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Actions vs intentions

By on April 13, 2013 in Domestic Trafficking, Jesse's Personal Viewpoints, Solutions

This is a little bit of a cynical post but it will make some very good points.

Why do you care about human rights &/0r ending human trafficking?

In the many years I’ve been working in the human rights field I’ve seen people chain themselves, paint themselves, scream at others, starve themselves, repost, retweet, advocate, petition, braid, etc… I’ve seen churches host prayer-ins, school children save pennies, rockers host concerts, teachers lecture, marches, 5-k’s, films, PSA’s, etc…

All of these actions, what are they for? Are they for spreading human rights and ending human trafficking so that the at-risk &/or victim/survivor gets to live a rich full life? Or are these actions mean to raise awareness for the advocate to show others how caring and socially responsibly he or she is?

All of the ballyhoo (I’ve been waiting to use that word for so long) is amazing at generating a conversation, but that is all it is- a conversation. After all of the “look at me, look at me”-ing there is left one cold hard fact. It takes hard, dedicated lifestyle changes to even make a dent in ending human trafficking. No amount of ballyhooing will change anything, it takes action.

There is only one thing that will ever end human trafficking, removing the financial incentive to exploit others. That’s it, making it no longer profitable to sell and systematically abuse others. While we think with emotions, and have a great time showing others how caring we are, if the advocate is truly responsible he or she will advocate with their pocketbook and encourage others to do the same.

Human trafficking is a form of exploitative economy which removes and abuses human rights. Once the advocacy world realizes that it involves money, the quicker that form of economy will change.

I once had a very good friend that I attended a peace conference with. She was extremely excited to go and even dressed the part with beads and bracelets and a sweatshirt with a huge peace symbol on it. As we stood in line, (and me knowing this friend well) we struck up a conversation regarding intentions and actions and I, knowing this individuals purchase history called her out that she really didn’t believe in peace. I went on to cite how her purchases support atrocities around the world and that her dollar is distributed into exploitative economies. She looked at me absently and stated “I do believe in peace, it says it right here on my shirt”.

The cynicism in this post comes from the fact that I as an advocate see too much talk and not enough action. We can’t advocate against sex trafficking while wearing clothes made from forced labor. We can’t discuss human rights while eating foods harvested by force. We can’t equip survivors of human trafficking with items made by force from their brethren still in bondage.

If you truly want to end human trafficking and promote human rights, do it. Don’t talk about it. Do it and have your actions reflect your intentions!

The French Philsopher Albert Camus said “the only way to deal with an unfree world is to live so completely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion”.

Live free so that others can do the same.

- JB

 

 

 

 

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Survivor Bags

By on April 1, 2013 in Domestic Trafficking, What you can do

We’ve officially delivered two survivors bags to the Cleveland FBI and have in our 2013 schedule 8 more. We need your help, here’s the skinny:

When human trafficking survivors are rescued they may only have the clothes on their back. A survivors bag is a new start in a self-contained backpack to help them on their road to recovery. Inside the bag is/are the following: clothes, toiletries, gift cards to grocery/stores, bus-passes, food, water-bottle as well as several other items.The FBI has specifically asked us to include cell-phones and calling cards in our next batch as they often have to confiscate trafficked survivors cell-phones as evidence in the case against their trafficker.

All items contained within Survivors Bags have to pass our strict ethical requirements which include: no forced or child labor, eco-friendly and no animal testing. The companies that we use have signed on to the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act or have a social responsibility statement that clearly outline no forced or child labor. The cell phones have proven a bit difficult as there is not one ethical cell-phone made today; we have decided that going with used/reconditioned cell phones meets our requirement.

Here’s where you come in. Each bag costs right around $300.00 and we don’t have funding for them yet. To pull off our goal of 8 more survivor bags in 2013 we’re looking for $2400.00 or to partner with organizations who want to build their own survivors bags (meeting the ethical requirements).

If you are interested in donating, please go to our main page and click on the donate tab to the right; anything you give goes a long way (and fyi, we don’t take a cut) or if you are interested in working with us so that your organization can build their own, please contact us at info@imaginefreedom.org

Thanks for taking the time to read this, we really look forward to ending human trafficking together with you.

