What I've Been Through is Not Who I Am

Fascinating, heartbreaking, eye-opening video from ECPAT-USA.

Child sexual exploitation and trafficking is a complex problem that needs a lot of smart minds, focused thinking, and a comprehensive response from our government, law enforcement, legal system, and everyday people like you and me. This video gives us some things to consider.

And in response to my earlier post, Fragmented Mirrors, I give kudos to ECPAT, Polaris Project, GEMS, WITNESS, and Shared Hope International for joining forces and collaborating on this video.

1/11/12 Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

In honor of those who are currently enslaved throughout this country and around the world, consider doing any one of the following things today:

• Donate $2 to provide emergency supplies to a survivor (via Philanthroper for Polaris Project)
• Apply for the 2012 International Justice Mission Freedom Tour--a cycling tour from Cincinnati to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in DC
• Read "Girls Like Us" by GEMS founder Rachel Lloyd
• Buy and carry the Stop Sex Trafficking for Life Celebrity bag from the Body Shop
• Buy and wear a Sevenly shirt that benefits Somaly Mam this week
• Find and join a local Love146 Task Force
• Download the Free2Work app on your phone to become a more conscious consumer
• Set up a Google Alert for "child trafficking + [[your city]] [[your state]]" to be aware of what's going on nearby and how you can help
• Wear the same dress for six months straight
• Put the National Human Trafficking Hotline number in your phone contact list: 1-888-3737-888
• Read this MTV article for 5 more easy ways to take action on Human Trafficking Awareness Day
• Oh yeah--and spread the word! If you like any of these ideas, share this blog post on your social networks

I'll leave you with a great sentiment from one my favorite abolitionists, Rob Morris (@RobLove146):

Fragmented Mirrors

I saw this quote on Twitter today:

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. Edith Wharton

The quote was in the back of my mind when I read this article (two pieces of anti-trafficking coverage in a row for Forbes, btw): How to End Sex Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery. It's an article interviewing Siddharth Kara, a well-known author and fellow at the Carr Center. It's an educated and informed look at the evolution of awareness about human trafficking and the subsequent public response. Kara observes:

[A] primary challenge has to do with the inability of activists in the field to catalyze a more unified grassroots movement to combat the issue.  The antislavery movement remains highly fragmented, and as a result, its ability to mobilize social opinion and lawmakers on the issue has been hampered.

It frustrates me when people want to spend time criticizing and belittling other organizations' efforts instead of recognizing their common desire--to end trafficking and modern-day slavery--and using that as an impetus to work together. It's true that some people, no matter how good intentioned, are doing more harm than good. It's true that sometimes stories are sensationalized and blown out of proportion. However, I think that as a whole, abolitionists need to put politics and personal vendettas aside in favor of greater partnerships. Let's keep in mind who the real adversary is here.

I know--easier said than done. Maybe a united resolution for 2012?

Because, let's face it: mirrors that have become "highly fragmented" simply aren't going to reflect the candle the way that they should.

Photo by Artnow314

Tech Advances and Human Trafficking Month

Photo by tvol

As you might have seen, President Obama has designated January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention month.

This is just one of the ways the government has been putting an increased focus on human trafficking prevention. The Department of Homeland Security has launched a website specifically on the topic of human trafficking (see it here), which includes providing a daily e-mail news update on human trafficking/smuggling; offering multi-lingual online resources for vulnerable populations; and creating and disseminating free training tools for law enforcement to use in identifying situations of trafficking.

All of these developments (and, let's be honest, my recent return to Twitter) got me thinking: technology is truly a double-edged sword when it comes to child sex trafficking. The Internet has made it easier than ever to sell children as commodities, widely distribute pornography, and has successfully forced prostitution off the streets and deeper behind closed doors.  However, there are a number of ways technology is aiding the fight against child trafficking, as well. For instance, in addition to the advances described above, this Forbes article ("Technology, Business, and Anti-Human Trafficking Innovation") talks about campaigns by digital ad agencies and tech powerhouses like Google and Microsoft to address trafficking issues. Microsoft has issued a $150,000 request for proposals to create technology that helps identify johns who are attempting to purchase victims.

In addition, Google has helped redesign the CyberTipline (run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) in order to make it more user-friendly, easier to navigate, and easier to report child sexual exploitation.

It's encouraging to see the U.S. government and giant U.S.-based tech companies taking notice of human trafficking, doing more to publicize its occurrence, and using technology in a practical way to make inroads against it.

