Dept.
of Florida Corrections
Via
Email
Re: John Meekins
To
Whom this May Concern:
I
was minding my own business when I received an angry request on Facebook from
John Meekins to speak to me on an encrypted phone line, i.e., “off the record”. John is a guard at a Lowell jail who is also
involved in the sex trafficking field.
When
I asked what this was about, I was informed he was “fired because of a
complaint I had filed against him” from his job as a guard in a Florida
jail. John further claimed I had
“ruined a project for sex trafficking victims” by making this accusation
against him. When I asked him why he
thought I did this he told me “because they played me a tape of your phone call”.
I
had no idea what he was talking about.
When I contacted the Dept. of Florida Corrections, I received an email
back from Tracy who told me “John had been terminated”. Meaning there was basically “nothing to
discuss in the matter. I was further
told the investigator who played this tape for John also “no longer worked for
the Dept. of Corrections”.
About
a week ago, our hotline received a phone call at about 7:00 a.m. by an attorney
who was calling to ask if I wanted to “testify at John’s hearing to get his
regular job back”. She told Karen, the
woman who answered our phone, all about this situation, including the fact that
a phone recording of me supposedly making this complaint was played for John as
it was his “right to face his accuser”.
When Karen asked who this attorney was making this call, she didn’t want
to give her name at first. It took a lot
of coaxing just to get her to identify herself..
Now
considering she called up our hotline and started talking about this whole
matter with a woman who wasn’t me, and therefore a complete stranger, to find
my privacy violated even further I found pretty offensive. Especially when my reputation with Sex
Workers Anonymous is built upon my reputation for “confidentiality”, I’m more
than upset to come in and hear that Karen was told I had “made a complaint
against John” and that this “tape was played for him”. Karen is not related to me, nor is she my
attorney. She’s just a member of SWA who your attorney had no RIGHT to discuss
such a matter with her like this without my consent. I have
NO idea why this matter was even discussed with her at all.
Nor
do I know why I now have John thinking I filed a complaint against him when I
DID NOT. Nor was ONE SINGLE STEP taken
to verify my actual involvement in this complaint before having John told I did
such a thing. There is a whole show on
MTV called “Catfish” based on people pretending to be someone they’re not. It’s very easy to do with modern technology, “spoof”
phones, emails, etc. As well to think that if someone DOES make
a complaint about sex trafficking in your system that THIS is how you PROTECT
YOUR WITNESSES?
Not only was John
TOLD that I had “made a complaint against him”, but then you call and discuss
the matter with the woman who answered our hotline? I mean where is your concept of a “right to
privacy” even here let alone COMMON SENSE?
I
have been a paralegal for the 30 years I’ve been in recovery now. Mostly because so many of our members can’t
find attorney’s they can afford or who want to represent them in the many legal
entanglements they find themselves in because of being survivors. I was invited to “testify against John” at
this hearing on April 19, 2017, but no contact information was provided Karen
to give to me so I could accept the offer.
When I emailed your department a few days ago asking for contact
information about this hearing – I still haven’t received any answer.
So
I did a little legal research tonight and lo and behold what did I find? Florida Statute 92.56 -Judicial proceedings
and court records involving sexual offenses and human trafficking quotes:
(1)(a) The
confidential and exempt status of criminal intelligence information or criminal
investigative information made confidential and exempt pursuant to s.
119.071(2)(h) must be maintained in court records pursuant to s. 119.0714(1)(h)
and in court proceedings, including testimony from witnesses.
(b) If a petition
for access to such confidential and exempt records is filed with the trial
court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense, the confidential and exempt
status of such information shall be maintained by the court if the state or the
victim demonstrates that:
1. The identity of
the victim is not already known in the community;
2. The victim has
not voluntarily called public attention to the offense;
3. The identity of
the victim has not otherwise become a reasonable subject of public concern;
4. The disclosure
of the victim’s identity would be offensive to a reasonable person; and
5. The disclosure
of the victim’s identity would:
a. Endanger the
victim because the assailant has not been apprehended and is not otherwise
known to the victim;
b. Endanger the victim because of the likelihood of
retaliation, harassment, or intimidation;
c. Cause severe
emotional or mental harm to the victim;
d. Make the victim
unwilling to testify as a witness; or
e. Be
inappropriate for other good cause shown.