- Jesse

Each Survivor Bag costs around $300.00

Each Survivor Bag costs around $300.00

Here are our first 2 survivor bags heading to the FBI

Here are our first 2 survivor bags heading to the FBI

 

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Update: 10 missing teenage girls in Youngstown Ohio

By on January 14, 2013 in Domestic Trafficking, What you can do

This Blog entry was originally published on 1-14-2013. This information is updated on 2-03-13 to reflect 2 new missing children in Youngstown. This blog is updated again at 6:50 PM on 2-03-13 to reflect new information

The state of Ohio has updated their missing kids website to reflect that there are currently 5 missing teenage girls from Youngstown Ohio. They are

Jasmine Eubanks Missing 2-21-13

Alicia Negron Missing 11-26-12

Nautica Rivers Missing 11-10-12

Isis Hilson Missing 10-27-12

Brandee Bucklee Missing 5-23-12

 

This Blog entry was originally published on 1-14-2013. This information is updated on 2-03-13 to reflect 2 new missing children in Youngstown

Jasmine Eubanks Missing since 2-21-2013

Alicia Negro Missing since 11-26-2012

So Youngstown, Ohio has a problem with missing teenage girls & law enforcement & the media isn’t reporting on it, we need to to try to bring these girls home. Please share this blog posting & ask yourself why this information isn’t blasted over every media outlet? Info is taken from the State of Ohio Missing Kids Website.

Nautica Rivers: 16 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 11-10-2012

Amber Light: 17 year years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 11-07-2012

Isis Hilson: 17 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 10-27-2012

Taylor Labus: 15 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 10-23-2012

Danyelle Wilkerson: 17 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 10-13-2012

Tamela Donald: 16 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 9-29-2012

Kiarra Jackson: 15 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 8-3-2012

Brandee Bucklee: 12 years old missing from Youngstown, Ohio 5-23-2012

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I hope.

By on August 8, 2012 in Domestic Trafficking, Jesse's Personal Viewpoints, Solutions

Almost every time I speak about human trafficking or human rights in general someone states “what is the government doing to…” just fill in the blank with whatever topic was at hand. The simple fact of the matter is that slavery in all of its forms is illegal. The Declaration of Human Rights guarantees human rights. The government at times, punishes those who violates such items; but it is up to us, people to prevent it; to stop it. The government and elected officials in general are so worried about being re-elected, keeping their jobs and not offending their constituents that they have forgotten their role. They work for us. They are our employees, not the other way around. If we truly wanted change, we the populous could demand it.

The truth is, I fear. We don’t want to be inconvenienced with such things.

We don’t want to be inconvenienced with demanding equality or fairness.

We don’t want to be troubled with pointing out blatant human human rights violations in our own neighborhoods.

We want to be happy, carefree & rich.

We want to live in a world without pain and suffering but look to the other guy to make it happen.

I believe that we have it in us to lay the groundwork for an amazing society, one where all people are happy and free. A society that respects and enjoys differences and works for the betterment of humankind. A world where children only hear of slavery, war and genocide in history books.

Unfortunately we’re not there yet. We’re still in our infancy. Squabbling over who is right and who is wrong, who gets a bigger piece of the pie. Arguing over skin color and money, killing each other in the names of God.

We’re children, still in our infancy.

If we as a global citizenry only realized our potential. The potential we have to enact positive change, the potential we have to bring freedom and happiness to the world. If we only put to use the gift of our hearts, minds and souls we could stop the senseless bickering and move onto what really matters; our humanness.

I hope that we get there someday. I hope for all the people who attend church, synagogue, temple. I hope for the people who practice yoga in the name of peace and harmony. I hope for the teachers and the nurses; the police and the firefighters. I hope for the soldiers and the criminals.

I hope that someday all of us realize that we are bound by our human attributes and that in our differences lie our greatest similarities.

I hope that someday I don’t have to talk about human trafficking and human rights violations.

I hope that someday they just don’t exist.

