Shared Hope International

Shared Hope International (SHI) is a U.S.-based Christian nonprofit, nongovernmental organization focused on preventing sex trafficking and slavery. Its work combines research, public education, policy advocacy, training, coalition building, and efforts intended to improve protection and services for trafficking survivors. The organization was founded in 1998 by Linda Smith, a former member of the U.S. Congress. According to the organization's historical account, Smith's decision to establish Shared Hope followed a visit to a brothel district in Mumbai, India, which drew her attention to the scale and consequences of human trafficking. SHI initially concentrated on international sex trafficking. Over time, it expanded its investigative and educational work to include trafficking within the United States, with particular attention to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. This domestic focus led to research examining how children are identified, treated, and protected within U.S. legal and social-service systems. One of the organization's notable research outputs was The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children, which assessed the problem across ten U.S. locations. The organization has also produced the DEMAND report and an accompanying documentary after conducting comparative research on sex-trafficking conditions in Japan, Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the United States under a grant from the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Coalition work has been another part of SHI's model. In January 2001, Linda Smith founded the War Against Trafficking Alliance (WATA) to coordinate regional and international initiatives against sex trafficking. WATA organized conferences and helped connect governments, advocates, and other participants involved in prevention, prosecution, and victim assistance. In February 2003, WATA co-sponsored a World Summit with the U.S. Department of State. The summit brought together representatives and leaders from 114 nations around a shared commitment to prosecuting trafficking and assisting victims. In 2005, WATA participated with UNIFEM in an ASEAN conference addressing child sex tourism in East and Southeast Asia. SHI's public identity is therefore built less around consumer products than around mission-driven services and knowledge resources. Its principal offerings include trafficking research, reports and documentaries, awareness activities, professional and community education, policy-oriented advocacy, and collaboration with organizations addressing exploitation. The organization operates primarily through the United States while maintaining an international perspective and historical involvement in cross-border anti-trafficking initiatives. Available reference material does not establish a current chief executive, detailed financial profile, or a complete list of present-day programs, so those fields remain limited here.

Shared Hope International was established in 1998 by Linda Smith, a former U.S. Congresswoman. The organization's origin is associated with Smith's visit to a brothel district in Mumbai, an experience that motivated her to respond to sex trafficking and slavery. SHI began with an international orientation, addressing trafficking as a transnational human-rights and criminal-justice issue. A major element of the organization's development was the creation of the War Against Trafficking Alliance in January 2001. Founded by Smith, the alliance was intended to connect organizations and public authorities working on trafficking prevention, prosecution, and victim assistance. It supported regional and international coordination and convened conferences intended to sustain political and institutional attention to the issue. In February 2003, WATA co-sponsored its first World Summit with the U.S. Department of State. The event brought together leaders and representatives from 114 nations, reflecting the alliance's international scope and emphasis on cooperation across jurisdictions. SHI later broadened its focus to trafficking in the United States, especially the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the treatment of domestic minor trafficking victims. Its research examined how communities and institutions respond to children who are commercially sexually exploited. The resulting National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children assessed conditions in ten U.S. locations and contributed to the organization's public-education and policy-advocacy work. The organization also undertook comparative international research with support from the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. The study considered sex trafficking in Japan, Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the United States. Its outputs included the DEMAND report and an associated documentary, using research and media to examine the demand factors connected with commercial sexual exploitation. In 2005, WATA was invited to participate with UNIFEM in the first ASEAN conference addressing child sex tourism in East and Southeast Asia. This continued SHI's involvement in international discussions of exploitation involving children and tourism-related demand. Across these stages, Shared Hope International developed a mission-centered model based on research, education, advocacy, coalition work, and support for improvements in victim protection. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of later leadership, organizational restructuring, budgets, or current program operations.

• 2005

  Participation in ASEAN child-sex-tourism conference

  [1]Shared Hope Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  WATA participated with UNIFEM in an ASEAN conference addressing child sex tourism in East and Southeast Asia.

• 2003

  International World Summit co-sponsored

  [1]Shared Hope Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  WATA and the U.S. Department of State co-sponsored a summit attended by leaders from 114 nations.

• 2001

  War Against Trafficking Alliance launched

  [1]Shared Hope Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Linda Smith founded WATA to coordinate regional and international anti-trafficking activity and conferences.

• 1998

  Shared Hope International founded

  [1]Shared Hope Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Linda Smith established the organization after a visit to a brothel district in Mumbai inspired her to address sex trafficking and slavery.

A faith-based, research-driven anti-trafficking organization combining public education, policy advocacy, coalition building, and survivor-focused reform efforts.

• Research report

  The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children

  A research publication examining domestic minor sex trafficking across ten locations in the United States. It formed part of SHI's later domestic focus on the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the institutional response to affected minors.

• Research and documentary

  DEMAND report and documentary

  A report and accompanying documentary developed from comparative research into sex trafficking in Japan, Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the United States. The project examined demand-related dimensions of trafficking and translated research findings into a public-education format.

• Coalition and conference initiative · 2001

  War Against Trafficking Alliance

  An alliance founded by Linda Smith in 2001 to coordinate regional and international efforts against sex trafficking. Its activities included conferences and multilateral engagement, including a 2003 World Summit and participation in a 2005 ASEAN conference.

• 2003World Summit on trafficking

  International

  WATA and the U.S. Department of State co-sponsored a summit focused on prosecuting trafficking and assisting victims.

  Outcome. The summit brought together leaders from 114 nations and demonstrated broad international participation in anti-trafficking efforts.

  Source
• 2001War Against Trafficking Alliance

  International

  A coalition-building initiative designed to coordinate anti-trafficking organizations and public authorities through regional and international activity.

  Outcome. The alliance organized conferences and helped convene multinational discussions, including a 2003 summit involving participants from 114 nations.

  Source

• Expanded from international trafficking work to domestic U.S. researchStrategy

  Background

  SHI initially focused on international sex trafficking and subsequently investigated sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children within the United States.

  Action taken

  The organization developed domestic research, including a national report assessing conditions in ten U.S. locations.

  Aftermath

  This broadened the organization's scope to include U.S. policy, institutional responses, and the protection of domestic minor trafficking victims.

  Source

• Commissioned comparative research on sex traffickingOther

  Background

  SHI received a grant from the U.S. Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

  Action taken

  The organization compared sex-trafficking conditions in Japan, Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the United States and produced the DEMAND report and documentary.

  Aftermath

  The project expanded SHI's research and public-education output across multiple national contexts.

  Source

1. 1Shared Hope Internationalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Shared Hope International official websitesharedhope.org