A pastor provides a summary of the proceedings at the 7th Annual Preventing Abuse Conference in Irvine, California put on by the Cedars Cultural and Education Foundation:
The Powerfully Stunning, Shocking, yet Redemptive Human Trafficking Conference - Christian Newswire:
Finland - Support from Finland for efforts to combat human trafficking in Africa:
Alongside illegal trade in arms and drugs, human trafficking is among the most profitable types of crime and one aspect of organised crime. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that each year, two million people fall prey to human trafficking as victims for the labour market, the sex trade and trade in human organs. Only a fraction of them can be returned to their home areas. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Europe may have as many as half a million prostitutes and sex slaves whose transport to Europe fits the characteristics of human trafficking.
Spreading awareness of modern slavery is a challenge all by itself. A group in Florida is planning a walk to raise awareness.
Human Trafficking Focus Of Walk - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville:
Eson and Crystal Freed chair the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Task Force that’s hosting a large gathering in San Marco Saturday to let the community know that this type of thing happens, and what to look for. “If you see a large number of people confined to an area, led by one person, and no one can have contact, that would be an indicator,” said Eson. Sometimes these young people are forced into prostitution, and often when they’re arrested, JSO looks to see if there’s more to the crime.
The article below is yet another highlighting the never-ending debate of sex trade versus sex trafficking. The gist of the debate is that there are sex industry workers who argue they want to be in their part of the industry. The other side argues that there are participants in the sex industry who are unwilling. Overall they are both right but they are so entrenched in their positions, neither side can understand can work together to actually free modern slaves.
CBC News - British Columbia - Human-trafficking fight draws criticism:
The Salvation Army is coming under fire for what it calls a “weekend of prayer for victims of sex trafficking.” But Vancouver advocacy groups say the event is misleading and degrades sex trade workers. The Salvation Army’s national website recommends people conduct prayer walks near strip clubs and massage parlours during this weekend’s campaign, which is focused on human trafficking in the sex trade and its connection to the 2010 Olympic Games.
Not really a lot of detail in this article. I’m assuming Italian police were doing the arresting.
Romanian Times – Home > General News > Human-trafficking gang dismantled:
A human trafficking gang who were luring young women by offering allegedly well-paid jobs in Italy has been dismantled by police, it was announced today (Fri).
D.S., 35, was arrested and D.D., 29, is being searched for on charges of transporting young women and minors from Romania to Italy. Both are from Slatinain Olt county in southern RomaniaOnce they arrived in Italy, their victims were taken to Cerano and Cossol Nova and exploited, being forced to work for them or to prostitute themselves, and were continuously under threat.
The victims were forced to steal from stores for the benefit of their exploiters. Police confiscated laptops, video cameras, TVs and other IT products raids on their homes.
When families sell children into slavery, the problem is more than legal, it’s cultural.
Now focus is on human trafficking:
Much to the embarrassment of President Zardari, the State Department report said parents in Pakistan sell their daughters into domestic servitude, prostitution, or forced marriages, and women are traded between tribal groups to settle disputes or as payment for debts whereas NGOs contend that Pakistani girls are trafficked to the Middle East for sexual exploitation.
The police boss said his officers have identified unregistered guest houses which are being used by human trafficking agents to accommodate foreigners. According to a police officer who declined to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, the current influx of illegal immigrants is a result of the increasing number of porous routes at Kiunga in Lamu and Vanga in Msambweni. He said the immigrants have taken advantage of the illegal routes to sneak into the country without being registered by immigration officers at the border points. “Human trafficking is on the increase because of porous border points and they take advantage of the laxity of police at the borders to sneak into the country. Even drug traffickers use the same routes to supply drugs,” said the officer.
An important point is made here about the definition of what human trafficking actually is.
Unfortunately, authorities often define sex slavery rather widely, with the distinction between involuntary “human trafficking” and voluntary “people smuggling” routinely ignored in practice. This means that efforts such as the UK’s Operation Pentameter – which “aims to rescue and protect victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation and to identify, disrupt, arrest and bring to justice those involved in criminal activity,” and pursues this goal by raiding brothels – often end up imprisoning voluntary migrants rather than liberating slaves.