 

 

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Ethical, sustainable & repeatable

By on May 13, 2012 in Abolition, Domestic Trafficking, Project SAFE, Solutions

Ending human trafficking requires out of the box thinking, a departure from traditional roots in activism and counseling and into business models (yes I’ve been reading a whole lot lately about business).

The model to end human trafficking must be ethical, sustainable and repeatable. It must involve education, empowerment, counseling, faith and economics. The people involved in human trafficking & abuse must be given improved educational and economic alternatives so as remove themselves from the cyclical nature of the crime.

Here’s what I mean. Traffickers don’t just wake up one day and decide to sell human beings. It’s a crime of economics that they employ to make money. Through their socio-cultural upbringing they escalate through smaller level criminal-enterprise to one day end up in the business of buying and selling people. They have a business insight that was somehow corrupted, somehow criminalized during their upbringing.

What if we find out that traffickers first engage in criminal money-making enterprise in 6th grade. If 6th grade was the first time that they earned money illegally. To a 13 year old kid, earning money legally or illegally is a big deal. Now what if we could put in an intervention at 5th grade, one that exposed the child to legitimate ways of earning a living. Say some sort of scripted entrepreneurship intervention. If we can get to the kid and show him that one can legally earn money before the streets show him the illegal methods; what could happen?

Could we intervene in the trafficking process before it even happens thus negating the entire system of abuse?

In dealing with trafficking victims, what if we can intervene during the formative years when a child may be engaging in potentially dangerous situations. If we can offer that child an alternative from seeking attention in the wrong places while educating her about potentially dangerous situations; could we then intervene before she’s victimized?

Unfortunately the model for such thinking doesn’t exist yet. It’s going to take a whole bunch of people to figure it out & it has to be ethical, sustainable and repeatable. We need to be able to duplicate this model widespread to truly end trafficking.

 

 

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Traffickers & Johns

By on April 28, 2012 in Abolition, Domestic Trafficking, Education, Human Trafficking, Prevention, Solutions, The Cleveland Freedom Center

Human Trafficking advocates are very victim centered as we should be, but we also need to expand into johns & traffickers as well.

Traffickers don’t just wake up one day and say “hey… I really want to start selling people today”. There is some untold journey there that takes a person and shapes them into a monster.

Johns don’t just decide that they want to buy time with a 13 year old girl, there’s something that we’re missing.

Traffickers exist due to economic disparities, we know that. Human trafficking isn’t a crime of anger or hatred it’s money and that’s well documented. A sex-trafficker can pull down close to a half million a year if they are good & don’t get caught. To work with traffickers or potential traffickers they need to be given other viable educational and economic alternatives to deter them away from selling people. Sure our political rhetoric now surrounds locking up people & throwing away the key; but that’s not financially or ethically sound thinking. We have the largest incarcerated population in the world, locking people up is not working.

From the johns perspective our social and historical culture objectifies women. For the Johns they are lacking in their lives in some way and our cultural objectification of women, they believe justifies their behavior. No John would allow someone to pay for sleeping with his or her mother or daughter ( I would hope) but due to to the Pretty Woman effect Johns; view prostitutes/trafficked victims as willing or needing their financial help. Some communities have John Schools or shame Johns into submission by publicizing their pics on billboards or newpapers; this isn’t working either. Johns exist because they are lonely, can’t control their physical desires and have little or nothing to actively contribute to.

As we discuss the victim centered approach of dealing with sex trafficking we must remember that it’s a triangle, supported with traffickers, johns and victims holding each corner. All three must have interventions if we expect any substantial results.

These thoughts that I’ve been blogging about recently surround The Cleveland Freedom Center, a prevention center that aims to tackle the causes of human trafficking in conjunction with the effects. It’s a model that if proved successful could be duplicated on a large scale. Unfortunately it’s also a model that doesn’t exist yet, we’re working on that though.

 

 

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Why?

By on March 11, 2012 in Domestic Trafficking, Education, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Slavery, Solutions, What you can do

Slavery and human trafficking exist because of disparities in economic and educational conditions. Far too often we equate slavery with hatred or race, gender or sex. People are exploited because there is money to be made.

