June 24, 2024

Dr. Beth Skinner
Director
Iowa Department of Corrections
510 E 12th St.
Des Moines, IA 50319

Dear Dr. Skinner,

On behalf of Shared Hope International and the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking, we are reaching  out regarding a young woman who is under the supervision of the Department. Pieper Lewis (#6556700),  who was resentenced on May 31, 2023 and placed on probation, is currently missing and, due to her age and  extensive history of trauma and abuse, is extremely vulnerable. Presently, a warrant has been issued for her  arrest and we respectfully and urgently request that the warrant be revoked and the Department of  Corrections request that an Endangered Persons alert be issued by the Department of Public Safety. Since  learning about Pieper’s dismissal from the House of Cherith and her subsequent disappearance, we have  wanted to alert our network in Atlanta and seek support in locating Pieper. However, with the current arrest  warrant in place, doing so would conflict with our commitment to ensuring survivors are insulated from  criminalization for actions that reflect their victimization and related trauma.

We acknowledge and deeply appreciate that Pieper has been given multiple chances by many stakeholders  with unequivocal warnings that she would be granted no others; however, in the decades we have spent  working with and advocating alongside survivors, we know success and healing is a non-linear process. Pieper  is not a “bad” youth choosing “bad” behaviors; she is a young person doing her best to navigate life with a  terrible hand of cards that, no matter how many times they are reshuffled, fail to rewrite 19 years of pain and  trauma.

Pieper is a highly vulnerable youth who went missing in an unfamiliar city. In addition to the inherent risk  factors that any homeless 19 year old would face, Pieper is living with the effects and consequences of a  lifetime of trauma. We would be very concerned for any young person missing from care, but we are deeply  alarmed and afraid for what this entails for Pieper. In addition to surviving extensive abuse and neglect that  no child should experience, Pieper has been relentlessly preyed on by adults, particularly older men, who have  taken advantage of her vulnerability and subjected her to unspeakable acts of sexual violence, exploitation,  and trafficking. This has continued to occur even while under the protection of court-ordered placement  facilities; we can only fathom what she has experienced during the last two months of being unsheltered and  on her own.

For those who have experienced sexual violence or who support individuals living with its resulting trauma,  Pieper’s choices and behaviors are not only unsurprising, they are expected. Instead, what has been surprising  are the expectations placed upon her and the consequences that follow when she falls short. By definition, a  19 year old survivor of childhood abuse, sex trafficking, and exploitation who is missing from care is an  Endangered Person; however, because her pursuit for survival is mistaken for defiance she is treated as a  criminal. Even in the most ideal, supportive environment, a 19 year old with years of compounded trauma  will struggle to engage with the community, services and program; a 19 year old living on the streets who is  provided an ankle monitor instead of housing will be unable to keep the monitor charged, maintain appointments, and remain in compliance with the terms of probation. Pieper is in survival mode and we owe  it to her to do everything, including shifting the narrative and approach, to ensure she survives.

Decades of advocacy work has led to a tremendous shift in understanding the dynamics of domestic abuse,  including the average number of times—seven—that survivors attempt to leave an abusive relationship. This  knowledge and change in approach has undoubtedly saved the lives of countless survivors because the  systems, in turn, didn’t give up on them. The same shift in understanding and approach is vitally needed to save the lives of trafficking survivors, including Pieper.

Replacing an arrest warrant with an Endangered Persons alert will impact the approach and urgency in  finding Pieper. She is not a hardened criminal who poses a threat to the public; Pieper is a young person who  is at high risk of being seriously harmed. For all intents and purposes, Pieper is a child who could have a  successful adult life ahead of her but only if systems and adults prioritize her safety, mental health and well being now.

We would greatly appreciate a response and warmly welcome the opportunity to answer any questions or  provide additional information.

With sincere gratitude,

Policy Team
Shared Hope International
policy@sharedhope.org
202-963-2601

John Chesser
Board Chair
Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking
administrator@lindam87.sg-host.com
515-314-8516