Lee McPherson

Lisa Knapp knew about selling luxury goods. She was an account executive for brands like Cartier and Tiffany. And she knew about working on charity events for local nonprofit organizations. She did not know anything about the underworld of child sex trafficking. Three years ago her eyes opened to what was going on in and around the state and in Austin, and her life changed. Austin 20 “Children just like ours are being manipulated by strangers on the internet,” she says. It’s parents or relatives selling their children for money. Often it’s kids who have some past with child protective services or foster care, she says. “It’s a lot more common than we think,” Knapp says. It’s typically not kids from over the border or flown in from Asia, as many people might think. “I used to think that,” says Andrea Sparks, director of the child sex trafficking team in the governor’s office. “Eight years ago, I was thinking of the movie ‘Taken.’” Austin 20 In reality, Sparks says, ...

Right now, in the Austin area, first responders often have no place to take a child who has been trafficked for sex. Help us build Nicole's Place where a survivor can get immediate shelter and a plan for their recovery. Without our help, these children could easily end up back in the web of their traffickers. DONATE TODAY:  https://theaustin20.org/donate The Austin 20 - Lee McPherson The Austin 20 is a 501(c)(3) organization, gifts and donations to The Austin 20 are tax-deductible. Online donors will receive an email tax receipt, and those who donate by check, money order or wire will receive a mailed tax receipt.  If you have any questions about the tax-exemption status of The Austin 20, please contact Brenda Adkinson at 512-322-2001 or   brenda@lmablaw.com     www.LeeFMcPherson.com Lee McPherson

Lisa Knapp knew about selling luxury goods. She was an account executive for brands like Cartier and Tiffany. And she knew about working on charity events for local nonprofit organizations. She did not know anything about the underworld of child sex trafficking. Three years ago her eyes opened to what was going on in and around the state and in Austin, and her life changed. “Children just like ours are being manipulated by strangers on the internet,” she says. It’s parents or relatives selling their children for money. Often it’s kids who have some past with child protective services or foster care, she says. “It’s a lot more common than we think,” Knapp says. It’s typically not kids from over the border or flown in from Asia, as many people might think. “I used to think that,” says Andrea Sparks, director of the child sex trafficking team in the governor’s office. “Eight years ago, I was thinking of the movie ‘Taken.’” In reality, Sparks says, “the vast majority of victim...