Episode 16: Protecting our Children with Rose Terrero

On today’s episode of Fast Lane with Sara Jayne, Sara speaks with Rose Terrero. Rose speaks about her experience working in the Dominican Republic for an organization to help save minors from child trafficking. Rose speaks about the different situations they would see, the programs their organization offers to children, and offers advice for what parents can do to protect their children and help prevent child trafficking.

Episode Highlights: 

• Rose is currently living in the Dominican Republic, and she has been living out of the US for 6 years.
• When you lived in Guatemala, what did you do?
• How did this change when you moved to the DR?
• Rose worked as the director’s assistant for a company that worked to help minors escaping child trafficking. 
• As the director’s assistant, what were your day-to-day operations like?
• What was the average age of the children you were saving?
• Rose’s organization worked specifically with minors, mainly 11-17 year olds.
• They usually worked with 6-10 children at a time, and they would usually stay anywhere from 5 days to 6 months.
• What was the usual situation for children you saved?
• There was no usual, they saw a wide range of cases.
• Adult prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic, which makes the work they do even more difficult.
• Do most of the children you work with want help?
• Rose explains how there is a big difference here between children and adults who are receiving help.
• It usually took girls 10-12 days before they really wanted to be there.
• Most of the children Rose worked with were from the Dominican Republic.
• Rose explains the trafficking profile for countries, which rates how the country works to end trafficking.
• Rose also reads the part of the report pertinent to the United States.
• Rose believes that the vast majority of children who go missing in the United States will be involved in child trafficking.
• Rose speaks about the importance of creating a safe environment for our children to help prevent trafficking.
• As far as social media, do you think parents should not post things of their children on social media?
• Rose recommends to always keep the location off when you post pictures.
• Right now, Rose is taking a less active role with her company so she can work on putting her family first.
• What can people do to help with this industry?

3 Key Points:

1. Rose worked for a company that helped save children from child trafficking.
2. Areas with high tourism or transient workers are going to have higher levels of trafficking.
3. Creating a safe and nurturing space for your children can help prevent trafficking.

Resources Mentioned: 

• Fast Lane Facebook
• Fast Lane on Apple Podcasts