(2) A defendant
charged with a crime described in s. 787.06(3)(a)1., (c)1., or (e)1., s.
787.06(3)(b), (d), (f), or (g), chapter 794, or chapter 800, or with child
abuse, aggravated child abuse, or sexual performance by a child as described in
chapter 827, may apply to the trial court for an order of disclosure of
information in court records held confidential and exempt pursuant to s.
119.0714(1)(h) or maintained as confidential and exempt pursuant to court order
under this section. Such identifying information concerning the victim may be
released to the defendant or his or her attorney in order to prepare the
defense. The confidential and exempt status of this information may not be
construed to prevent the disclosure of the victim’s identity to the defendant;
however, the defendant may not disclose
the victim’s identity to any person other than the defendant’s attorney or any
other person directly involved in the preparation of the defense. A willful and
knowing disclosure of the identity of the victim to any other person by the
defendant constitutes contempt.
(3) The state may use a pseudonym instead of
the victim’s name to designate the victim of a crime described in s.
787.06(3)(a)1., (c)1., or (e)1., in s. 787.06(3)(b), (d), (f), or (g), or in
chapter 794 or chapter 800, or of child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or
sexual performance by a child as described in chapter 827, or any crime
involving the production, possession, or promotion of child pornography as
described in chapter 847, in all court records and records of court proceedings,
both civil and criminal.
(4) The protection of this section may be
waived by the victim of the alleged offense in a writing filed with the court,
in which the victim consents to the use or release of identifying information
during court proceedings and in the records of court proceedings.
(5) This section
does not prohibit the publication or broadcast of the substance of trial
testimony in a prosecution for an offense described in s. 787.06(3)(a)1.,
(c)1., or (e)1., s. 787.06(3)(b), (d), (f), or (g), chapter 794, or chapter
800, or a crime of child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or sexual performance
by a child, as described in chapter 827, but
the publication or broadcast may not include an identifying photograph, an
identifiable voice, or the name or address of the victim, unless the victim has
consented in writing to the publication and filed such consent with the court
or unless the court has declared such records not confidential and exempt as
provided for in subsection (1).
(6) A willful and knowing violation of this
section or a willful and knowing failure to obey any court order issued under
this section constitutes contempt.
I
call your attention to the parts I highlighted in bold. Let’s say for the sake of argument I had made
a formal criminal complaint against John Meekins with respect to sex
trafficking. Which by the way I want to
make very clear in this letter I DID NOT.
I did NOT contact anyone to make a formal complaint about anything
against John Meekins which started this process rolling. So my identity should not have been
“revealed to anyone but the defendant’s attorney” IF THAT, and to have done so
puts the plaintiffs in “contempt”, even if I DID make such a complaint.
It
also SPECIFICALLY states “unless the victim has consented in writing to the
publication” which includes a recording with an “identifiable voice” as was
played to John, along with stating my name to this tape, and further filed my
permission with the court to do so – then the plaintiffs are also further in
“contempt” for not keeping these records “confidential”.
This
phone call a few days ago found Karen asking this attorney specifically “what
steps are going to be taken to protect Jody from retaliation” after she asked I
testify against John at this April 19, 2017 hearing. I have yet to receive any type of information
back from anyone about what exactly IS going to be done to protect me from any
retaliation in the future, as well as what I’ve already suffered, from such a
violation of dragging my name into this manner as has been done. In
fact, I can’t even get specific information about where this hearing is being
held, who is involved, is this a court proceeding, etc.
