Kern County Family Justice Center

Today we recognize Family Justice Center Day in California. The Kern County Family Justice Center is open and ready to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

Assembly Member Tim Grayson has introduced ACR 31, a concurrent resolution recognizing March 5, 2021 as Family Justice Center Day in California.

Human Trafficking Trial Conviction: Today, a Kern County Jury found defendant Rayshoun Miller guilty of all three charged felony counts, including Human Traffic...king, Pimping, and Pandering, regarding his trafficking of a young adult woman who he induced into prostitution by promising to care for her three month old child. Miller sent the victim from Fresno to prostitute at Bakersfield's Desert Star Motel, and forced the victim to provide him with all the proceeds. Upon her return to Fresno, Miller refused to return the child, and the victim was returned to the Desert Star Motel. When the victim attempted to leave the control of the defendant, an accomplice advised her that she could not leave until she made back enough money to account for the money that had been spent upon her. A friend of the victim contacted authorities, and Homeland Security and BPD responded to initiate the investigation. Miller is further alleged to have a prior strike conviction for a shooting case out of Fresno in 2010, and faces up to 40 years in prison as a result of the convictions. DDA Esther Schlaerth presented the case. District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented of the conviction: The sexual exploitation of young women in Kern County is a horrific and pervasive crime. Those who prey on the vulnerabilities of young, disadvantaged women, will be prosecuted. Human trafficking carries some of the highest penalties under the law, and the District Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue those who seek to profit off of the exploitation of others.

BPD and federal agents executed multiple search warrants today at the Desert Star Motel in Bakersfield as part of a human trafficking investigation. District At...torney Cynthia Zimmer stated, Human trafficking is a serious problem throughout the US and in Kern County. The average age a girl enters prostitution is 12-14 years old. The emotional and physical impact to these victims can last a lifetime. I look forward to the continued cooperation between my office and the US Attorney’s Office in the vital prosecution of human trafficking crimes. Kern Coalition Against Human Trafficking See more

Today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day...What is Human Trafficking? California Legislature defines human trafficking as "all acts involved in the recruitment..., abduction, transport, harboring, transfer, sale or receipt of persons, within national or across international borders, through force, coercion, fraud or deception, to place persons in situations of slavery or slavery-like conditions, forced labor or services, such as forced prostitution or sexual services, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop labor, or other debt bondage." Human Trafficking vs Smuggling Though they are often confused, human trafficking and smuggling are separate and fundamentally different crimes. Human trafficking is a crime against the person whereas smuggling is a crime against the state. Smuggling occurs when a person voluntarily requests or hires a person, known as a smuggler, to transport him or her across a border for a fee. Types of Human Trafficking Sex Trafficking - Sex trafficking is defined as the act of forcing, coercing, or transporting a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act. These crimes are primarily committed against women and children. Sex trafficking can occur in residential brothels, brothels disguised as massage parlors, strip clubs, and via online escort services and street prostitution. Labor Trafficking - Labor trafficking is defined as the act of forcing a person to work for little or no money. It can include forced labor in underground markets and sweatshops, as well as legitimate businesses such as hotels, factories, restaurants, construction sites, farming, landscaping, nail salons, traveling sales crews, and domestic servitude. Reporting and Identifying Human Trafficking If you are a victim of human trafficking, know of somebody who may be a victim of human trafficking, or have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline 1-888-373-7888. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a national, toll-free hotline, available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The hotline a program of Polaris Project, a non-profit, nongovernmental organization working exclusively on the issue of human trafficking. Call 1-888-373-7888 or visit http://www.polarisproject.org/ to connect with anti-trafficking services in your area; or to request training and technical assistance, general information, or specific anti-trafficking resources. The Bakersfield Police Department offers a prevention and awareness presentation on human trafficking. To schedule a presentation on this topic, please call (661) 326-3053 or email [email protected]. #HumanTraffickingAwareness #HumanTraffickingAwarenessDay #HumanTrafficking #GetHelp

Weekly support groups have begun for survivors and all those affected by the Route 91 Las Vegas Harvest Festival shooting; further information about support gro...ups and the continuing efforts to provide long-term trauma assistance can be found below-- https://giveanhour.org//Give-an-hour-Route-91-Heals-Happen See more

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence is not limited to heterosexual relationships and can ...affect individuals of all sexual orientations and genders. Within the LGBTQ community, intimate partner violence occurs at a rate equal to or even higher than that of the heterosexual community. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, LGBTQ individuals may experience unique forms of intimate partner violence as well as distinctive barriers to seeking help due to fear of discrimination or bias. For anonymous, confidential help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). For local residents, there is also the Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault. They can be reached 24 hours a day at their Crisis Hotline: (661) 327-1091. The Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity is a local organization serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender community in Kern County, and can be reached for further resources at (661) 404-5209. Not a victim yourself, but want to help domestic violence victims? Share information on how to get help. Wear purple to raise awareness. Donate to a local shelter that helps victims escape abuse. If you see something, hear something, or suspect violence... say something. The Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #Abuse #DomesticViolence #TakeAStand #SeeSomethingSaySomething #LGBTQ