Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims of Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery
Polaris Project <www.polarisproject.org> and ATEST <www.endslaveryandtrafficking.org> are two well-respected groups that aggressively, sensibly, and effectively attack human trafficking and slavery issues - their efforts require a wide variety of anti-trafficking strategies and implimentation. Every question asked of them and suggest is a step closer to understanding and dealing with this atrocious crime against humanity and the human spirit. Will you please take a short amount of time and view this interactive webcast taking place Wednesday, July 11th at 1:00 PM ET and lend them as much of a leg-up as you can to help in overcoming this tragic nightmare. Become involved and make it personal.
What constitutes slavery in today's modern world?
Please join the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) and Polaris Project for a live webcast:
Hidden in Plain Sight: Victims of Human Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery
Wednesday, July 11th, 1:00pm ET
Live Webcast: http://live.newmediamill.com/webcasts/ATEST/20120710/
Polaris Project's Mary Ellison,
Director of Policy, joins experts from the Alliance to End Slavery and
Trafficking (ATEST) and a survivor of human trafficking in this
interactive webcast to discuss the challenges faced by victims of human
trafficking here in the United States and how these challenges can be
overcome. This webcast is the first in a series of webcasts on the
realities of modern-day slavery.
As a participant, you will have the opportunity to chat live with the panelists throughout the event. Carolina de los Rios, Polaris Project's Director of Client Services will also be available online during the event to answer any questions.
You don't have to register in order to attend!
In addition, check out ATEST'S Facebook page prior to the event to join the discussion.
For now, I'd like your feedback on how you believe this crime so easily takes place when most of us are on the alert for pedophiles, illegal immigration, risk of rape, muggings, gangland activites, and abductions; how you'd define "human trafficking"; how you would recognize it and its victims; under what circumstances is it most likely to happen; how you can stop it.
Thanks for your time and intelligent comments regarding this issue and these questions!
One quick note: www.polarisproject.org definitely has a recovery center for victims of human trafficking - one I'm aware of is in Washington DC; to be honest, I'm not sure if there are others but that's something I intend to find out.
Finally, one very important deterrent to the pervasion of human trafficking and slavery is how to identify it, and how to effect a rescue of the victim from custody. "earthbound_misfit" thoughtfully provided a very informative link http://thecnnfreedomproject.b... that CNN put up on those two subjects - you may want to take a peek at it as it's very educational in what to look for and how to help the victim :)
Thank you, Brooke, so very much for your tip on high traffic events being a threat!! Your post has definitely been appreciated!! :))
The two incidents you mentioned are certainly tragic and, unfortunately, typical in how reckless the perps are at diminishing the victims will to live - and how ruthless: 10 years old and a girl, not even a woman...a girl.
Other respondents have pointed out, that more wide-spread awarenss is needed about these crimes and victimization: what to look out for, how to talk with someone you suspect of being a victim to slavery how to effect a rescue, where to call for help if you're ever in that position, how to ensure your own safety so that tragedy isn't likely, and other information the general public seems to be lacking. You may agree that the awareness level isn't out there in such a widely publicized way at it should be.
I'm glad we have information along those lines via the web, though I'd like to see a lot more of that information made available to the general public, employees, schools systems, libraries, government offices, stores, foresters, and events hosts.
Thanks, Pixie, very much for sharing as you have - it was definitely well-appreciated, truly. This brings home the idea these tragedies are happening all around us and we need to aggressively have to put and end to it.
One way to help yourself and others in recognizing enslavement is through a website http://thecnnfreedomproject.b... that CNN put up on their blog, and that "earthbound_misfit" so generously offered in her comment, above - it's definitely an eye opener on how to detect a victim of slavery and how to help in their rescue from it. :)
The most usual reason people do it is it's a lucrative crime: sales through forced prostituion, sexual slavery auctions, forced labor auctions, selling victims for illegal organ donation. If enough money is made, it's power and that gives them the ch...
