Guest View

As the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprise, human trafficking is not something we can ignore. We hear news reports and wonder, how can this be happening in our region? What can ordinary citizens do about it? The following account, which details the victimization of a woman in Santa Clara County, sheds light on the problem. Names have been changed to protect privacy.Aesha is a 28-year-old woman from South Asia with a Master’s degree in Engineering. She left her home to live in Santa Clara County with her new husband, Robert. Before marrying Aesha and bringing her to the U.S., Robert promised her a wonderful home and opportunities to pursue a career. Shortly after arriving, Aesha discovered Robert had a fiancée and his real purpose in bringing Aesha was to have a cook and maid to serve his family, and a nanny to care for his younger brother.From day one, Robert and his live-in parents emotionally and physically abused Aesha. Her workday began at 6 a.m. and rarely ended before midnight. Robert raped Aesha regularly. His parents sometimes beat her. They kept her under constant surveillance. She had no car or money of her own. She became desperate to return to her home country but was not free to leave the house. She had no one she could turn to.Federal law defines human trafficking as the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, obtaining or providing of a person by means of force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.Act: Robert courted and married Aesha under false pretenses, transported her to the U.S., and harbored her in his house, denying her the means to leave or to communicate with her family.Means: Robert resorted to put-downs, threats and physical abuse to force Aesha to comply with his demands. He confiscated her passport and controlled her through isolation, constant surveillance and control of household finances.Purpose: Robert intentionally defrauded Aesha, then exploited her for labor, forcing her to act as a domestic servant and caregiver for his family, while denying her basic freedoms and rights.Even a well-educated person can fall prey to a situation where he or she is deceived, abused and exploited.In reality, the same factors that increased Aesha’s risk of being trafficked prevented her from leaving the situation. Nearly every aspect of Aesha’s situation was a red flag indicating that she was a victim of human trafficking. Robert ensured that Aesha was dependent on him for survival. Her lack of familiarity with U.S.  systems, resources and protections further isolated her. Aesha was unable to attain financial independence, because Robert kept her from obtaining employment and didn’t pay her.  Fortunately, a neighbor noticed bruises on Aesha’s arms when she was working in the yard and connected her with Community Solutions, a South County nonprofit with offices in Morgan Hill and Gilroy. The local organization provided Aesha with confidential services and a way out of exploitation.Learn more. Attend an anti-trafficking workshop at the Morgan Hill Library, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 27. To report a potential case of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733).Perla Flores is Director of Solutions To Violence at Community Solutions. Sharan Dhanoa is Coordinator for the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking. This guest view is part two in a three-part series on human trafficking in Santa Clara County. To read part one, visit morganhilltimes.com.

Are you wondering how to spend the Fourth of July weekend? Why not stay in Morgan Hill, our “Home, Sweet, Home”? This is the theme of Morgan Hill Freedom Fest’s annual Fourth of July Celebration. Why not stay close to home and experience events which will rekindle your patriotism, make wonderful memories and honor this amazing country of ours? All events are free to the public.This year, our Parade Grand Marshal is none other than Eddie Bowers. This Live Oak High School graduate is a champion for veterans’ causes. Because of Eddie, Morgan Hill has its own Veterans Memorial Square located in downtown. Many of you gather there on both Veterans Day and Memorial Day as we remember those soldiers from Morgan Hill who have lost their lives serving this country.As Chairperson of the 28th annual Patriotic Sing, I would like to take this opportunity to invite members of our community, families and friends to this year’s performance at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, at the Morgan Hill Amphitheater. Angeline Madriaga will sing the National Anthem.The event will feature children of our community singing songs of our country, essay contest awards and a chance to celebrate America’s birthday.Special guests include the South Bay Chapter of the Blue Star Moms. Our soloist, Catherine Connor, will be singing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” honoring past Mayor Dennis Kennedy and William Brown—two men who worked tirelessly to make Morgan Hill what it has become today and who passed away this year.We extend a special invitation to those who have served or continue to serve in our armed forces. Please consider wearing your service uniform.Following the sing, walk over to the Family Street Dance.Then, on Monday, start your Fourth of July off by watching or even participating in the Freedom Fest 1 Mile Walk or 5K Walk/Run.Later, grab a seat along the Parade route for the Car Cruise ‘n Show, beginning at 9:30 a.m.Then just stay where you are: you’ll be ready to cheer as bands, floats and equestrians pass by in our annual Parade at 10 a.m.One event remains: the Freedom Fest Fireworks with a Splash at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center, on Condit Road between Tennant and San Pedro avenues. Entertainment begins at 6 p.m., with fireworks at dusk.As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, Fourth of July in Morgan Hill is an example of what makes this community our “Home, Sweet, Home.”Karen Ann Crane is Chair of the 2016 Freedom Fest Patriotic Sing and Essay Contest.

A recent study on Homeownership in Silicon Valley conducted by the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Institute for regional studies recently concluded, “Homeownership represents a significant portion of the overall wealth in Silicon Valley, but the gaping divide between wealthy and non-affluent households is reflected...

February is nationally recognized as Spay and Neuter Awareness Month to educate and bring awareness to the benefits of spaying or neutering your pet.In the United States, there are more than 6 million homeless animals brought to animal shelters annually. Often, these healthy, well-behaved animals are euthanized due to shelter overpopulation. By making the choice to spay or neuter your pet, you will help to reduce the homeless animal population and increase the longevity of your pet’s health.While not widely discussed, spaying and neutering has been shown to increase your pet’s lifespan because it decreases the risk of certain types of cancers. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, spaying females prior to their first heat cycle decreases the risk of uterine and breast cancer, and also prevent uterine infections. Neutering males prevents testicular cancer and the enlargement of the prostate glands. By fixing your pets at an early age, you can provide them with a long, healthy life.Additionally, spaying and neutering pets can curb bad behavior. Unneutered dogs can be more assertive and aggressive than neutered males, and unneutered cats are much more prevalent to spray than fixed cats.   It is a common misconception that sterilizing your pet is expensive. There are many veterinarian clinics and local shelters that provide these services at an affordable price. Additionally, many communities provide financial assistance to help offset the cost to spay or neuter your pet.  For more information about financial assistance programs in your area, contact your local Humane Society or local animal shelter.To ensure your animal family member has a healthy, long life, and to help save millions of unnecessary homeless animals each year, please remember to spay or neuter your pet.For more information or to find a spay/neuter clinic in your area, use the spay/neuter locator here: petsmartcharities.org/adopt-a-pet/find-a-spayneuter-clinicSen. Bill Monning represents the 17th State Senate District, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, and portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties.