Questions:

1. 1.  First things first: What is sex trafficking?
2. 2.  Thoughts on the issue: What is Restore's stance on prostitution?
3. 3.  How it happens: What is the process of women being trafficked?
4. 4.  The clients of Restore: Who are they and how are they referred?
5. 5.  Keeping the lights on: Where do donations come from?
6. 6.  Making it count: How are the donations spent?

Answers:

1. 
   1.  First things first: What is sex trafficking?
   
   

   Sex trafficking is slavery. Restore adheres to the definition of "sex trafficking" according to the Palermo Protocol (i.e. The United Nations trafficking protocol). The Palermo definition of "sex trafficking" is the recruitment, transportation, harboring, transfer or receipt of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act that is induced by force, fraud or coercion. This involves the use of persons in prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation. Additionally, the issue of whether a victim consents is irrelevant since consent cannot truly be given when acts such as fraud and deception are employed. Exploitation, rather than consent, is the central feature.

2. 
   2.  Thoughts on the issue: What is Restore's stance on prostitution?
   
   

   Sex work is inherently exploitative in nature. A minor engaged in sex work should be classified as a trafficking victim, whether or not "voluntary." Even if coercion or force were not involved, the factors that compel women to enter into sex work are complex. Many "voluntary" workers engage in sex work because they do not have alternative ways to support themselves. Law enforcement should focus efforts on punishing customers rather than those who engage in sex work. We support harm reduction efforts (e.g. distributing condoms to prostituted women, teaching about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), overnight child care for the children of sex workers, etc.). We do not support the legalization of prostitution.

3. 
   3.  How it happens: What is the process of women being trafficked?
   
   

   Our clients are trafficked from countries such as Korea, China, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Traffickers prey on the poor and vulnerable, often bringing victims into situations of sex trafficking by a promise of a good job in another country or a false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation. Some victims are sold into the sex trade by parents, husbands, boyfriends or kidnappers. Upon arrival to the United States, the trafficker will typically claim ownership of the victim and force her to work in prostitution using a variety of tactics of manipulation, violence, fraud and coercion.

4. 
   4.  The clients of Restore: Who are they and how are they referred?
   
   

   More than 90 percent of our clients are referred to us through the criminal justice system. Clients arrested on prostitution charges are mandated to receive services from Restore in lieu of serving a prison sentence or working on community service projects. After the completion of court-mandated sessions, clients have the opportunity to continue receiving services from Restore. Roughly 50 percent of clients choose to do so. The remainder of Restore's clients comes from agency referrals.

5. 
   5.  Keeping the lights on: Where do donations come from?
   
   

   Restore NYC is a privately-funded organization. Approximately 75 percent of our donations come from individual donors with the remaining funding coming from small foundations and corporations.

6. 
   6.  Making it count: How are the donations spent?
   
   

   Roughly 75 percent of our expenses go to programmatic costs such as counseling, case management, job-skills training, food and housing. Remaining expenses go towards fundraising and general management costs.