January 11, 2012 - International Drive to Free Sara Kruzan, Directed at Governor Brown

Online, January 12, 2012 (Newswire.com) - On National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11th, the second and hopefully last International Call the Governor Day will take place, asking people from around the world to contact Governor Brown's office, requesting complete clemency for child sex trafficking victim, Sara Kruzan. On Sara's birthday, December 16, 2010, what started as a small effort by California activists quickly turned into a worldwide movement with individuals as far as Switzerland and Pakistan tweeting, emailing, facebooking, and calling Governor Schwarzenegger's office. With hundreds of participants, The phone lines jammed at various times throughout the day, and ultimately, Governor Schwarzenegger commuted Sara's sentence from life without the possibility of parole to 25 years to life, with the possibility of parole.

This represented a giant leap forward, but it still is not enough. As a youth, Sara had no concept of a normal childhood and was regularly faced with adult situations. Her father was in prison and her mother was addicted to drugs. At age 11, Sara met GG, a "family friend," who began a grossly inappropriate, sexually and mentally abusive relationship with her. He was 31. At 13, GG began prostituting Sara. After years of being forced into a life of prostitution, gang association, and innocence lost, Sara shot and killed her pimp, under the instruction and pressure of another gang member. A minor, who was recognized by the California Youth Authority as needing psychological treatment, Sara was unjustly sentenced to die in prison.

Encouraged by the results of the last call the governor day and with increased attention to the case over the last year, regular people are joining forces to support Sara. Through the incredible power of social media, word has spread globally concerning Sara's case, and we expect at least as much participation as we had a year ago. International Call the Governor Day not only garners attention, but it also presents citizens with simple and effective means to make a difference. By expanding the power of change to voices beyond fair sentencing and anti-trafficking/prostitution activists, and by directly addressing the decision maker, Governor Brown, our goal is to speed up the process of freeing Sara Kruzan. While we cannot make up for what has happened to her, we can fight for justice now.

Information, including scripts and contact information, can be found here.

Individuals available for interview:
Anne Rogan, Sara Kruzan's aunt, anti-trafficking activist, San Diego resident Nikki Junker, social media expert, Executive Director of With More Than Purpose