To sign up, go to ourrescue.org click Join The Fight and then click Volunteer.
Volunteers do to raise funds and awareness are:
- Bake sales.
- 5k Runs.
- Sport tournaments (basketball, pickleball, bowling)
- School/community assemblies.
- Operation Toussaint documentary screening parties.
What is Operation Underground Railroad and why is it trending?
- Operation Underground Railroad is credited as one of the biggest anti human-trafficking organizations in the United States, and saw a viral rise to fame this summer after its founder, Tim Ballard, made public comments about human trafficking after a conspiracy theory about Wayfair went viral in July.
Where does operation underground railroad work?
Operation Underground Railroad currently supports operation and aftercare efforts in 28 countries and 48 U.S. States.
What is Operation Underground Railroad jump team?
They are the Jump Team of Operation Underground Railroad, and they rescue children from sex traffickers. For O.U.R., that includes gathering intelligence, working with local law enforcement, and understanding how the traffickers are organized and move children. In only six months, O.U.R. has rescued 59 children.
Who rescues children from trafficking?
Phantom Rescue is an elite group of former Law Enforcement, FBI, State Department, US Special Operations, & Business Professionals who have united with one clear objective…to eradicate child trafficking through education, outreach and by assisting authorities with identifying the Global Sex Trafficking Industry Network
Is Tim Ballard LDS?
After growing up in California, Ballard attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he went on a church mission to Chile and then graduated cum laude from BYU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Political Science.
What is the human trafficking?
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.
How many people has operation Underground Railroad helped?
We are pleased to report that Operation Underground Railroad helped rescue 400 victims in the United States and around the world in 2017 — an 86 percent increase over 2016. In addition, our law enforcement partners arrested 212 traffickers because of our support — a 74 percent increase from 2016.
How do you get involved in fighting child trafficking?
Students: How to Take Action Against Human Trafficking
- Create a club. Don’t go it alone! Start a club at your school that will focus on helping the victims of human trafficking.
- Get educated.
- Host events to raise awareness.
- Petition to add human trafficking courses.
- Volunteer with local organizations.
How many children are trafficked each year?
Though statistics regarding the magnitude of child trafficking are difficult to obtain, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 10,000 children are trafficked each year.
Is Gardy Mardy still missing?
Although he is still missing today, we will never give up until we FIND GARDY. To date, we have rescued over 3,800 survivors and assisted in the arrests of over 2,100 traffickers and predators. Gardy’s story has led to the freedom of thousands.
Was Gardy Mardy found?
While it never found Gardy, OUR has said that hunting for him led to innumerable other rescues. The organization and Ballard have said that they’re still searching for the boy to this day, and that in the process, children around the world have been liberated from traffickers.
Is our a nonprofit?
Operation Underground Railroad Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 2015, and donations are tax-deductible.
Operation Underground Railroad
O.U.R. volunteers cast a light on the issue of child trafficking by raising cash and increasing awareness about it. We have more than 9,000 volunteers that work tirelessly to raise awareness throughout the United States and abroad! Their work is critical in the fight against human trafficking because they have the ability to contact a large number of families and individuals in their communities. The greater the number of individuals who are aware of the indicators of human trafficking, the more children we will be able to rescue and protect.
However, even if your city does not have an Area Team, there are other opportunities for you to become involved.
Some of the activities that we have witnessed O.U.R.
- Organize bake sales, 5k runs, sports competitions (basketball, pickleball, bowling), school and community assemblies, and screening parties for the Operation Toussaint documentary.
.and much more! The possibilities are virtually limitless. We are tremendously appreciative for everything that our volunteers do to help us further our mission. Volunteers make a crucial contribution to our efforts to combat human trafficking. Sign up by clicking here, and check the FAQs section below for further information. Fundraiser for the Strikes Against Slavery Organize a bake sale as a fundraiser. In Colorado, there is an awareness run to help O.U.R. FAQs What is the process for becoming a member of the “Aftercare Team”?
- People who want to become more involved with aftercare should begin by volunteering in their community and getting to know our team for at least a year before becoming more connected with it in this way.
- click Join the Fight and then click Volunteer to get started.
- Many people come to O.U.R.
