At a Forum
on Sex Trafficking in St. Paul, MN, in June, 2015, featuring Senator
Amy Klobuchar and Cindy McCain, Robin Goldman used her day off to listen
and learn. She was interested in part because at her Church she’s been a long-term
member of the Compassion & Justice Committee. When someone suggested sex
trafficking as a new area of focus, Robin felt compelled to work on it. Listening to the speakers at the forum and to
the discussion after, she heard the emphasis on responding to women and
children who’d been trafficked in a compassionate way, to provide safety and to
make it easier for them to seek help and to report those who had been involved
in abusing/exploiting them. She
recognized that as important as these goals are, after Patty
Wetterling raised the need for more attention on primary prevention, Robin
wanted to validate her perspective. Additionally, Robin raised the issue of
what faith communities could do in terms of a compassionate and socially just
response to help change the social norms in which this continues to happen.
As an audience member there, I felt the intensity of interest
in Robin’s points. The support came from a range of groups who are already
doing work within their communities of faith, as well as from influential business
leaders like Marilyn
Carlson Nelson, in addressing sex trafficking, who also recognized the
potential of doing more with and through faith communities. Robin noted that
after the forum several people approached in appreciation of her comment, to
talk about what they were doing and to connect.
She said, “What followed was a stream of emails between attendees and
other members of the Compassion and Justice Committee at my church, invitations
to share resources and establish some collaborative initiatives. It is
exciting to expand the web of connections in this work. Partnering with
others has so much more potential to expand our resources, opportunities and
influence, especially given limited time.”
Robin, like many ATSA members, has a wealth of expertise
and a wide network of resources she could link congregates to, but very little
time. She remembered that an early
influence and inspiration in her life was Fay Honey Knopp, who during her life
had been a huge influence on the field as Director of Safer Society Program, then a national
referral service for sex offenders seeking treatment. Robin described how gracefully Fay connected
people who had shared interests in doing this work. She said Fay would often come to her saying “I
need you to meet someone” and then would drag her across the room to assure a real
connection. Robin recognized how that
action bridges opportunities and resources in a valuable way. Now Robin is
practicing being the person who identifies people who need to connect and makes
sure they do. She recognizes she can’t do all the work, but she can help launch
efforts by getting the right people and resources together.
With 33 years under her belt of working with those
who’ve committed sex offenses, Robin knows the power in using her knowledge about
sex offenders and applying it to prevention. She practices being that voice at
the table who brings the information about preventing perpetration, especially
for our young boys. Robin’s learned how equally
important it is to work with those who work with victim/survivors, to hear
their perspective and for them to hear hers and to partner on recommendations
for actions and policies needed.
Robin’s story reminds us that we all have many spheres
of influence in which to use our knowledge and influence to advance prevention.
When it comes to making a difference in
and through her church, Robin says, “I also see the opportunity in faith
communities to invite a dialogue that will facilitate honest and open
discussions about sensitive issues that affect all of us, including sex
trafficking. I am aware that my faith community, like all communities,
includes youth and adults at risk to be victimized and at risk of perpetrating
sexual abuse. Faith communities can educate and support members and
families to seek understanding, help and support. They can provide a place that
nurtures healthy sexual attitudes and compassionate actions.”
Even if we don’t have much time to give, we can offer
the resources we know of to inspire others to take action and make their work a
lot easier. While the work at Robin’s
church is only just beginning, she believes in building on the power of faith
communities to help members rethink what we see all around us (children and
adults) and to transform destructive social norms into constructive ones… to
put into practice compassion and justice.
Related
Resources:
A
Time to Build: Creating Sexually Healthy Faith Communities, 2nd
Edition, by Rev Debra Haffner, (2012)
Robin
Goldman, MA, LP, works at Minnesota Department of
Corrections-Lino Lakes, where she is the Sex Offender Treatment Program
Director. Robin is also an ATSA Clinical Member. PLEASE NOTE; Robin’s personal statements and opinions
shared should not be assumed to reflect the views of the Minnesota DOC.
Cordelia
Anderson,
MA, Founder/Director, Sensibilities Prevention Services, her training and
consultation business based in Minneapolis, MN has been working to prevent
child sexual abuse, exploitation and sexual violence since 1976. She is a
member of the ATSA Prevention Comm
great work!
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