59 min
15 - Smells Like Sex Trafficking w/ attorney Vanessa Baehr-Jones Journey Into Yoga Cults
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- Self-Improvement
Trigger Warning: this episode contains content about sex trafficking. Please take care of your needs regarding this topic or skip this episode if this topic is triggering for you.
Recruiting and grooming sexual partners, weeding out critics, using harassment and coercion, encouraging others to take expensive courses to further control them are all reasons that prosecutions have proceeded in court in other cases. Listen and hear how some real cases could potentially bring these crimes to justice. What laws are in place to protect women from abuse? Listen and learn about what is actually sex trafficking and how it is happening when people put trust into a leader and an organization. It really makes you look at how people have been used and how the law can actually protect them.
There are tools for survivors to use Civil Law for federal crimes. "Masha's Law" is written into Title 18 where all the Federal crimes are located. It gives survivors the power to bring their own civil lawsuits against sex offenders who may have abused or exploited them, even if it wasn't reported and police did not arrest. The survivor can still go after that offender. It covers sex trafficking (a broad expansive federal crime meant to protect victims of exploitative abuse) includes "enticement" either in person or online. It's very powerful but also under-used. More than forced prostitution, the federal definition qualifies: makes it illegal for someone to participate in a venture (2 or more people) that uses force, fraud or coercion to subject the victim to engage in a commercial sex act (defined as "in exchange for anything of value" including but not limited to: a free training; moving up in the organization; benefit or status -- and does not have to be a direct contract) or if it's a minor, even if there is no force or coercion needed. Even "demanding absolute commitment" to the leader, or inducing shame and guilt to control the members and their behavior. If you think you may have experienced sexual coercion, abuse or trafficking contact here for support: www.advocatesforsurvivors.com and https://www.Vanessabaehrjones.com
Special guest: Vanessa Baehr-Jones Founding partner of Advocates for Survivors of Abuse a woman-owned law firm specializing in seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking Vanessa spent nearly a decade prosecuting child sex offenders and securing restitution for survivors. As the Project Safe Childhood coordinator in Los Angeles, she managed intake of all child exploitation cases in the seven-county district. After leaving Los Angeles, Vanessa served as a federal prosecutor in Northern California, providing expertise on child exploitation and trafficking cases. A skilled trial and appellate attorney, she is fearless in seeking the best outcomes for her clients. Vanessa earned her B.A. summa cum laude from Tufts University, and then served as an intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency. She holds a law degree from UCLA School of Law. She is a member of the National Crime Victims Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. About Vanessa: https://www.advocatesforsurvivors.com/advocates _____________________________________
***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)
Trigger Warning: this episode contains content about sex trafficking. Please take care of your needs regarding this topic or skip this episode if this topic is triggering for you.
Recruiting and grooming sexual partners, weeding out critics, using harassment and coercion, encouraging others to take expensive courses to further control them are all reasons that prosecutions have proceeded in court in other cases. Listen and hear how some real cases could potentially bring these crimes to justice. What laws are in place to protect women from abuse? Listen and learn about what is actually sex trafficking and how it is happening when people put trust into a leader and an organization. It really makes you look at how people have been used and how the law can actually protect them.
There are tools for survivors to use Civil Law for federal crimes. "Masha's Law" is written into Title 18 where all the Federal crimes are located. It gives survivors the power to bring their own civil lawsuits against sex offenders who may have abused or exploited them, even if it wasn't reported and police did not arrest. The survivor can still go after that offender. It covers sex trafficking (a broad expansive federal crime meant to protect victims of exploitative abuse) includes "enticement" either in person or online. It's very powerful but also under-used. More than forced prostitution, the federal definition qualifies: makes it illegal for someone to participate in a venture (2 or more people) that uses force, fraud or coercion to subject the victim to engage in a commercial sex act (defined as "in exchange for anything of value" including but not limited to: a free training; moving up in the organization; benefit or status -- and does not have to be a direct contract) or if it's a minor, even if there is no force or coercion needed. Even "demanding absolute commitment" to the leader, or inducing shame and guilt to control the members and their behavior. If you think you may have experienced sexual coercion, abuse or trafficking contact here for support: www.advocatesforsurvivors.com and https://www.Vanessabaehrjones.com
Special guest: Vanessa Baehr-Jones Founding partner of Advocates for Survivors of Abuse a woman-owned law firm specializing in seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking Vanessa spent nearly a decade prosecuting child sex offenders and securing restitution for survivors. As the Project Safe Childhood coordinator in Los Angeles, she managed intake of all child exploitation cases in the seven-county district. After leaving Los Angeles, Vanessa served as a federal prosecutor in Northern California, providing expertise on child exploitation and trafficking cases. A skilled trial and appellate attorney, she is fearless in seeking the best outcomes for her clients. Vanessa earned her B.A. summa cum laude from Tufts University, and then served as an intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency. She holds a law degree from UCLA School of Law. She is a member of the National Crime Victims Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. About Vanessa: https://www.advocatesforsurvivors.com/advocates _____________________________________
***The views and opinions expressed on Journey Into Yoga Cults are just that: views and opinions; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast or the hosts. Stories told by hosts and guests are their own personal experiences, viewpoints and perspective. Any content provided by our hosts, guests, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, institution, corporation, business, individual, anyone or anything.*** (thank you @alittlebitculty for letting us borrow your very awesome legal disclaimer)
59 min