- Individuals seeking to serve in this capacity are not currently being accepted; however, if you would want to be considered in the future, please complete the form and send it to [email protected] with your resume attached.
- in a variety of additional ways.
- A list of Area Teams may be found at the bottom of the sign-up form, where volunteers can join up.
- New teams are being formed on a regular basis, and there are still several opportunities for you to become part.
to speak at our event?
What steps should I take to launch a fundraising in my community?
If you have not yet registered, please click here to access the registration form!
What if I reside outside of the United States and want to volunteer?
Yes!
Those who live outside of the United States of America should put their mailing address and phone number here:.
However, you may be required to give your home address in the United States if you choose to volunteer. It is OK to enter a random address in the necessary United States space if this is the case.
What can YOU Do?
MAKE A DONATION TODAY Make others aware of the situation. DISSEMBLE THIS ARTICLE. Learn more about our new Love in Action Street Outreach Team by visiting this page.
Operation Underground Railroad
They are the pinnacle of excellence. Each individual puts in the necessary effort to train, work, and take their employment extremely seriously. They are members of Operation Underground Railroad’s Jump Team, and they are tasked with rescuing minors from sex traffickers. Dutch Turley, a former U.S. Navy Seal, serves as the team’s captain, and his primary responsibility is to keep everyone safe. In his own words, “I’m in charge of the security of the squad.” “If you’re in a horrible circumstance, it’s likely that you haven’t taken the initial few of steps to get there.” Among these measures are the establishment of a chain of command and the establishment of accountability.
- You need to keep an eye out for one another and blend in with the surroundings.
- Among the tasks assigned to O.U.R.
- O.U.R.
- What is maybe the greater marvel is that all of this is possible because of generous donations from individuals and organizations that believe in what they are doing.
- The formation of new Jump Teams will enable us to embark on more missions and save even more children.
- Working with O.U.R.
- Everyone, in fact, is doing it.
As a human rights campaigner, Laurie Holden is well known for her parts in the filmsThe X-Files and The Walking Dead.
Her primary responsibility was to ensure that the rescued children were secure and comfortable.
Jump Team training is on-going and includes of hand-to-hand fighting as well as pistol proficiency.
“You must have an understanding of your adversary from a psychological standpoint.
“We deal with the psychological aspect of the matter.” Turley has a sensitive side, which is surprising for such a gruff person.
“Saving these children has been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done in my life.” The words aren’t coming to me right now.” He truly is one of the very finest of the very best in the world. Cheryl L. Karr is the author of this piece. For additional details, please see www.OURrescue.org.
Operation Underground Railroad – Wikipedia
| Abbreviation | O.U.R. |
|---|---|
| Named after | Underground Railroad |
| Founded | October 2013 |
| Founder | Timothy Ballard |
| Founded at | Salt Lake City,Utah |
| Type | Non-governmental organization,non-profit organization |
| Focus | Humanitarian |
| Headquarters | Anaheim, California |
| Area served | Global |
| Method | Rescue |
| Key people | Tim Ballard |
| Website | ourrescue.org |
This group represents the pinnacle of excellence. Each individual puts in the necessary effort to train, work, and take their responsibilities seriously. They are members of Operation Underground Railroad’s Jump Team, and they are tasked with rescuing minors from sex trafficking ring leaders. Dutch Turley, a former U.S. Navy Seal, serves as the team’s captain, and his primary responsibility is to keep everyone safe on the battlefield. The security of the squad is under his supervision, he explains.
- Another important thing to remember is that you should never be on your alone!
- It goes without saying that you must do your tasks as well, including homework.
- O.U.R.
- The fact that it is all made possible by donations from individuals and organizations who believe in what they are doing is maybe the greatest miracle of all.
- The formation of additional Jump Teams will allow us to go on more missions and save even more children.
- It’s a little more relaxed when you’re working with O.U.R., but he’s always prepared in case something goes wrong.
- Even superstars receive training before embarking on a mission.
- She has recently traveled to Colombia with the Organization for Universal Rights (OUR).
- Despite the fact that it sounds simple, it may be quite difficult in a high-stakes situation such as when drug traffickers are being apprehended.
- Turley, on the other hand, believes that mental preparation is the most vital.
