At the CJR we leverage research, advocacy and innovation, dedicated to justice and reconciliation, to transform our community through social change.
Research
The CJR maintains an action-research agenda, studying sex and labor trafficking in San Diego.
The groundbreaking study, led by Dr. Jamie Gates, "Measuring the Nature and Extent of Gang Involvement in Sex Trafficking in San Diego," focused narrowly on one of the most understudied aspects of human trafficking in the United States: the relationship of street gangs as facilitators of sex trafficking. Researchers gathered and analyzed data from hundreds of current and former gang-affiliated individuals, schools, law enforcement agencies, and victim service providers.
Data was collected from 1,205 individuals, making it one of the largest, most comprehensive human trafficking case studies in the U.S. to date. This included 156 gang-affiliated persons and/or traffickers, 702 first-time prostitution offenders, 189 survivors from eight victim services programs, and 140 county school administrators and staff. The study is a large-scale model of collaborative research to affect policy and practice, and serves as a national model for future research on human trafficking more broadly. View the full executive summary.
HT-RADAR
In early 2016, the CJR was awarded a County of San Diego contract to manage a regional human trafficking collaborative research effort in the San Diego/Tijuana region. The Human Trafficking Research and Data Advisory Roundtable (HT-RADAR) facilitates collaboration among researchers, identifies research funding, shares data, and affects decision-making in the region with quality research. Learn more about HT-RADAR and get involved!
Innovation
kNOw MORE! Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Curriculum
The CJR has developed a curriculum to tackle the challenge of preventing the recruitment of San Diego’s high school students into sex trafficking by targeting the most vulnerable students. Thanks to the support of donors and collaboration with our partners, including the San Diego Unified School District, the County Office of Education, Child Welfare Services, survivor leaders, law enforcement, and others, the curriculum launched in fall 2016. It is now a part of the San Diego Prevention Collective, a community project to bring trafficking prevention curricula to youth across our region.
Beauty for Ashes Scholarship Fund
The Beauty for Ashes Scholarship has supported full-time students at PLNU, with our first three graduates earning their diplomas in December 2018 and May 2019. This scholarship for survivors of human trafficking is providing hope for a better life for victims all over the country. We believe it is stepping into what we do best — providing a college education in the nurturing environment of PLNU — and standing behind and caring for the most vulnerable.
OnRamps Collaborative
Survivors of human trafficking face an uncertain future, and vocational skills or an education can help them navigate to financial stability and permanently stay out of a life of exploitation. The OnRamps Collaborative is a community impact project, led by PLNU, that is opening up vocational and educational opportunities for survivors. Centered around the holistic health needs of survivors, OnRamps is coordinated by the CJR, in partnership with educational institutions and other organizations.
Advocacy
Student Movement
PLNU students have been at the heart of the global movement to end modern slavery. The student movement against human trafficking on PLNU’s campus, led by CJR student staff, is affecting the movement in our region and well beyond. Wear Justice is a student-designed campus movement to rethink consumerism through community, and features an annual week-long focus on more conscious and ethical consumer habits.
Churches Against Trafficking
The CJR supports the work of Churches Against Trafficking (CAT), a network of local churches that are collaborating to educate and engage the Christian community in the anti-trafficking work in the region.
Local Advocacy
Staff of the CJR are involved in a variety of local advocacy efforts. In 2020, CJR Director Kim Berry Jones was asked to help advise the San Diego Police Department as they implemented new rules to better regulate illicit massage establishments, a major source of both labor and sex trafficking in San Diego. CJR staff have testified on behalf of local and state legislation.
CJR in the News
The work of the CJR frequently appears in local and national news.
Human Trafficking Research
The Department of Justice funded a groundbreaking research project studying the connection between gangs and trafficking in the San Diego region. Led by the University of San Diego and PLNU, the preliminary results of the research were released in 2015 and point toward increased collaboration in the region. The media has responded with increased attention toward human trafficking in our region.