Now
since John’s “right to face his accuser” was so generously honored as we were
told is how this whole thing went down – I sure don’t seem to be hearing back
from anyone about what MY rights are here ESPECIALLY if I DID FILE a complaint
against John. Because what I’m seeing
here is that I just had someone wound up John at me like a missile and fired. Lord
knows that if I was in fact a REAL sex trafficking victim who had been
trafficked within your facility by John and THIS is how you TREAT VICTIMS – we have a SERIOUS problem here.
Including
the fact that I’m being classified as an “accuser” of John, which would mean
I’m also a “victim” of something. That
or someone is certainly. Meaning the way
I’m being treated is how you treat victims over there? Well I have a serious problem with this being
no one has contacted me to speak to me about any type of services either,
what’s being done about said complaint, or anything about what supposedly I
accused John of, let alone to verify I was even the person who made this call
or complaint against John. Certainly if
I “made a complaint against John” that means I’m a “victim” then right? That or SOMEBODY IS.
Going
back to my research, Florida Statute 960.01 - Guidelines for fair treatment of
victims and witnesses in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems is
quoted as saying:
(a) Information
concerning services available to victims of adult and juvenile crime.—As
provided in s. 27.0065, state attorneys and public defenders shall gather
information regarding the following services in the geographic boundaries of
their respective circuits and shall provide such information to each law
enforcement agency with jurisdiction within such geographic boundaries. Law
enforcement personnel shall ensure, through distribution of a victim’s rights
information card or brochure at the crime scene, during the criminal
investigation, and in any other appropriate manner, that victims are given, as
a matter of course at the earliest possible time, information about:
1. The availability of crime victim compensation,
if applicable;
2. Crisis intervention services, supportive or
bereavement counseling, social service support referrals, and community-based
victim treatment programs;
3. The role of the victim in the criminal or
juvenile justice process, including what the victim may expect from the system
as well as what the system expects from the victim;
4. The stages in the criminal or juvenile
justice process which are of significance to the victim and the manner in which
information about such stages can be obtained;
5. The right of a victim, who is not
incarcerated, including the victim’s parent or guardian if the victim is a
minor, the lawful representative of the victim or of the victim’s parent or
guardian if the victim is a minor, and the next of kin of a homicide victim, to
be informed, to be present, and to be heard when relevant, at all crucial
stages of a criminal or juvenile proceeding, to the extent that this right
does not interfere with constitutional rights of the accused, as provided by s.
16(b), Art. I of the State Constitution;
6. In the case of
incarcerated victims, the right to be informed and to submit written statements
at all crucial stages of the criminal proceedings, parole proceedings, or
juvenile proceedings; and
7. The right of a
victim to a prompt and timely disposition of the case in order to minimize the
period during which the victim must endure the responsibilities and stress
involved to the extent that this right does not interfere with the
constitutional rights of the accused.
(b) Information
for purposes of notifying victim or appropriate next of kin of victim or other
designated contact of victim.—In the case of a homicide, pursuant to chapter
782; or a sexual offense, pursuant to chapter 794; or an attempted murder or
sexual offense, pursuant to chapter 777; or stalking, pursuant to s. 784.048;
or domestic violence, pursuant to s. 25.385:
1. The arresting
law enforcement officer or personnel of an organization that provides
assistance to a victim or to the appropriate next of kin of the victim or other
designated contact must request that the victim or appropriate next of kin of
the victim or other designated contact complete a victim notification card.
However, the victim or appropriate next of kin of the victim or other designated
contact may choose not to complete the victim notification card.
2. Unless the
victim or the appropriate next of kin of the victim or other designated contact
waives the option to complete the victim notification card, a copy of the
victim notification card must be filed with the incident report or warrant in
the sheriff’s office of the jurisdiction in which the incident report or
warrant originated. The notification card shall, at a minimum, consist of:
a. The name,
address, and phone number of the victim; or
b. The name,
address, and phone number of the appropriate next of kin of the victim; or
c. The name,
address, and telephone number of a designated contact other than the victim or
appropriate next of kin of the victim; and
d. Any relevant identification or case numbers
assigned to the case.