- During his time with Operation Underground Railroad, he claims he has had several memorable experiences.
“Saving these children has been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done in my life.” The words aren’t quite coming to me at the moment. Indeed, he is among the very finest of the very best in the world. Cheryl L. Karr wrote the piece. Visit OURrescue.org for more details.
History
Prior to launching O.U.R., Tim Ballard worked as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security for 12 years, where he was a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the United States Child Sexual Exploitation Jump Team. According to Ballard, he was dissatisfied with the absence of techniques adopted to rescue abducted and trafficked children in developing countries, as well as the difficulty to punish perpetrators in situations that were not tied to the United States of America.
The organization’s headquarters are in Salt Lake City, Utah, but it also has offices in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest.
Molen to chronicle the planning and activity pertaining to a few covert operations for a feature film in order to increase awareness and support for the cause.
Operations
Following the organization’s stated mission, it collaborates with supportive governments and groups in one or more of the following activities: prevention, discovery and preparedness; rescue; victim rehabilitation programs; and fundraising. Its members are former military and law enforcement officers, as well as other volunteers who provide a hand in various capacities. Efforts to rescue victims of human trafficking are broken down into operations, which include planning, training, and/or direct engagement.
Criticism
According to a 2020Vice News investigation, the group engaged in “a strategy of image-burnishing and mythology-building, a succession of exaggerations that are, taken together, highly deceptive,” according to the report. The organization One United Rescue claimed to have saved a lady named “Liliana,” who according to court testimony had escaped on her own will. Transparency in the organization’s spending is also lacking. One of O.U.R.’s practices, according to a follow-up article from 2021, was that it used “jump teams” of inexperienced donors and celebrities, did not conduct meaningful surveillance or identification of targets, did not validate whether the people they intended to rescue were in fact actual trafficking victims, and did not differentiate between consent-based sexual work and human trafficking.
for propagating the far-right QAnonconspiracy theory.
Investigative Reports and Criminal Investigations
On August 27, 2020, Lynn Packer of the American Crime Journal announced in a video breaking news that criminal complaints had been submitted to the Davis County District Attorney’s office in Farmington, Utah, according to the American Crime Journal. American psychologist John Dehlin had an interview with Packer, an award-winning investigative journalist and seasoned Utah reporter, which was later broadcast on his Mormon Stories Podcast. Asked why such an important “development for the state of Utah and the LDS Church” was not disclosed or “being chased” by mainstream Utah media, Dehlin, who is an excommunicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(LDS Church), said, “It’s because it’s a secret.” As Packer stated, the state media and the LDS Church were involved in legitimizing Operation Underground Railroad with little to no control and fact-checking on the part of the state government.
In his statement, Packer said that he had spent the previous five years looking into Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad.
and Tim Ballard were under criminal investigation by the Attorney’s Office of Davis County, Utah, in October 2020, following reports that O.U.R.
Tim Ballard summoned officers and managers from his non-profit and for-profit businesses, including several from Operation Underground Railroad, to a clandestine meeting in August, 2019, according to reports by investigative journalists Lynn Packer and Damion Moore of the American Crime Journal.
The meeting was confirmed by investigative journalists Anna Merlan and Tim Marchman for Vice News.
References
- “WHAT IS CONTAINED WITHIN A NUMBER? Rescue 500”.Operation Underground Railroad. Retrieved on May 11, 2016. The original version of this article was archived on May 16, 2016. Retrieved2016-05-16
- s^ The American Crime Journal published articles such as “A Famed Anti-Sex Trafficking Group Has a Problem With the Truth”.
- “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions”.
- “Operation Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”.
