For Immediate Release
June 15, 2007
Contact: Vern Smith
Tel: 360.693.8100
savelives@sharedhope.org
The Defenders USA Dedicates National Headquarters and
Launches Truck Stop Campaign
to Combat Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in America
Vancouver, WA– The Defenders USA announces the dedication
of a national headquarters
and the launch of the
Truck Stop Campaign to combat commercial sexual exploitation
of children in America.
The Defenders USA, a project of Shared Hope
International (SHI) founded by former Congresswoman Linda Smith,
was officially launched
on Father’s Day in 2006 with the “She Has a Name” advertising
campaign which called on
the men of America to defend themselves, their children, and their
families against the dangerous influences
and harms of the commercial
sex industry. As a result of this campaign, hundreds of men in
every state across the nation signed
a pledge to become a Defender
and advanced the first offensive in the battle against sexual
exploitation of children by the commercial
sex industry and buyers.
To mark the one year anniversary, The Defenders
USA plans to launch another campaign called “She Has a Name – and
It Is Not ‘Lot Lizard’” at truck stops which
are known throughout the
United States as places of commercial sexual exploitation of minors.
The local Defenders will go to
truck and rest stops in
the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington areas, asking truck
drivers to join The Defenders USA and take
the pledge to become a
Defender.
********
Launch of The Defenders USA National
Headquarters and Truck Stop Campaign, “She Has a Name”
When: June 16, 2007
- 10:30 am
What: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Where: 2906 E. Evergreen
Blvd. Vancouver, WA
98665
Who: The Defenders USA
Contact: Dave Austen or
Vern Smith at 1-866-HER-LIFE
About The Defenders USA
The Defenders USA specifically
works to:
• Raise public awareness
of the harms to
both the victim and the
buyer/user of buying
commercial sexual services and using pornography;
• Encourage public debate
on the dangerous
normalization of buying commercial sexual services from increasingly younger
children,
as evidenced by the growing
number of children
being drawn into prostitution at an average age of 12 years and younger;
• Challenge civil society
groups, including
faith-based organizations and churches to provide refuge and services to the
victims
and treatment for the victimizers
to stop the harmful
behavior in which they may be engaged;
• Provide resources to men
(by men) through
The Defenders USA website to educate and direct those in need to access help
when
necessary.
