Dining for Dignity - "Ignorance is No Longer a Choice"

According to a recent newsletter, put out by, Kelly Master, the Founder of Dining for Dignity, last week marked one of the largest stings on human trafficking in America. 150 arrests were made and 100 children rescued  across the country. 

70 of the arrests were in NJ.

For those who have not seen the article, here is the link, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/07/largest_sex-trafficking_crackdown_in_us_history_nets_70_nj_arrests.html

Here is a link for some raw video footage as well as the bust went down.  http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbc-news/52611950#52611950

This is very encouraging to see our FBI go hard after traffickers and the victims, says Master.

Kelly Master is the Founder of Dining for Dignity.

Maybe you have heard about an opportunity to have breakfast with them at one of their famous, Dining for Dignity breakfast's, held at renowned venue’s, such as: The Crown Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ or Adelphia’s in Deptford, NJ. If you are involved in your community, whether it be, for town watch, by way of community service or religious outreach and haven’t had the chance to sit in on these informative, eye opening, fired up breakfasts; keep this webpage calendar on your bookmarks, when you are looking for something to do on a Saturday morning.

Perhaps, you have seen the strategically placed billboard’s, along the highway and wondered; “What is that all about?”  Human Trafficking! In Camden County? That’s right, human trafficking is happening all around us. There is even a special Hotline set up, to report or request help with this terrible crime.

Human Trafficking Hotline Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

Text “Help” or “Info” to: “BeFree” or 233733

Dining for Dignity (DfD) is a non-profit organization that utilizes social media and public forums to expose the reality of sex trafficking.  Understanding the complexity of trafficking, DfD is linking arms with government agencies, local leaders and the public to influence change.  Our goal is to educate communities through discussion, awareness and prevention.

There is more to it, than just bacon and eggs, at these breakfast's. Kelly Master delivers a powerful presentation on the issues of Human Trafficking. Human trafficking is one of the most mis-understood, or rather ignored problems facing our nation right now. The statistics are unimaginable.

Sex Trafficking Statistics & Source Documentation – courtesy of The Covering House

·         Human trafficking generates $9.5 billion yearly in the United States. (United Nations)

·         Approximately 300,000 children are at risk of being prostituted in the United States. (U.S. Department of Justice)

·         The average age of entry into prostitution for a child victim in the United States is 13-14 years old. (U.S. Department of Justice)

·         A pimp can make $150,000-$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4 to 6 girls. (U.S. Justice Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

·         The average victim may be forced to have sex up to 20-48 times a day.(Polaris Project)

·         Fewer than 100 beds are available in the United States for underage victims.(Health and Human Services)

·         Department Of Justice has identified the top twenty human trafficking jurisdictions in the country:” Houston• El Paso• Los Angeles• Atlanta• Chicago• Charlotte• Miami• Las Vegas• New York• Long Island• New Orleans• Washington, D.C.• Philadelphia• Phoenix• Richmond• San Diego• San Francisco• St Louis• Seattle• Tampa  (Department of Justice)

·         A pimp can make $150,000-$200,000 per child each year and the average pimp has 4 to 6 girls. (U.S. Justice Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

·         One in three teens on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home. (National Runaway Hotline)

Myths & Misconceptions – courtesy of the Polaris Project of New Jersey

Myth: Victims of human trafficking will immediately ask for help or assistance and will self-identify as a victim of a crime.

Reality: Victims of human trafficking often do not immediately seek help or self-identify as victims of a crime due to a variety of factors, including lack of trust, self-blame, or specific instructions by the traffickers regarding how to behave when talking to law enforcement or social services.  It is important to avoid making a snap judgment about who is or who is not a trafficking victim based on first encounters.  Trust often takes time to develop.  Continued trust-building and patient interviewing is often required to get to the whole story and uncover the full experience of what a victim has gone through.

Myth: If the trafficked person consented to be in their initial situation or was informed about what type of labor they would be doing or that commercial sex would be involved, then it cannot be human trafficking or against their will because they “knew better.”

Reality: A victim cannot consent to be in a situation of human trafficking. Initial consent to commercial sex or a labor setting prior to acts of force, fraud, or coercion (or if the victim is a minor in a sex trafficking situation) is not relevant to the crime, nor is payment.

You can view these myths and misconceptions, by visiting the Polaris Project.

 Dining for Dignity has been invited to universities, conferences, churches, and public forums. For information on DfD attending an event, you are hosting, kindly email:

Kelly @ diningfordignity.org.

 ”Ignorance is no longer a choice.” - Kelly Master

According to The Star Ledger: Laws recently passed designed to protect our children’s exposure to pornographic images online and stiffen the penalty for posting such information, have recently been challenged by two companies, Backpage.com and a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco known for its popular Way Back Machine, a free service that allows visitors to search and view historical images of websites.

“I totally think it’s a waste of time," said Matthew Zimmerman, senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is representing one of the companies. "It should never have been passed in the first place."

You can read more about it on the link provided here. The Star Ledger

Want to Learn More?

Dining for Dignity, upcoming dates to keep in mind:

·         August 17th is A.I.O.T. (Adult Industry Outreach Training)--Email us for more information.

·         September’s breakfast to be announced.

·         October 6th - Kelly Master will be speaking at a church in Swedesboro - details to follow.

·         October 9th - Kelly Master will be speaking at a church in Oaklyn - details to follow.

·         October 17th - Dining for Dignity Annual Awareness/Appreciation Dinner will be held  at: Paris Caterers, located 109 N Black Horse Pike, Blackwood, NJ 08012. This will be an inspiring night you don't want to miss!  We will have over 40 beautiful gift baskets to raffle, inspiring presentation, delicious dinner @ a beautiful facility and much more.  Please mark the date and details will be posted shortly.  Last year was a huge success and people are still talking about it.  Plan on hosting a table and your name will be entered for a great prize!  We need everyone to join us for this event.  

Have you checked out our revised website, www.diningfordignity.org?  All our events are listed on the calendar and will be updated regularly. 

If you have a business, or could ask a business for a donation prize, we would deeply appreciate it.  I can't stress enough how important these donated prizes are.  We auction or raffle the prizes at the dinner and 100% of the money is used to combat trafficking and reach the sexually exploited. 

Thank you for your encouragement and support.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Don't forget to follow Dining for Dignity on Facebook and Twitter.

* While this writer/web designer/hosting affiliate, agrees and supports the right to free speech, and agrees that it would be an almost impossible task, to screen what others post to a website. I do however; believe that if we can make a telescope and send it into orbit to take pictures of the universe and beyond, millions of miles away, we should be able to set up an accountability system that would hold the posters, not the internet service providers, accountable for what is uploaded to the World Wide Web. After all it is our children we are trying to protect.