- “Derailed: Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.)”.American Crime Journal
- Abcnews.com published an article entitled ” Merlan and Anna are two of the most talented people I’ve ever met (10 December 2020). In the words of the New York Times, “A well-known anti-sex trafficking organization has a problem with the truth.” Obtainable on December 24, 2020
- Grant, Melissa Gira, and Melissa Gira (2020-08-19). According to Qanon, the Anti-Trafficking Movement’s Conspiracy Playbook is being used. Journal of the New Republic, ISSN0028-6583. “Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor”, KSTU, October 8, 2020
- Ab”Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under investigation”, KSTU, October 8, 2020
- Ab”BREAKING NEWS: Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Davis County Attorney”, American Crime Journal, October 8, 2020
- The following article was written by Richard BYRNE REILLY on April 26, 2014: “Tech startup Operation Underground Railroad is protecting youngsters from human traffickers” (News). VentureBeat. Obtainable on 2016-05-16
- Abcd “Behind the Scenes of the Fight Against Child Sexual Trafficking.” 2015-05-07. ab”The New Abolitionists,” retrieved on April 17, 2012
- Ab”The New Abolitionists.” Foreign Policy is the study of international relations. Retrieved on 2016-05-16
- Ab”The Abolitionists Movie – A Mission to End Child Trafficking” (Abolitionists Movie – A Mission to End Child Trafficking). The Abolitionists were a group of people who opposed slavery. Retrieved2016-05-16
- s^ Karissa Herald is a reporter for the Herald. Neely’s Daily Dose of Neely. “Abolitionists in Utah believe it is past time to rescue victims of sex trafficking.” The Daily Herald is a newspaper published in the United Kingdom. Retrieved2020-04-27
- s^ “Understanding Human Trafficking via the Lens of Civil Society: Awareness, Advocacy, and Action” is the title of this paper. It is written in English. “Rescuing Children From Colombia’s Sex Trafficking Trade,” which was retrieved on May 16, 2016. The 22nd of October, 2014, according to ABC News. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Rescuing Children from Sex Slavery: One Mormon’s Inspired Mission”.LDS Living. 2015-02-27. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions”. The Guardian. 2015-02-27. Retrieved2016-05-16
- “Rescuing Children from Sex Slavery: One Mormon’s Inspired Mission”. Retrieved2021-06-05
- s^ Kevin Roose is the author of this work (2020-08-12). “QAnon adherents are interfering with the Save the Children movement.” Journal of the New York Times (ISSN 0362-4331). “Donald Trump Is Gone, But QAnon’s Sex Trafficking Conspiracies Are Here To Stay,” according to a report published on January 6, 2016. BuzzFeed News is a news website. Retrieved2021-06-05
- “WWE Referee, Wrestler-Turned-Mayor Fundraise For QAnon-Adjacent Charity” (WWE Referee, Wrestler-Turned-Mayor Fundraise For QAnon-Adjacent Charity). Retrieved2021-06-05
- s^ Lynn Packer is a writer who lives in the United States (August 28, 2020). American Crime Journal published an article titled “Tim Ballard, Utah’s Flim-Flam Man.” American Crime Journal
- “1364: Investigating Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad – Lynn Packer Pt. 6”
- “Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”
- “Anti-human trafficking group Operation Underground Railroad under criminal investigation by Utah prosecutor”
- “
Operation Underground Railroad Inc.
WHY DOES A NUMBER MEAN SOMETHING TO YOU? Op Underground Railroad’s Rescue 500″ was published on the 11th of May, 2016. On the 16th of May, 2016, the original version was retrieved from the internet. Retrieved2016-05-16;s^ “A Renowned Anti-Sex Trafficking Organization Has a Problem With the Truth”.; “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions”.; “Operation Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”.; “Derailed: Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.)”.American Crime Journal; “American Crime Journal |”.American Crime Journal; abcnews.com/news/ Merlan and Anna are two of the most talented people I’ve ever encountered (10 December 2020).
- There’s a problem with the truth at a well-known anti-sex trafficking organization, according to a report.
- According to Qanon, the Anti-Trafficking Movement’s Conspiracy Playbook is being utilized.
- (News).
- 16th of May, 2016; abcd.com Within the Fight Against Child Sexual Trafficking” is a documentary about the fight against child sexual trafficking.
- The New Abolitionists (ab”The New Abolitionists”).
- Policy in the international sphere.
- We’re talking about the abolitionists here, right?
Day by day, Neely is there for you.
The Daily Herald is a daily newspaper published in the United Kingdom.
“Rescuing Children From Colombia’s Sex Trafficking Trade” was retrieved on 2016-05-16; The 22nd of October, according to ABC News.
This article was retrieved on May 16, 2016.
The Guardian published an article titled “Inside a Massive Anti-Trafficking Charity’s Blundering Overseas Missions” on May 16, 2016.