3. The chief
administrator, or a person designated by the chief administrator, of a county
jail, municipal jail, juvenile detention facility, or residential commitment
facility shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the alleged victim or
appropriate next of kin of the alleged victim or other designated contact
within 4 hours following the release of the defendant on bail or, in the case
of a juvenile offender, upon the release from residential detention or
commitment. If the chief administrator, or designee, is unable to contact the
alleged victim or appropriate next of kin of the alleged victim or other
designated contact by telephone, the chief administrator, or designee, must
send to the alleged victim or appropriate next of kin of the alleged victim or
other designated contact a written notification of the defendant’s release.
4. Unless
otherwise requested by the victim or the appropriate next of kin of the victim
or other designated contact, the information contained on the victim
notification card must be sent by the chief administrator, or designee, of the
appropriate facility to the subsequent correctional or residential commitment
facility following the sentencing and incarceration of the defendant, and
unless otherwise requested by the victim or the appropriate next of kin of the
victim or other designated contact, he or she must be notified of the release
of the defendant from incarceration as provided by law.
5. If the
defendant was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued or taken into custody
pursuant to s. 985.101 in a jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction in which
the defendant is being released, and the alleged victim or appropriate next of
kin of the alleged victim or other designated contact does not waive the option
for notification of release, the chief correctional officer or chief
administrator of the facility releasing the defendant shall make a reasonable
attempt to immediately notify the chief correctional officer of the jurisdiction
in which the warrant was issued or the juvenile was taken into custody pursuant
to s. 985.101, and the chief correctional officer of that jurisdiction shall
make a reasonable attempt to notify the alleged victim or appropriate next of
kin of the alleged victim or other designated contact, as provided in this
paragraph, that the defendant has been or will be released.
(c) Information concerning protection available
to victim or witness.—A victim or witness shall be furnished, as a matter
of course, with information on steps that are available to law enforcement
officers and state attorneys to protect victims and witnesses from
intimidation. Victims of domestic violence shall also be given information
about the address confidentiality program provided under s. 741.403.
(d) Notification
of scheduling changes.—Each victim or witness who has been scheduled to attend
a criminal or juvenile justice proceeding shall be notified as soon as possible
by the agency scheduling his or her appearance of any change in scheduling
which will affect his or her appearance.
(e) Advance notification to victim or relative of
victim concerning judicial proceedings; right to be present.—Any victim, parent, guardian, or lawful
representative of a minor who is a victim, or relative of a homicide victim
shall receive from the appropriate agency, at the address found in the police
report or the victim notification card if such has been provided to the agency,
prompt advance notification, unless the agency itself does not have advance notification,
of judicial and postjudicial proceedings relating to his or her case, including
all proceedings or hearings relating to:
You’ll
further note the parts I’ve bolded here stating I’m supposed to be given things
like a case number, told when and where any hearings are being held, as well as
information on what protection can be given me.
ALL OF WHICH I have not been provided voluntarily yet, nor
have I after my requests for this information specifically in writing either.
Now
I can almost hear what the argument is going to be about this – that is that
“this isn’t a formal criminal proceeding so therefore these statutes doesn’t
apply”. That this is just an “employment
matter” about whether or not John’s pay scale stays lowered, as well as his job
duties restricted also, as the woman told Karen so these laws don’t specifically
apply.
Well
if that’s the case, then I fail to see WHERE John “has the right to face his
accuser” as in a tape being played for him with my name being identified then
if this IS NOT a “criminal” proceeding.
If you’re having an employment dispute of some kind with John, and
dragging out my name to justify your wanting to lower his pay or
responsibilities – I fail to see where that gives you the legal right to even
then CALL ME A “ACCUSOR”, and then make the decision all on your own to involve
me in this in the way as has been done.
In
other words, if I’m an “accuser” of John he “has the right to face” then where
is the criminal proceeding against John?
