Responsible...

27 million people enslaved in the world today.  There are more slaves today than at any point in human history....

i've been asked, "what can i do about this?". first of all...that makes me happy. if one more person is aware and chooses to take action...thats what its all about!
for me, its a constant roller coaster of emotions.  one day i'm super pissed that it happens and i feel hopeless. another day i'm so amped that i want to go in and get people out myself. but, every day i have to remind myself that there are people doing things and i have to stay focused and continue to do my part. whether anti human trafficking is a passion of yours or not....it is the human race, and we are responsible.


"Because slavery is a hidden crime, the greatest challenge is to raise consciousness, to expose it in all its forms. When Americans feel it in their gut, they will understand that ending this crime so monstrous is not a political issue; it is an American imperative, and a human responsibility.  This is why there are still modern-day abolitionists. And this is why the rest of us should join them."
-Richard Holbrooke (excerpt from the forward in A Crime So Monstrous)

Taking Action

1. Dont be ignorant. Research Human Trafficking...where it is, what it means, why it happens. (chances are you'll learn something).

2. After you learn about it, its time to do something about it.  Organizations such as Not For Sale, Polaris Project, and International Justice Mission are a few. (Breaking Free- Minnesota Local).  They need our help.  You can host events, give financially, buy products, and more.

3. Tell others about it.  A lot of people dont know what human trafficking is or that it happens HERE, where you live!

ok, so this is a start. i get that not everyone is going to be as passionate as i am about this.  everyone has their thing. but there are choices to be made with this information....and that is up to you.
Staying ignorant, shouldnt be one of them....
you may be saying "wow, she is laying the guilt heavy!" well, you'd be right. we (including myself) should feel a responsibility. we are talking about modern day slavery, something we thought we got rid of a long time ago. it is all ages, all races.  that is a problem.
there is hope, and i'm determined to fight for that.

websites:

polarisproject.org

notforsalecampaign.org

ijm.org

Sometimes we need facts....

at times we need stories. today i give facts.  

there are so many times that we take sad, horrifying or mind blowing facts and push them aside because it "doesnt affect us". i refuse to be one of those people in the matter of prostitution and human trafficking.  our worlds are small unless we allow ourselves to be taught and take action. 

living in Minnesota, its easy to be caught in a bubble. (i'm sure its not just in minnesota).  Minnesota nice.  yes, people here are nice but it also means "lets be nice and ignore the reality of the world we live in, cause..."i'm comfortable" or "i dont want to deal with it"".  bad things happen.  but we have a choice.  we can just be sad about it...or, we can do something about it.  every day you have choices.  choices to get up in the morning, choices to be angry or not be angry at someone that has hurt you, to love when it seems impossible, to make the most of our day because it has been given to us.  i've realized that the things in life that seem so big in my small world have now become small in my big world.  i'm not saying that we cant be angry or hurt when someone has wronged us, but what are we choosing to do with that anger.  feel sorry for ourselves and hold onto anger? forgive and move forward? its a choice.  its always a choice.

that being said, on a daily basis i strive to be the latter. its hard. i fail sometimes, but i am constantly reminded of a bigger picture.  its a waste of my life to hold onto anger.  i strive to put my energy to things that matter and are of love. 

Slavery is bigger now than it has EVER been.

Human Trafficking and Prostitution Internationally- Only the Beginning

-it is estimated that 700,000 to 4 million women and children are trafficked around the world for purposes of forced prostitution, labor and other forms of exploitation every year. 

-Trafficking is estimated to be a $7 billion dollar annual business.

-Nearly every country is involved in the web of trafficking activities, either as a country of origin, destination or transit. 

-Over 5,000 women and children have been trafficked from the Philippines, Russia and Eastern Europe and are forced into prostitution in bars servicing the U.S. Military in South Korea

-The average age of a girl’s entry into prostitution/sex trafficking is 12 to 14 years old.

-Human trafficking includes both sex trafficking and labor trafficking and is the second largest – and fastest growing – criminal industry in the world.

Human Trafficking and Prostitution in Minnesota

-According to one service provider, 8,000 to 12,000 people are estimated to be involved in prostitution/sex trafficking in Minnesota every day.

-In a North Minneapolis research project on prostitution/sex trafficking, 56% of people involved had their first experience in prostitution/sex trafficking as a juvenile (under age 18)

-Minnesota is known to some as "the factory" for the number of prostitutes it produces

-The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Minneapolis as 1 of 13 cities with a high concentration of criminal enterprises promoting juvenile commercial sexual exploitation.