Save the Children’s Movement is being hijacked by Qanon followers, according to the article.
It’s all over BuzzFeed News these days.
American Crime Journal publishes an article titled “Tim Ballard, Utah’s Flim-Flam Man.” American Crime Journal; “1364: Investigating Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad – Lynn Packer Pt.
October 7, 2020; “Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public Image Is Falling Apart”; “Underground Railroad’s Carefully Crafted Public
Vision
The nonprofit organization demonstrates strategic thinking by stating the organization’s vision, which serves as proof of its effectiveness. The society we envision by the year 2035 is one where no offender would dare to enter the trade because the ramifications would be so severe that the danger outweighed any potential reward, and where every responsible government and individual works to protect the most vulnerable. Responses from non-profit organizations were the source.
Strategic Goals
Defining and communicating the organization’s vision demonstrates strategic thinking on the part of the non-profit. The world we envision by the year 2035 is one where no perpetrator would dare to enter the trade because the ramifications would be so severe that the risk outweighed any potential benefit, and where every responsible government and individual strives to protect the most vulnerable people on the planet. The replies were provided by a nonprofit.
Leadership Development
The non-profit organization gives proof of its commitment to leadership advancement.
Describe an investment in leadership
We are completely dedicated to assisting our staff in their professional and leadership development. All workers have access to online management and leadership courses provided by the organization that cover a wide range of topics to assist them in their professional development. We have also performed research over the previous 12 months to discover advanced degree training programs for employees of one department who are on the front lines dealing with the folks we are attempting to safeguard.
They are now recognized as leaders in the anti-trafficking area, and they have the professional and educational backgrounds to back up that claim.
Responses from non-profit organizations were the source.
Mobilizing for Mission
The organization demonstrates its ability to lead by concentrating on the outside world and mobilizing resources to accomplish its objective.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
- Strategy, partnerships, networks of collective impact efforts, thought leadership, public awareness raising, community building, and policy advocacy are all examples of what we do.
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
We actively collaborate with schools, parents, and other organizations in order to raise awareness about sex trafficking and exploitation and to prevent it from occurring. Marketing efforts are also concentrated on the overall efforts of O.U.R. and raising awareness through various channels such as email, SMS, social media, and more. Additionally, O.U.R. has established ties with public and nonprofit organizations with which we collaborate to provide services and resources to aid in the prevention and rescue of victims.
Story of Adaptability
With this occasion, the nonprofit may share how it has responded to enormous external changes over the course of the last year. Operation Underground Railroad was able to swiftly adjust to changes in the year 2020 and move its focus to greater awareness and preventive initiatives as a result of the developments. The reduction in travel also resulted in a reduction in some of our rescue missions, but it allowed us to contribute to the development of our ESD K-9 program and other programs with other organizations and nonprofits with which we have established working connections.
We were also able to expand, even throughout the year 2020, as a result of internet awareness initiatives and the phenomenal growth on social media. Responses from non-profit organizations were the source.
Operation Underground Railroad Celebrates GivingTuesday with Fundraising Campaign
This is a chance for the nonprofit to share the tale of how it has responded to enormous external developments during the past year. Operation Underground Railroad was able to swiftly adapt to changes in the year 2020 and move its focus to greater awareness and preventive initiatives as a result of these adjustments. In addition, we were able to assist in the development of our ESD K-9 program and other programs with other organizations and NGOs with whom we have established working partnerships because of the reduction in travel.
The replies were provided by a nonprofit.
- Buying a Made Free item contributes to the construction of a dignified and empowered road out of human trafficking, slavery, and extreme poverty through the creation of a self-sustaining employment for a person in need. Handcrafted by small manufacturing teams that meet or exceed the World Fair Trade Organization’s (WFTO) criteria, these items are made to order. The Starfish Project: The Starfish Project provides secure, dignified work producing fair-trade items throughout Asia, as well as a comprehensive care program for women at danger of being trafficked. In addition, it allows women and girls to experience emancipation from their life in the sex industry by providing them with the resources they need to construct independent lives as well as specialized vocational training. Ethical Goods: Each piece is created by a woman who has been assisted in finding work. The Ethic Goods’ China and Thailand lines are manufactured by women who have been victims of human trafficking. Through their work for Badala, survivors of human trafficking are able to pay their living expenses and send their children to school, which are critical steps in breaking the cycle of exploitation and exploitation. In addition, Rethreaded provides work opportunities for survivors of human trafficking in areas such as production, inventory management, sales, marketing, finance, and administration. For more information, please visit www.sutisana.com. SutiSana fights human trafficking and sexual exploitation by providing a new and flourishing life for its craftsmen, who are survivors of human trafficking in Bolivia. Women who work with SutiSana are also entitled to benefits like as health insurance and retirement plans, as well as ongoing training and development opportunities.
