PHOENIX — A new book is out and is shining a light on the issue of sex trafficking in the Phoenix community and across our nation.
“Sex tracking happens anywhere and in every city in the United States,” said Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, ASU professor in the School of Social Work.
The book is titled “Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers” and is written by former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi.
Long Haul
This new book focuses on long-haul truckers and features a serial killer who has become known as the "Truck Stop Killer" and was taken into custody near Casa Grande in 1990 along I-10.
The book also spotlights a unique place in Phoenix that provides help to sex trafficking survivors. It’s called Phoenix Starfish Place and the first of its kind in our country.
“It’s a place for people to have safety and a community developed after their victimization,” shared Roe-Sepowitz.
Phoenix Starfish Place is the first in the nation city-funded shelter for sex trafficking survivors. They have 15 units for families of different sizes.
Roe-Sepowitz shares that Phoenix Starfish Place is where survivors can live with their children and find community. They can also take classes on everything from cooking to acupuncture and learn how to deal with trauma and mental health issues.
Figliuzzi, who spent 25 years with the FBI, even visited Phoenix Starfish Place for research for his book.
“I think the days of law enforcement treating victims as criminals and handcuffing them for prostitution those days are coming to an end,” said Figliuzzi.
Figliuzzi’s book examines the FBI's Highway Serial Killings Initiative. He said to date the FBI has linked at least 850 homicides to long-haul truck drivers.
“These truckers exploit the seams in the jurisdictions across the country. They’ll grab a victim in one jurisdiction. They’ll commit the murder in a second jurisdiction. And they will dump the body in a third jurisdiction. So you have a moving crime scene with a long haul trucker,” said Figliuzzi.
Truck Stop Killer
His book begins with an Arizona tie. In 1990 Robert Ben Rhoades, a man who became known as the Truck Stop Killer, was taken into custody by Arizona law enforcement. A trooper stopped at a truck with its hazards on along I-10 in Casa Grande to see if it needed help.
“He (the trooper) looks inside he sees a woman shackled and screaming in the back of the rig, and she’s naked except for her bathroom slippers and that begins a whole investigation of a trucker named Robert Ben Rhoades who is notorious and is good for at least 50 homicides including a despicable murder and kidnapping of a young 14-year-old girl out of Texas, Regina Walters,” shared Figliuzzi.
The 78-year-old Rhoades is still serving his life sentence in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility for crimes including the murder of a 14-year-old girl.
While Rhoades' crimes were decades ago, Figliuzzi stresses sex trafficking is still a big problem today.
“Hundreds of thousands of young men and women are trafficked every single year,” said Figliuzzi.
Help and hope inside Phoenix Starfish Place
Pheonix Starfish Places is a resource that is here to offer help.
Roe-Sepowitz said these criminals know how to target vulnerable people. This can include people who are separated from their families, with mental health challenges, substance abuse issues, people of color and members of the LGBTQ-plus community. They separate and abuse them.
“They’re in a car that can be locked, and driven anywhere. They’re in a hotel room where the door is locked,” said Roe-Sepowitz. “They’re in incredibly vulnerable situations that each and every one of us would never put ourselves in, if we had any choice or any other options,” she added.
Roe-Sepowitz shared that sex trafficking only became federal law in the year 2000, meaning their whole field is only 24 years old.
She said Phoenix itself can be a hot spot for sex trafficking not just due to our highways but also our weather.
One thing that happens in Phoenix is we never have never have snow. We don’t have inclement weather that makes it difficult to be on the street or to travel here. So we have a continuous opportunity for people to buy and sell other people,” said Roe-Sepowitz
Now people who are victimized can find help and a path forward inside Phoenix Starfish Place. Inside survivors can live with their families and take classes and learn about cook to acupuncture. They can also learn about how to deal with trauma and mental health issues.
How can we help?
Roe-Sepowitz added there are ways we can all help to address sex trafficking.
She said we can teach our kids and young adults about sex trafficking. We can also teach kids to protect their friends from traffickers. This will help to make sure anyone who is vulnerable doesn't get sucked in. Finally, she stated no matter what, we can all work together to bring awareness.
If you think someone is danger, you can call the Arizona state hotline for assistance at 1-877-4-AZ-TIPS.
Experts stress you should never get involved yourself. If someone needs immediate help in an emergency you should call 9-1-1.
You can find Figliuzzi's book "Long Haul" on Amazon and other places books are available.
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