If you’re going to say you don’t have to honor these statutes because
“this isn’t a criminal proceeding”, or a lawsuit - then please explain to me how then it was
decided upon to suck my name into this matter as an “accuser”?
Since
no one will tell me anything about this case against John, I went online
further and found this article https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2016/feb/2/floridas-department-corrections-culture-corruption-abuse-and-deaths/
This article stated “The investigation also noted that
LCI guard John Meekins filed a police report stating Martinez had threatened
him. “You’re going to get your ass beat in the parking lot after work,” the
assistant warden allegedly told Meekins in front of two other guards after
Meekins conducted a shakedown that resulted in the confiscation of contraband
from two of Martinez’s alleged favorite prisoners.”
The article goes on to state that Martinez was
evidently removed from his job because of the contraband found by John’s
actions.
Looking
to me like the only thing John’s guilty of is getting a warden fired, NOT of
“sex trafficking”. So I’m confused as to
why I would be calling to file a complaint against John exactly..
This
issue is more than a “personal” one here because of my position as founder, and
director, of Sex Workers Anonymous. We
build our reputation upon NOT involving law enforcement, filing complaints of
any kind, etc., against anyone without first the victim inviting us to do so,
and even then we don’t consider such things without first consulting with an
attorney first to make sure everyone’s rights are protected and we’re aware of
what we’re involving ourselves in.
So I don’t take it
lightly at all when I hear John running around saying we “filed a complaint
against him” for one thing in the sex trafficking field harming our reputation.
For
another, that I supposedly “am responsible for tanking a sex trafficking
project” not to mention I’m DEEPLY concerned that if this is how you do treat
someone who does “blow the whistle” on something or something going on in your
Dept. of Corrections, ESPECIALLY if that involves a guard, then I think we have a lot to discuss here when it comes to your
treatment of people you are using as “witnesses”.
Especially
now that laws do exist to be able to file charges against certain people for
certain actions we couldn’t even do years ago, and in some cases we still
can’t. For example, while we do have
federal recognition of domestic sex trafficking now the Trafficking Act of 2000
was passed – but I STILL find it deeply disturbing men like Joohoon David Lee
was only charged with “bribery” and not “sex trafficking” because we still
don’t have laws on the books which would allow us to charge him for what he did
using his badge to traffick women who have no ability to prosecute him for his
actions being his badge has granted him not only immunity, but also it seems
nothing is being done about the family he falsely accused of sex trafficking in
order to distract away attention from his real actions.
What
am I to say what with all of this when an inmate in your corrections community
comes to me saying she “wants to blow the whistle” on her traffickers about
your ability to not only treat her well, but keep her ALIVE for that matter. If you look at the infamous case of Margo
Compton and what happened to her after she prosecuted her traffickers – then
you can see clearly why I’ve advertised our hotline for victims to call for
help where they don’t have to prosecute anyone in order to receive this
help. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/When-Jailbirds-Sing-It-was-the-pure-savagery-of-3018647.php
In
some cases, for some victims, this means literally death because we STILL are
not set up properly to protect trafficking victims fully when testifying as
Margo’s case clearly illustrates.
I’m
further troubled when my requests to have materials for Sex Workers Anonymous
distributed within the jail that John Meekins works at, or did work at, is not
responding to my requests to (1) have the pay phone “unblocked” so that inmates
can call for help with matters they don’t feel comfortable talking about with
the guards, (since our phone is listed as a resource with the Polaris National
Trafficking Hotline there’s no reason why we can’t be an “unblocked” number for
inmates to call these days especially since you don’t allow inmates to call 800
numbers anymore), and (2) allow me to distribute reading and step materials for
our 12 step program to your inmates.
We
publish the ONLY book on recovery from the sex industry, including sex
trafficking and pimping, in the world written by those in recovery in the same
spirit as the Alcoholics Anonymous “Big Book”.
