National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is Wednesday, January 11, 2012
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is Wednesday, January 11, 2012. For those of you who are unaware of what human trafficking means, a basic definition is that “Human Trafficking is modern day slavery. This is not a metaphor; it is the holding of people through force, fraud or coercion. The two most common kinds of slavery involve forced commercial sex or forced labor. It is usually a hidden crime and victims rarely escape or go to law enforcement for help. They are dependent on others to help them.”
On Saturday, January 7, 2012, I had the honor of joining other Los Angeles Abolitionists in the 3rd Annual Freedom Walk, sponsored by CAST LA and Slavery No More. Over 200 men, women and children marched around Downtown LA, engaging the public about the reality of modern day slavery. In the presentation that followed the Freedom Walk, special celebrity host, Caitlin Crosby introduced the the founders of CAST, along with real-life survivors of human trafficking, nationally and internationally.
This is the story of Angela, who was trafficked into the United States by a health care worker, and was in slavery for two and a half years:
“A Health care trafficker told me that I owed her 12,000 for bringing me here and had to work for ten years to pay off my debt. I was told it would be like a family and we would help each other. I worked 18 hours a day and had no days off even though I was promised two days a month.
We had to sleep in the hallway. My trafficker loved animals more than us.
If we were ever sick, we had to take care of ourselves, but if her pet was ever sick, they would be rushed to the hospital or vet.
I was not allowed to talk to anyone, especially the white people. According to my trafficker, I had no legal documents, so if I ever spoke with anyone about my situation, my trafficker would deny me, and they would believe her over me because she was white. What proof did I have? When I got to go outside and take a walk, I had to be back in the facility by 5pm just in case any policeman asked me about my ID. My trafficker would tell me that I would go to jail if I was caught without papers and in jail they would rape and beat me.
I was rescued through Good Samaratin and that’s how I was introduced to CAST. Today, my trafficker is still in jail and was sentenced for five years. I have my own apartment now too. Last March, we went to Washington DC to raise awareness, which is important because before we had no voice and now we do. Please be vigilant with any place you go. There are a lot of victims out there, like I used to be. They need us.”
International
An estimated 12.3 million people are enslaved around the world today – that’s more than the population of 18 States – or more than the population of New York and Virginia combined.
There are anywhere between 600,000 and 800,000 victims trafficked through international borders every year, which does not include the millions trafficked domestically within their own countries.
It is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the 21st century – a nine billion dollar industry.
Trafficking ranks second, after drug smuggling and tying with arms dealing, in organized crime activities.
According to the 2008 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat; it deprives people of their human rights and freedoms, it increases global health risks, and it fuels the growth of organized crime.
The majority of victims of slavery are women and children – traffickers prey on those who suffer most from macro factors like gender discrimination, family violence, and a lack of access to education and economic opportunity.
Although women and children make up a majority of trafficking victims, there has been an increase in the victimization of men as well. Eleven percent of the victims CAST is serving are male.
National
According to CIA estimates, as many as 15,000 to 17,500 men, women and children are trafficked into The United States every year.
The United States is one of the top three destination points for trafficked victims, along with Japan and Australia. California, New York, Texas and Nevada are the top destination states in the country.
States such as California, Florida, New York, Nevada and Ohio are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking because of factors such as: proximity to international borders, number of ports and airports, significant immigrant population, and large economy that includes industries that attract forced labor.
Slavery and trafficking are not only limited to these states and can be found everywhere. At the beginning of 2009, incidences of potential human trafficking were identified all over the country, including Ohio, Iowa, Washington, Florida, New York, Texas and Hawaii.
Los Angeles is one of the top three points of entry into this country for victims of slavery and trafficking. The diverse communities of this sprawling city make it easier to hide and move victims from place to place, making it very difficult for law enforcement to locate potential survivors.
Immigration agents estimate that 10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles’ underground brothels; this does not include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal industries.
Law enforcement in Las Vegas believes that trafficking and slavery in the “Sin City” has increased because of advertisements that encourage people to “sin all they can” while in Vegas – without anyone needing to find out.
What You Can Do To Help:
1. Educate yourself on the statistics. Knowledge is power, and the more you are aware of the reality of modern day issues, the more you can do to take an active part in contributing to the cause.
2. Gather a group of your friends together to have a bake off or dinner party, and each donate $5-$10 to an anti-trafficking charity.
3. Raise awareness through social networking. President Obama declared that the month of January would be to raise awareness about human trafficking. Post statistics and ways to help as a status update to your friends.
4. Affect change: Whether you are a survivor or someone who desires to see an end to modern-day slavery, everyone has the power to affect trafficking policy on every level. Let your local, state and federal representatives know you expect them to pass legislation that will crack down on traffickers and provide victims with the support services they need to put their lives back together.
5. Report a crime: It’s impossible for law enforcement officials to be aware of every single trafficking and slavery case in their area without support and tips from the community. It’s up to you to take action when you suspect someone is being held against their will.
