WestCoast's TAYS Program Director, Adela Rodarte, was a guest on KQED's forum, "OPD Sex Scandal Puts Spotlight on Bay Area Sex Trafficking."
In the wake of extensive media coverage about police abuse of an 18-year-old, Forum host Dave Iverson turned our attention to “the children who were exploited the day before that story broke, the day after, and who continue to be exploited today.”
Drawing from eleven years of experience working with exploited youth, Adela spoke to the risk factors that make children vulnerable to trafficking and why we must respond to exploited youth as victims of abuse rather than punishing them.
To listen to the full episode, click here. Other guest panelists included:
Nancy O’Malley, Former District Attorney, Alameda County
Kate Walker Brown, Attorney, National Center for Youth Law
La Toya Gix, Human Trafficking Survivor; Advocate, Alameda County’s District Attorney office