What about you--is there anything you've seen this January that has made you feel encouraged in the fight against child sex trafficking?

Psychological Warfare

For the past three months I've been leading a new Love146 Task Force and it has been very eye-opening, to say the least. The group had our third meeting this past Wednesday, and spent some time talking about the various psychological warfare tactics that traffickers use to accomplish their goal.

After the meeting I had a chance to catch up with a lovely girl who had just moved back to Hartford from Columbus, Ohio, where she had been involved with a ministry called Rahab's Hideaway. Even though I've been learning about child sex trafficking for years now, I was newly astounded at the depth and time traffickers are willing to put into luring new victims. The founder of Rahab's Hideaway has shared about how she was personally pulled in by a husband and wife team who moved into her neighborhood and for over a year and a half built the trust of the local kids--AND their parents.

We talked about how traffickers will use their "bottom girls" to register as students at local high schools and attend classes for the sole purpose of meeting girls, gaining their trust, and eventually trafficking them into the life. Often they look for the girls with low self esteem, who have bad family situations--the ones who can be "easily separated from the pack." However, this can also happen to girls who are "well-off" or even who come from stable home environments. If you are a lonely young girl who is desperate to be loved, you have a target on your back.

Education is critical. This week Love146 held a presentation at a Connecticut high school to talk frankly about the reality of trafficking and the tactics that traffickers use. Truthfully, I think this should become as commonplace a discussion as the anti-drug education we provide to our students.

GEMS put together this 5-minute video called "The Making of a Girl." I think it's fantastic at showing the psychological game traffickers have mastered--and gives us a chance to start thinking and understanding where we have to start providing education, awareness, and emotional support as a counterattack.

Searching for Good

Today, Google retained its position as my favorite search engine (sorry, Bing) by announcing an $11.5 million grant to fight trafficking globally.

It's believed to be the largest-ever corporate grant devoted to fighting slavery.

IJM (International Justice Mission) will partner with Polaris Project and Slavery Footprint, as well as several other organizations, to lead the grant's initiative. The initiative consists of three parts:

• Fighting forced labor in India
• Education and advocacy campaigns, also in India
• Mobilizing Americans to act in the fight against modern-day slavery

You can read more about it here. Or... you could Google it (ha.)

And while I applaud Google for this awesome effort, I also have to mention another fantastic search engine that deserves our support. Check out GoodSearch--you can select your favorite charity (like Love146 or many other trafficking organizations) and every time you use the site for searching, they will donate money to your cause.

Turns out that at least for today, you don't have to look too far if you're searching for good.

The Launch of Born to Fly

It's officially here--

Diana Scimone's e-book, Born to Fly, is available for purchase. I've read it and think it's a fantastic story. Diana has written a beautiful allegory that is entertaining and teaches kids how to make wise choices and avoid traffickers (here portrayed as "Dream Thieves") in a meaningful and age-appropriate way. As she says on her organization's website, wherever kids receive awareness training, the rate of child sex trafficking plummets.

The book is $5.99, and proceeds go to Born 2 Fly International to help prevent child sex trafficking. Consider purchasing one for yourself or as a gift for someone else. It's a very sweet story and more importantly, every dollar will have a tangible impact on the fight against child trafficking.

See the Born to Fly Facebook page and read an excerpt from the story on Amazon.com. There is even a chapter-by-chapter curriculum for teachers and parents, available here, to help children learn and process what they are reading.

Congratulations, Diana! What an accomplishment. I am thrilled that your hard work has paid off and I know that this book will serve such a practical and honorable purpose: educating and protecting children before they can become tricked and exploited.

More on Diana and Born2Fly:


Born to Fly International founder and director Diana Scimone is ajournalist who has traveled to more than 40 countries including Sudan, Zimbabwe, Thailand, China, and India. In 2003 she founded PawPaw’s Pals, Inc.—now called Born to Fly International—to respond to some of the most critical needs she has seen among the world’s children.

In the past, the non-profit organization has donated tens of thousands of dollars to help tsunami victims in Indonesia, India, Thailand, and Sri Lanka; childen in Vietnam disfigured by land mines; child slaves kidnapped in Sudan; AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe, and many other children around the world who live in tragedy, war, disease, and degradation.

Today Born to Fly International is focused solely on stopping the worldwide pandemic of child sex trafficking.