III.2. Proclamation Declaring February 15, 2018 “Hopkins Is Not For Sale Day” to Raise Awareness about Sexual Exploitation; CummingsCity Manager
CITY OF HOPKINS
Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Mike Mornson, City Manager
Date: February 5, 2018
Subject: Proclamation Supporting Girls United MN
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Girls United MN is holding an event at Eisenhower Community Center on February 15
from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. To support their efforts, the City Council will adopt the attached
proclamation.
A PROCLAMATION TO DECLARE FEBRUARY 15, 2018
“HOPKINS IS NOT FOR SALE DAY” TO RAISE AWARENESS
ABOUT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
WHEREAS, sexual exploitation is defined as the sexual abuse of someone who
engages in commercial sexual activity. Commercial sexual activity occurs when
anything of value or a promise of anything of value, such as money, drugs, food,
shelter, protection, and other basics of life, is provided to a person by any means in
exchange for any type of sexual activity. A third person may or may not be involved;
and
WHEREAS, sexual trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation is a market built on
exploitation, violence, and brutality. Sex buyers use money and power to exploit
victims. Traffickers profit by linking buyers to victims for sale. Facilitators of trafficking
recruit a supply of victims and prepare them for sale through systematic exploitation of
specific needs and vulnerabilities; and
WHEREAS, victims of sexual exploitation come from every background, race, gender,
sexual orientation, age and economic status. The average age of entry for a minor who
is exploited is 12 to 14 years of age. These youth often go unidentified or misidentified
and unreported; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive Minnesota study released in August 2017, found that
buyers typically are white middle-aged males who travel 30 to 60 miles for sex, often
before or after work, while on their lunch break, on business trips or male-focused
vacations like hunting trips. Based on a national study, 26,000 Minnesota men may
have bought sex in the past year; and
WHEREAS, the perpetrators of sexual exploitation cause great harm and trauma to
their victims, violating their rights, they also traumatize families, and undermine the
stability, safety and well-being of our communities; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement officials and nonprofits across Minnesota are taking
aggressive and new action to crack down on buyers of commercial sex and boosting
programs aimed at prevention measures for keeping persons from being exploited and
sex-trafficked; and
WHEREAS, survivors of sexual exploitation have bravely confronted this issue by
telling their stories and leading multidisciplinary coalitions of advocates to support
victims of this crime and to educate communities; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Human
Services as well as other state and nonprofit agencies along with local municipalities
and law enforcement agencies are working together towards providing supportive
victim-centered services such as trauma-informed services and safe housing, as well
as Regional Navigators who are responsible for connecting victims with services and
serving as experts for their communities; and
WHEREAS, Sexual Exploitation Awareness Month is an opportunity to educate,
promote safety for all, accountability and justice, and underscore the commitments
made by organizations and communities to end sexual exploitation in our communities.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Molly Cummings, Mayor of the City of Hopkins in the State of
Minnesota, along with my fellow Council Members, do proclaim February 15, 2018 as
“Hopkins is Not For Sale Day” day in Hopkins.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the Seal of the City of
th
Hopkins, Minnesota to be affixed this 5 day of
February in the year 2018.
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Molly Cummings, Mayor