Dear WestCoast Community,

As awareness grows in Oakland and beyond about the commercial sexual exploitation of children, WestCoast is at the forefront, providing crucial expertise about the problem and ways we can address it. In an article published by Oakland Local today, WestCoast’s Director of Research and Evaluation, Dr. Danna Basson, shared our research on the trauma and impact of sexual exploitation on our clients as we reported last year in Research-to-Action: Sexually Exploited Minors Needs and Strengths.

The article addresses the need for a comprehensive, multi-system response to the commercial sexual exploitation of children, underscoring the importance of last week’s unanimous vote by the Child Welfare Council to develop such a response.

“There are procedures to deal with child abuse,” Basson explains. “Social Services could provide the consistent protective response necessary if it was designated to do so.”

The article also highlights how the important work of our C-Change Program contributes to the community’s response to victims and survivors.

You may find the article here: Oakland Won’t Quit on Trafficked Kids.

Thank you,

Jodie Langs
Director of Policy & Communications