Nevada leads America in unemployment, foreclosures, personal bankruptcy, divorce, violent crime, robbery, and auto theft. But there is another secret lurking in the town that features half-naked women walking down the street at all hours of the night, and drunken men and women who came to Vegas so that they can have indiscretions that stay in Vegas.
“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is a fatal LIE. HIV/AIDS grew 47% in Vegas last year and thousands of visitors took it home.” – Rick Warren
Rick Warren. pastor and the author of “Purpose Driven Life” tweeted this quote in March 2011. Yet, and still HIV/AIDS is not the only thing that we should consider in deciding whether bringing casinos to Maryland, in an area where residences are close by would be in the people’s best interest.
You would think that unemployment, foreclosures, personal bankruptcy, divorce, violent crime, robbery auto theft and HIV/AIDS would be enough. Since it is not, I will present another concern to which I expect all parents within Prince George’s County Maryland to consider and prevent from happening, Child Trafficking.
When we say “Human Trafficking” we are often speaking about adults, and children. As a child sexual abuse prevention and adult healing relationship mentor, I feel responsible to dispel a few myths about adult traffickers. Most adult traffickers were first child traffickers.
Prostitution is often viewed by many as a profession that is chosen by the woman or man. In many cases the prostitute is forced into the lifestyle, which often means being forced into drug addiction to bear the agony of giving your body away to people who see you as an object.
Child Trafficking “businessmen” if that is what you want to call them, target large events including the Superbowl, Grandprix (which just came to Baltimore, Maryland), and other sporting events and Casino towns like Las Vegas.
The real question in Question 7 is,
“Do you want to put your children at risk to commercial child sex?”
“The Super Bowl — or any large sports game — always draws traffickers and they bring the product line because there are a lot of men that are used to buying commercial sex around these events,” Smith said. “Unfortunately, it draws minors as a product line. People bring in kids. So what has happened in Indianapolis is absolutely amazing. The leadership standing up saying – we’re going to send a message to traffickers saying we’re not a good place for you to be bringing kids or vulnerable women to sell.” – Linda Smith, President of Shared Hope International
Brief Baltimore History
If you are unfamiliar with Baltimore, Maryland the birthplace of Jada Pinkett-Smith, Tupac Shakur, Baltimore was ravished by the drug industry years ago, and continues to struggle with recovery. The city is infamous with violence, indecent nightclubs walking distance from the water, and abandoned, impoverished-looking buildings.
Melvin Williams who is emulated in the Barksdale character on “The Wire” is known as the drug dealer who brought heroin and cocaine to the streets of Baltimore. He was a gambler and became so powerful that law enforcement asked Williams to defuse the Martin Luther King Jr riots in Baltimore after his assassination.
“Despite whatever amends he makes, Williams still helped build Baltimore’s heroin and cocaine trade, which has left the city to struggle with the associated problems of drug-related violence, and social costs of addiction.” – Bio of Melvin Williams
Casino Placement
There seems to be confusion about where the new casinos will be placed. I believe that this is a political decision to keep people somewhat unaware of how close the Casino will be built to residences, increasing the probability of child trafficking out of residential homes.
The Casinos will be built in Prince George’s County, particularly near or in Fort Washington, around the Gaylord National Resort which sits on the water, next to the bridge which connects Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. A breeding ground for trafficking.
Final Thoughts
If we bring in the Grand Prix to Baltimore, Casinos to Prince George’s County, what will be next, the Superbowl to Landover? Given the Redskins records I’m not banking on that however, my illustration is to simply point out the dangers of unprepared law enforcement, inadequate laws to protect children from trafficking, and the fact that the best possible prevention is to not have Casinos come to Maryland at all, I would be remiss not to ask you to reconsider your ballot choice before November 6.
My mission in life is to starve predators, not to give them the opportunity to offend. I hope that Marylanders will take this into consideration before voting FOR Question 7, under the belief that your children will get a better education.
Prince George’s County has had the worst education in all of Maryland for many years. They are last of all of the counties and they are also the largest county. I disbelieve that Casino money will be put into the school systems, and even if they are, some of that money will have to go to mental and physical health services and addiction recovery for children who are victims of human and child trafficking.
Now, you decide. Will you vote FOR or AGAINST Question 7?
Ressurrection Graves is from the Washington DC area and created a term entitled, “Child Sexual Abuse Grooming” which is different legally than “Child Grooming” which is associated with “Child Trafficking”. She is working diligently to “Make Child Sexual Abuse Grooming A Felony”. Please CLICK HERE to sign her petition and save our children.
Ressurrection
Love, Life, and Relationships: Overcoming Emotional and Child Sexual Abuse 
Hi Res,
Great read. I believe that there should NOT be a casino in that area of Maryland. I also agree that those type of establishments are “feeding” grounds for predators. Even though I was not a victim of child trafficking (but..as a child, I had been abused by many predators). Between the ages of 14 – 18. I had so many “encounters” with older men. I was not a prostitute, but these men pursued me and at times I found myself on a date with them. It did not matter to them that I was a 14 year old child. I grew up in the state of Washington and was a teen during the time of the green river killings. It is only by the grace of God that I was protected.