Ours is called the “Recovery Guide” and many of our members for over 30
years now have sworn this book has “saved their lives”. We have our 1st edition published
in 1992, and our 2nd edition revised version updated in 2017.
On
top of the SWA “Recovery Guide”, we have a “mail order step study program”
specifically designed for inmates to be able to spend their time while
incarcerated working on “their steps” and thus recovery. We’ve also published a book written for the
family members and/or loved ones of those who are either going through exiting
the sex industry, and/or those who are being trafficked and pimped – on how to
support their loved one through their recovery, as well as help themselves.
These
books are for SWAN, a program which is modeled after Alanon in the AA
program. I’ve also just about finished
my memoirs which outline not just my life story, the founding of our 12 step
program and hotline, but also detailing the very history of the modern day
domestic sex trafficking movement itself.
All in all I think these are much better books for your inmates than
books like “The Happy Hooker” by Xaviera Hollander, provided them by SWOP, but
that’s my opinion.
Now
I have seen that you are allowing John to bring in books donated by Sex Workers
Outreach Project, or SWOP, which promotes prostitution as a form of “work”,
while denying sex trafficking even exists.
I’ve seen the books which are being donated and not only do they
completely “glamourize” sex work much like the Marlboro Man glamourizes smoking
without talking about the risk of addiction and/or cancer when one smokes - but
it creates a “connection” between the inmate that I’m not being allowed a “fair
and equal” chance to do the same with respect to our program offering them exit
services.
This
“book donation” program promotes a connection between prostitutes and SWOP who
actively recruits women to go to work for the legal ranches in Nevada, as well
as strip clubs, and porn production companies.
I’ve seen SWOP use their “SWOP Behind Bars” program to not only help
them identify prostitutes within the correctional system, also using John’s
help to do so, but even hold fund raisers for them so that they can be flown
upon release directly to the legal ranches of Nevada.
Why
do I have such an objection to this?
It’s not like it’s “pimps on the street” as John once remarked to me
about how pimps will send letters to the inmates to try and recruit them also
within the jail right?
Wrong!
Within
your own correctional system you just experienced a case where the “whistle
blower” within a “legal work environment” such as the jail experienced legal
and career repercussions from reporting criminal behavior witnessed “on the
job”. Further, the Supreme Court, the
highest court in our country, decided because of this case that there is no
such thing as “free speech” when it involves talking about something witnessed
“while on the job”. The article in the
Prison Legal News and Miami Dade newspaper talk about employees being fired,
reprimanded, forced into confidentiality agreements, “dog and pony shows” being
put on for the benefit of investigations into wrong doing within the jail to
cover up wrong doing, and so on and so on.
What
I’m trying to say is that if within the correctional system with the employees
being guards the state of Florida is having a real hard time allowing “whistle
blowers” to illegal and abusive behavior to be able to come forward without
fear, without repercussion or retaliation, and/or without even facing possibly
not only legal action but being told they can’t “exercise their free speech”
because of what they saw on the job, not to mention the risk of losing one’s
job, pension, benefits, etc. – then I ask you do you REALLY think that if
someone within the LEGAL SEX INDUSTRY were to witness the SAME type of abuse,
exploitation and/or wrong doing they would then encounter none of the same
problems exemplified by these guards if they were to try to go to the
authorities to report on abuses they were witnessing?
Case in point – do
we in this country right now on the books have one documented case of an employee
of a legal brothel in Nevada, and/or a legal strip club and/or a legal porn
production company coming forward to report sex trafficking of either
themselves, or someone they witnessed, successfully and without retaliation?
Not
to my knowledge have we had such a case.
So that’s my “problem” with inmates with now criminal records, who may
even be on parole or probation, being recruited from within these facilities to
work within the legal sex industries where any type of abuse, exploitation
and/or sex trafficking would NOT EVER be reported.