Prevention is fairly simple (on paper) but will take a lifetime to implement.

1. Educate those who are at-risk of exploitation.

If individuals are educated about the warning signs of human trafficking they will be less likely to fall prey to it this includes those trafficked for sex, labor, child soldiers organ trafficking etc. However the issue of voluntary prostitution turned human trafficking  and workers forced to labor still linger on. If we can give voluntary prostitutes (who may be at risk to fall into trafficking situations), commercial sex workers and those at-risk of trafficking situations viable economic alternatives i.e. job training and retraining, high school, ged, college; they will have other forms of viable income.

2.  Remove the profit for traffickers.

It’s accepted that the average sex-trafficker pulls in about $600 grand a year with a stable of girls. It’s going to be very difficult to dry up the demand for sex but it is possible to make their business difficult in training hotel/motel workers to report and spread awareness among the johns that they may be purchasing forced sex. In the labor market, generating awareness among consumers that their purchases and lifestyle may be directly responsible for the enslavement of others could help to dry up the profits for the labor traffickers. If the profits are minimized, traffickers will seek easier money.

These aren’t finished answers yet, they will be works in progress to be accomplished during our lifetimes. I know though that these thoughts represent a start, one that will someday come to fruition.

Imagine what’s possible if we just try.

 

 

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Thank you Cleveland Scene

By on December 30, 2011 in Domestic Trafficking, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Prevention, Solutions, The Cleveland backpage report

Many thanks to Cleveland Scene magazine & Maude Campbell for including us in their coverage of human trafficking in N.E. Ohio. We do however publicly call on Scene to remove it’s advertisements for commercial sex & end it’s affiliation with backpage.com

These articles are a start. Hopefully soon the Scene will help to lead the way to ensure human rights & end human trafficking in N.E. Ohio.

Thanks Cleveland Scene.

 

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What can I do???

By on December 10, 2011 in Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Education, Prevention, Slavery, Solutions, What you can do

The problem of slavery and human trafficking is huge. The moment people hear about it you just see their face change. Our goal isn’t one of scaring people or pointing out the problem.

We want to fix this. We want to end it once and for all. All beings have the right to be happy and free.

Here are 5 very simple things that you can do Today to help to end slavery and human trafficking.

5. Purchase at least one fair trade item when grocery shopping. If manufacturers start seeing a demand for fair trade products, they are more likely to produce them.

4.Try to purchase items made in the USA or Canada. Labor laws are scrutinized in North America and it is very unlikely that those products have been made through forced labor (raw materials are another matter).

3. Ask your investment portfolio manager to check your investments for ethical practices. Are you accidentally investing in companies who are using forced labor or child labor?

2. Talk to your kids about modern day slavery & human trafficking. Also be sure that they understand Internet risk factors. The Internet is the number one way that offenders & traffickers meet victims.

1. Pick a human rights, anti-trafficking or abolitionist organization of your choice and spread their message around social media. Re-post, re-tweet etc… awareness and education without question are the most important items in the quest for freedom.

Backpage.com profits from the sale of women and children

What can you do today?

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one in five

By on November 29, 2011 in Domestic Trafficking, Education, Research

I’m studying for my PhD in Urban Education. My research interests are in the destructive decisions of adolescents and how to limit them, maybe even end them. As much as it pains me to say, I believe that many children (not all) knowingly put themselves at risk for sexual exploitation through uninformed or bad choices they make. Someday I hope that my research can help to counteract that.

My current literature review surround the internet and how it’s an amazing tool for communication and commerce. In the last ten years the internet has solidified itself as the preferred communication and shopping tool for billions of individuals.

The interesting thing I’m finding about the internet is it’s a framework without social norms. Masked by anonymity people can say and do just about anything with very little fear of repercussions.

The stat which has stuck with me:

19% of US youths ages 10-17 have received unwanted sexual solicitation advances in the past year. One in five American youths (mostly girls) have been solicited online (Youth Internet Safety Survey, 2005). Only 25% of children solicited online tells a parent (even when they are contacted in real-life) and 10% tell authorities.