2020
11/19/20: Spreading Roots of Giving
09/27/20: Commentary: In times of discord, how do we hit the reset button
08/25/20: Evangelical leaders urge Trump admin. to stop summarily deporting unaccompanied migrant children
08/20/20: STOLEN: A Year-long Investigation Into Child Sex Trafficking & Exploitation
07/22/20: Giving in Times of Uncertainty
06/14/20: Rock Your City with Miles McPherson
06/23/20: San Diego COVID-19 Spike, Child Exploitation And Trafficking Reports Increase During Pandemic, Teachers Juggling School Reopening And ‘Da 5 Bloods’ Review
2019
02/17/19: Experts are skeptical that a Trump border wall would reduce human trafficking
04/06/19: Palomar College documentary takes troubling look at sex trafficking
04/11/19: The Wear Justice Festival Returns to PLNU
04/18/19: ABC 10 News: UCSD Group Releases Report suggesting Collaboration Between U.S., Mexico
04/29/19: From Survivor to Thriver: How Point Loma Nazarene University is helping survivors thrive
05/01/19: Free To Thrive: Bringing Light to the Shadows of Crimes Against Humanity
05/07/19: San Diego Union Tribune: RSF Foundation Featuring Expert Panel on Human Trafficking
06/27/19: Fighting San Diego's 'Phenomenally Lucrative' Underground Sex Trafficking Economy
2018
Speaking About the Unspeakable
1/10/18: SD News: Human Trafficking Awareness Rally to Spotlight Local Problems
1/13/18: Times of San Diego: Campaign Launched to Warn Parents about Sex Trafficking
1/19/18: Fox News: March in Balboa Park Raises Awareness about Human Trafficking
2/3/18: Los Angeles Times: A Red Light on Human Trafficking
3/7/18: Educate for Life: The New Slavery - Michelle Shoemaker, Jessica, Dr. Jerry Andrews
3/12/18: ABC News: Point Loma Nazarene University Helping Victims of Sex Trafficking with Full-Ride Scholarships
4/12/18: Rancho Santa Fe Review: CCA Student Raising Awareness on Human Trafficking
4/18/18: Voice of San Diego: There's Virtually no such Thing as Voluntary Sex Work, says DA
4/18/18: San Diego Union Tribune: Think Human Trafficking Doesn't Happen in San Diego? Think Again.
4/22/18: San Diego Union Tribune: San Diego's Own Human Trafficking Stories on April 24th
4/24/18: Times of San Diego: Ending Human Trafficking is a San Diego Community Responsibility
5/3/18: San Diego Union Tribune: Forum Focuses on Human Trafficking's Toll, Ways to Help Victims
5/12/18: Voice of San Diego: Even Independent Sex Workers Rarely Enter the Industry Voluntarily
5/17/18: NBC News: Human Trafficking Experts from Across the US Gather in San Diego
5/17/18: Times of San Diego: District Attorney to Address Free Event on Human Trafficking Awareness
5/23/18: FOX News: Victims Speak Out Against San Diego's Sex Trafficking Problem
05/23/18: Voice of San Diego: The DA is Right about Sex Work
10/28/18: Taking Action: Santa Maria event to focus on education to prevent sexual exploitation of children
12/04/18: Migrant Families Within San Diego
12/07/18: Pt Loma Nazarene Faculty and Students Respond to Rapid Response Network Call to Aid Immigrants
2017
1/7/17: San Diego Union-Tribune: Private eyes look for runaways, sex-trade victims to rescue
1/10/17: Times of San Diego: January Is Human Trafficking Awareness Month in San Diego
1/19/17: Times of San Diego: Sex-Trafficking Alert in City Hall: ‘Sole Sisters’ Shoe Display
1/24/17: San Diego City Beat: Local org a new H.O.P.E. for victims of human trafficking
2/4/17: San Diego Union-Tribune: Schools take on sex trafficking
2/9/17: Times of San Diego: Atkins Bill Would Enlist Hotel Employees in Reporting Human Trafficking
4/12/17: San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego assemblyman's bill targets sex trafficking as a criminal business
4/26/17: Rancho Santa Fe Review: Lynch Foundation fundraiser to help prevent child sex trafficking
5/5/17: ABC News: San Diego's Sex Trafficking Business Targeted by Task Force
