Our History & Story
Donna’s Story
In September 2019, Donna experienced trafficking on her and her neighbor’s doorsteps in a quiet part of Ramsey. Their doorsteps were covered in blood and a young man in his 20s couldn’t even speak his name in English.
While in prayer during February of 2021, Donna kept hearing His Hands, Our Feet. Most people have heard of “being the hands and feet” so she kept asking what this meant. She learned quickly as the Lord spoke a specific mission to her and she drew it out with five pillars of service. Exploitation/Sex Trafficking is the first pillar with four others coming soon!
His Hands, Our Feet was spoken directly to her saying, “You and others will be walking out what I have commissioned ALL to do; love others by meeting their needs while offering hope and opportunity to self-sustaining freedom.” She turned to her Bible and this is the verse she came upon:
“And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” ~ Titus 3:14 NKJV
Donna knew it was time to quit thinking about helping more and take a leap of faith. Minnesota Good Works was incorporated on April 29, 2021.
Definitions
Human trafficking is a public safety, public health, and human rights abuse that occurs around the world and in communities throughout Minnesota. Human trafficking includes both labor and sex trafficking and international and domestic victims. Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force (MNHTTF) recognizes the legal definitions of sex trafficking and labor trafficking in Minnesota. The first human trafficking laws were passed in Minnesota in 2005.
Sexual Exploitation
A sexually exploited youth is someone under the age of 18 who may be subject to sexual exploitation because they engaged, agreed to engage, or were forced into sexual conduct in return for a fee, food, clothing, or a place to stay. A youth also can be sexually exploited if he or she has engaged in exotic dancing, been filmed doing sexual acts, traded sex for drugs, or has been found guilty of engaging in prostitution or prostitution-related crimes. Not only does sexual exploitation lead to immediate and long-term physical, mental, and emotional harm, but until recently Minnesota could charge and treat sexually exploited youth as criminals – juvenile delinquents engaging in acts of prostitution.
Sex Trafficking
Sex Trafficking: Minnesota law defines sex trafficking as the “receiving, recruiting, enticing, harboring, providing, or obtaining by any means an individual to aid in the prostitution of an individual; or by receiving profit of anything of value, knowing or having reason to know it is derived from [the sex trafficking of an individual].” Minn. Stat. 609.321, Subd. 7a. Related Statutes:
- Minnesota punishes sex trafficking with a maximum of 15 years for an adult, 20 years for an individual under 18, and 25 years where an aggravating factor is involved. Minn. Stat. § 609.322.
- Consent or mistake as to age shall not be a defense to prosecutions under section 609.322 or 609.324. Minn. Stat. § 609.325, subd. 2.
- The term “prostitution” means engaging or offering or agreeing to engage for hire in sexual penetration or sexual contact. Minn. Stat. § 609.321, subd. 9.
Labor Trafficking
Minnesota law defines labor trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, enticement, provision, obtaining, or receipt of a person by any means, for the purpose of: debt bondage or forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery; or the removal of organs through the use of coercion or intimidation; or receiving profit or anything of value, knowing or having reason to know it is derived from [labor trafficking].” Minn. Stat. 609.281 Subd. 5
Safe Harbor Legislation
In 2011, Minnesota passed the Safe Harbors for Sexually Exploited Youth law. Safe Harbors for Sexually Exploited Youth, which went into full effect August 2014, increases the penalties for buyers and adds the term “sexual exploitation” to the state’s child protection code, recognizing sexually exploited youth as victims, rather than criminals. Please see Safe Harbor for more inform