Wow. “The Green River Killings” Really? Thank you so much for comment. Bless the Lord that you are hear, and able to share your story.
Yep ,l even though I was not on the “strip”. I would go on a date from a guy that I would meet in public settings, downtown Seattle, or at a festival , parade, etc. Your post really stirred me up to write another blog post. NOT..going to be an easy one.
Please let me know when you finish writing it. Write on! Res
I’d like to ask you to clarify or correct a couple points you made in your one-sided, misinformed piece.
1) You do realize that question 7 only changes the MD gaming laws to authorize a 6th casino license, to be granted to a casino operator, on any parcel in Prince Geoges County, not just National Harbor?
2) Las Vegas Boulevard aka “The Strip” is a 8 lane road lined with casinos, bars, nightclubs, street performers, etc and is widely regarded as America’s playground. But As far as Arundel Mills., Perryville, and Berlin MD (Ocean Downs) go, can you provide a marked uptick in the number of sex crimes? Prostitution, homelessness, general crime, and traffic are all byproducts of a bustling metropolis, but on a different scale given the nickname “America’s Playground”. Disposable income, lowered inhibitions, and an overall lack of open container laws contribute to the prostitution problem, not the gambling.
3) As for Baltimore, that project has already been awarded a license and will be a Caesar’s Palace property under the brand name Harrah’s. It would not have a hotel. To say Baltimore should not get a new tourist attraction is prejudiced against the entire Baltimore area. It would be a complimentary economic engine to the Orioles, Ravens, Aquarium, and Little Italy/Fells Point areas.
4) The super bowl is not always played in the city of one of its participants, it is pre-selected years in advance. The redskins success has nothing to do with whether or not Washington will be awarded a Super Bowl, which just about everyone else within 200 miles of here would be happy about but you. The tax boost the entire area would get by a Super Bowl would be unprecedented.
By your logic, we should ban everything that draws a crowd from Maryland. Send the Redskins back to DC, ship the Orioles back to Atlanta, the Ravens back to Cleveland, move BWI to Dover, the Aquarium to DC, and shutter Arundel Mills+the neighborhoods of Baltimore, because they pose a risk as being a neighborhood were sex trafficking can occur? Is that the jist of it?
An article, albeit a blog, based on HBO characters, and tweets without any supplemental research, is a poorly-written one at best. It’s unfortunate you were a victim, and I do not wish to speak ill of your parents, but the best way to prevent child trafficking is better parenting. Plain and simple. You should be appreciative of the Maryland government to try and add tax revenue to the coffers that was escaping to WV, PA, and NJ, as well as siphoning off revenue from VA residents who would otherwise go to WV. You sprinkled some decent points in your article, but the enemy is not the casino industry, it is the pimps and leaders of these rings.
First of all I am a child sexual abuse expert so please check your tone. The blog is based on my work – if that is what you call one sided. I am presenting information and my entire point is to keep children safe. I’m not opposing gaming in MD as opposed to anywhere else, I’m opposed to gaming, and gambling period if it draws men to sexually abuse girls.
Secondly, I don’t care where it is in Prince George’s County. PG County took a big hit in 2009 when the economy was crashing because of foreclosures.
Thirdly, history and common sense suggest that when you open one door, the others soon follow. The question for voters is, do they want to continue to keep opening doors without protecting children.
I’m not sure where you obtain facts about prostitution.
Well, thanks for giving me a sales pitch in #3 of your comment. You’re talking about licenses and business, just like pimps worry about selling bodies and not the affects of their actions.
The comment about the Redskins was sarcasm.
My blog was not based on HBO characters and that was a really ignorant comment providing that I was talking about a real person who brought a whole city down. I have nothing against him but the affects of his reign are visible.
And now I’m angry at your willingness to be so boldy ignorant. CHILD TRAFFICKING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PARENTING! Child are STOLEN, as in ABDUCTED, and sold into slavery everyday. And that is not PLAIN OR SIMPLE.
Your insensitivity is really scary. Thank you for commenting. I am willing to approve it because I know that you were not intending to be disrespectful to me rather you just don’t agree with the article however, I highly encourage you to research before you speak.
There are many children that are trafficked who don’t have parents, or weren’t afforded the parents that you clearly had which made you perfect.
I do agree that great parenting skills help to teach children how to value themselves and see a vision for life, but there are many children who grow up in environments where there are no parents there to help them. Does that justify your point? NO. Does it justify the pimps forcing children into prostitution slavery and forcing them to become addicted to drugs? Absolutely not!
The article is factual whether it feels good or not.
Also, I was NOT a victim of child trafficking but child sexual abuse and incest. And, rape in adolescence. And I am not a victim now, but a victor.