With
women at the legal ranches being forced to reside within their four walls 24/7,
and with no communications in nor out of the ranch being “private” being it’s
the ranchs’ phone they’re talking on, the ranch’s internet service providers,
their front door even – these GUARANTEES if any type of such victim exists, or
something like this is witnessed – it
would never be reported. I dare say
I wouldn’t even know how a victim would leave being that it’s illegal in many
types of situations to even walk out of the building without risking an arrest
for “violating curfew”.
AT LEAST ON THE
“STREETS” a victim of sex trafficking, or someone witnessing trafficking, would
be able to pick up the phone and call for help or for help to leave the
situation. With strip clubs you’ve got bouncers on the
door who can block your exit, as well as porn production sets have also had
women raped on them such as the women who reported James Deen raped them while
the cast simply “looked on”. With one of
James Deen’s rapes, the camera kept rolling while producers threatened the
victim with legal action for “stopping production” and “breaching their
contract” if they were to have left the set after being raped to get medical
attention as one victim reported happened.
Which
is again why I believe strongly “decriminalization” is the only way to try
protect sex workers from victimization, trafficking, abuse, false imprisonment,
etc. To “legalize” this industry creates
the same problems, if not much worse, than
that of these Florida guards are experiencing right now.
But
my point is that SWOP is being facilitated by the Florida correctional system
to identify and create bonds with their inmates, while we at SWA are not being
afforded this same “balancing” bonding with the inmates as well.
Besides,
I’m sorry if I can’t financially compete with women who are engaging in sex
work to buy and ship books for inmates while I struggle to pay my rent on my
SSI disability check. I can assure you
that from what I’m hearing, if these same inmates were to try and turn to SWOP
for assistance to exit the industry, and/or report and/or escape sex
trafficking – they are not equipped to do so.
Again, I’ve not heard of anything but DENIALS of sex trafficking out of
SWOP to date. I have talked to people
within SWOP who have wanted to report instances of sex trafficking, who tell me
they haven’t out of fear of being “shunned” out of the group in the same manner
in which they see we’ve been treated since Robin, their founder, died in 2012.
In
fact, I have a screen shot of one chapter literally telling a woman who had
just left her pimp and was therefore standing in a doorway, broke, with no
place to sleep for the night, no transportation, and no idea where to go to “go
sleep in a doorway” as SWOP’s response to this poor woman who didn’t know our
hotline existed.
I
have another email from a woman who claims a member of SWOP came to her so
called “rescue” when she told her of being raped and trafficked by a police
officer. The woman claims this member
then spent the night, then while she was sleeping took her computer and
evidence with her of what happened and split – leaving her with no evidence to
be able to prosecute the guy who was doing this to her.
So
while attempts by our members of Sex Workers Anonymous to also establish a
connection with these same inmates, so that we can start helping them find
“other” employment upon release, housing, counseling, as well as finding new
“friends” who aren’t connected to the “streets” who are in recovery, and also
supply them with books on recovery rather than books glamourizing the sex
industry unrealistically are going completely ignored – a full scale “SWOP
Behind Bars” and “Books for Inmates” is going on facilitated by the
correctional system nationally – not just in Florida I need to add.
In other words, I
think things are pretty screwed up over there right now. Especially considering our program has not
only been the one who created the first ever “alternative sentencing and
diversion” programs for prostitutes, as well as sex trafficking victims, in
this country for men, women and transgenders, in Los Angeles, California, but
also in Allentown, PA, Chicago, Illinois, Phoenix, Arizona, Vancouver, Canada,
and about 8 other states I could name who have had our programs not only going
within the correctional facility, but also part of the “re-entry” program for
inmates.
If
you look at our members such as Kathleen Mitchell, and Brenda Myers-Powell just
to name but two who have gone on to start their own programs within the
correctional systems, then I think it’s pretty clear that we do good work.
A
10 year long study into our program published in the 2009 report “Leaving
Prostitution” by professor Sharon Oselin more than proved the effectiveness of
our program as well for getting people out, and keeping them out, of the sex
industry whether trafficked or not.
