check out this map to see some of the reported cases of human trafficking in the usa: slavery map (remember, these are only a small percentage of all incidents of trafficking--most go unnoticed or are just not reported on this map.)
--
according to the polaris project, "human trafficking is the second largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world. victims experience a loss of freedom and exploitation at the hands of their traffickers who buy and sell them in pursuit of profit. as a result, human trafficking is commonly known as modern-day slavery."
check out their website to learn more: polaris project
((human trafficking can come in the form of forced/unpaid labor, sexual exploitation, etc., and it is not always obvious.))
--
here is a link to another website you should check out: not for sale
this organization, not for sale, also has a moving documentary that you should watch. this is one of the first few documentaries i viewed on this issue, and my heart ached after watching it. a portion of this documentary showed under cover footage of a brothel in cambodia where 5- and 6-year-old girls were offering "yum yum" and "boom boom" to older men. 5 and 6 year olds! young innocent girls--the age group i want to someday teach. i couldn't believe this.
--
here is a link to a page about one of my favorite documentaries: born into brothels
zana briski, a ny photographer, went into the brothels of calcutta india, where she taught the children of prostitutes about photography. this gave the children an opportunity to find a skill that could get them out of the brothels. zana also worked as hard as she could to get most of these children into school. while most were able to attend school, some were forced back into the brothels to become prostitutes by their aunts, mothers, and/or grandmothers; some chose to return to the brothels because that was all they knew. two of the children, though, ended up at universities here in america doing photography and film work. out of zana's work came an organization called 'kids with cameras.' there are plans to break ground for the hope house, a place where children from the brothels will be able to live and attend school.
here is more information on the school: hope house
you can sign up for email newsletters regarding kids with cameras and hope house.
as a future educator, i was excited to find that zana briski, along with kids with cameras, created a curriculum guide as a companion to the film 'born into brothels'. this guide can be used in classrooms in america, and around the world, as a way to instill a global awareness of world issues in the minds of our children. as zana said, "american children are riveted by the kids from calcutta. they connect with them through the film in a way only kids can. kids want to share, to know more, to get involved."
--
another insight i had to this issue came from my visit to the international slavery museum in liverpool, england this past june. while this museum tells the horrific story of the slave trade of the past, it also tells visitors of the reality of the slave trade today. if you ever find yourself in liverpool, this museum, located on the albert dock, is definitely worth a visit.
--
finally, if you want a good book to read, read sold by patricia mccormick. this is a fictional children's novel, but it's definitely a great look into the mind of a young girl who has been tricked into leaving her family in nepal to join a brothel in india.
----
i am writing about all of this to inform you of what is happening around the world and in your own neighborhoods. i am not asking you to take action, but i do think it is important that you are aware of what is happening in this world--in your world. although, if you do feel moved to do something, all of the organizations i mentioned above have links on their websites with ways to help. one thing you can do is pray for this situation and for all of the people involved in modern-day slavery.
No comments:
Post a Comment