A Letter from a Chinese Laborer

Letter from Chinese Laborer Pleading for Help Found in Halloween Decorations

What disturbed me, almost as much as the text of the letter, was the lack of response the letter finder received from various human rights organizations.

 

The work is plenty but the laborers are few...  There are SO many human rights violations around the world and organizations are overwhelmed and simply don't have the manpower or the ability to respond to each request.  I have run into this issue myself when trying to figure out how to help.

 

Take it to your church, to your workplace...share the information and then pray, think...get creative.  There ARE things you can do (for instance, the last paragraph that discusses looking for items made in America to purchase instead of China...).  Don't give up hope, don't allow yourself to feel inconsequential.  Everyone has a place in this fight and everyone CAN do something to end these atrocities. 

 

 

 

Proverbs 31:8-9

In Local News

Convicted Tacoma man faces up to life in prison for sex trafficking



The film Rape for Profit, which shows the problem of human trafficking in the Seattle area, is now playing.  You can find show times and locations here. 




Proverbs 31:8-9

Strength & Courage

I can't imagine living for 10 years, knowing the horrors my daughter was enduring and not being able to stop it.

This woman, though, showed we are not powerless.  We are not incapable of fighting this evil.

Argentine Mom Rescues Sex Slaves, but not daughter

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Slavery for Christmas

Enslaved Children Freed After Being Forced to Make Christmas Decorations


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Freedom and Fashion

People often ask me what they can do, specifically, to combat human trafficking.

 

The truth is, we unknowingly aid those who combat in persons on a daily basis.  What we look at, what we buy, where we shop...  even the food we eat.  I do it and I'm aware of trafficking issues and you can bet that, unless you make a serious, concious effort to do your research and shop where you KNOW the vendor guarantees they do not use any suppliers or themselves use slave labor, they probably do somewhere along their production line.  Please do not misunderstand - companies are not always aware they're using someone who trafficks in persons.  Others, though, simply do not care.

 

It is becoming a bigger issue - you have probably seen or heard stories about companies "caught" using slave labor in their production lines.  People are letting those companies know it is NOT ok.

 

Today, I learned about this website:  Freedom and Fashion.  Through this website, you can find clothing and accessories guaranteed fair trade.  I already have a few favorites.

 

I don't get a lot of time to work this blog (which is probably why it doesn't have a large readership) so I didn't email and get permission to publish pictures from each of Freedom and Fashion's partners.  I urge you, though, to head to the website and check out their "Partners."  It really looks like it'll be worth your time.

 

And you, by your purchase, will help someone, in a very large way, caught up in the ugly world of trafficking.

 

Seems to me to be a win.

Proverbs 31:8-9

As Fire Races...

There are many facets to human trafficking.  No one working in this factory may have been trafficked but then again, many could be as the definition of human trafficking includes those forced to work, as summarized by the United States State Department is: 

"Over the past 15 years, “trafficking in persons” and “human trafficking” have been used as umbrella terms for activities involved when someone obtains or holds a person in compelled service.

The United States government considers trafficking in persons to include all of the criminal conduct involved in forced labor and sex trafficking, essentially the conduct involved in reducing or holding someone in compelled service. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act as amended (TVPA) and consistent with the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (Palermo Protocol), individuals may be trafficking victims regardless of whether they once consented, participated in a crime as a direct result of being trafficked, were transported into the exploitative situation, or were simply born into a state of servitude. Despite a term that seems to connote movement, at the heart of the phenomenon of trafficking in persons are the many forms of enslavement, not the activities involved in international transportation."

This article reports on a factory fire in Bangladesh.  This paragraph jumped out at me: 

"Bangladesh has some 4,000 garment factories, many without proper safety measures. The country annually earns about $20 billion from exports of garment products, mainly to the United States and Europe."

As well as this statement:

"Had there been at least one emergency exit through outside the factory, the casualties would have been much lower," he said.

Safety standards in other countries are not what ours are and this very well be simple laziness on the part of the factory owner - the idea that if I don't "have" to do something for my workers, I'm not going to because it will cost money.  We won't know for a while, if anyone ever reports on it again.  An investigation will be conducted, so the article says but... we'll see what, if anything comes from it.


Proverbs 31:8-9

A U.S. Prostitution Ring Busted

Saw this article via Yahoo this afternoon. 

Human trafficking victims freed in U.S. prostitution bust



Proverbs 31:8-9

What Do You Think?

An article published in the New York Times regarding human trafficking and prostitution. 

A Misguided Moral Crusade

What do you think?


Proverbs 31:8-9

President Obama Speaks

At the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative Meeting:

President Obama delivers his speech outlining what the United States will be doing to ramp up its efforts to combat human trafficking.

Thank you, Mr. President.  Thank you!!

Proverbs 31:8-9

A Way to Help

A place for those trafficked on the streets...

Cops launch drop-in shelter to help prostitutes in Sea-Tac


Proverbs 31:8-9

Prostitution Website Not Ruled Illegal

This highlights one of just many challenges facing prosecutors today in combating prostitution and other forms of human trafficking:

College president's 'prostitution' site ruled legal

Proverbs 31:8-9

2012 Trafficking in Persons State Department Report

Yesterday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented the 2012 Trafficking in Persons report, released by the State Department.

Up to 27 million people living in slavery: US

You can view the entire report here.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Heartbreaking

Sharing an opinion but I will keep it brief - we should not be surprised by this article, only surprised that it has taken so long to happen.  How will we break this cycle?  What do we teach our children (girls AND boys) about prostitution and the all-around wrongness of it? 

Canadian Teen Girls Charged with Human Trafficking


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Praying the prosecution is successful and the victims are all rescued.

Detectives arrest four in human trafficking investigation

The first arrest for trafficking in Spokane County.

Proverbs 31:8-9

On The Front Lines

Another article in the Seattle Times today:  On The Front Lines in the Battle Against Human Trafficking

If you're in the area, Frontline for Justice (Northshore Baptist Church, Bothell, WA) is hosting Sheila Houston of New Horizons Ministries on May 21, 2012 (7PM).

As someone who went through New Horizons Ministry training and has heard Sheila Houston a few times, I can tell you it would be well worth your time to attend.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Another aspect...

As if there aren't enough:

Bangladesh's "teenage" brothels hold dark steroid secret

Proverbs 31:8-9

From the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington

SeaTac Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Trafficking

Proverbs 31:8-9

A New Link

It has been a while since I've posted anything on this blog.  However, I just learned about this organization today.

Is one of your God-gifted talents sewing?  Then this might be something you want to look into.  Around the world, girls are trafficked because they are poor.  This organization works to clothe girls in such a way as to help reduce that risk.  Nothing fancy, they don't end up looking "rich" - they just look cared for and thus making them less at risk for being trafficked.

Check out their site...  Dress A Girl

Proverbs 31:8-9