Flushing to host seminar addressing sex traffi cking
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
City Councilman
Peter Koo and the NYPD
announced an upcoming
human trafficking seminar
in Flushing that aims to help
explain services available
to victims and educate the
community about the issue.
The Human Trafficking
Seminar will take place
March 29 at Flushing Library
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The seminar comes in
the wake of recent news
in which a massage parlor
raid in Florida resulted in
the arrest of New England
Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Reports indicated that
several women working at
the massage parlor in Florida
had addresses from Flushing,
according to Koo.
Moreover, the Downtown
Flushing area has also had its
own prostitution problems.
Koo partnered with police
and community businesses
on March 11 to identify and
shut down several brothels
posing as massage parlors on
40th Road across the street
from Bland Playground.
Once affectionately
referred to as “Restaurant
Row,” in recent years,
the block in the heart of
downtown Flushing has
turned into a red light
district where dozens of girls
aggressively solicit sex from
people walking down the
street 24/7, often venturing
into the playground.
“We are seeing this happen
sporadically nationwide.
Massage parlors are raided by
law enforcement, and it later
becomes clear that they can
be traced back to Flushing,”
said Koo. “Sex trafficking
needs to be addressed with
tremendous sensitivity so
victims can be sure they are
safe. We also welcome the eyes
and ears of the community.
If you see something, say
something. This seminar
will help explain services
available to victims and
educate our community about
what to look out for.”
Koo has been working
with local women’s shelters
to provide outreach services
to potential victims. While
The Human Trafficking Seminar will help explain services available
to victims and educate the community about what to look out for.
there was no immediate
indication of trafficking at
the 40th Road locations, Koo
has worked with landlords
and the city to shutter the
locations acting as illicit
massage parlors.
The upcoming sex
trafficking seminar aims to
engage potential victims in
Flushing and around New York
Courtesy of Koo’s offi ce
City, as well as community
members who wish to know
more about the issue.
Garden Hope, which
serves to rebuild the lives
of those who have been
exposed to domestic violence,
sexual assault and human
trafficking, is partnering
with the city on the seminar.
“We work to assist Chinesespeaking
victims of domestic
and gender-based violence
through assessment, courtmandated
education and legal
assistance for trafficking
victims,” said Yuanfen Kristen
Chi, executive director of
Garden Hope.
The center offers free
and confidential services
to human trafficking
victims/survivors that
include consultation, case
management, counseling,
support group, emergency
housing, legal assistance,
court interpretation, medical
checking and economic
empowerment.
Anyone who needs
assistance can call Garden of
Hope’s free help line number
at (718) 321-8862.
The trafficking seminar
is being held in partnership
with the NYPD, the Mayor’s
Office to End Domestic and
Gender-Based Violence, the
Queens Family Justice Center,
Garden of Hope, Chinese
Christian Herald Crusades,
the Korean American
Family Service Center, and
Samaritans NYC.
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