6/1/17: KPBS News: Trafficking Victims find Lifeline at City Heights Agency, but Funding may Run Dry
7/31/17: Rancho Santa Fe Review: Lynch Foundation for Children Holds Fundraising Gala
9/20/17: Village News: Non-Profit Saved in America Rescues Runaways from Sex Trafficking
10/14/17: San Diego DA: kNOw More Human Trafficking Prevention and Curriculum
10/29/17: San Diego Union Tribune: Slow but Steady Progress being made Against Sex Trafficking in San Diego
12/28/17: San Diego Magazine: Saved in America Fights Sex Trafficking in San Diego
2016
1/11/16: The Coast News Group: Walking in Vista: An effort to red-light human trafficking
1/16/16: Lawyers Club of San Diego: Human Trafficking a San Diego problem, a Lawyers Club initiative
1/16/16: Refreshed Magazine – Cover Story: Fighting Trafficking: PLNU uses multi-faceted approach to combat sex trade
1/16/16: San Diego Union-Tribune: Awareness of human trafficking growing in San Diego
1/26/16: NBC San Diego: Sex Trafficking More Rampant in SD Than Feared- Study
1/27/16: Setting Things Right – Radio
1/28/16: Village News: Study shows human trafficking in San Diego County has between 8,830 and 11,773 victims per year
6/21/16: The Guardian: I survived human trafficking. That makes me the exception to the rule
10/6/16: Voice of San Diego: What San Diego Can Do to Combat Human Trafficking
11/2/16: NBC San Diego: Spotting a Victim
11/21/16: KPBS: Authorities Look To San Diego Hotels For Help In Fight Against Sex Trafficking
12/6/16: USD News Center: USD Event Raises Awareness of Human Trafficking
2015
11/5/15: Examiner: Sex trafficking study reveals millions for exploiters recruiting school girls.
11/1/15: KBLK Radio: Gangs, Sex Trafficking and Systemic Racism
10/31/15: San Diego Union-Tribune: How girls are lured into sex trafficking
10/26/15: San Diego Union-Tribune: No such thing as a child prostitute
10/26/15: NBC7: San Diego Sex Trafficking an $810M Underground Industry: Study
10/26/15: CBS 8 San Diego: Disturbing new look into sex trafficking in San Diego
10/26/15: Fox 5: High Schools have become recruiting grounds for pimps study says
10/26/15: San Diego Union-Tribune: Sex trafficking may trap up to 11700 SD girls
10/26/15: KUSI: Sex trafficking is the second largest underground economy in San Diego
10/26/15: AM 760 KFMB: Disturbing new look into sex trafficking in San Diego
10/27/15: Voice of San Diego: Morning Report 11,000 Girls Caught in Local Sex Trafficking
10/28/15: KPBS: Study show scope of sex trafficking in san diego county
Beauty for Ashes Scholarship Fund
The Beauty for Ashes Scholarship Fund was launched in October 2014. This scholarship provides assistance with PLNU tuition expenses for survivors of human trafficking who meet admission requirements for the university. As we grow the Beauty for Ashes Fund at PLNU, we are thankful and excited to see national coverage for the scholarship.
The following are publications that have featured the Beauty for Ashes Fund and PLNU:
2014 - 2020
Fighting San Diego's 'Phenomenally Lucrative' Underground Sex Trafficking Economy – June 27, 2019
From Survivor to Thriver: How Point Loma Nazarene University is Helping Survivors Thrive – April 29, 2019
Syracuse University's Daily Orange – November 6, 2014
Charisma News – November 5, 2014 (reprint from USA Today)
USA Today – Most Uplifting Stories of the Week – November 2, 2014
Huffington Post – November 1, 2014
MSNBC – November 1, 2014
Washington Post – October 31, 2014
Religion News Service – October 31, 2014
Newser – October 31, 2014
Storify – October 31, 2014
Christian Examiner – October 31, 2014
USA Today, College Edition – October 30, 2014
Lomabeat/Point Weekly (advertising Just Saying event) – October 24, 2014
Fox News – October 21, 2014
The College Fix – October 17, 2014 - By PLNU student Samantha Watkins
Loma Beat/The Point Weekly – September 14, 2014