One way to help yourself and others in recognizing enslavement is through a website http://thecnnfreedomproject.b... that CNN put up on their blog, and that "earthbound_misfit" so generously offered in her comment, above - it's definitely an eye opener on how to detect a victim of slavery and how to help in their rescue from it. :)
The most usual reason people do it is it's a lucrative crime: sales through forced prostituion, sexual slavery auctions, forced labor auctions, selling victims for illegal organ donation. If enough money is made, it's power and that gives them the chance to make more money, then more power, if they're lucky to escape the law and their competitors - they take the risks.
Thank you very much for posting your comment, Rhi, you put it together perfectly ;D
It's all of that ;) These crimes are debillitating to their victims - and deadly - and the act of swiping a human life from its moors is pervading in every single state. In a small town, not far from this one, my former wife and I learned that a 12 year old girl was abducted (not trafficked but stolen nonetheless) for sexual purposes and murdered. Sarah Anne Wood's name and picture was disseminated throughout NYS, New England, Canada, PA, NJ, and OH. The young girl was picked up on a country road while riding home on her bike from the church where her dad was pastor. While all those whose lives are stolen are not minors, nor only girls, but men and women, boys and old people, too, taking of others by coercion is a practice we need to nail and nail fast, and you're right in your feelings that aggressive action is necessary. Nabbing these slimeballs is what organizations like CNNFreedomProject http://thecnnfreedomproject.b... , PolarisProject, and other member groups of ATEST do best. Through petitions; calls and letters to legislators, state representatives; requests to police departments for more thorough patrols; more widespread awareness made available to the general public and school systems; more self-educating on what to look for in both suspected perps and suspect...
It's all of that ;) These crimes are debillitating to their victims - and deadly - and the act of swiping a human life from its moors is pervading in every single state. In a small town, not far from this one, my former wife and I learned that a 12 year old girl was abducted (not trafficked but stolen nonetheless) for sexual purposes and murdered. Sarah Anne Wood's name and picture was disseminated throughout NYS, New England, Canada, PA, NJ, and OH. The young girl was picked up on a country road while riding home on her bike from the church where her dad was pastor. While all those whose lives are stolen are not minors, nor only girls, but men and women, boys and old people, too, taking of others by coercion is a practice we need to nail and nail fast, and you're right in your feelings that aggressive action is necessary. Nabbing these slimeballs is what organizations like CNNFreedomProject http://thecnnfreedomproject.b... , PolarisProject, and other member groups of ATEST do best. Through petitions; calls and letters to legislators, state representatives; requests to police departments for more thorough patrols; more widespread awareness made available to the general public and school systems; more self-educating on what to look for in both suspected perps and suspected victims, we can back those perpetrating sissies into a corner they'll never get out of, but it'll take continuous efforts, money, and participation in the right ways - we can't let up! In my mind, every bit of it's worth the efforts. I honestly can't imagine anything more nightmarish, and more deserving of capital punishment, than being taken by a stranger, under force, with fear for our lives.
Thank you for spending time on this issue; I'm very grateful for your SH friendship, your comment, and suggestion ;)) (life sentence sounds good to me!!!)
This crime takes place easily because of the lax approach to immigration and the pretense that people should all be allowed to come here illegally. First stop illegal immigration, next investigate immigrants and sponsors from those countries that have been shown to promote 'slavery' of their people, and, personally, report what one sees or suspects.
I hope I'll see you at the webcast on Wednesday. Thank you so very much, Jackie, for taking time to post your comment - I'm genuinely very grateful for that :)
I've taken advantage of the internet to find out how to notice it, how to stop it from happening, and how to help others through recovery - I know I haven't learned enough and won't be at ease till I can make a more significant difference.
PolarisProject.org is an excellent springboard into discovery and education about these two related issues. I intend to ask questions, make a few requests, and offer a suggestion or two on July 11th - I hope several participants in this survey will, also, during the webcast at 1:00 PM ET.