To break down the math for you (if we transfer these survey numbers to the general population):

there are around 75 million children under 17 in the US (childstats.gov)

15 million of whom have been sexually solicited online

3,750,000 told their parent(s) after it happened

1,500,000 told authorities

That leaves 9, 750,000 children (yearly) who don’t tell anyone that an adult tried to coerce them online into a sexual relationship.

One in five, tough to imagine.

 

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Kudos to Reddit

By on October 22, 2011 in Domestic Trafficking, Human Trafficking, The Cleveland backpage report

The other day I blogged about the “jailbait” section of Reddit & how it allowed individuals to make sexual comments and post provocative pictures of children.

Reddit has stepped up and set an example for the internet. They censored the “jailbait” section. 

We thank Reddit & the internet community at large for their responsibility & attentiveness regarding this matter.

Now if only Backpage.com would follow their lead. Currently 46 state attorney generals are calling for backpage to censor itself over human trafficking alligations within their website.

 

 

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One more reason

By on October 10, 2011 in Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Solutions, What you can do

One more reason that human trafficking prevention is a major concern for advocates, parents, schools, etc…

 

Ephebophile: One who is is attracted to post pubescent adolescents i.e. 14-17 year old children.

Recently Anderson Cooper did a great story exposing  ephebophile content on Reddit.com  , yes that Reddit the one that is well respected and talked about for all of the good it does. In the website there’s a subsection called “jail bait” and it’s a fairly disturbing page. It allows the posting of  non-nude, suggestive and provocative pictures of children. The posters discuss the children sexually and share the pictures amongst themselves. One of the quotes found on the site is “keep a teen off the streets, put her in your van!”.

This is legal due to the 1st amendment, but that doesn’t make it ethical or right.

Many of these pictures are taken by the children themselves and willingly posted to social media.

The internet is still a very new creation. Kids don’t realize the dangers or permanence of their decisions. It’s up to us as adults to teach them about the very real dangers that are out there. If you need help here’s a link to Missingkids.com

Prevention is a solution to end human trafficking. If we are able to teach our children about the dangers that exist, maybe we can make a dent global slavery.

We cannot permit the sexualization of our children

 

 

 

 

 

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October 1st. The Cleveland Backpage Report

By on October 1, 2011 in Abolition, Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Human Trafficking, Slavery, The Cleveland backpage report

I hope today that thousands of individuals are reading this blog entry. Today we have released The Cleveland Backpage report. An investigation into online commercial sex and human trafficking in Northeast Ohio.

Human Trafficking is the act of delivering an individual into one of the many forms of slavery. In this case, sex slavery. This is different that prostitution (which is still illegal in Ohio) in that the person is forced to perform sexual activities for the profit of another.

We can definitively state that the website Cleveland.backpage.com is profiting from an illicit activity (commercial sex) and at most may be a vessel for human trafficking to take place. We can also state that a group of 46 State Attorney Generals are calling for it to immediately cease and desist it’s advertisements for commercial sex.

We can also state that some of the most wealthy and influential Northeastern Ohio suburbs are involved with an inordinate amount of commercial sex advertisements that may meet the criteria for human trafficking.

According to our data, areas of concern are as follows:

The Hotels/Motels surrounding Cleveland Hopkins airport.

The Hotels/Motels surrounding the intersection of I-77 and I-480 in Independence

The Hotels/Motels surrounding the intersection of I-271 and Chagrin in Beachwood

The Hotels/Motels surrounding the off ramps of I-271 and I-90 in Mentor, Euclid and Willoughby

We publicly call on all residents of Northeast Ohio to take this seriously and to work to prevent the sale of women and children in our communities. This report represents a first step in Northeast Ohio working to end human trafficking and declare itself Slave Free.

Please read The Cleveland Backpage Report to learn what you can do as an individual and what we can do as a community to ensure the safety of our women and children.

 

 

 

 

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Labor Day

By on September 5, 2011 in Abolition, Domestic Trafficking, Events, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking

Today we celebrate American Labor and the American worker. According to the Department of Labor, one of the founders, The Carpenters & Joiners union declared that Labor day was to celebrate “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold”.

