Issaquah men climb Mt. Rainier for a cause

Published 11:03 am Thursday, July 11, 2013

Human trafficking is an issue so sensitive that many people bury their head in the sand thinking it can’t be happening in their hometown. But it is.

“It’s here, you can’t ignore it,” said Issaquah resident Robby Hipp.

Hipp and Ken Hart of Issaquah, along with 16 other men, ages 28  to 30, depart Friday, July 12, on what they call adventure philanthropy. The team will reach the summit of Mt. Rainier Saturday or Sunday, all to raise money — and awareness — of the scourge of human trafficking.

“I can’t imagine a more despicable thing being done to another human,” Hipp said. “It just personifies hate.”

The group, Climb for Captives, focuses on girls and women who are sexually exploited. Hipp said girls as young as 8-years-old in India, have been sold or given away into sexual slavery. So far this year the group has raised $60,000, exceeding the original goal of $52,400 which provides a year of after care for 44 girls in India who have been rescued.

It started out in 2008 as just mountain climbing for themselves, but then they thought about how to bring awareness to something they hate.

Hipp said Seattle is one of the worst cities for human trafficking. So, the group focuses its efforts both locally and globally. One of the team members, Jeremy Vallerand of Kirkland, founded Rescue: Freedom International, whose mission is to “bring freedom to victims of human trafficking and exploitation around the world.”

Hipp said not only are they rescuing exploited women and girls and dropping the hammer on their perpetrators, they are focused on rehabilitating them since their lives have been shattered. Rescue: Freedom, a 501©3, states that most girls are 12 to 14 when they are forced into prostitution.

With a 2-year-old daughter, and a 4-year-old son, Hipp said this issue has heightened his sensitivity.

“This industry thrives because there is a demand for it,” he said. “It is culturally accepted to exploit girls, women.”

Hipp said all of the 18 men on the team value life and want people to live an abundant life, but it’s hard for these women who have been snatched so young and robbed of their innocence.

With several local organizations supporting them, the new goal is to raise $75,000 total, which will include paying for college for 18 women in India.

All are experienced climbers, but Hipp said Mt. Rainier is not something they take lightly. They have all the proper gear thanks to many sponsors and supporters.

“Rainier can be tricky,” he said. “It creates its own weather patterns. Our goal is to get to the parking lot via the summit.”

Climb for Captives will be climbing Mt. Adams Aug. 9 and 10 to fund local efforts to fight human trafficking.

A recent prostitution arrest in Issaquah, which was the first of its kind in many years, was not linked to human trafficking according to Detective Bryan Horn with the Issaquah Police Department. He said a 44-year-old woman from California is waiting for her day in court for voluntary prostitution. Horn said he has worked on local cases in the past, in conjunction with Homeland Security which did include human trafficking.

“At the end of the day, we want to bring to light the devastation this brings to lives,” Hipp said. “We want to inspire people to take action.”

To help out, visit climbforcaptives.com to make a donation and view the profiles of the entire team.

Last year’s team on Mt. Rainier. Robby Hipp of Issaquah is on the far left.