Warning: This episode touches on the topics of prostitution, drug addiction, and human trafficking – subjects that aren’t suitable for young people.
Laura first became aware of Judge Herbert when she attended the Global Leadership Summit in 2018; there was a short video during the Summit with Judge Herbert talking about his work in CATCH Court in Columbus, Ohio. She was intrigued by a story he shared about a conversation with his daughters about finding one’s Purpose in life… and then elaborated on the work he’s doing.
Judge Herbert explains that he’d gone through the book The Purpose Driven Life several times and had been frustrated, as he’d not felt as if he’d found his purpose. Then he was teaching his daughters and taking them through the book a chapter a week on Sunday evenings. This was frustrating, as well, as one of his daughters seemed determined to undermine the process. When he asked her why, she said it wasn’t a good study and she put him on the spot, asking what his purpose was.
Judge Herbert recounts stumbling through his response about his work on the bench, as a Judge… and hoping it was good enough. Later that night, as he prepared for bed, he prayed for guidance, asking “God, how can I serve you better? What’s my purpose?” He says after that, “things started happening.”
As a Municipal Court Judge, Judge Herbert oversaw domestic violence cases in his courtroom. He tells the story of one day in court, there were 36 cases brought before him and all of them women who looked broken and lost. The stories of their existence told through the bruises, cuts, burns, and handprints on their faces and bodies; and the men associated with their cases professing their innocence and explaining how it was all “their” (the woman’s) fault…
Then one woman came before him who had been arrested for prostitution and he looked closely at her and wondered why she looked like the other women – the victims of domestic violence? This drove him to do some research into the backgrounds of women arrested for prostitution and he began to see them differently and to ask different questions.
Laura reminds him of a previous conversation they’d had, where he explained shifting from thinking: “What did you do?” – what did they do to get arrested and land in his courtroom, to thinking: “What happened to you?” – what happened in your life that brought you here today?
He says it was a big shift in his brain to change his thinking and begin to recognize the trauma these women and girls have experienced. He learned to understand that in their lives, no one, no place, nothing is safe. He began to really recognize their fear and how, because of it, they will completely shut down, which means they aren’t open to help.
This new understanding sparked recognition that there was opportunity to treat them differently and create a different kind of court system for them, similar to approaches taken with persons who have mental health disorders, drug addiction, and even military veterans. Courts had been experiencing better outcomes in those arenas, so he believed he could change the way human trafficking victims are handled in the legal system.
In alignment with a bible verse, CATCH Court was born:
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 — NIV)
CATCH stands for “Changing Actions to Change Habits,” and the women who go through this 2-year probation process have the opportunity, support, and resources to release the habits of whom they used to be and to become a healthy, new version of themselves. They have a safe place to live, surrounded by safe and supportive people. They have access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma Treatments.
Laura notes that the work the Judge is doing is similar to how she defines leadership, in terms of influence. She says every single person has the opportunity to influence at least four people each day, and that number is likely much higher than only four! Influence may be as simple as where two people go for lunch on any given day, to bigger things like problem solving, beginning a new project, and changing people’s lives. CATCH Court is changing so many peoples’ lives and the implications and ripple effect is much deeper and farther reaching than likely any of them imagine. Lives are literally being saved, families reunited, and significant change is in motion.
Judge Herbert explains that many of these women and girls become drug addicts to numb themselves from the screaming they hear in their heads, which comes from the early sexual traumas they’ve been subjected to by people they should have been able to trust. Not one of them comes into the life of drug addiction, prostitution, or being trafficked by choice. He also stresses that regardless of where you live, human trafficking is happening, likely even within a mile or two of your home!
He dispels the thinking that human trafficking and prostitution are different, with the latter being less horrific, citing a statistic that 92% of the women in the sex trade are trafficked. They’ve been sold into it – often by family members, or by people (men mostly) taking advantage of a drug addiction or helping to create a drug addiction to keep them enslaved in the business. These women and girls are literally transported and flown to cities around the nation, especially when there are big sporting events, large conventions, and conferences… and you could find them in every hotel, airport, and conference center you see.
He now articulates his purpose as being here “to see and change the dialogue about how women are and have been treated since the beginning of time.” He clarifies that prostitution is not the oldest “profession” in the world, rather it is the oldest “oppression” in the history of the world. He feels driven to really look at people and truly “see” who they are and what they’ve been through, rather than taking the easier and more common path of judging and condemning.
To learn more about the work Judge Herbert is doing in CATCH Court, check out these links:
Channel 10 Presents CATCH Court
Judge Herbert Bio:
Judge Paul Herbert is a lifelong resident of Columbus, Ohio and has been practicing law for 30 years. He and his wife Barb have raised two daughters. Judge Herbert is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Capital University Law School.
After a brief time in private general practice Judge Herbert joined the staff of the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office and served as a trial attorney. In 1996 he assumed the role of Clerk of the Franklin County Municipal Court before being elected Judge in 2003. Judge Herbert was re-elected to that position in 2009, and again in 2015.
While serving as a Judge, he proposed a specialized program focusing on Human Trafficking victims who have been charged with the misdemeanor offense of solicitation. CATCH (changing actions to change habits) was started in September 2009. The results have been nothing short of miraculous. Women now have a safe path to exit this vicious lifestyle, they are being reunited with their families, not committing new offenses, furthering their educations and giving back to the community in significant ways.
In 2015, Judge Herbert was recognized by the United States Justice Department and received an award from Attorney General Eric Holder for his contributions in the fight against Human Trafficking. In 2017, Judge Herbert received the State of Ohio Courage Award from Governor John Kasich.
