Almost every one I know in this fight has a story similar to mine, and it's one with a common theme of shock. I mean, I'd always known about "sweatshops" and "sex slaves" and the like, but really, I had no idea...I didn't think about it much. I didn't know it was like this. I didn't know the trade of human beings is the third most active criminal enterprise worldwide, next only to drugs and firearms. I didn't know that numbers-wise, slavery captures many more lives today than did the transatlantic slave trade of a couple centuries ago.
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Though not technically visually graphic, this video is disturbing, as it should be. But if you can't watch it, at least watch the second one, for Radiohead's "All I Need."
5 comments:
So what to do about it?
Last time we had a slavery problem in the US, we dealt with it by forcing the slaves to be released by war.
Is that the answer here?
I don't really know what you mean, or if you were just saying that to say it, but a physical war like the Civil War isn't in the cards as a solution...the irony is that in this day in age we do have laws that are supposed to protect these victims (although some leave much to be desired), but the problem is that the law enforcement and judicial systems across the country have not be adequately trained to enforce those laws. That's why there's an estimated 50,000 persons trafficked into the U.S. annually, and yet less than one percent of that number represents the number of *total* successful convictions in our country.
I think our government is on the right track with human trafficking, but obviously, there's a very long way to go. Human trafficking is inextricably linked a consumer culture that has been growing for hundreds of years, and this issue has only been dealt with for the past decade or so. Things are just getting started, really.
gotcha. you responded to exactly what I was asking. i really have no idea what's supposed to be done about it. AND i wasn't aware that there were that many in the US.
Yeah, the "what can we do?" question is so huge, it seems, but I think the number one thing everyone can do is just be aware and educate themselves, at least to a minimal degree. Beyond that...I'm sure I'll write about it in future posts :), but there's everything from keeping your eyes open at your favorite ethnic restaurant to trying to know where your clothes come from to taking a stand against aspects of our culture that contribute strongly to the "normalization of sexual harm." Or invest your time as an abolitionist (this doesn't necessarily mean busting down brothel doors or sheltering victims, thought it can).
That's for the individual, of course. As a country, we've got to put our money where our mouth is, starting by educating law enforcement and judicial personnel. That's my opinion, anyway. As one of the largest consumers of trafficked persons, the USA has got to become an undesirable place for traffickers to do business.
(Of course, for the problem to be solved, every other country out there has to follow suit...but one step at a time, I guess..)
whew, it's a lot to take in.
you're amazing me-inda. you're my hero!
i don't even know where to start here, so i think i'll stop.
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