Dr Phil Taking Human Trafficking & Intimate Partner Violence Seriously

Dr Phil: Child Victim Kills Pedophile Pimp

Sara Kruzan was a victim of abuse and neglected as a pre-teen. She killed her pimp at age 17 and she went to jail for life. After her case was reopened due to extreme public interest, outgoing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lessened her sentence to 25 years with parole. Her aunt Anne and mother Nicole believe she has served her time for the crime and should be released.

Defense Attorney Darren Kavinoky believes Sara has a good chance of being released early. The term “human trafficking” wasn’t even in the books until long after Sara’s case in 1995. He said what happened to Sara, and what happens to too many, is called Intimate Partner Violence. He said that cases that happened before this was acknowledged, like Sara’s, can now be reopened. Sara’s case can either be reduced to voluntary manslaughter, which is 11 years and which she has already served, or there would be a new trial.

Dr Phil said that being beaten over time and snapping is different than someone who waited and planned. He suspects that Sara Kruzan was used and abused hundreds of times. He went on to talk about how G.G. groomed Kruzan for a life on the streets. He thinks the headline should have been “Child Victim Kills Pedo—– Pimp.”

“It just seems to me that there were an awful lot of guys around that passed this innocent child around and there was nobody there to stand up and stop it,” Dr Phil said.

Dr Phil: Mira Sorvino Fights Human Trafficking & Leland Yee Senate Bill 5

Actress Mira Sorvino is the U.N. Office on Drugs Crime Goodwill Ambassador to Combat Human Trafficking. She said that at any given time there are 100,000 to 130,000 U.S. domestic minors on the streets being sold. She said what it was like for Sara Kruzan and for many other kids is terrifying, lack of movement, and being absolutely controlled. Kruzan’s first night out included 11 different men.

Kruzan’s pimp took on a typical pimp role. He was protective and a parody of a caregiver. Pimps make the kids believe that they are being protected and loved. This kind of thing happens to around 80% of runaways, said Sorvino.

California State Senator Leland Yee authored Senate Bill 5, which recognizes that young people have the capacity to change. He said that the work of Dr Phil and others have brought attention to the fact that kids’ brains can adapt and change. Senator Yee said kids in prison can appeal to the courts once they are in prison that they have been rehabilitated.

Sorvino said that seeing someone beaten and degraded, especially kids and being a mom, she’s been deeply upset by human trafficking.