awareness Combats Trafficking), was commissioned by The Lifeboat Project, and functions as a game that educates as it entertains. Lifeboat Project is a Central Florida nonprofit that advocates on behalf of survivors of labor and sex trafficking. Jill is founder and executive director. She and the game's developers debuted the app as part of the NGO Forum running parallel to the 60th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. How ACT! works:

• The object of the game is for the player to ultimately recognize and correctly identify cues or “red flags” that could signify a situation where trafficking may be occurring.
• The game runs as a mobile application in 2D. "Hotspots" allow the player to click on certain objects in the scene to obtain more information.
• The player has access to lifelines that give them valid information about human trafficking and/or the characters in each episode.

Jill noted that our teens and youth are called “digital natives” because they can average upward of 53 hours a week on social media, according to Lifeboat research. One goal of this game is to meet the youth and teens in their environment and give them tools to inform and protect themselves and their peers.

ACT is in testing phase and is available for download from Lifeboat-ACT.com.

 

Wanda Beauman is vice moderator for justice and peace concerns for Presbyterian Women in the PC(USA), Inc.

Prayer Is Advocacy

By Etta Graham-Mitchell 

Wanda Beauman, vice moderator for justice and peace on PW's Churchwide Coordinating Team, speaks to Presbyterian delegates to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, during orientation at the Church of the Covenant.

I experienced a “God moment” when, on November 3, 2015, I saw an e-mail inviting me to apply to attend the 60th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) in New York. I label this a God moment because this application was due on the same day that I saw the email about it. I said to myself, “I can’t do this. I am way too busy to even stop and complete this application.” But I filled out the application because I would have regretted it if I had seen the e-mail the next day and realized that I missed my chance. So I said to myself, “Just do it.”

I was pleased to be accepted and to be granted a grounds pass to attend Commission events at the UN. I was exhilarated and, at the same time anxious about this wonderful event since I did not know what to expect. As a Presbyterian candidate journeying toward ordination, I should have known that information would be forthcoming, and it was. I was impressed with e-mail notices and the phone conference, which kept me updated on everything that I would need to do to attend the event.

CSW60 began officially on the 14th of March and continues through the 24th. There are 40 of us here this week as part of the Presbyterian delegation. All members within the Presbyterian delegation were invited to meet at the Church of the Covenant on March 11, 2016, just around the corner from the UN, for Presbyterian orientation. (Church of the Covenant, a PC(USA) congregation, is celebrating 150 years of ministry this year!)

Rev. Mark Koenig, director of Presbyterian Ministry at the UN, spoke on advocacy. He told us, “There are no voiceless people; everyone has a voice.” (They aren't always heard, but everyone has a voice.) This was an eye opening moment for me because it made me realize that, if we are in the business of helping others, we must be aware that those whom we are called to help must be allowed to speak, even if they use no words. We must learn to listen to what is not being said, because sometimes that’s louder than the actual words. As advocates, we must work hard to create spaces where those with hidden voices can be heard.

And during early morning worship the next day, the dynamic Rev. Dionne Boissiere (chaplain at the Church Center at the UN), told us “Prayer is advocacy.” This worship was part of Ecumenical Women's orientation at the Salvation Army on 52nd Street. It was invigorating to stop in all our busyness and, as Rev. Dionne said, “Be in this moment.” We prayed, sang, and read scriptures. As a woman of God, this is the way I am able to quiet my spirit and become fully prepared to do the work that God has called me to do. “Prayer is advocacy.” That meant to me that, in this very moment, the Holy Spirit will be leading us as we work for peace and justice in the next two weeks at the UN.      

Editor’s Note: See today’s post from Rev. Mark Koenig for the text of “All People Have Voices.”

All People Have Voices . . .

Author’s Note: I was invited to post a version of my remarks from the Presbyterian orientation (CSW60), where I noted that the task of advocacy is not about giving voice to the voiceless but about amplifying and heeding the voices of our sisters and brothers long silenced (to paraphrase A Brief Statement of Faith). I set it up in the style of a prose poem, which is the style I often employ when I write manuscripts that I actually use. It appears below and also can be found on the Swords and Plowshares blog.   