We flock in droves to the airshows and carnivals, the street fairs and family picnics; but one group is still forgotten.

The people who are forced to labor, even today. The American Slave.

Around the country women and children are being victimized sexually, migrant workers are being coerced and abused in horrific farming situations, mail order brides are being smuggled into the country only to find themselves in situations they didn’t agree to. In the streets of inner-cities drug addicted youth are being forced to carry guns and kill to protect those who have beaten them into the very life they are afraid to leave.

I don’t mean to be a downer, today I’ll enjoy Labor day with the rest of everyone else.

Remember though that someone in the past worked very hard to give you your rights and freedoms. Someone worked to give you this day off.

Pay that favor forward and work for someone else as well.

Help to end human trafficking and slavery.

Will you work for others freedoms as others worked for yours?

 

 

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one thing you can do today to end human trafficking

By on July 27, 2011 in Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Slavery, What you can do

Spread awareness

Social media has amazing potential to reach billions of people with the click of a mouse. Standard media rarely covers slavery and human trafficking issues. Cnn’s freedom project is so impressive, but it’s only a year long effort. Hopefully it’s extended.

You have the power to reach millions with your online voice. Use it. Instead of posting about your meals or what movie you’re going to see. Post a statistict or a story or a life changing fact or figure.

Here are a few resources where you might be able to find postable items:

US Department of Labor’s list of goods produced by child or forced labor

The HHS campaign to rescue and restore

The Trafficking in Persons office.

You can do this. You can lend your voice to the millions who are voiceless.

The blue heart is the symbol for anti-trafficking. Display it with pride

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5 things you can do Today

By on July 20, 2011 in Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Slavery, What you can do

5 things you can do Today to end human trafficking:

#1: Make educated consumer and investment choices

#2 Learn and familarize yourself with the crime through internet research

#3 Donate tweets and facebook posts to raise awareness

#4 Memorize this numner 1-888-373-7888 it’s the national human trafficking call center

#5 Encourage others to do the same

Together we can free the estimated 27 million enslaved

Together we can end slavery and human trafficking

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US Trafficking

By on April 27, 2011 in Abolition, Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Slavery

This blog entry was taken from the Trafficking in Persons Office in the US State Department. It is a true story.

United States
Harriet ran away from home when she was 11 years old and moved in with a 32-year-old man who sexually and physically abused her and convinced her to become a prostitute. In the next two years, Harriet became addicted to drugs, had two abortions, and contracted numerous sexually transmitted diseases. The police arrested Harriet when she was 13 and charged her with committing prostitution. They made no efforts to find her pimp. Harriet was placed on probation for 18 months in the custody of juvenile probation officials. Her lawyers have appealed the decision, arguing that since she could not legally consent to sex, she cannot face prostitution-related charges. She remains in a juvenile detention facility and has never been assisted in any kind of shelter for child sex trafficking victims.

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Who is a slave

By on April 16, 2011 in Abolition, Domestic Trafficking, Forced Labor, Human Trafficking, Slavery

This Blog entry was copied from the Trafficking In Persons Office Blog. Do you suspect Slavery or Human Trafficking?

Report your suspicions to law enforcement at 911, Department of Justice at 1-888-428-7581, and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. You can stop this!

Kenya-Saudi Arabia
Salima was recruited in Kenya to work as a maid in Saudi Arabia. She was promised enough money to support herself and her two children. But when she arrived in Jeddah, she was forced to work 22 hours a day, cleaning 16 rooms daily for several months. She was never let out of the house and was given food only when her employers had leftovers. When there were no leftovers, Salima turned to dog food for sustenance. She suffered verbal and sexual abuse from her employers and their children. One day while Salima was hanging clothes on the line, her employer pushed her out the window, telling her, “You are better off dead.” Salima plunged into a swimming pool three floors down and was rescued by police. After a week in the hospital, she was deported. She returned to Kenya with broken legs and hands.

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Who is a slave?

