Passing It On

I had a number of people pass along this NPR story to me yesterday (thanks to Jaime and Caitlin, particularly), and it was encouraging to me that it caught the attention of so many.  

Nicholas Kristof is really sounding the alarm on the issue of child sex trafficking, particularly based on his work in Cambodia.  

Kristof talks with NPR's Tom Ashbrook about the fact that brothels bring in more money than other "jobs", like grocery stores or even selling pirated DVDs.  They bring in even more when the girls are kidnapped, rather than voluntary participants, and aren't paid for their "services."  Kristof argues that brothel owners don't have shame or compassion; the girls are simply reduced to dollar signs in their eyes, and making the most amount of money dictates their actions.  He says appealing to their better nature likely won't do much--but start putting them in jail, and you'll see progress.  

Ruchira Gupta, the president of the Apne Aap foundation in Indiana, speaks to Kristof and Ashbrook during the interview from Calcutta's Red Light District.  She reports that 250,000-300,000 women are trafficked into the industry in India every year.  The problem is becoming more complicated because inequality between rich and poor, and men and women, is growing.  In addition, organized crime in the area has become more entrenched, and stronger.  

However, on the flipside, she notes that worldwide governments are taking more notice and laying down more stringent trafficking laws; NGOs are popping up everywhere to promote education and reverse the cycle.  Ruchira says she has seen changes in this issue with her own eyes in her lifetime.  She says, "The only thing that is required is to keep the momentum going in the anti-trafficking movement."  Change is possible when mankind as a whole decide to abolish something.  

Kristof also points out that this is one of few issues that really bring the left and right together.  President Bush has made strides of progress, and President-Elect Obama has a fantastic opportunity to make a difference.  New York Representative Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney points out that we still have some work to do: in the U.S., 27 states have passed anti-trafficking laws--which means that 23 have not.   

Kristof is complimentary of the work Evangelicals have done thus far for the cause, and says that he believes dramatic improvements seen in Cambodia could be a direct result of the work of faith-based organizations like the International Justice Mission.  He argues that groups from across the spectrum, faith-based or not, should receive funds for any effort in fighting this cause.  

One of the saddest parts of the current child sex trafficking situation is that due to the widespread appearance of AIDS, being trafficked for many girls is a death sentence.  What's most horrifying is that in certain cultures, a myth exists that if you contract HIV, you can be cured by sleeping with a virgin--hence increased demand for virgins, and increased kidnapping and trafficking of very young girls.  

Kristof believes that once the issue of child sex trafficking really "gets on the agenda," traffickers will be finished.  Apathy and feelings of inevitability are our worst enemies.  

This is a fantastic, really informative interview and if you want to be more educated about this issue, I couldn't recommend it more.  It's a full 45 minutes though--so start a Spider Solitaire game or something, and learn something you didn't know before about one of the most important issues we face in our lifetime.  And then, like the great people that sent it to me, pass it on.