Rev. Mark Koenig speaking to Presbyterian delegates at the UN Commission on the Status of Women

All people have voices.
The task of advocacy has nothing to do with giving voice to the voiceless, because
all people have voices.
Some people have voices we choose not to hear.
Some people have voices we ignore.
Some people have voices we force to the margins.
Some people have voices we oppress, repress, suppress.
Some people have voices we have silenced, sometimes for a long time, but
all people have voices.

The work of advocacy leads us 
to uncover the voices of our sisters and brothers whose voices we ignore, drive to the margins, suppress, or silence
to hear the voices of our sisters and brothers,
to listen, truly listen, passionately listen to the voices of our sisters and brothers,
to heed the voices of our sisters and brothers,
and then to work with our sisters and brothers whose voices we ignore, drive to the margins, suppress, or silence
to amplify the voices of our sisters and brothers,
to bring the voices of our sisters and brothers to the halls of privilege and the tables of power,
to invite and call and challenge all people, particularly privileged, powerful people,
    to hear the voices of our sisters and brothers,
to demand that all people, particularly privileged, powerful people, listen, truly listen, passionately listen
to our sisters and brothers whose voices we ignore, drive to the margins, suppress, or silence because
all people have voices.

The Rev. W. Mark Koenig
Director, Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations

Columbus Presbyterians visit trafficking survivors in court

By Louise Davidson
 
On February 4 of this year, I was privileged to be part of a small group of Presbyterian women from Covenant Presbyterian Church in Columbus who took lunch to about 40 women appearing in CATCH (Change Attitudes to Change Habits) Court. The group included a member of the church's Peacemaking Committee, our associate pastor Katie Kinnison, and a young police officer who is a member of our congregation. We were allowed to stay and observe following lunch. 

Judge Paul Herbert (courtesy WBNS-10TV)

The women in CATCH Court have all been trafficked and arrested (not all for prostitution; some for other violations). In this court, each is given the opportunity to participate in a two-year program of recovery. The program offers trauma counseling, drug counseling, mentors, sponsors and opportunities for education.

Judge Paul Herbert’s courtroom is like no other. We were amazed. He knew each woman by name, and got out of his chair frequently to come down and talk with them. He checked with each one to see how they were, then he asked what was the highlight of their week. He celebrated with those who had moved on to a new level of the program, he made presentations and he gave hugs and lots of positive reinforcement. There were even gift bags for the women. 

There was a tremendous variety of small things to celebrate—days of sobriety, for example. Some had been able to see and spend time with their children. One woman celebrated the many days since her liberation from her abuser, and the fact that she was going to have surgery to help her breathe more easily and recover from his beatings.

The women were amazingly open about their lives. One woman came from a program not in Columbus. She spoke of her panic attacks as she came back to the city, saying she was afraid she would see her trafficker. Police had been unable to locate him, so he had not been served with a protective order nor detained. 
 
One young woman had skipped out on her program and done something to get her picked up again. She appeared in court and the judge talked with her to see if she wanted to try again. He affirmed her, and each woman there, as she spoke. One woman had written about her addiction, so Judge Herbert asked her to read her story to the young woman who had been picked up again. It was a story of recovery, reformation and redemption, and it moved all of us.

It was good to see these women taking charge of their lives and having the opportunity to do so. Upon successful completion of the program, survivors can apply to have their records expunged. Cincinnati and Dayton have both started similar programs.   

 

About the author: Louise Davidson is former vice moderator for justice and peace on PW’s Churchwide Coordinating Team,  a  current member of the PC(USA)’s Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns, and a member of the human trafficking task group working with the PC(USA)'s Advocacy Committee on Social Witness Policy.

Editor's note: Learn more about CATCH Court in this story by WBNS-10TV. This story, by the way, is an excellent look at the way one man’s view of prostitution changed when he began to think about what would motivate a woman “‘to take what’s most personally precious and sell it to vile strangers? . . . That’s when I learned the amazing statistics behind the truth,’” Judge Paul Herbert says.