By on April 11, 2011 in Abolition, Domestic Trafficking

This entry is taken from the Trafficking in Persons Office blog: My next few blog entries will be dedicated to individuals rescued from slavery from observant individuals. Do you suspect slavery or trafficking?

Report your suspicions to law enforcement at 911, Department of Justice at 1-888-428-7581, and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. You can stop this!

Eastern Europe-United States
Katya, a student athlete in an Eastern European capital city, dreamed of learning English and visiting the United States. Her opportunity came in the form of a student visa program, through which international students can work temporarily in the United States. But when she got to America, rather than being taken to a job in a beach resort, the people who met her put her on a bus to Detroit, Michigan. They took her passport away, and threatened her and her friends, forcing them to dance in strip clubs for the traffickers’ profit. They controlled the girls’ movement and travel, kept keys to the girls’ apartment, and listened in on phone calls the girls made to their parents. After a year of enslavement, Katya and her friend were able to reach federal authorities with the help of a patron of the strip club in whom they had confided. Due to their bravery, six other victims were identified and rescued. Katya now has immigration status under the U.S. trafficking law. She works in a health club and hopes to finish her degree in kinesiology. The traffickers are in federal prison.

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20 Ways!!!

By on April 7, 2011 in Abolition, Child Slavery, Domestic Trafficking

Taken from the US State Departments Trafficking in Persons Office:

20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking

After first learning about human trafficking, many people want to help in some way but do not know how. Here are just a few ideas for your consideration.

  1. Learn human trafficking red flags and ask follow up questions so that you can detect a potential trafficking situation.
  2. In the United States, report your suspicions to law enforcement at 911, Department of Justice at 1-888-428-7581, and the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888. Victims, including undocumented individuals, are eligible for services and immigration assistance.
  3. Be a conscientious consumer. Make socially responsible investments. Let your favorite retailers know that you support their efforts to maintain a slavery free supply chain. Encourage your company or your employer to take steps to investigate and eliminate human trafficking throughout its supply chain and to publish the information for consumer awareness. Refer to the Department of Labor’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.
  4. Hire trafficking survivors.
  5. Volunteer your professional services to help an anti-trafficking organization that need help from lawyers, doctors, dentists, counselors, translators and interpreters, graphic designers, public relations and media professionals, event planners, and accountants.
  6. Donate funds or needed items to an anti-trafficking organization.
  7. Organize a fundraiser and donate the proceeds to an anti-trafficking organization.
  8. Join or start a grassroots human trafficking coalition.
  9. Encourage your local schools to include modern slavery in their curriculum. As a parent, educator, or school personnel, be aware of how traffickers target school-aged children.
  10. Meet with and write to your local, state and federal government representatives to let them know that you care about combating human trafficking in your community.
  11. Create and distribute public awareness materials such as t-shirts, posters, and public service announcements for radio. Or distribute already existing materials available from the Department of Health and Human Services or Department of Homeland Security.
  12. Host an awareness event to watch and discuss a recent human trafficking documentary. On a larger scale, host a human trafficking film festival. Several noteworthy films and documentaries have been produced in the last several years that bring attention to the plight of victims worldwide.
  13. Write a letter to the editor for your local paper about human trafficking in your community.
  14. Incorporate human trafficking information into your professional associations’ conferences, trainings, manuals, and other materials as relevant.
  15. STUDENTS: Join or establish a university club to raise awareness about human trafficking throughout the local community and identify victims. Request that human trafficking be an issue included in such university courses as health, migration, human rights, social work, and crime. Increase scholarship about human trafficking by publishing an article, teaching a class, or hosting a symposium.
  16. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: ensure that your staff is able to identify and assist trafficked persons.
  17. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS: join or start a local human trafficking task force.
  18. MENTAL HEALTH OR MEDICAL PROVIDERS: extend low-cost or free services to human trafficking victims assisted by nearby anti-trafficking organizations.
  19. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS: learn about and offer to human trafficking victims the immigration benefits for which they are eligible.
  20. EMPLOYMENT LAW ATTORNEYS: look for signs of human trafficking among your clients.
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