sex trafficking

The new children's shelter in Finney County has 14 beds for teens. The shelter is inside, but separated from the Southwest Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

Community

A Western Kansas Jail Becomes A Refuge For Teens In Crisis

Corinne Boyer

GARDEN CITY, Kansas — All of Western Kansas has just one shelter for children who are in protective custody or are victims of sex trafficking. The new...

Issues

Former Fox News Anchor To Speak At Combating Human Trafficking Event

Gretchen Carlson will be the keynote speaker at Wichita State University’s Center for Combating Human Trafficking annual conference on Friday.Carlson,…

Hope Zeferjohn, 16, gave birth to her son, Tye, while in foster care in March 2015. Zeferjohn is now 21 and is incarcerated at the Topeka Correctional Facility.

Crime and Courts

Prison Board Says Kansas Governor Should Not Pardon Sex-Trafficked Teen

Peggy Lowe

A Kansas woman who was sex trafficked as a minor and later convicted of felony sex crimes should not receive a pardon from Gov. Laura Kelly, a panel says.

Rep. Russ Jennings, R-Larkin, chair of the Joint Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice, said the Kansas child welfare system has long been 'deeply troubled.'

Government

Lawmakers Say Sex-Trafficked Kansas Teen's Story Is 'Heartbreaking'

Peggy Lowe

From cries of heartbreak to a call for the prosecution of men who pay for sex with girls, Kansas lawmakers said the story of Hope Zeferjohn, a teen...

Karen Countryman-Roswurm, director of the Center for Combating Human Trafficking at Wichita State University, says 13 girls who ran away from state custody and were later incarcerated for sex crimes should be viewed as children controlled by traffickers.

Crime and Courts

Kansas Foster Care Instability Led To Surge In Runaways, Left Children Vulnerable To Sex Traffickers

Peggy Lowe

At first, they wanted to save her. Then, after she fled the Kansas foster care system at age 16 and fell victim to the commercial sex trade, social...

Hope Zeferjohn, a Topeka native, became a victim of the commercial sex trade while in state custody, ran away, and was sent to prison for aggravated human trafficking.

Crime and Courts

Kansas Made This Sex Trafficking Survivor A Criminal — She Wants Another Chance

Peggy Lowe

Hope Joy Zeferjohn was missing from the Kansas Capitol on the day her family was posing for pictures with the governor. It was May 22, 2015, and then...

Crime and Courts

New Campaign Aims To Fight Human Trafficking By Cutting Demand For Prostitution

Stephen Koranda

A new awareness campaign in Kansas is aimed at cutting the demand for prostitution as a way to fight human trafficking.The campaign involves state…

Community

WSU's Center For Combating Human Trafficking To Host 'Love Not Lockup' Event

Tom Shine

The Center for Combating Human Trafficking at Wichita State University will host an event Thursday focusing on the criminalization of individuals who have…

Crime and Courts

Events Set To Mark National Slavery And Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Tom Shine

Two local events are scheduled in January to mark National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.The Wichita Women in Health Professions will…

Crime and Courts

FBI Trafficking Sting Recovers 6 Juveniles In Kansas

Nadya Faulx

Six children were recovered, and one suspect was arrested in Kansas during a nationwide sex trafficking sting that took place earlier this month.Over the…