MINUTES: August 25, 2015
Posted
on Aug 26, 2015
AUGUST 25, 2015
President Sean Priebe presided over the meeting. Thanks to Brian Moore who gave the invocation and to Kemi Simmons who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thanks to Todd Watson and Tracie Fowler who served as our greeters today.
Wes Brooks sat in for Jaclyn Adams and asked that we keep Jacklyn and her family in our prayers in the loss of Jaclyn’s grandmother. Wes then introduced our guest today, Shawn Harris who is a guest of Tracie Fowler.
Our Mystery Rotarian today had a reputation for getting under people’s skin when he was younger. He was so bad that one day his two sisters put him into the garbage can and sat it on the curb to be picked up. He was later rescued by his mother. He grew up to become an Eagle Scout and President of the Knights of Columbus. He attended the University of Mississippi and had Archie Manning as a classmate. Johnny Stevens is today’s Mystery Rotarian.
Sean reminded members that District Governor John Cornwell will be our featured speaker on September 9. He also reminded members of the upcoming Bike-a-Thon. Volunteer sheets will be available for sign-ups next week. Thanks to Owens Business Machines for printing the race posters that were designed by Wes Brooks.
Sean then introduced today’s guest speaker Annie Jackson. Annie is the Program Director for the South Mississippi Children’s Center. Annie introduced Alecia Bridges who works for the Center and will assist with today’s presentation.
The South Mississippi Children’s Center (SMCC) has been around since 1979. It is a home here in Hattiesburg for runaway and homeless children as well as children who may be in a crisis situation at home for whatever reason. SMCC provide structure for the children, including entertainment time, homework time, and school time. Runaway and homeless children can stay at the center for 21 days at no charge. A child under DHS custody can stay up to 45 days. The Center serves children between the ages of nine up to 20. The capacity of the Center is 12 children at one time and it has remained at capacity for most of the last few months.
SMCC provides a safe shelter, room and board, medical and dental services, education services after-care support for up to 6 months and recreational opportunities. If needed the Center also offers group and family counseling, psychosocial/suicide risk assessment and trauma assessment. The Center serves about 200 children each year and most of them are from south Mississippi.
Enrollment in a school is a necessity. If the student is enrolled in an area school, transportation is provided. If they are not enrolled the Center gets them enrolled as quickly as possible in Hattiesburg Public Schools. They are provided school uniforms, school supplies, and a weekly allowance. They are taught independent living skills. They must practice completing a work application, develop a resume and go through an interview.
In addition to the services SMCC provides, Annie also wanted to talk about a present and ever growing problem across the nation and especially here in South Mississippi. Sex Trafficking is the fasting growing industry in the United States, earning billions in revenue each year. There are between 1.6 and 2.8 million runaways on our city streets every night.
Sex trafficking is not confined to just young girls. Boys are also pressured or sold into service. In some cases, Annie reports that mothers have been known to sell their daughters for sex. Victims are as young as 9 years of age but the average victim’s age is 12. They are kidnapped or persuaded by friends or family to participate. Once they are recruited they are usually gang raped and given no hope of ever returning to a normal life. Annie reports that 19% of those recruited are recruited by friends with 11% being recruited by family members.
During this year a study was conducted in a four country area around Jackson. The study group found 90 sex trafficking victims in just those four counties.
In 2013 the Mississippi Legislature passed a sex trafficking law. Those found guilty can go to jail for up to twenty years and be fined up to $100,000. Minors cannot be prosecuted under this law, however the law defines a minor as someone fifteen years of age or younger. In some cases older minors are being prosecuted and will go the rest of their lives with a police record.
There are only 37 residential sex trafficking center across the nation. However, only 13 of those serve children 11 to 12 years of age. Mississippi does not have a center.
Annie asked Rotarians to be aware of their surroundings especially in shopping malls or theaters or other places where young people congregate. These are the most likely places where they are being recruited.
To find out more or to let the Center know of a child that is in need of assistance contact them by calling 1.800.635.9056 or by visiting their website at www.mchscares.org.