As
well as a report which was done on our “Program for Female Offenders” in
Allentown, PA. These were completely
independent researchers who looked into our effectiveness I should add. Sure there are people who want to focus on my
personality for some reason – but this is why I bring the attention back to OUR
RESULTS. Who I am as a person has
NOTHING to do with the proven effectiveness of our program. In fact, we have multiple testimonials in
their own words up on www.leavingtheliferadio.com for anyone to
listen to.
What
do I do about this situation now with John Meekins? No one is answering me. I do not receive grants nor hold fund
raisers, nor do I even get a salary for my work with SWA. I’m on disability right now because of a
stroke meaning I live on a limited fixed income and thus “donate” all of my SWA
work as a “volunteer”. I can’t just fly
down there, retain an attorney, nor spend four hours at a whack on the phone
trying to call around to get answers. I
have to do this work “on my free time”.
You
imagine coming home from your full-time job and THEN sitting down to do the
work SWA requires of me, and then tell me how much time and money you can
invest in chasing down the information we need to address what’s going on here.
But
answers I need to get so I’m writing this letter, and sending copies of it to
related agencies I think might be able to help me figure out what’s going on
here hoping someone will step up and give me some answers and/or assistance in
this matter. I don’t have a full time PR
firm like SWOP either. I have to spent 99 % of the time I have
working with our members.
So
I need some help figuring out what to do about these SERIOUS problems I’m
talking about I have here, and I’m just glad that I’m not dealing with a
serious violent trafficker who just got told he’s been carted off to jail
because of me pointing the finger at him
and I’m about to get murdered like Margo Compton and her twins were in
retaliation.
My
point however is what if it was involving a violent dangerous trafficker who
just had a tape played for him where he was told was “Jody Williams” who was
“his accuser” - and I think you can see
why I’m concerned here deeply.
So
no I don’t consider this a “frivolous” issue, but instead one of “life and
death” potentially I wanted to explore now before it does involve someone in a
real life and death situation who is trying to accuse someone of something within
your correctional system.
I’m
therefore addressing this letter to any agency I think might have some idea
what’s going on in the hopes they’ll get back to me before this April 19, 2017
hearing that supposedly I’ve been “invited to testify at” so I can get to the
bottom of what’s going on here exactly.
Thank
you for your time and attention to this matter.
Jody
Williams
Cc: (The following names were taken in order
from the Prison Legal News Article and the
ACLU Directory of Program I found online)
Rick Scott, Florida Governor - media@eog.myflorida.com
John Meekins
Lowell Correctional Institution for
Women Fax (352) 401-5331
Miami Herald, Government Editor - mlambert@miamiherald.com
Florida Attorney General Committee
on Status of Women – Fax 850-921-4131
Carlos Trujillo, House Criminal
Justice Subcommittee Chair Fax (850) 414-6879
Sen. Randolph Bracy, Senate Criminal
Justice Subcommittee Chair Fax (407) 656-6719
Allison DeFoor, Project on
Accountable Justice - dbrodsky@fsu.edu
Senator Rob Bradley – Fax (888)
263-0641
Sheriff Mike Harrison – Fax (863)
946-6315
Federal Bureau of Prisons Fax 305-536-7368
Florida Institutional Legal Services
-Fax (352) 331-5202
Partnership
for Safety & Justice - Fax (503) 232-1922
Prisoners’
Rights Research Project - Fax (217)
244-1478
Dept.
of Justice Civil Rights Division - Fax (202) 514-0212
Amnesty
International – Fax (212) 627-1451
Polaris
– info@polarisproject.org
Dept.
of State - TIPOutreach@state.gov
Family &
Corrections Network - fcn@fcnetwork.org
Prisoner
Visitation Network - pvs@afsc.org
National
Immigrants’ Rights - Fax (510) 622-0050
ACLU National
Womens Rights - Fax (212) 549-2580
Florida
Justice Institute - rcberg@floridajusticeinstitute.org