Given the simplicity of the concept, GivingTuesday began in 2012 as a way to inspire individuals to do good in their communities. GivingTuesday has raised billions of dollars for critical causes around the world over the past nine years, and it has garnered billions of impressions on social media from people and organizations who are speaking out for the causes that matter to them and encouraging others to get involved in their communities on the day before Thanksgiving. The GivingTuesday movement encourages individuals all around the world to recognize and use their own power to advance the issues that matter to them, not just on one day but all throughout the year.” According to Asha Curran, CEO and co-founder of GivingTuesday.
- Ourrescue.org/fortheone is the website for those who wish to make donations or purchase things in support of the Organization for Unified Rescue’sGivingTuesday effort.
- a brief description of Operation Underground Railroad Help shed awareness on the global problem of child sex trafficking and, in doing so, to rescue more children from slavery while also assisting law enforcement in their efforts to bring those responsible for child exploitation to justice.
- We help survivors get back on their feet by working with verified aftercare organizations or by connecting them with family members who are willing to help them.
- a brief description of GivingTuesday GivingTuesdayis a worldwide giving movement that empowers individuals and businesses to make a positive difference in their communities and throughout the world.
- The movement has developed into a global movement that motivates hundreds of millions of people to contribute, cooperate, and celebrate giving throughout the course of the previous nine years.
- Whether it’s making someone smile, assisting a neighbor or stranger, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving part of what we have to those who need our support, every act of generosity counts.
SOURCE Operation Underground Railroad is a joint venture between the United States and the United Kingdom.
O.U.R. (Operation Underground Railroad)
Operation Underground Railroad, founded by TIM BALLARD in December 2013, has brought together the world’s leading experts in extraction operations as well as anti-child exploitation efforts in order to put an end to child slavery. TIM BALLARD is the founder of Operation Underground Railroad. Former members of the CIA, former and current members of law enforcement, and highly skilled operators make up the O.U.R.’s operations team, which coordinates identification and extraction efforts. THESE OPERATIONS ARE ALWAYS CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED NATIONS.
- – Several of the doctors in our group, including Dr Dan Preece, Dr Darren Groberg, Dr Scott Shelton, Dr Weston Packard, and Dr Christiaan Goebel, are volunteers for Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.).
- – At addition, we are hosting paintings, woodworking projects, sculptures, and other works of art in our offices that are made and sold to benefit O.U.R.
- ArtForOUR is a website where you can view what is available for buy.
- For example, we have a YouTube channel that has funny movies, timelapse projects, painting and woodworking demos, and other content all geared toward spreading the word about Operation Underground Railroad.
- All of the revenues from our YouTube channel are also contributed.
- Please visit us at https://www.youtube.com/c/DanPreecePocketFullOfSawdust- for more information.
Runners Gearing Up to Help “Break the Chain” with Operation Underground Railroad
Runners in southeast Idaho are preparing to “Break the Chain” of sex trafficking by participating in a relay race. The event, which is sponsored by Operation Underground Railroad, attempts to raise awareness about the expanding industry of sex trafficking in the United States. Tim Ballard, a former C.I.A. special agent, founded the group, which has now grown to include numerous city chapters committed to raising awareness and finances to assist the effort to rescue children who have been sold into the sex trafficking trade.
- “By raising awareness, we can raise donations.” Even though Harris acknowledges that the majority of people who become involved with OU.R.
- “We are not immune to the industry found in many foreign countries,” she says.
- “Many people believe that our small town of Rexburg, Idaho is safe, but in truth, crime does occur in our community as well as in other places.
