Sunday, January 24, 2010

Human Trafficking

There are over 12 million slaves around the world today. Many of them are in the United States. Here's what we can do about it:

#1: Learn more.
Find useful documents to dowload at www.freetheslaves.net, www.onevoicetoendslavery.com and www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009

Other resources I know about:
www.hhs.gov
www.usdoj.gov
www.sharedhope.org
www.polarisproject.org
www.stophumantrafficking.org
www.stoptrafficnow.com
www.notforsalecampaign.org

#2: Memorize ONE Phone Number--866-3737-888
This is the national trafficking hotline number. If you suspect slavery or exploitation, call this number.

In a document the sex crimes detectives I used to work for trained me on, these are the red flags that they had indicated:
  • A person under age of 18 and working in the sex industry
  • Evidence of being controlled
  • Evidence of inability to move or leave job
  • Excessive work hours
  • Fear of speaking for themselves
  • Rarely alone or seems to be under constant surveillance
  • Insistence of 1 person providing all information to outsiders
  • Isolated or cut off from family or friends
  • Lives w/ co-workers and/or employer--NO PRIVACY
  • No passport or other identifying information
  • Not able to take time off work
  • Not paid well or paid very little
  • Persistent fear, depression, anxiety, or submissive or stupor-like behavior
  • Poor living or working conditions
  • Severely dependent on one person to meet all of life's essential needs
  • Victim has bruises or other injuries
  • Works "off books" in low paying jobs
  • Works "Off books" in the sex industry

If you believe someone is a victim of human trafficking, contact the national hotline at 1-866-3737-888 or if you believe the person is in immediate danger, please call 911.

#3: Give.
Send $11 to a local anti-slavery/trafficking agency, ocalition, organization, or shelter. Everything helps.

#4: Advocate for change.
Call or write your elected officials. Tell them that you care about the issue of human trafficking and want stronger laws to protect victims and prosecute criminals. Keep reminding them. Get news from www.polarisproject.org on how to engage in political action and advocacy.

(from sex crime detectives I've worked with)
Write your local state legislators. Though the federal government has acknowledged the crime of human trafficking and has created laws to assist in prosecuting traffickers, many states are steps behind. It is up to the American public to push for state legislators to make human trafficking a priority. Contacting your state legislators at a high volume will force them to allocate monies for services for victims of trafficking as well as strengthen state laws to prosecute traffickers.

#5: Vote
Let your voice be heard by voting to create a campaign to build more trafficking shelters at www.change.org/ideas/view/national_campaign_to_build_more_trafficking_shelters

#6: Consume Wisely
Hold businesses accountable and ask corporations to join the fight against slavery. Visit www.chainstorereaction.com and email companies to ensure that their products are slave-free. Soon you will be able to demand a SLAVE-FREE brand.

(from sex crime detectives I've worked with)
It's time to put your money where your mouth is. Slave labor is used to manufacture a large number of the goods we, in the United States, purchase. If you want to stop the slave labor and trafficking, stop being part of the demand. How do you do that? Make sure the products you buy are coming from companies that are not using slave labor when you purchase products that are manufactured from countries that are gross contributors of human trafficking such as India, China, Phillippines, etc. (for more information check out the trafficking in persons report at www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/).

#7: 'Face' Slavery
Post articles, videos, tag-lines, and/or replace your facebook picture with the One Voice to End Slavery logo all day.

#8: Movie Night
Host a film and invite your friends over and/or head to your local theatre. Moview like Trade, Call+Response, Cargo, Fields of Mudan, Slumdog Millionaire, Svetlana's Journey, etc.

#9: Do what you love
Use your talents to fight slavery. Do an art project and display it in a public place. Use a sports event to raise awareness and funds for the issue. Talk about the issue at a concert, or make it a benefit for survivors. Film a movie on the state of modern-day slavery. Writea bout the issue and post it on your blog.

#10: Become Active
Learn more about how you, your group, friends, faith community, school,, business, can put a freeze of trafficking. Go to www.thefreezeproject.com. Go to www.stopchildtraffickingnow and participate in a walk to help raise money to support victims.

#11: Body Activism
Purchase a hoodie or other products by an organization such as One Voice to End Slavery that supports the fight against human trafficking. Upload a picture or add a banner to your twitter or facebook profile to support organizations that fight against human trafficking.

For more info, visit www.just4one.org or www.onevoicetoendslavery.com

( So I know I haven't posted in awhile and I am sooo sorry) THIS POST IS ALL THE LOVELY MISS JACKIE! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH

No comments:

Post a Comment