She Creates Love Weekly Briefing — May 5–11, 2026
✦ She Creates Love ✦
The Weekly Briefing
Women & Girls — Washington State, Pacific Northwest & Beyond
This week's top stories
- 1Six teen girls rescued from trafficking on Portland's 82nd Avenue — most from Washington State
- 299.8% of Black women in WA public sector reported workplace harm — only one respondent experienced none
- 3Victim services funding cliff — June 30 deadline; VOCA federal funding collapsed 76% since 2018
- 4MMIWP National Week of Action — Tulalip rally, 19 photographs displayed, families speak their loved ones' names
- 5$322M in proposed childcare cuts — 14,000 families could lose subsidies
- 6400,000 disabled adults and seniors face federal SSI cuts — average benefit: $736/month
- 7WA wage gap remains 2nd worst nationally — new salary negotiation guide released
- 8November ballot watch — IL26-638 and IL26-001 certified for voters
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Lead story — human trafficking
What is happening on our streets. Right now.
Six teenage girls rescued from trafficking in Portland — most from Washington State
If you need help
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 | Text: 233733On May 7, the Portland Police Bureau announced that six teenage girls — ages 13 to 17 — were rescued during a human trafficking operation along Portland's 82nd Avenue corridor, known locally as "the blade." The rescues occurred over a three-week period in mid-April, carried out by PPB's Human Trafficking Unit and East Precinct officers. Most of the girls are from Washington State.
The pace alarmed even seasoned investigators. Six rescues in two weeks is far above the typical rate of one to two per month. All six were connected with advocacy services through PPB's Victim Services program. The Multnomah County DA's Office is working with the girls toward potential prosecutions.
Esther Garrett, CEO of Safety Compass — an Oregon nonprofit serving trafficking survivors — reported that 73% of their clients over the past month have been minors, compared to their usual 50%. She described high demand, active recruitment, and insufficient enforcement relative to the volume of exploitation occurring.
This story does not exist in isolation. Earlier this year, two Seattle men — Leanthony Palmer and Branden Barnett — were federally indicted for sex trafficking conspiracy spanning six states. Washington's SB 5936, passed in the 2026 session, establishes criminal liability for businesses that engage in or fail to stop human trafficking. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 89% of Washington sex trafficking victims who reported their age were children when first exploited.
Black women in the workplace
A Washington State reckoning — documented, named, and impossible to ignore.
99.8% of Black women in WA public sector reported workplace harm
A groundbreaking survey by the Washington State Women's Commission and Blacks United in Leadership & Diversity (BUILD) gathered responses from 410 Black women working across Washington's public sector. The findings are devastating.
99.8%
experienced harm or systemic barriers
88%
reported microaggressions
75%
reported mental health impacts
1.92/5
HR support rating — nearly half gave the lowest possible score
Only one respondent — out of 410 — reported experiencing no harm. Workplace experience overall was rated 2.68 out of 5. In 2025, Black women accounted for 54.7% of all job losses for women despite making up only 14.1% of the female workforce, driven largely by public sector cuts.
On April 22, over 70 Black women gathered at the State Capitol for a training, co-creation, and self-care event. The Women's Commission is now developing a workplace navigation tool and pressing the Governor's Office to act. A detailed report is forthcoming — follow the Commission at wswc.wa.gov for release.
MMIWP — Week of Action
We honor those who are missing. We mourn those who were taken. We demand every name be spoken.
Tulalip rally, honor walks, and 19 photographs displayed along Marine Drive
The National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (May 4–8) brought Washington's tribal communities together in visible, powerful ceremony. At the Tulalip Tribes rally on May 5 — National Day of Awareness, honoring Hanna Harris — more than 100 people gathered, marched, and spoke. Loni Long carried a sign for her missing sister Benita. Marilyn Flores spoke about her daughter Jolene, a victim of domestic violence who died in 2024. Community members displayed 19 photographs of missing and murdered Indigenous people at a roundabout along Marine Drive North and Tulalip Road.
Tribal honor walks also took place at Lummi Nation, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe. The Puyallup Tribe hosted a MMIWP Coastal Jam. Mother Nation held a Healing Together MMIP Gathering.
100+
Indigenous people currently missing in WA, including 50 women and girls
10,248
missing Indigenous persons reports filed with the FBI in 2024
95%
of MMIWP cases received no mainstream media coverage
10×
higher murder rate for Native women on some reservations vs. national average
Washington ranks among the top 10 states for missing Indigenous persons cases. Nearly 52% of WA cases originate in Eastern Washington. The WA Attorney General's MMIWP Task Force Missing Indigenous Persons Toolkit is available for families at atg.wa.gov.
Survivor services — funding crisis
These programs don't slowly shrink when funding disappears. They close.
June 30 funding cliff — $21.3M needed to keep programs open
Washington's crime victim services are at a breaking point. VOCA federal funding collapsed from $74.7 million in 2018 to just $17.9 million in 2024 — a 76% drop. Temporary state funding expires June 30. The Governor's supplemental budget proposes approximately $12 million — less than 60% of the $21.3 million needed just to maintain existing services.