- Operation Underground Railroad need financial resources in order to carry out its mission.
Participants may sign up for the event here. In addition, Harris notes that the event is still in need of volunteers to assist the runners along the course for those who do not wish to or are unable to participate. You can listen to the entire interview in the player below.
I Went on a Vigilante Raid to “Save” Kids Sold for Sex. What We Did Haunts Me Now.
“When the housekeeper answers the door to a man brandishing a pistol, you can see how afraid she is.” Screenshot courtesy of YouTube/Operation Underground Railroad When the originator of Operation Underground Railroad, Tim Ballard, phoned me unexpectedly in the summer of 2014, I had no idea what he was talking about. He was a former Special Agent with the Department of Homeland Security and informed me that OUR had an undercover operation planned in the Dominican Republic and that he wanted me to accompany him to record it.
- Local administrations were either overburdened or involved in the situation.
- Ballard said that he knew how to save these children.
- Ballard and I are both members of the Mormon faith.
- My father, who admired my work, saved a few cards with the blog’s details in his wallet for future reference.
- Perhaps this is how Ballard discovered that I was a writer.
- I wasn’t perplexed as to why he believed it was acceptable for me, the author of a mother blog, to document anti-human trafficking efforts.
- I was depressed and lonely since my father, who had been my greatest friend, had passed away not long before.
I think, in my anguish and my desire for meaning, I wished for him to be called by God, hoping that it would imply that, at long last, I would be, as well.
Before I traveled for my trip with Operation Underground Railroad, I exchanged a few emails with the organization, receiving instructions on what to pack, my plane ticket, and the name of the person who would meet me at the airport.
It was the day before the sting that I packed my belongings and boarded an aircraft that took me to the Dominican Republic.
We have grown, as every successful firm must, and we are always striving to enhance our standard operating procedures and processes on a professional level.”) When I went on the “jump,” as they termed it, I was the youngest person and the only woman there.
The production firm was situated in Utah, but it was said to have attracted the attention of Hollywood elite, including Gerald Molen, the Oscar-winning producer of films such as Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List.
We stayed in a large beige house with a befuddled housekeeper from the neighborhood.
I jotted down some notes.
Ballard’s team collaborated with local authorities who were either overloaded or ill-equipped to handle this task on their own, according to what I was informed.
The location and time of the party were communicated to the authorities in advance.
When the OUR team obtained undercover recordings of a trafficker receiving upfront cash in exchange for sex with the children, the police intended to stand by outside.
They would be armed, of course.
Ballard gave me his assurance.
I’d be on the safe side.
Following the meeting, the housekeeper prepared the table for dinner.
Was she going to be safe?
I fell asleep to the sound of members of the jump team practicing CrossFit near the pool, which was a pleasant surprise.
There were a total of 26 of them.
I’d been tasked with inflating balloons in order to create a festive ambiance in the house.
When I met them outside near the pool, I gave out drinks to them.
“I’d been requested to blow up balloons in order to create a party atmosphere in the house.” Inside, Meg ConleyBallard sat with the traffickers, ostensibly discussing the price for the services that each girl would offer.
One of the traffickers came up to me and started making jokes, which I found amusing.
Ballard was putting money on the coffee table, and I was watching him.
The raid got underway.
I quickly fled.
The cameras were rolling in preparation for the much-anticipated television show.
There was a lot of yelling: from the cops, from the OUR covert team, who was pretending to be shocked, and from the drug traffickers.
I was still present when the children, dripping wet from the pool, were escorted through the room and out of the house by their parents.
During the process of being brought away, they walked between us on the ground, dripping water as they did so.
The camera team came up to me and asked for my comments, recording me while I answered.
I wanted to think that what had just occurred was significant—and I wanted to get back home.
When the plane touched down, I immediately turned on my cellphone.
After expressing interest in providing a blurb for my book, he expressed willingness to do so whenever I was ready to do so.
A man who claimed to have been summoned by God stated he was going to endorse me.
In the van with our two children strapped into car seats in the rear, my husband picked me up from the airport and I informed him about the guns and the children.
Then he told her, “You shouldn’t have been in there.” I recall thinking he was being overprotective at the time.
I was in attendance at the screening of OUR’s first documentary when it was released.
