CARSON, Calif ---Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) will honor Restoration Diversion Services (RDS) in Compton as the 64th Assembly District’s Non-Profit of the Year. The local organization will join other California NPOs during a recognition ceremony hosted in Sacramento on June 28, 2017.
“I am privileged to honor Restoration Diversion Services, founded by Sinetta Farley, for their hard work and accomplishments in support of girls and young women who have been victimized by sex trafficking,” said Asm. Gipson. “This organization helps to mend and rebuild broken lives while providing an optimistic outlook and tools for their future success.”
In 2009, Ms. Farley was deeply disturbed by the large number of girls and young women she saw soliciting sex on Long Beach Boulevard, many appearing to be no older than 13 years old. This experience compelled her to do her own research and offer help.
She discovered that the young women's pimps or "sponsors" confiscated all forms of their identification including driver's licenses and passports. The pimps/"sponsors" seized all of the young women's money and then systematically estranged them from their families, friends and children to prevent the girls from escaping. Even more alarming was the fact that Compton gangs control the Long Beach Boulevard's sex trafficking industry. Statistics show crimes such as robbery, beatings and homicides increase wherever sex trafficking is allowed to thrive.
What Sinetta did not find in her research was an organization in Compton that was designed to help sex trafficking victims exit the streets. In meeting with Compton Deputy City Attorney Sonya Dawson, she learned of a diversion program that targeted the consumers, or "Johns." So in conjunction with the Compton Clergy Council, under the direction of Compton Deputy Sheriff Rafer Owens, Sinetta was able to get some direction and formulate a diversion service for victims of sex trafficking. She started meeting with other women from different churches at Citizens Zion Baptist Church and from that RDS was born.
After forming a Street Outreach program, Sinetta realized that in order to successfully help the young women make a transition from the streets, she needed to be able to offer them some type of temporary shelter, long-term housing and other support mechanisms. Therefore, her next step was to open a Drop-In Center.
The future goal of RDS is to open its own Long-Term Residential Treatment facility. RDS is looking forward to being a viable resource in the City of Compton to all victims of sex trafficking who want to change their lives and exit the streets.
Restoration Diversion Services is located at 208 North Long Beach Blvd., Compton. (310) 639-1965.