In 2024, Washington victim services programs fielded 73,000 hotline calls and provided 166,000 nights of emergency shelter. Hope Alliance — the only DV and SA organization in Lewis County — has already cut its 24-hour hotline to weekday business hours and reduced legal services. That is not a threat of future harm. It is current reality.
One legislative win worth naming: SB 6017, sponsored by Sen. Tina Orwall, protects survivors from being directly cross-examined by their abusers in court when defendants represent themselves. The bill also extends protections to survivors of female genital mutilation — approximately 25,000 women and girls in Washington are living with or at risk of FGM.
Economic justice
The numbers. The trends. What they mean for women in Washington.
Wage gap remains 2nd worst nationally — new salary negotiation guide released
Washington women earned a median of $18,545 less than men in 2024, ranking 2nd worst in the country behind only Utah. Women earn 72 cents per dollar — 8th worst nationally. The gaps are widening for nearly every group.
Wage gap vs. white men — 2024
| Latina women | −$37,796 | ↑ $1,087 |
| Native / Alaska Native women | −$33,659 | ↑ $1,334 |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | −$30,578 | ↑ $500 |
| Black women | −$29,237 | ↑ $802 |
| White women | −$23,237 | ↑ $387 |
| Asian women | −$12,771 | ↓ $1,361 |
The Women's Commission's Activate 3.8 campaign — named for the 3.8 million women and girls in Washington — focuses on career pathways, pay negotiation, and public sector retention. A new Salary Negotiation Guide is available at wswc.wa.gov.
$322M in proposed childcare cuts — 14,000 families at risk
Governor Ferguson's supplemental budget proposes $217 million in cuts by capping Working Connections Child Care at 33,000 households — 14,000 families would lose subsidies. An additional $41 million cut would reduce subsidy rates for child care centers. Professional development funding for providers would be cut by 50%. The childcare crisis is already costing Washington's economy $6 billion per year.
The child care workforce is predominantly immigrant women who, under current conditions, mostly cannot afford a basic one-bedroom apartment on their wages. Do not balance the state budget on the backs of children and the women who care for them.
Federal SSI cuts would strip $736/month from 400,000 disabled adults and seniors
The Trump administration is advancing a proposal to cut Supplemental Security Income for extremely poor disabled adults and older people living with relatives. Nearly 400,000 people would lose benefits or face cuts. The average monthly SSI payment is $736 — and more than 80% of recipients are disabled. The program costs $5.8 billion per month, representing 1% of federal spending. The Pentagon spent 16 times that amount on the Iran war in a single month. Women make up the majority of SSI recipients.
Legislation & policy
What the 2026 WA session delivered — and what remains at risk.
2026 Washington session — wins for women and families
Key bills — 2026 session
| SSB 5917 | Signed | Streamlines state medication abortion stockpile access for licensed health professionals |
| HB 1128 | Passed | Establishes Child Care Workforce Standards Board |
| SB 6081 | Passed | Protects disclosure of sex designation in government records |
| SB 5936 | Passed | Business liability for engaging in or failing to stop human trafficking |
| SB 6346 | Signed | Millionaires' Tax — funds childcare, school meals, working families |
| HB 2355 | Signed | Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (effective July 1, 2027) |
| HB 2242 | Passed | Preserves access to preventive health services |
| HB 2385 | Passed | Expands HIV antiviral drug coverage |
Two initiatives certified for November 3, 2026
IL26-638 would prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls' school sports — making Washington the first state where voters decide this question directly. Over 444,000 signatures were submitted. IL26-001 ("Parents' Bill of Rights") seeks to restore provisions from I-2081. Democratic leaders declined to hold hearings on either measure during session, sending both directly to voters. Register at vote.wa.gov. November 3 is closer than it feels.
Reproductive rights — federal pressure on Washington State
While Washington strengthened state-level abortion access this session, the Trump administration is wielding the Weldon Amendment to threaten states with federal funding cuts for protecting abortion access. Thirteen states are under investigation. The Northwest Abortion Access Fund continues serving patients across WA, OR, ID, and AK. The mifepristone Supreme Court case remains unresolved as of publication.
Take action this week
Seven things. Right now.
01
Contact your WA state legislators before June 30 — demand full funding of the $21.3M for crime victim services. Visit wscadv.org for action tools.
02
Share the WA Attorney General's Missing Indigenous Persons Toolkit with your networks. atg.wa.gov
03
Tell your legislators: reject the $322M in proposed childcare cuts. The child care workforce and working families cannot absorb this.
04
Download and share the Women's Commission Salary Negotiation Guide at wswc.wa.gov — then ask your employer if they've done a pay equity audit.
05
Register to vote at vote.wa.gov and research IL26-638 and IL26-001 before November 3.
06
Support immigrant DV survivors — donate to the Alliance for Immigrant Survivors or Tahirih Justice Center.
07
Contact your U.S. senators to oppose SSI cuts. Nearly 400,000 disabled adults and seniors live on $736/month. Protect it.
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