I got to my feet.
Ballard’s assertive certainty, on the other hand, quickly became a source of concern for me.
She said that OUR’s raids demonstrated a “alarming lack of knowledge about how complex criminal trafficking networks must be attacked and disrupted,” and she described the organization’s tactics as “arrogant, immoral, and unlawful.” Ballard forwarded the item to me and referred to her as a “bitch.” Then he requested me to prepare a reply to his argument.
- It was impossible for me to come up with anything meaningful to say in response to someone who had dedicated her life to this cause.
- The essay was not written by me.
- The most of them were just as inexperienced as I was.
- The appeals were heartfelt, but they were faulty.
- We spent the most of our time talking about fundraising.
- Towards the conclusion of my association with the group, I confided in someone who was concerned about the recent negative publicity that I was concerned about an organization that placed so much reliance on Ballard and his vision of the future.
- OUR prioritized Black and Latino children in its fundraising efforts, but the organization refused to change its name in response to requests from Black activists.
- Ballard, his wife, and other white people are shown as they transport rescued Black and brown children from human trafficking down an actual train, painted by McNaughton, who is most known for his painting of President Barack Obama burning the Constitution in 2012.
- I was disillusioned and upset, and I wanted to have a better grasp of the group’s position within the anti-trafficking community.
The first thing that sprang to mind when I informed an international anti-trafficking specialist about the 2014 raid I was a part of was, “Do you have any idea how completely wrong everything was?” According to what I’ve gathered from the studies, our 2014 raid was most likely just another childhood trauma for those 26 children.
- But what she realized in a split second was something that took me years to comprehend.
- (Ballard did not answer to inquiries concerning the raid that were directed at him.) Is this an indictment on Ballard?
- However, it is also a criticism of myself.
- I attempted to find purpose in my own life by putting myself in the shoes of exploited children.
- Operation Underground Railroad is now well-known for its multinational sting operations, which have gained widespread attention.
- In 2015, a Silicon Valley businessman put $40,000 into a sting operation and watched it unfold in real time.
- Ballard brings the drama with him to every interview and fundraiser, for those who can’t afford to go to the situation room.
Ballard’s stories were recently investigated by Vice, which discovered “a pattern of image-burnishing and mythology-building, as well as a series of exaggerations that are, in the aggregate, quite misleading.” Vice also published details of “disturbingly amateurish” operations, such as the one I attended.
- However, a video of the raid was produced by Operation Underground Railroad.
- It’s still there, believe it or not.
- Towards the end of the video, the sentence “26 victims rescued, 8 traffickers arrested” appears.
- Meg Conley is a writer who lives in New York City.
- There did not appear to be any consideration given to the possibility that OUR had generated a demand.
- I was given only ambiguous responses.
I discovered the truth about what happened thanks to aForeign Policyreport: Following OUR’s first operation in the Dominican Republic in 2014, a local group known as the National Council for Children and Adolescents rapidly realized that it lacked the resources to care for the 26 girls who had been rescued by the organization.
According to the story, some people testified.
It was only a Coke and a swim that those kids received from us in 2014, yet Ballard came out ahead in the bargain.
It entails identifying children who are being trafficked and ensuring that they receive adequate aftercare.
It is enacting safe harbor, affirmative defense, and vacatur legislation, all of which are intended to offer victims with a safe transition or to assist them in avoiding the criminal judicial system.
It is advocating for racial equality.
Anti-trafficking effort, particularly the sort that is effective, does not provide instant gratification.
There are no cameos or leading roles.
Ballard began the organization’s 2020 online fundraising event by expressing gratitude to those who were watching from their homes.
Ballard is represented by WME, one of the world’s largest talent agencies, despite the fact that his reality series never got off the ground.
In addition, a new action film based on his life, Sound of Freedom, will be released soon.
In the clip, which was published last summer, a blond Caviezel hikes through the Colombian forest in order to save children from a criminal organization.
On the screen, Caviezel sobs righteous tears, as scared boys and girls’ faces, frequently covered in filth, are featured prominently. “Mister Timoteo,” a weeping small kid asks the screen Ballard in Spanish, and the screen Ballard responds. “You’re a kid rescuer, aren’t you?”